fleblebleb Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Sheesh, it doesn't take much to annoy you does it Erik? I don't see anything wrong with mentioning the names of people that are doing something right, although like most of you I'd hesitate before naming someone and then spewing all over that person. Anyway, look, if you go to FF or PMS you're probably not going to run into the slickest customer service around. On the other hand the shop will be full of climbing gear and the employees will be pretty familiar with it. Sounds like a good tradeoff to me. Woohoo! Page top! [ 09-03-2002, 09:39 PM: Message edited by: fleblebleb ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backcountrydog Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 i have had multiple 'bad attitude' experiences there. I have also witnessed other costumers being being given the 'god what a pain in the ass you are' attitude. its a bummer because i like the store and not all the employees are like that. i havent been in there in over a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by David Parker: Leon Lloyd Bean once said, "treat your employees like they were your best customer." Makes me wonder how management treats the employees at FF. If they are not happy, it will reflect in their customer service. Retail sales is not very forgiving and neither is the American public. While we may blast REI for not having technical savvy employees, at least they try to give you service with a smile. Thank you, David, and I'll pretend I didn't hear that part about that other company that sells outdoorwear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by fleblebleb: Sheesh, it doesn't take much to annoy you does it Erik? Eric(SP ) seems to be going through a grumpy phase in his life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 you wouldn't get that kind of attitude at Nordstrom's. those salespeople are pros, act like it, and make good dough. if a store doesn't pay it's salespeople shit, you're apt to get less than stellar service. simple economics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Queen Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 The first time I went to Feathered Friends I was a total gumbie and pretty intimidated. Many years later, that's no longer the case. I agree that it's not the customer service capital of the world. But have you ever been to any pro shop that was? I have surfed, skiied, and climbed for 7 years and I can promise you the pro shops are all pretty much the same. You may not get your ass kissed, but you will get the best advice, beta and gear from people who are out there kicking it, and who are working for the sole purpose of feeding their "habit". If you want a lollipop, go to REI. If you want the real deal, hit the pro shops. It's a total trade-off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghinemeyer Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by bobbyperu: they're sales people, can you blame them for being bitchy... but at feathered friends youre like the coolest, bitchy, salespeople, i wouldn't sweat it, unless you have a shittier job/life. the dude just probably needed his pampers changed cause he got rained out of his latest alpine suffer fest with his 2 days off. i agree with bob. i would be pissed to if i took a job thinking it would be cool to get in the climbing scene. just to find myself watching others actually participate in the sport while i spend the day reading magazines and try to sell polypro underwear. go into any bike shop and see how many of those tools are happy you are going out to the trails. i guess sales people are needed, i am just glad it is not my job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Some Suggestions- 1) Sock em in the jaw 2) Report the bad employee to management 3) Spray on the internet here about the bad service 4) Tell all your friends the store sux ass 5) Shop elsewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: . . (or from The Supersuckers). . . The greatest rock and roll band in the world! Rob "Creepy Jackalope Eye" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by rbw1966: quote:Originally posted by sexual chocolate: . . (or from The Supersuckers). . . The greatest rock and roll band in the world! Well, except for Dead Moon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobinc Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 I've heard similar stories from other folks; most of those who have had bad experiences seem to be in the less experienced camp. This is a hard place to be, since how do you get out if those in the know won't share their knowledge? On the other hand, the reason FF and other places of their ilk are so useful is that most of the people there actually know most of what they're talking about and this saves time for those who have some clue what they're looking for. Contrast this with the Evil Empire across the street: occasionally you might find someone with some idea of what's going on, but the typical interaction with staff is only good for comic relief. My advice is to take advantage of the knowledge of the salespeople who are in the know, call them on shit when they seem to be giving you 'tude, and look for self-validation in places other than retail shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 um.... being a manager in a sevice orientated business i would have to disagree....my end of the deal is servicing existing contracts, making new