"Dont Play With That"

[ripcurlksm]

Hey folks like I said, I was very suprised to be told this and was totally off guard- as I am tall, 25 and had a beard . I could have told him I was interested, but I wasnt anymore.

In the end I am responsible for my own behavior, I can have a sharp tongue and fast temper, it was best that I left the shop than open my mouth. THR all the way. Where's my d*mn shirt?

 

[springmom]

Sounds like you handled it right for you, then. Of course, you could go back later and have a calmer discussion, either with the clerk or with the manager or owner, too.

That was just a flat-down WEIRD thing for a clerk to say, IMO.

Springmom

 

[blacksuit]

This is something that I just don't understand with gunshop employees...(Yes I know not all of them) Rudeness will not get you anywhere with me and I will drive an hour away to purchase something from someone that acts professional. With the interenet these days you'd think gun shop owner would ensure their employees were treating customers right. I would rather buy stuff locally but with the attitudes some of the people have its just not worth it.

 

[ChiefThunderstick]

My local gunshop is a half hour away. I was in there one day, just browsing. I'd been in there before and had bought some ammo and signed up for a HG safety course. Well anyway, I was browsing and after a while, the owner, whom several of his employees feel is an *****, made a sarcastic remark. He said something along the lines of he hoped that I learned something today from my visit there. (I had asked a few questions about some HGs that were on display). I pretended to not get his sarcasm and replied that yes, my visit was very educating and left. I haven't bought anything there since. He's overpriced on top of being nasty. What I learned was to not buy anything from his store, so yes the visit was very enlightening. I buy ammo at WalMart or special ammo on the web, and I buy my guns at shows, and save a lot of money and snide remarks to boot.

 

[mustanger98]

This is something that I just don't understand with gunshop employees...(Yes I know not all of them) Rudeness will not get you anywhere with me and I will drive an hour away to purchase something from someone that acts professional. With the interenet these days you'd think gun shop owner would ensure their employees were treating customers right. I would rather buy stuff locally but with the attitudes some of the people have its just not worth it.

As I said in my previous post in this thread, there's shops I won't do business with... this one place had two snooty cavemen using used car sale tactics. I let 'em know I was mad and I haven't spent a dime there since. And I'd been a repeat customer for 15 years, but a lot of that time was before that manager got in there.

Another gun shop local to me... they generally sell me anything I want with plenty of good humor and we can lean on the counter and tell huntin' stories, but they won't do FFL transfers for me because last time, I unwrapped a greasy mess on the counter. That was my No.4Mk2 Enfield they found out was hiding under all that 40 year old British cosmoline. I think they thought they were going to save me from myself.

Gun shops don't have a monopoly on stupid crap though. Western clothing/saddle stores... I've been in a couple over time that treated everybody like criminals. I didn't go back. On the other hand, there's places here that we're like neighbors and I'm a repeat customer. We got to know each other fast.

 

[slocum]

As of the human resource manager for waffle house (my wife) you have minimum wage and wait staff minimum wage and $2.13 p/h is correct

Correct or not a wage of $2.13/hour will be self-critiquing in one form or another.

 

[DRZinn]

California != "most" of the USA, contrary to popular belief.

I didn't imply that it is. I gave one example of a state (a very large state with a lot of waiters in it) where the waiters are not paid 2.13 per hour.

That may vary a little, but I can assure it's NOWHERE NEAR $6.75/hr plus tips.

Nor did I imply that the national average was anywhere near 6.75.

Look, I don't claim to have any idea what the average wage for a waiter in the U.S. is. But the orginal statement:

Do you know what the pay for most waitrons is? It's $2.13 an hour.

is not supported by the information, which is that the minimum for waiters is 2.13 an hour. I doubt that the majority of waiters are paid the minimum.

 

[rbernie]

Employees deriving the majority of their income from tips do not have to be paid minimum wage, hence the lower salary. But being willing to do a job for less guaranteed money on premise that you'll make it back (plus more) in tips does not ENTITLE you to the tip. You're still expected to do your freakin' job and do it passably well.

Tips are supposed to be what makes the service industry work; take a unskilled/semiskilled laborer and allow them to earn beyond their ordinary income potential by rewarding effort and attention. Expecting a tip for having done nothing more than show up is a form of welfare mentality.

"I'm here - give me something."

 

[bogie]

Bogie's 32nd Law: If there are 8 people at a table, the one who will insist on paying the check is the one that'll leave you a $2 tip.

If they had you really running, it'll go down to $1.

Large tables are not a gold mine - an 8-person table will require 2x the visits of two 4-person tables... And if they're all women, and they're out for lunch or something, the instant you see 'em doing math, figure on taking a hit.

