[dasmetre]

Originally Posted by wanderlust8

what a crazy thread...

I live in the LA area, and have bought several items from the Fountain Valley GC over the years. However, of the stores in my vincinity, it is the last on my list to peruse. I would rather be at the GC on Sunset or Sherman Oaks. Why? The employees. I'm not "hounded" when I walk in the door, and I'm not left to die. They don't often ask me, "Why?" - which always offends me straight away. Can't you have your employees ask in a different way?

Here are my suggestions:

1. Ensure your inventory works! - I've left several times from the FV location because NONE of the monitors were hooked up (The very last time I went in, only a couple were patched into the Mackie Big Knob)... and some of your keys/synths were not hooked up to any monitors.
- My first experience with the FV store ages ago, i bought an open boxed- Digi001. with no manuals and most importantly... No Code! It took me over a week from your store to get a valid number to get my product working.

2. Be sure to sell new stuff NEW (sealed)!
- 50% of the items I've bought at the FV store came out from the back re-taped. I am insured everything is perfect, then I get home and it's not. Once it was an Event monitor with crumpled edges, the other also on Blue Sky monitors! I'm dropping a grand each time dying to get home to play.. only to turn right back around.

3. Train your employees to NOT treat every customer the SAME. We are all not the same... we were all beginners at once too, and some of us are not beginners any more.
- Also, it should be standard that I get the sales person's name. If they are asking if I need help, they should say, "I'm Johnny, and "guitars" is my department. Let me know if I can help you".
- I'd rather not wander around, trying to find someone else to help me, when I can say, 'where's Johnny in guitars"?

so... in the last 6 months.. I've only bought some strings, and a strap from your FV store, only because it was close by and I got it that instant. Otherwise, my major purchases have moved elsewhere... say 50%online, and 50% from other GC's and local retailers in LA.

Good luck and appreciate what you're doing. I'd be happy to see some good changes in the FV GC.

The thread is definitely interesting--and I had one of my long term customers (from when I worked at our Sherman Oaks store, funny you should mention that) give me some similar feedback today.. He buys once a year, but buys big time, so I only get to see him each December. I have definitely got a hefty undertaking on my hands, but I am happy to implement everything I can from these threads. Especially those suggestions from local gearslutz.
Eli