We Always Bash The Big Stores - But How About Some Props When They Do It Right?

[Hawgstoppah]

Went into Wholesale today with a pair of boots I had purchased a little less than 2 months ago. They had seen the water about 14 days. They were completely falling apart. I wont say the type of boot becuase I really do believe they were a "lemon" and that most of the boots made by said company are very solid. matter of fact, I've never had such a good grip on the stream bottom as I did with these boots.

 

I had no reciept (lost it) yet they looked up my purchase, verified that I did indeed buy the boots there, and promptly exchanged them for another pair which I chose. Now- THATS GREAT SERVICE!

 

Thank you Wholesale Sports in Lethbridge.

[Jeffro]

I've noticed a big change in the customer service at WSS in Lethbridge since UFA bought them out. It's nice to go in and get a smile and a greet as well as someone willing to help you.

[grubas]

Try that in Calgary... The smaller the store or the smaller community would (in my opinion) have alot to do with the level of service one receives. I've been to wholesale in lethbridge and was very happy with the level of service and would happily give them my business wholesale in calgary on the other hand..... Every time I go in there I come out pissed off and swear I'll never set foot in there again the problem I have is if you know what your looking for right out of the gate their the closest to me and the most economical. If I need help of any kind I will go to a smaller shop and get the service we all expect and deserve as a paying customer.Maybe the big names should put there "sales"staff on a percentage of sales so they pick up there boots. Glad your experience was great and I hope no one aphilates the problems we have in calgary with lethbridge. great store in the windy city....

[bhurt]

Try that in Calgary... The smaller the store or the smaller community would (in my opinion) have alot to do with the level of service one receives. I've been to wholesale in lethbridge and was very happy with the level of service and would happily give them my business wholesale in calgary on the other hand..... Every time I go in there I come out pissed off and swear I'll never set foot in there again the problem I have is if you know what your looking for right out of the gate their the closest to me and the most economical. If I need help of any kind I will go to a smaller shop and get the service we all expect and deserve as a paying customer.Maybe the big names should put there "sales"staff on a percentage of sales so they pick up there boots. Glad your experience was great and I hope no one aphilates the problems we have in calgary with lethbridge. great store in the windy city....

 

If you put people's pay on a percentage of their sales then it becomes commission thus making the sales people more agrressive in selling you something, thus making you complain that they are beeing too pushy or trying to sell you something you don't want.

 

Personally everytime I have been in WSS here in town I leave with absoultly no problems as I come in their with absoultly no preconcived ideas as to what I should or shouldn't get from going into the store.

 

After beeing in retail for the past 2 decades (20 years) I have come to realize that alot of people that walk into a big box store or any type of store for that fact and expect to get something out of that store, and unforntantly a store can not please everyone the way they want to be pleased, that unforntantly is just the facts of life.

 

I agree that customer service is very valable and I train my staff in giving the best customer service that they are able to but due to company rules or laws they are just not able to help out the customer the way they want to be helped out.

 

Other times I have seen that people say they want attention from the sales people while other say they don't, so what is a sales person suppose to do, be a mind reader, every customer is diffrent, thus making it very difficult for a sale person to be able to help out everyone the exact way they want to be treated.

 

Also with the ression in full swing alot of stores, weather it be a big box or a small shop, are looking at ways to reduce overhead and most of the time it comes down to lower pay or reduce staffing (remeebr the first job of any business is to make money) and when this happens customers tend to complain more loudly about things.

 

Grubas, maybe next time you walk into WSS here in the city don't go in with any preconcived ideas as what you should be recieving and see how your experince is then, if it is the samething, maybe try russels as they are not to far from where WSS is located. West Winds Fly Shop is not to far either and Gord Kenndy diffently knows his *hit when it comes down to the bow, and there is Country Pleasures and Fish Tales located very close by too. Lots to choose from and you don't nessassary have to go to WSS to get good deals, look around and see what you might find, or better yet for the best deals I am finding the internet the best way right now. Got a $500 water proof Loop rain jacket in a 2xl for $180 and only took two weeks to get to me.

[midgetwaiter]

Personally everytime I have been in WSS here in town I leave with absoultly no problems as I come in their with absoultly no preconcived ideas as to what I should or shouldn't get from going into the store.

 

After beeing in retail for the past 2 decades (20 years) I have come to realize that alot of people that walk into a big box store or any type of store for that fact and expect to get something out of that store, and unforntantly a store can not please everyone the way they want to be pleased, that unforntantly is just the facts of life.