Guys, on the other hand, generally just throw money at the middle of the table.

And for all you geniuses who decide that you'll just take both credit card receipts, well, your card has already been charged for the meal - all you've done is screw the waitron out of a tip. And they remember.

 

[SaxonPig]

Well, call me kooky but I don't touch, handle or "play with" things that aren't mine and I don't know how to properly manipulate. but then, I've been the guy behind the counter and most of us don't realize what it's like to deal with the public. I bet 100 people a day pushed those buttons and it caused something unwanted to happen. Maybe noting more than an electronic beep but when you jear it 50 times an hour you get tired of it.

Reminds me of when I managed a service desk. We had one of those little ringers on the counter for customers who insisted and ringing it when an employee was standing right there and ringing it 10 times if nobody was immediately in view. It got real old, let me tell you. So I put a little note on it that said "Ring once to summon clerk. Ring twice to summon angry clerk."

Maybe there was a better way for the employee to handle the situation but I don't think this event warrants the "I'll never go back there" stamping of feet and pouting of lips. I have bigger problems in my life than this.

 

[MrTwigg]

"Dont Play With That"

Call the manager, politely and calmly explain what happened and if you have already bought someplace else, explain why he lost the sale and your furure businiess.

If you have not yet made your purchase, after explaining the incident shut the heck up and wait for the offer to make things better for your next trip in. If the shop owner is smart you'll be getting a discount, if not they'll be out of business soon enough.

 

[mustanger98]

And for all you geniuses who decide that you'll just take both credit card receipts, well, your card has already been charged for the meal - all you've done is screw the waitron out of a tip. And they remember.

That may be true in a good many cases, BUT, I recall back in August of 1998 when I was out in California... me and my Mom and sister were out there for two weeks... we ate at Denny's a couple of times and asked about getting some change from the charge card for a tip. The cashier told us the 15% gratuity was already tagged on and not to worry about it.

 

[ptmmatssc]

I have to admit , if I go to a new(to me) establishment to peruse thier goods with the intent of making a purchase , i usually get snotty or bad attitudes as well as poor service . Guess the reason is my appearance . Ragged jeans , t-shirt(probably stained) , sleeves(tattoos for those who don't know) , and generally 3-5 day scruff on the face. Actually went to a large retailer looking for a new tv and walked up to one of the salesman to inquire about what was available . He told me they had a 13" on sale I might be interested in . I said no , I want something large . He showed me a 19" while rolling his eyes and sighing . I asked if he worked on commision and he said yes . So I walked over to the other salesman (young guy kinda unkempt) and told him I was looking for a BIG tv , crt preferable. He walked me over to a nice 36" and told me the price. I told him I wanted it and if he could get it loaded in my truck in the next 10 minutes I'd take it. He asked what card I was going to use to pay for it and I said "card? hell no , this is a cash deal" . Needless to say , made his day and the buffoon that acted like I was just some poor lowlife almost had his jaw hit the floor .

I hate bad/poor/rude service and will always find a way to get my point across as to what they are losing by turning me off as a customer .

 

[mustanger98]

This is reminding me of when I bought some office chairs from Staples... idiot sales guy being real schmarmy trying to get me to buy all kind of extra warranty plans I didn't figure I needed. The only thing that kept me from telling him what I thought of it after a few times of him asking "are you sure" was the fact that my sister worked at Staples and had to go through the same routine.

Back to gun shops though... this one idiot in that shop I quit going to... there was one time he tried five or six times in 5minutes to get me to buy that stupid Tec-9. But, at that time it hadn't gotten so bad as it had when I finally said "when". I left about 15minutes later with a 1976 Ruger SuperBlackhawk in a Safariland scabbard (retailed new for $100 or so) the guy said he really wasn't supposed to include in the sale, but did because he was trying to sell me something. I got a real good deal on it too. But after a while, enough is e-damn-nough. It simply became more and more evident they thought I was an idiot and the feeling became more and more mutual.

 

[ripcurlksm]

Not a good analogy Pig, a ring at a service desk vs. a beep at a GUN RANGE.

 

[Crazy Uncle Al Gore]

A lot of gun store owners (store owners in general I guess) treat me with suspicion because I'm young (atleast I assume thats why ). It doesn't matter that my hair is kept short and my cloths fit me, I try not to look suspicious .

 

[Walkalong]

If you wanted to make a point, you should have bought it. Then he would have realized you weren't just messing with it and he would have felt like a real jack-a## for talking to you like that.

Not, I would have walked also.
Too many rude Bas****'s behind the tables at gun shows these days compared to 15 + years ago also. Don't understand it. They talk to us like we are stupid and are just downright rude. I guess they catch a lot of S*** from stupid people who fondle their stuff with no intention to buy asking idiotic questions etc. But... I still don't like it. Treat me right until I prove I'm an A** and then be rude to me.

