Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Part of the solution---if you shop at Guitar Center, read this

brad347 · 15th December 2007, 11:45 PM

I've got one.

Encourage your employees to be forthwith when they do NOT know something.

Nobody in this world can know everything. I fully expect that GC employees will not know as much as I do about making music and the equipment used to do so because, well, I do this for a living and they work at guitar center. Not meaning that in a cocky way, but if they knew as much as I or other professionals did, they would likely have an actual career in the music industry, full-time.

If I worked at a plumbing store and some professional plumber came in and said "I need a so and so L bracket blahbetty blah" and I didn't know what that was, it wouldn't come as a real surprise. Because I'm not a professional plumber.

But I bet he would be a lot happier and more understanding if I admitted ignorance, asked him to clarify or did something to point him in the general direction of finding what he needed, rather than BLUFFING him to act like I knew what he was talking about and that he REALLY needed this or that other thing and NOT what he needed.

Once I went into a GC and asked for an XLR polarity reversal adapter to swap pin 2 and 3. The guy says "Sure, we've got plenty of those, do you want the polarity changed to quarter inch or what?" When I explained to him that I did not want an adapter to change to another cable type, but rather a reversal of polarity, and then when that didn't work explained what polarity reversal meant, he was looking at me all crosseyed like I was a retard.

Finally his manager from across the store had to pipe in and tell me they did not have that in stock, but could order it. The original guy was still trying to bluff his way into not looking stupid. I also had to explain to him what a stereo bar was, for the record, and actually point to it behind the counter for him to grab me one. I was polite, but he was a jerk.

This is NOT a unique experience in GC.

Most of the employees seem trained to "never let them see you sweat." It's like they tell them to always pretend they know what they are talking about, and always act like they are a bigger expert than the client. Most of the time, this is simply NOT true. Which is why I rarely ever set foot in there anymore except for little stuff.

Now to lead by positive example:

ONE TIME I had a really good guitar center dude. I found a great amp in the store, a '61 Fender Super-amp, and even though my morals told me not to buy at GC

I just had to have it. So the sales dude was super cool, very low pressure, not overly enthusiastic, nor was he like a puppy dog when he figured out that I could actually play more than a few cowboy chords.

He realized that it was impossible to hear anything over the many others trying out guitars that day, and since it was sort-of an expensive amp, he found me a room to try it out in. He offered, I didn't ask. He then left me alone for a long time to put it through its paces and it was love.

I had to buy it, so I did. He had been so cool and low-pressure, didn't try to upsell me, didn't "DUUUUDE" me a single time, wasn't FAKE at all, etc etc that I didn't even negotiate on the price. I let him tell ME what he could do, and then I paid it without argument. He threw in a cable. I appreciated his good service SO much that I didn't even try to haggle at all. Now THERE is a guy who has it figured out! Funny thing is, I also got the feeling he actually knew about what he was selling but he didn't feel the need to PROVE it to me.

Now THAT is what it's all about!

15th December 2007, 11:45 PM	#121
brad347 Gear Head Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 38	I've got one. Encourage your employees to be forthwith when they do NOT know something. Nobody in this world can know everything. I fully expect that GC employees will not know as much as I do about making music and the equipment used to do so because, well, I do this for a living and they work at guitar center. Not meaning that in a cocky way, but if they knew as much as I or other professionals did, they would likely have an actual career in the music industry, full-time. If I worked at a plumbing store and some professional plumber came in and said "I need a so and so L bracket blahbetty blah" and I didn't know what that was, it wouldn't come as a real surprise. Because I'm not a professional plumber. But I bet he would be a lot happier and more understanding if I admitted ignorance, asked him to clarify or did something to point him in the general direction of finding what he needed, rather than BLUFFING him to act like I knew what he was talking about and that he REALLY needed this or that other thing and NOT what he needed. Once I went into a GC and asked for an XLR polarity reversal adapter to swap pin 2 and 3. The guy says "Sure, we've got plenty of those, do you want the polarity changed to quarter inch or what?" When I explained to him that I did not want an adapter to change to another cable type, but rather a reversal of polarity, and then when that didn't work explained what polarity reversal meant, he was looking at me all crosseyed like I was a retard. Finally his manager from across the store had to pipe in and tell me they did not have that in stock, but could order it. The original guy was still trying to bluff his way into not looking stupid. I also had to explain to him what a stereo bar was, for the record, and actually point to it behind the counter for him to grab me one. I was polite, but he was a jerk. This is NOT a unique experience in GC. Most of the employees seem trained to "never let them see you sweat." It's like they tell them to always pretend they know what they are talking about, and always act like they are a bigger expert than the client. Most of the time, this is simply NOT true. Which is why I rarely ever set foot in there anymore except for little stuff. Now to lead by positive example: ONE TIME I had a really good guitar center dude. I found a great amp in the store, a '61 Fender Super-amp, and even though my morals told me not to buy at GC I just had to have it. So the sales dude was super cool, very low pressure, not overly enthusiastic, nor was he like a puppy dog when he figured out that I could actually play more than a few cowboy chords. He realized that it was impossible to hear anything over the many others trying out guitars that day, and since it was sort-of an expensive amp, he found me a room to try it out in. He offered, I didn't ask. He then left me alone for a long time to put it through its paces and it was love. I had to buy it, so I did. He had been so cool and low-pressure, didn't try to upsell me, didn't "DUUUUDE" me a single time, wasn't FAKE at all, etc etc that I didn't even negotiate on the price. I let him tell ME what he could do, and then I paid it without argument. He threw in a cable. I appreciated his good service SO much that I didn't even try to haggle at all. Now THERE is a guy who has it figured out! Funny thing is, I also got the feeling he actually knew about what he was selling but he didn't feel the need to PROVE it to me. Now THAT is what it's all about!