 

 

I feel much the same way grubas does about the WSS in Calgary. I'm in retail too so I understand the realities the store is facing and why they hire younger part time people for most of their positions, I have what I think are realistic expectations.

 

Last time I was there I wanted some glasses, I had to hunt down somebody that could open the case. The Ryders I was looking at came with 3 sets of lenses and I had a couple questions about which ones were polarized etc. The young guy I was talking to didn't have the answers, that I can forgive. What I can't forgive was the attitude he had, acting like I was wasting his oh so valuable time.

 

I've only been to WSS in Calgary a handful of times but left with similar feelings each time.

 

I like the Edmonton store though.

[yak]

If you put people's pay on a percentage of their sales then it becomes commission thus making the sales people more agrressive in selling you something, thus making you complain that they are beeing too pushy or trying to sell you something you don't want.

 

Personally everytime I have been in WSS here in town I leave with absoultly no problems as I come in their with absoultly no preconcived ideas as to what I should or shouldn't get from going into the store.

 

After beeing in retail for the past 2 decades (20 years) I have come to realize that alot of people that walk into a big box store or any type of store for that fact and expect to get something out of that store, and unforntantly a store can not please everyone the way they want to be pleased, that unforntantly is just the facts of life.

 

I agree that customer service is very valable and I train my staff in giving the best customer service that they are able to but due to company rules or laws they are just not able to help out the customer the way they want to be helped out.

 

Other times I have seen that people say they want attention from the sales people while other say they don't, so what is a sales person suppose to do, be a mind reader, every customer is diffrent, thus making it very difficult for a sale person to be able to help out everyone the exact way they want to be treated.

 

Also with the ression in full swing alot of stores, weather it be a big box or a small shop, are looking at ways to reduce overhead and most of the time it comes down to lower pay or reduce staffing (remeebr the first job of any business is to make money) and when this happens customers tend to complain more loudly about things.

 

Grubas, maybe next time you walk into WSS here in the city don't go in with any preconcived ideas as what you should be recieving and see how your experince is then, if it is the samething, maybe try russels as they are not to far from where WSS is located. West Winds Fly Shop is not to far either and Gord Kenndy diffently knows his *hit when it comes down to the bow, and there is Country Pleasures and Fish Tales located very close by too. Lots to choose from and you don't nessassary have to go to WSS to get good deals, look around and see what you might find, or better yet for the best deals I am finding the internet the best way right now. Got a $500 water proof Loop rain jacket in a 2xl for $180 and only took two weeks to get to me.

2 decades (20 years

 

lol. you must think us a dimwitted lot bhurt.

[bhurt]

Yak,

 

Its not that I think your dimwitted just clarifing things.

 

Midgetwaiter,

 

Can you honestly say you never had a bad day at work? I know it is not a excuse for poor service but do you know exactly why you got the service you got? Making assuptions most of the time is incorrect and it is what it is, if you do not like the service you are getting then do not go there its pretty simple.

 

Often I have found that people come onto this site to complain about one store service vs another, but really does it solve the problem?

 

Not tring to start fights but it does piss me off when I hear people (not saying you) that come on and group ALL BIG BOX stores as the same, and it is obviouse from this thread that it is not the case, and with you beeing in retail then would understand that a stores successes are all based on their staff and the leadership they recieve, if they have poor leadership then usally the outcome to a customer is very poor itself, but then again kids are kids but I have seen poor service not only from kids but from adults too.

 

Also was it the person giving you service in his department? There are lots of things in the store I work at that I do not have the fainest clue, maybe his boss was paging him, or maybe he was the only one in his depertment and got dragged into another department, many reasons could be there, most likely since he was a kid and most kids I have delt with are more a pain in the ass then anything.

[reevesr1]

The big stores cannot afford to have high priced help and still maintain low prices with any level of profitability. They basically trade price for service. Works in most cases (see Home Depot). While there are certainly mature staff in these stores that have a customer service attitude, many of them have to hire a bunch of kids to survive so accept the fact that they are not always going to get the attitude they desire. In a down labor market, this is not as noticeable. But in a tight labor market they take what they can get. Also, because the shopper rarely feels any loyalty toward a big store, each bad experience is magnified.