 

[scout26]

Normally if I'm in any store, intent on buying something I get a clerk right away to help me with my purchase. Unless it's something that I buy frequently (like reloading supplies, those just go right in the cart.)

When I bought my gun safe, I found a clerk and politely asked for help with the safes, he went and got the safe expert for me. I made it clear I wasn't another lookie-loo. I asked a lot of questions, and had him explain to me the differences in the various safes they had on the floor. Once I had all the info I needed I made my purchase and delivery arrangements. During that time there were probably 20 people who came through the safe area and just spent their time pushing the buttons and spinning the dials.

JMHO, but if you expect serious and professional service, then act like a serious buyer, not another lookie-loo.

So, where did you go and what kind of safe did you eventually buy ????

 

[BigO01]

Well ripcurlksm first off lets be honest you were "playing with it" .

You seem like an intelligent person so you knew what the buttons are for , so just what purpose did it serve to stand there and push them ?

Fact of the matter is we humans "myself included" love to play with new things it is natural curiosity plain and simple .

I have a couple of gun shops that I frequent enough to be known to a certain degree that I am allowed to play with things "including guns if I ask to see them" because the owner and sales people know I do purchase an average of about $75 in reloading components on each visit on top of the occasional gun purchase .

May I ask , was the door opened or closed ? If it was opened I imagine it has the feature of changing the combination as my handgun safe with buttons does . It could be the sale man was worried that you knew how to operate this feature and would do so out of some perverse sense of humor .

Taking the batteries out of the unit leads to more hassle than it is worth as then they have to worry about losing the physical keys that override the electronic pad for emergencies , also every sales person has to run around with batteries in their pockets to demonstrate the key pad to true perspective buyers .

Perhaps the sale man worded his request poorly but you did indeed overreact if he was busy with other customers .

You might also want to take into consideration what time of year it is , safes as Xmas presents may be very popular to the point that the shop reasonably believes that that floor model will be sold in the coming weeks , if you were to damage it in some way they would lose a sale to a competitor .

Next time explain to them you are considering spending the hundreds of dollars for the safe and I bet you would be treated with the respect you wish .

 

[Flopsy]

I had a similar deal.....

I was at a gun show and asked to see a Beretta PX4, the guy handed it to me but told me not to work the slide. I said, "How am I supposed to know if I want to buy it if I can't work the slide first?" He said, "Uh...er..." I said, "Nevermind" and handed it back.

 

[mustanger98]

I had a similar deal.....

I was at a gun show and asked to see a Beretta PX4, the guy handed it to me but told me not to work the slide. I said, "How am I supposed to know if I want to buy it if I can't work the slide first?" He said, "Uh...er..." I said, "Nevermind" and handed it back.

See, now this is the kind of crap I ran into at this one shop locally to me... the one I won't do business with. Only thing is they don't "Uh...er..."; they keep on being snobby and smug thinking they're holier than thou just because they're behind the counter. I won't even by loading components there. I won't shop their other departments. And the cashiers know I don't like the sporting goods guys too... I guess word gets around. Last time I was in there, there'd been some turnover, but that one guy was back in there. One cashier who knew me from forever asked me "I bet you're thrilled (he's) back". Well, I haven't made it any secret I don't have any use for the guy so I just said "not particularly". She laughed. Nah, I ain't goin' back.

 

[Big Calhoun]

How I'm treated by store staff usually determines how much business of mine they'll get. If you handle me efficiently and cordially today, why should I expect it to be any better next week, next month, 6 months from now,...

In the situation described here, my course of action would have been to politely advise the sales rep that I'm interested in that model and was trying to get my bearings in its use. Now, IMO, at that point, he can continue to tell me not to 'play' with it (and lose the sale) or he can explain why he made the statement and slink from behind the counter and earn his keep. Rather simple, I think.

There is one store/range in the D/FW area I avoid like the plague. I have no doubt that they are extremely knowledgable, but customer service.......completely nonexistant. It's almost like you're wasting their time by asking a question. Sorry, I thought thats what you get paid to do.

 

[Lonestar]

True , some gun stores clerks ar snobs...However A friend of mine owns a Gunstore and all day guys push the buttons on this large keypad safe in the store, and at least once a week he has to call the company because someone changed, or resets the codes. Classic one was the guy who locked his 10 year old son in the gun safe, then somehow tried to blame my friend for having a "Hazardous Safe"

 

[DRZinn]

Has it never occurred to anyone to completely disable the locks while they're in the store?

 

[mindwip]

Or how about a sign. "No touching, Unless company sales person with you, its for the children."

or just wedge the door open