got to love those LFS employees - Page 3

Murminator · #21 03-28-2006, 05:03 PM

*sighs* Why do you guys ask for their advice if all your going to do is criticize it? do your own research and make your own decision. Do you same people go to Wal-mart and criticize their knowledge on toasters? I will say I do criticize their prices, but when I ask their advice I take it with a grain of salt I do not take it as the spoken law. Remember like it has been posted you get what you pay for, and remember they are there to sell things if you talked into an impulse buy then good for them. Most of us that have taken the LFS advice it was associated with an impulse buy, you already had in your mind you wanted it and you just wanted the answer you wanted to hear ( I'm guilty of this)There are members of this board that come to mind that have worked at the LFS and I am pretty sure they did not know everything and may have givin wrong advice. Most people give advice on their experiences and a 16 yr old working in a LFS may not have all that much experience with higher end stuff so they are working on other peoples advice.
I am not defending the LFS just trying to share some the responsibilities with the customers

Willow · #22 03-28-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murminator

*sighs* Why do you guys ask for their advice if all your going to do is criticize it? do your own research and make your own decision.

i don't think he did ask for his advise, he went in looking for a specific product and was told to buy a pile of outdated crap by someone who has no clue.

midgetwaiter · #23 03-28-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myanth

BINGO. We have a winner. Do you want to pay even more for your stuff to have knowledgable staff? Or just do your research and buy what you need? I have yet to see a LFS with all their stuff behind the counter. It's just a matter of how hard you have to look for it. And believe it or not... There will be someone there that knows his @#$ from a hole in the ground. IME anyways.

Mike

Well exactly, if a LFS started paying to keep good people around they would have to raise prices. There would be an absolute stampede across town to who ever was a couple bucks cheaper. When I was working in the store I actually had a guy complain that our prices on AC300s were $3 more than a place clear across town. I also knew from asking him 30 seconds earlier that he lived WAY in the opposite direction. If the guy wants to drive clear across town in rush hour over $3 he can be my guest. He seemed offended when I offered advice on how best to get there given the typical traffic problems at that time.

Okay, yes that was an extreme example and yes people do have a legit gripe about prices in some cases. Stuff like this does happen regularly though and it hurts the case of someone with a legit question. You can save $50 if you buy 150 pounds of argonite from California? Fine, give Fedex my regards when you hand them $100 for shipping.

The other thing that would be impacted is the know-it-all power trippers would have to find something else to do with their time. You couldn't assume anymore that everyone in a LFS was a moron and treat them like crap. Some people really seem to enjoy that. Mind you I'm not above saying "If you know everything already why are you asking questions?", I'd kinda miss that.

Everyone needs to realize that in addition to not making much money your LFS employee needs to deal with the public all day. That isn't much fun.

mark · #24 03-28-2006, 06:57 PM

Yes I did start this as a bit of a rant but my point; I had done the research, I consciously chose to support a LFS over mail order (realizing in all likely-hood I'd be paying more), I didn't not ask for advise, just where was the product located, I only stated what the product was for to maybe simplify the search.

I realize the salesperson role is the generate sales for the company but when the product was not available I didn't need the misinformation nor a sales job on what I didn't want. I wasn't there to be self important to the LFS employee by asking for a product I guess he was unaware of, I just wanted some filter socks. A "no, we don't stock those" would have been fine.

Joe Reefer · #25 03-28-2006, 07:12 PM

Well put Murray

midgetwaiter · #26 03-28-2006, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

I realize the salesperson role is the generate sales for the company but when the product was not available I didn't need the misinformation nor a sales job on what I didn't want. I wasn't there to be self important to the LFS employee by asking for a product I guess he was unaware of, I just wanted some filter socks. A "no, we don't stock those" would have been fine.

I don't think anyone would think that what happened to you is good behaviour on the part of the LFS guy. I was more trying to explain why stores can't hold onto better staff. A low paying job is one thing but a low paying job where you have to deal with the public is tough.

You should be commended for making the choice to support a local shop in the first place.