ones and audting my employees operations. we do not sell anything, but we do offer service. any time there is a lack of communication or a break down of communication, the level of service is reduced drastically. this may occur from several different reasons or from either party. the difference between an excellent employee, one deserving compensation for their stellar job performance and one that may need the issues discussed and plans formulated for success. stems directly from the employee and their personality. if the person is unable to assist a potential consumer(one who keeps the shop open, by trade of money for goods) then there presents a potential leakage point for the company, a true liabilty. since the point of a retial store is to make money for said services, the attitudes and willingness of the employees to go above their condidtioned or hardended respose, will bring return customers and in some cases broaden the customer base, from word of mouth of the good experience. as the manager recieving complaints about employees, there are two directions you can take. one being nothing and chalking it up to just a bad day or lack of understanding by one or the other party(you cannot make everyone happy) or two you can dicuss said issues with the employee and form a plan of action to create a successful work enviroment. now the companies that go with option one, are usually specialty shops with small employee numbers and a tighter knit group. no one usually thinks their friends are in the wrong. the problem with this appraoch is that since these specialty shops have a smaller customer base, it in turn affects them in the long run. breaking down a customer base and alienating possible new clients. this is called bad or improperly trained managing staff. now the companies whom go with option 2. they tend to be more corperate and have probably have a high employee turnaround and a large work force, due to the fact that most people find rigid work rules kinda harsh. this though teaches people that their actions do count and need to be considered in an attempt to foster a good working relationship with the other staff and potential customers. this stems from a well trained manager who is able to communicate the wishes of said supervisors. i would think that taking both of these options and forming option 3, will make a retail store or any company for that matter a better place. one where people feel comfortable and can learn through the excellent communication of the employees and managing staff. one thing i have learned in training is that hiring friends or befriending fellow employees hamper this in most cases. like i said above, your friends are rarely wrong. i can see this at my job, where there will be am issue to arise(usually lack of communication) and to hear both sides of the story. i also tend to dicuss issue with others in the office to get a feel for the employee's over all attitude and ability to communicate and it usually turns out that employee's who spend more time with each other, in essence forming a friendship will go beyond reason and cover for their friends. any good manager will have to look at it objectivly and deciede which is the lesser of two evils. and in retail, especially it tends to fall within the employee's lap. stating this as the fact that people whom come to specialty shops tend to be looking for information, as well as product. this is very evident with ff, with their position across the street from rei. so if their is a communication break down, the employee needs to rise above what they expect and service the customers expectations. if they do not agree with this, then retail may not be the job for them. it seems that crackbolter has been alerted of the issue and it also seems that there is a substantional agreement from the general public(not saying this is an accurate measure of the climbing society in the greater tacoma area(that includes seattle) so this makes me wonder what direction do they take the complaints? do they just fix the single issue and leave it be, or is there a deeper fix to the apprent continual issue? probably the latter. too bad! the thing that i would also would like to hear is good experiences with ff. i am sure there are....(flebebebebes opinion doesnt count!) what are reasons people like to go there?? i for sure know it is not the killer prices or the hardware selection. so what is it? is it the fact that they possibly might have some decent customer service. if that is the case then there may potentially be only one or two bad employees, but as the old saying goes "one bad apple spoils the whole barrel" so hopefully crackbolter will look beyond homie status and see that there may be issues with his employees and that possbily more open communication with them about maintaing a postive attitude towards the cumstomers might be benefical to all parties concerned. sorry for the rambling and disconnected ideas...hard to remember all that managment programming seomtimes.....i can handle it in a practical manner, but in text form i have a hard time recalling it....and my office is proof that communication is key...we have some of the smallest leakage #'s in the country and an excellent repoire with open lines of communication with our clients! 