Odd experience with gunsmith today... or am I being a crybaby ?
- Thread starter MIL-DOT
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TheGrimReaper
Member
I would not have stood for it either!
GBExpat
Member
Perfect ... and commendable.
Two years???...I could have made a new 1911 from scratch...like starting with mining the iron ore out of the ground from scratch.
Gun smiths are not some secret society, if you don't like the customer service then go some place else. The vast majority of mechanics can fix your car properly, you use the one that makes the CUSTOMER feel like they are in charge. Which by the way is exactly how a business, a successful business, operates. My money goes to the guy who works for it, there are plenty of smiths around, even if I have to put in a little extra leg work.
Gun smiths are not some secret society, if you don't like the customer service then go some place else. The vast majority of mechanics can fix your car properly, you use the one that makes the CUSTOMER feel like they are in charge. Which by the way is exactly how a business, a successful business, operates. My money goes to the guy who works for it, there are plenty of smiths around, even if I have to put in a little extra leg work.
Ledgehammer
Member
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2010
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- 492
lol technical terms like "out of whack" - to me conjure up visions of a gunsmith who ends up with a pile of "extra parts" when he's done working on your gun.
crossrhodes
Member
Suspect
I have no problem explaining to a customer what the problem was, or what caused it and most of them return because the feel, and got, a fair shake.
I suspect it was a minor problem with your firearm and he saw the opportunity to charge you for something he didn't do. Sorry to say, but all of us have been in this business long enough to know we have smiths out there like that. I'd take him off your list and maybe send him a christmas card saying thanks but your services will not longer be needed.
I have no problem explaining to a customer what the problem was, or what caused it and most of them return because the feel, and got, a fair shake.
I suspect it was a minor problem with your firearm and he saw the opportunity to charge you for something he didn't do. Sorry to say, but all of us have been in this business long enough to know we have smiths out there like that. I'd take him off your list and maybe send him a christmas card saying thanks but your services will not longer be needed.
bonza
Member
" I hate rude behavior in a man.....I won't tolerate it"! Woodrow F. Call (Lonesome Dove).
That about sums up my feelings on the OPs experience, too. I might not go as far as beating him with a branding iron(!), but I certainly wouldn't give him any more business. I worked in the gun trade for a number of years when I was younger &, to be honest, I've met very few gunsmiths who had a good attitude.....the profession just seems to attract a quirky bunch.
That about sums up my feelings on the OPs experience, too. I might not go as far as beating him with a branding iron(!), but I certainly wouldn't give him any more business. I worked in the gun trade for a number of years when I was younger &, to be honest, I've met very few gunsmiths who had a good attitude.....the profession just seems to attract a quirky bunch.
I had a revolver repaired with exactly the same problem; bent ejector rod IIRC. It was as much itemized on the receipt.
After looking at the sign I would have said; "OK, now I understand. What part or parts did you replace?"
"How much were the parts?"
From your narrative though, I would not use him again. People can argue that "being friendly" etc are not neccessarily part of being a competent gunsmith etc, and explain it away in other terms. But I simply do not give my money to miserable people; especially ones that try to treat me like an idiot. And that is pretty much what he was doing. Or that do not adhere to normal business practices.
If you took your car to a shop to get a poorly running engine fixed, and they handed you a bill for X-dollars and simply said "look at the sign", what would you do? Same goes for a gun as far as I am concerned.
Oh; and I would pass the word around about them; locally and online, as far and wide as possible. They need to know that it is bad for business to treat people like that.
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Je Suis Prest
After looking at the sign I would have said; "OK, now I understand. What part or parts did you replace?"
"How much were the parts?"
From your narrative though, I would not use him again. People can argue that "being friendly" etc are not neccessarily part of being a competent gunsmith etc, and explain it away in other terms. But I simply do not give my money to miserable people; especially ones that try to treat me like an idiot. And that is pretty much what he was doing. Or that do not adhere to normal business practices.
If you took your car to a shop to get a poorly running engine fixed, and they handed you a bill for X-dollars and simply said "look at the sign", what would you do? Same goes for a gun as far as I am concerned.
Oh; and I would pass the word around about them; locally and online, as far and wide as possible. They need to know that it is bad for business to treat people like that.
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Je Suis Prest
Broken Anvil
Member
It's called respect. He respected your money enough to take it, he should respect you enough to behave like an adult and answer your question. You can solve this problem with your feet.........
I typed up a whole novel in response to the OP naming some local names and I decided to delete it.
The short version: Your bad day may translate into a time-consuming expensive life-long grudge. If you are in the service industry and your livelihood depends upon customer satisfaction; it is in your best interest to learn to keep your bad days to yourself.
The short version: Your bad day may translate into a time-consuming expensive life-long grudge. If you are in the service industry and your livelihood depends upon customer satisfaction; it is in your best interest to learn to keep your bad days to yourself.
ForumSurfer
Member
That was a little too much attitude for me. I don't like being pointed to a sign on the wall unless it say "Men's Restroom."
When I pay for a service, I expect a breakdown of service in writing or verbally.
I work in the IT sector and I can tell a client precisely what I did without giving them "lessons" on how to do it themselves. If I honestly have no idea what fixed the issue, I'll tell the customer: "I'm not sure what the issue was. I checked your configurations, corrected some minor configuration issues, rebooted and blah blah blah. If this issue occurs again, please document exactly who was doing what and where to the best of your knowledge." That rarely happens. I can almost always pinpoint the problem.
I would have told him I would take future business elsewhere because I value quality workmanship and a friendly attitude when I give up my hard earned money.
When I pay for a service, I expect a breakdown of service in writing or verbally.
I work in the IT sector and I can tell a client precisely what I did without giving them "lessons" on how to do it themselves. If I honestly have no idea what fixed the issue, I'll tell the customer: "I'm not sure what the issue was. I checked your configurations, corrected some minor configuration issues, rebooted and blah blah blah. If this issue occurs again, please document exactly who was doing what and where to the best of your knowledge." That rarely happens. I can almost always pinpoint the problem.
I would have told him I would take future business elsewhere because I value quality workmanship and a friendly attitude when I give up my hard earned money.
chevyman097
Member
I can bet the same guy would expect to know what the mechanic fixed on his car if he had to put it in the shop.
Not much difference, I pay for you to fix my product, I expect to know what was fixed.
Not much difference, I pay for you to fix my product, I expect to know what was fixed.
badbob38
Member
Hey, is your gun fixed, was the price right. I know so gunsmiths that never come out from the back room where they do there magic.
lambertiana
Member
I would never tolerate that attitude. My go-to gunsmith really knows his way around firearms, and I have recommended him to a number of my friends. And he always includes a very detailed invoice listing all work and parts.
You don't need our permission to be annoyed with people's behavior. If you don't like him, find another.
Having said that, I have lots of different clients in my profession (not a gunsmith) and sometimes they annoy me with a constant stream of questions. And sometimes I have to cut them short. However, those are the clients that I don't mind losing. And the few occasions when I've had to really let a client know that his/her behavior was inappropriate, I've referred them to other members of my profession and let them know that it would be our last conversation.
But my theory is, if you're going to make your client feel uncomfortable, it better be the last conversation you plan on having with him.
Having said that, I have lots of different clients in my profession (not a gunsmith) and sometimes they annoy me with a constant stream of questions. And sometimes I have to cut them short. However, those are the clients that I don't mind losing. And the few occasions when I've had to really let a client know that his/her behavior was inappropriate, I've referred them to other members of my profession and let them know that it would be our last conversation.
But my theory is, if you're going to make your client feel uncomfortable, it better be the last conversation you plan on having with him.
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