When do you say something?

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  • Kozaturf

    Sharpshooter
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Feb 21, 2020
    504
    63
    Westville-ish
    I understand that salespeople can't keep up on the everything in a given industry like this. That's why you hear, "Oh, you want to talk to Jim he know everything about old Marlins" or "Dave is our AR guy." You need a mix of people that specialize in different areas to be able to best help the customers, but some things should be basic knowledge for your salespeople.

    Recently I was in a LGS and overheard a salesperson(who is not a new employee) helping a first time gun buyer.  As they were going through the sale and paperwork the buyer asked what the cable lock in the box was for. The salesperson told them that is was used to lock a gun case if they chose to purchase one. Uh, what? I guess it could be used for that or to lock a pet carrier or anything else you can string a cable through but last I checked that wasn't what the company supplied that lock for. The customer then went to look at pistol sized gun vaults and saw that they have their own locking systems. When they went to ask about that the salesperson had stepped away.

    I've worked retail and hated when other customers would put their own two-cents into a sale without being asked, but this is more of a safety issue so I explained what the cable lock was actually for and how to use it.

    So like the title, in this industry when do you think it is ok to butt in and when do you mind your own business?
     

    NHT3

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    52   0   0
    Knowledgeable sales people are like common sense, not so common anymore. Rather than say "I don't know" they tend to pull their facts right out of their butt. I heard a dissertation about the pros and cons of red dot VS green dot optics a couple of weeks ago and it was all I could do not call Bull :poop: in the middle of it. It was disturbing.

    [FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

    [/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
    [/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

    [/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” ….Coach[/FONT]
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
    Rating - 98.6%
    204   3   0
    Aug 26, 2011
    40,112
    113
    SOUTH of Zombie city
    I find it's best to mind your own business 100% of the time if you want to still be allowed to enter and shop.
    If a shop is going to kick me out forever for attempting to help their customer on the rare occasion that I may do that then F them. That's not a place i would want to spend my money at anyways.
    I don't do business with crappy gun stores or stores who are shady. I'm very picky about who gets my money when it comes to guns
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
    Rating - 98.6%
    204   3   0
    Aug 26, 2011
    40,112
    113
    SOUTH of Zombie city
    Never had any trouble clearing up misinformation.
    If the shop can't accept being proven wrong with grace, my money can go elsewhere.
    No skin off my back.
    BINGO!
    I wouldn't try to kill a sale or anything but a respectfully worded "tip" to fix wrong info on something major? Yeah I don't see any issue with it. And I cant for the life of me seeing any gun shop I deal with having an issue with that.
    If they are dicks then yeah maybe theyd try to ban you for life. Dicks and idiots seem to find each other in the gun world.

    This is why new shooters are afraid to ask questions and learn because some gun shop couch potato operator shames them.
    The salespeople/ gun shop owners, who dont shame their customers and are happy to EARN their business and answer any questions are usually also the ones who know their stuff and the ones you wouldn't want to get into a gunfight with.

    The jerks are the ones who are likely to shoot themselves in the leg or shoot someone else unintentionally
     

    Kozaturf

    Sharpshooter
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Feb 21, 2020
    504
    63
    Westville-ish
    I was just amazed because I heard a bunch of the sales pitch. The buyers questions answered and everything sounded right and then something so simple screwed up.
     

    Kozaturf

    Sharpshooter
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Feb 21, 2020
    504
    63
    Westville-ish
    BINGO!
    I wouldn't try to kill a sale or anything but a respectfully worded "tip" to fix wrong info on something major? Yeah I don't see any issue with it. And I cant for the life of me seeing any gun shop I deal with having an issue with that.
    If they are dicks then yeah maybe theyd try to ban you for life. Dicks and idiots seem to find each other in the gun world.

    Absolutely, I would never try to kill a sale. If anything I would hope that correct information would help. Usually happy customers are repeat customers.

    Like I said we all can't know everything, except wives, but if someone is there that knows what you don't and you listen, you'll know next time.
     

    seldon14

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    689
    28
    Fort Wayne
    I honestly feel like most people DON'T know how to properly use cable locks. Ive seen lots used on cases, and lots through trigger guards.
     

    johny5

    not a shill account
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Apr 3, 2014
    946
    28
    Indianapolis
    I've been tempted on a few occasions to say something. But in those moments, I recall how it looked when others did the same.

    So far as I can tell, it is always done with good intentions. Regardless, it usually doesn't come off as the person intervening hoped it would.
     

    Ark

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    25   0   0
    Feb 18, 2017
    6,734
    113
    Indy
    I learned a long time ago that nine times out of ten I know more than a salesperson and engaging with one is not a productive use of my time.
     

    bwframe

    Loneranger
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    93   0   0
    Feb 11, 2008
    38,170
    113
    Btown Rural
    Sales people are sales people.

    Do you get your electronics advice from the counter guy at Walmart? Your nutritional advice from the blue vest at Kroger? Your car advice from the salesman in the lot?
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    I find it's best to mind your own business 100% of the time if you want to still be allowed to enter and shop.

    Yep.. Its hard sometimes to keep ones mouth shut, but if one wants to run off the mouth and get between a salesman and a customer one needs to open a store themselves.
    In someone else's store, mind your own business.
     

    Slapstick

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 29, 2010
    4,221
    149
    On the other hand I've heard more bad information come from a costumer that butted into the conversation than I have from a salesperson. It's a 2 way street but from my experience more bad info comes from costumers butting in than comes from the salesman.
     

    KLB

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Sep 12, 2011
    23,003
    77
    Porter County
    I honestly feel like most people DON'T know how to properly use cable locks. Ive seen lots used on cases, and lots through trigger guards.
    Know how? Maybe those people just didn't have any desire to use it for its stated purpose and decided to use it for something more useful to them.
     
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