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bobinc Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 This is good stuff, Erik. You are right that there is a "bottom line" to all of this and that is presumably where both the customer gets good enough service/information that they leave happy and the store stays in business. I guess part of my feelings on this have to do with my own experiences at FF over the past 10 years or so. I'd say the staff is above average; most people really know their stuff, they keep obscure parts lying around in the back room, they stock high quality gear, etc. I haven't known any of them as friends for a long time, but I don't get the cold shoulder when I go in (and I don't look like some sort of hardcore climber/skiier). I think I ask as many questions as the next prospective buyer, and I haven't felt as though I was being ridiculed for doing so. And my last comment stands: the retail sales floor isn't the right place to look for love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Any punkasses that give me lip I sock em in the jaw or report them to their manager asap. Then I spray all over the internet and creat bad reps for the company and the employees name will be dropped too. No need for a dumb ego when I am buying gear. I have seen the tude in other places. I dont know everything but I know an asshole when I see one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 "Birds of a feather" eh Cavey? hahaha Just kiddin' sucka! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attitude Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: Any punkasses that give me lip I sock em in the jaw or report them to their manager asap. Cpt.Passive-Aggressive speaks... Your answer to everything is to hit, poke, or trundle boulders on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Attitude: quote:Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: Any punkasses that give me lip I sock em in the jaw or report them to their manager asap. Cpt.Passive-Aggressive speaks... Your answer to everything is to hit, poke, or trundle boulders on it. So what? Do something about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Hey Dudes, I figure most people only get online to bitch about stuff and don't bother when they have a good experience, so I thought I'd post that I went into Feathered Friends and had a good experience. I was looking for a harness. Some helpful young man worked with me a long time on it. I bought the thing. Even the woman who's usually fairly scowly laughed or at least smirked at a couple of my stupid jokes. Feathered Friends ROCKS REI on the other hand . They ougta tear that freakin' place down, and rebuild it with a garage that has parking spaces you can fit your car into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 I'm going to open my own climber's shop, and hire Caveman as bouncer. Any wanker that gives me or my staff shit, will be dealt with by Mr. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobinc Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Right on, Chuck! Can't believe REI didn't make all the spaces big enough for the Ford Explorers all of the sensitive environmentalists seem to drive these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexual_chocolate Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 And if we <b>really</b> want to complain about attitude, what about that crazy manager lady at Vertical World? Don't get me started. Grrrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: What makes you assume it's "name-dropping", as if knowing someone from Feathered Friends (or from The Supersuckers!) is a mark of distinction, to be displayed proudly where-ever one goes? I know the girl on the cover of "The Sacriligious Sounds of the Supersuckers." I even know her LAST name, her last name before she changed it, and her married name! In FACT, I know her husband, her sister, parents, dog and daughter. What's more, I DATED her sister! Tremble before me and my coolness... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexual_chocolate Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by wrench: quote:Originally posted by sexual chocolate: What makes you assume it's "name-dropping", as if knowing someone from Feathered Friends (or from The Supersuckers!) is a mark of distinction, to be displayed proudly where-ever one goes? I know the girl on the cover of "The Sacriligious Sounds of the Supersuckers." I even know her LAST name, her last name before she changed it, and her married name! In FACT, I know her husband, her sister, parents, dog and daughter. What's more, I DATED her sister! Tremble before me and my coolness... Ooooooh! Erik's gonna be mad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by sexual chocolate: quote:Originally posted by wrench: quote:Originally posted by sexual chocolate: What makes you assume it's "name-dropping", as if knowing someone from Feathered Friends (or from The Supersuckers!) is a mark of distinction, to be displayed proudly where-ever one goes? I know the girl on the cover of "The Sacriligious Sounds of the Supersuckers." I even know her LAST name, her last name before she changed it, and her married name! In FACT, I know her husband, her sister, parents, dog and daughter. What's more, I DATED her sister! Tremble before me and my coolness... Ooooooh! Erik's gonna be mad! just at you for being dumb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleblebleb Posted September 4, 2002 Share Posted September 4, 2002 Boo-hoo, sniffles, my opinion doesn't count Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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