Ever feel like a "low dollar" customer that your dealer doesn't think worth their time?


I'm a careful researcher for audio gear and I also understand the value of brick and mortar stores. I am not OCD and I am not an irascible haggler. Indeed, I have told my local stores that if they carry something I like, I will buy from them and not try to find it cheaper on the net. I have purchased major pieces of gear from them.

Nevertheless, one local shop is erratic in how it treats me. Emails can take a long time to get acknowledged, and often exchanges take several back-and-forths to get clear questions answered. This shop sells gear at my price point and up to 10x more (think Wilson speakers, $7k power cords). I often feel I'm more like a fly buzzing around their heads than a valued customer trying to establish a customer-dealer relationship. I am trying to be loyal, but it makes me want to shop online. I could be reading the situation wrong, but this is definitely a pattern.

Has anyone else had the sense that they were too much of a "low dollar" customer to be worth the dealer's time?
128x128hilde45
@audioguy85,

Spearit Sound was in Northampton, MA.  It’s about 100 miles north west of Boston. 
The biz is full of irony. You pull up in something like a Camry and the salesman judges you as a poor chump, yet he drives home in a screeching Kia. 



First time poster and this story isn't audio specific but it fits with the customer service subject. Anyhow, here's how its should be done...when I was 15 my sightly older cousin and I happened into a high end men's clothing store in our home town. Now, based on my families situation most of my clothes at the time were from K-Mart, Sears and JC Penny. Not dogging those stores but it wasn't the type of clothes I was seeing at the men's store. The owner upon hearing the door chime came out from the backroom and introduced himself and invited us to take our time and look around. What the heck! So we did. The price of the first shirt I looked nearly knocked me to the ground. Dang, it would take me a year and half of recycling my Dad's beer cans to afford one shirt! At the end of our visit, the owner, who had returned to the back room as we browsed, came out and asked if we had any questions. We did and he graciously answered them. Then I mentioned I could never afford to buy any clothes in his shop. He chuckled and said, "most kids your age couldn't but someday you might just be able to afford a shirt or a pair a pants or coat from me and I hope the day you can you come back and visit my store". Well, after earning my first true paycheck where do you think I went to purchase a new get-up? That's a great shop owner/businessman who see's the whole picture. I learned a huge lesson from this man that I use to this day. And yes after 26 years he still gets a few dollars out the pants he's sold me through the years!  
gator, that is a great example of a conscientious salesperson. Many work a job for eight hours with much free time in between. They are there anyway. Use each "sales" opportunity as practice for perfection, even if a sale is not made. The well treated costumer will then remember that experience positively. Win-win!
Maybe try putting snooty salespeople on the defense from the Get-Go.

When they ask...

"May/or (how can) I help you?

Reply...

"Yes, you can go away and leave me alone."

Just a thought.

DeKay