What's with the attitude from gun stores?

[PugnacAutMortem]

It's mostly because we're pretty tired of the last 5 weeks of balls to the wall insanity open to close. It's getting harder and harder to be friendly and pleasant when 90% of the questions are- "Do you know when my background check is going to be done?"
-or- "Do you have any AR-15s?" -or- Why can't you order me one?" -or- "Do you have any 223/5.56 ammo? -or- "What's going to happen with the pending legislation?" (like we have a crystal ball). I could go on and on. All the while- the phone never- EVER stops ringing in the background.

Also, we're almost always understaffed. Very difficult to find qualified, intelligent staff in the gun business who are willing to put up with the low pay and long hours.

Excuses, excuses.

You know, that is kind of the deal with retail. Folks have questions for you. It is almost assured that everyone that has that question will not be in the store at the same time so you can answer it once. If it's really that hard for you to be friendly and answer questions then you shouldn't be working with the general public.

I worked as a server in restaurants my entire college career. You want to talk about the same questions all the time? Every single table, every single night would ask the same questions. Guess what? Never got pissed off about it, never answered the questions without a smile on my face. It's NOT hard to be friendly folks. I could wait on the damn president and 1st lady and be friendly, even though on the inside my fire of hatred would be burning.

I just have absolutely zero tolerance for poor customer service. It's not that damn hard. And yes, nearly every gun shop I've been in (with the exception of BluCore and JJ @ Small Arms Supply) has had poor customer service at some level.

[bchase75]

+1 for Blucore.....every person I've spoken to there has been friendly and helpful. At 5280 I steer clear of the guys and head straight for the ladies who work there.....they're a genuine pleasure to talk to, and the only reason that place gets any of my business. I haven't been back to Jensen Arms since I walked in there with $800 cash in my pocket looking for a Mossberg 930 SPX and got reamed out for asking to look at the one they had in stock. I've heard its better these days, but I'm in no rush to head back.

I've been ordering my guns online lately, and its definitely the way to go.

[trlcavscout]

I wasn't bitching trlcavscout, just telling it like it is- beyond that you can f off.

Oh wha, I have to lean on the counter and answer stupid questions

[Dave]

Oh wha, I have to lean on the counter and answer stupid questions

I'd have more time to do my regular work each day if I didn't have to answer stupid questions.

[sneakerd]

Sooo.... all of you super-experienced customer service experts and customer service professionals never- ever let your tiredness or exasperation or impatience show? Ever? My hat's off to you and you're a better person than I.

[Delfuego]

I've been ordering my guns online lately, and its definitely the way to go.

If you dont support your local store you may not have one for very long. Shopping online just to save a few bucks is horseshit.

That being said, I have always been shocked at how poor CS in the gun-biz is. That shit would never fly in any other industry...

[robertcolorado2009]

I am fairly new to the gun world.(Probably obvious) When I decided I wanted to get into guns and learn aboput them, I thought I could walk into any gun shop and ask some questions, you know just sort of pick their brains and try to pick up some knowledge, what are good names, ok names and stuff to stay away from. But instead it was really intimidating. That's what took me about 6 months longer to say screw it, I don't care if I ask dumb questions and what they are going think of me and just went ahead and visited them again. It was 5280 too. It's just down the street from my home. It wasn't like going to a hardware store where guys will help you figure stuff out and be helpful without the intimidating looks. After I did that and bought a couple of peices, they began to be a lot more friendly when I would come in there. Then this Sandy Hook thing happened, now there is no customer service. I thought the sales guys made a commision, they should, it might make for a better environment. BUt then again for new people they can talk you into buying crap if you aren't careful.

[XC700116]

I have walked out of a few gun stores because of their attitude. Jensen has gotten a lot better for the record, but sometimes you just have to get an attitude with them. I went to 5280 once and will never go back, F'em.

Yes they have, I've managed to feel out who I will and won't deal with in there (the ones I won't are all gone now), and have been in and bought enough from them to be recognizable to them as a repeat customer. The last 2 times I was in there it's like they flipped a light switch in regaurds to me. I know this sounds really stupid, but having BTDT, I fully understand it. They are a very busy shop (even in normal times) with good prices and having to spend a half hour or 45 minutes with looky loos all day one after another while good customers that want to buy are waiting doesn't put you in a customer service frame of mind all the time. The biggest thing that impresses me, is that I have NEVER seen any of the currrent staff standing around doing jack squat when a customer is waiting or would like some questins answered. Most all of them are nearly running around the place to help people, and get things done ASAP.

[sneakerd]

90% of the time you will get good service and a good attitude from the guys behind the counter at FL. It's the other 10% that we hear about. Also- I'd be willing to bet money that 99% of the people on any gun forum could not do what the guy behind the counter in a gun shop is doing for any length of time, for any number of reasons. Whether they couldn't get hired, don't have the knowledge, can't hack the hours, can't hack the pay or whatever. You have to love guns to work in a shop. You have to have
knowledge and dedication to stay.

[PugnacAutMortem]

Sooo.... all of you super-experienced customer service experts and customer service professionals never- ever let your tiredness or exasperation or impatience show? Ever? My hat's off to you and you're a better person than I.

Like I said, if you can't deal with difficult customers (and by the way, a customer asking questions is not a difficult customer) then find another line of work.

And yes, I can say without a shadow of a doubt I never ever let my tiredness or exasperation or impatience show...to the customer. You can go in the back and flip shit all you want. Hell I had this one bitch try and get me fired because I was white. I know this because she told me, "I don't want a white waiter and I'm going to tell your manager that you were extremely rude to me". Did I lose it on her? Nope. But did I need to go out back and flip out about it? Sure I did.

I'm not saying you can't get tired or impatient, that's human nature. What I am saying is you CANNOT get that way in front of the customer.