 

The exact opposite is the case for a small store. They survive on customer service and must ensure that their staff exhibits it, regardless of age. That's why the staff (who are in many cases the owners or owners family) are more focused on the customer. They would not be able to maintain their higher prices, and hence their margins, otherwise. Also, if we have been in the store more than a couple of times we begin to feel an affinity for the store. So if we go in and the staff is all engaged with other customers, we usually will gladly wait our turn. If this happens in a big store we would blame the lack of staffing and possibly leave in a huff because we give them no benefit of the doubt.

 

Both types of stores have their place. If I am stocking up on standard items, I am much more likely to go to a big box. If I'm buying flies or any higher end item I will always go to the smaller store. I am willing to pay more to get the advice I feel I need. I don't need that advice when buying tippet.

[Hawgstoppah]

Hey Rick...

 

You do need advice on which way to set the hook though hehehe!

[midgetwaiter]

Can you honestly say you never had a bad day at work? I know it is not a excuse for poor service but do you know exactly why you got the service you got? Making assuptions most of the time is incorrect and it is what it is, if you do not like the service you are getting then do not go there its pretty simple.

 

Sure I have but I have never acted like that. I lack the words to explain how obnoxious this kid was, my girlfriend commented on it and she was only half paying attention.

 

Often I have found that people come onto this site to complain about one store service vs another, but really does it solve the problem?

 

I don't really care if they solve their problems or not. I just think it's odd that I usually hear good things about Edmonton or Lethbridge and often hear bad things about the Calgary store. I rather liked going there when it was over by Chinook.

 

Not tring to start fights but it does piss me off when I hear people (not saying you) that come on and group ALL BIG BOX stores as the same, and it is obviouse from this thread that it is not the case, and with you beeing in retail then would understand that a stores successes are all based on their staff and the leadership they recieve, if they have poor leadership then usally the outcome to a customer is very poor itself, but then again kids are kids but I have seen poor service not only from kids but from adults too.

 

I'm back and forth between Edmonton and Calgary regularly and will be returning to living in Calgary in a couple months after 2 years of the nomad thing. There is a serious problem with service in Calgary all over, probably the tighter job market. You really notice a difference if you travel often, other people have commented on this to me. I'm glad I'm not trying to hire retail staff in Calgary.

 

Also was it the person giving you service in his department? There are lots of things in the store I work at that I do not have the fainest clue, maybe his boss was paging him, or maybe he was the only one in his depertment and got dragged into another department, many reasons could be there, most likely since he was a kid and most kids I have delt with are more a pain in the ass then anything.

 

I'm not going to get upset if the kid doesn't know the answer to my question, it would be nice if he tried to find out for me but a simple "I don't know" is fine. His boss can wait if the kid is taking to a customer and if his boss isn't a moron he would have no problem with that.

 

If you saw the way this kid behaved you would have fired him on the spot.

 

 

[SanJuanWorm]

I've always had nothing but excellent service in the Wholesale Sports here in Calgary. The guys are knowledgeable and friendly. Escpecially the gun counter. Those guys know their stuff.

[dube]

I agree that some people don't want service and therefore go to bigger stores with better prices. As a contractor I shop at home depot because I know the people working there don't know *hit and will leave me alone to gather my goods. I also like choosing my own material piece by piece, when you get packages delivered from the "specialty suppliers" you're stuck with whatever was in the lift or what the yard monkeys gave you. Obviously, a place like home depot cannot stock everything I will need from day to day and then it comes down to service as I choose where to shop, which can really be a pain in the ass. Getting cedar here can be a challenge, cedar village is about the only place aside from a few small dudes with mill hookups and I the service there is the pits, as is the material more times than not. Monopolies are no good for consumers.

 

On the other hand you're stuck with what is available such as wholesale being the best flyshop in Edmonton IMHO. I believe there is one other fishing store but I was not all that impressed and it may have been a bad day but I walked around for about 10 min. and no one said a word to me. The boys at wholesale may rather be fishing than talking about fishing from time to time but I've never been snubbed there.

 

You folks from Calgary should be happy you have a choice where to get your fishing gear.

 

......and because I know it's coming.....yes it's one more reason why Edmonton sucks.

[Hawgstoppah]

Guys maybe we shouldn't let this thread degenerate into "I had crap service at wholesale in XXX town"

 

I started the post to give kudos to a big box store (wholesale sports in lethbridge) for their excellent service, so maybe we could leave this thread for positive experiences with big box stores? Thanks