Poor Service

[flathead007]

I called a local tackle store a couple of weeks ago to try and get an idea of rods that would be good for off the rocks. This is a small bussiness, and i wanted to use them first. They did not really want to give me any info over the phone and told me to come in, a couple of days later I went in and spent half an hour waiting for them to find any cataloge (I was the only one in the store). I was told to come back later but instead called again they did not want to talk over the phone.
I did some reasearch myself and decided on a rod I wanted. I contacted them to get a price and order one in (I was prepared to use them still even though I was told 4-6 weeks) still could not find the catalogue and was told they would contact me that day. That was 5 days ago so I went to MGM and they had a price for me cheaper than BCF (went there to look at the rod). Told me it would only be a 1-2 weeks.

I actually had better service at BCF then at the local.

Another recent dissapoinment with a local, called a recomended takle store of a destination we are headed to in a few months to find out what kind of gear to bring and admittedly to purchase some gear to ensure I had most of what I thought I would need. I have every intention of using them for top up gear, bait and anything I forgot.

I was told that they did not want to tell me anything as I would purchase my gear elsewhere. After explaining my intentions they gave an extremely brief overview ie pelagics & estery species.

After having such a great local at tweed heads, having this sort of sevice really puts me off. Any similar stories or comments

[sparkyice]

i'm half a world away and have the same kinds of problems you just described.
i have ALWAYS done my best to support the locals. even when it is more expensive.
the money you spend there stays in your town, paying local taxes, buying stuff at other local places, etc.
in this day of box stores and mega malls putting mom and pop out of business by under selling them, the only reason to go to them is personal, freindly service from a clerk who knows your name and asks about your dog and how your kids are doing in school.

the only thing that will drive me away from a local is poor service.

[MyEscape]

My local Tackleworld in Mackay gives top service. Prices seem to be comparable to other stores which offer mail order.

Plus the local knowledge they have is what I'm after.

Steve

[Nic]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but good on you for trying to do the right thing! It's a shame about that store, my local Tackle World in Townsville is quite the opposite -- couldn't be more helpful.

It sounds like some stores might be getting jaded by people buying from chains just to save $5-$10. And it sounds like they're incredibly disorganised! I suspect some people buy a tackle store (or work in one) for the perceived lifestyle that comes with it, not because they know how to run a business.

[2manylures]

I wanted two bulk spools of line so contacted ######## as they appeared to be the only people who had what I was after.

The initial communication was excellent & as they had to order my request in I offered to pay in advance for any inconvenience.

I was told it wasn't necessarry & an invoice with bank details would be sent once my order was in.

That was over 3 months ago and I've not heard a thing nor a reply to follow up communications.

From all accounts these people are supposed to be brilliant to deal with yet my one & only was very far from what I'd call ideal.

Bad 1st impressions last & I won't be going back for 2nds ever.

[STUIE63]

The first rule in service is if you say you're going to do something then do it .even if the answer is not what the customer wants at least he's not wondering .
I rarely go to the chain stores i prefer the friendliness of local stores if ever i got bad service then i would find another local . alot of times the big chain stores are not much cheaper if anything is what i have found
Stuie

[Fish'n Junky]

I am still waiting for a call back from Bias Boating Virginia.
I phoned them chasing an item, and they were to call back with an ETA for the item (it had to be ordered) They said they'd call back in an hour. Two hours later I rang them again, they said, they hadn't had a chance to find out the info, and they'd call back in half an hour with the info.
It's a few weeks now, and still waiting.
One thing is for sure, I will never buy anything from them if i can get it elsewhere, even if it costs more.
AND.....I will tell anyone who'll listen about the poor service every chance I get .
I'll also mention I got the part and great service from a prominent northside marine dealer on sandgate road, and suggest they try there first.
I wonder how much the seemingly insignificant act of not bothering to call a customer back will cost them in the long run?

[BARRACAT]

Nic

Interesting answer, I own a small tackle shop with 3 of the chain stores around me and a 4th on the way, yes we do get a little bit annoyed by the tackle hounds chasing a prices over the phone to price match or start a price war between the respective shops, I no longer give out prices over the phone due to the above statement. I operate 7 days a week, a 10-12 hour day it has nothing to do with lifestyle it is a bussiness, there is no lifestyle or injoying the fruits of your labour , it is hard work just to keep your head above water, This industry has seen many small and large fishing and boating shop fall to the way side over the last 12 months and i do believe it will not get any better in the short term due to the economic crisis. So i give credit where it is due to all the fishermen and fisherwomen out there trying to support the small local independant shop, do not get disheartened there are a few of us that will still bend over backwards to help.
micheal phillips
kawana bait and tackle.

[wilcara]

Spot on barracat, we know it ain't easy. It is a shame that so many people are devoted to chasing small price differences, they are often the first to moan when the local closes. I acknowledge that I am one who shops around and often buy offshore when teh price saving is significant. Yes it is a competitive marketplace out there and changed forever with the internet.

The net has opened so many opportunities for people to sell their wares to new markets, but has alsso brought competitors from all over the world that you never knew existed! The big winner is Australia Post I think.

Anyway, one other aspect of all this I want to mention, is the potential for one dissatisfied customer to not only tell his mate that the store forgot to call, but to tell hundreds or thousands of people via the net. There are now thousands of competitors that really do know how to provide both fabulous service and pricing, even from a world away.

I have no reason to doubt that your business is an excellent one and your presence here proves it! Maybe you will agree, but I think many Aussie businesses need to wake up a little. It is not always about price, and you see this time again on these forums with people trying to buy local and being driven away by disinterest and incompetence.

[2manylures]

The first rule in service is if you say you're going to do something then do it .even if the answer is not what the customer wants at least he's not wondering .
Stuie

Can't agree more Stuie.

I"ve adopted this very rule with normal daily routines whether it be business or personal.

If being honest offends people then they aren't worth the hassle. I don't try & offend anyone but tell it how it is & only expect the same back.

Once I'm lied to, then those people become extinct in my books. One chance and if they blow it they don't get a 2nd, doesn't matter who it is.

I would have thought the large Sydney based store {MT store name blocked by ausfish, must be a sponsor of the site} that also has a popular online following would have been much more professional.

[BARRACAT]

well said, i agree 100%, there is a good and bad side to internet buying and selling, the pros are dollar value if you are not happy with the price then keep on looking, it is a buyers market and i support the freedom of choice to all that buy in australia and over seas, but remember every dollar you send over seas you take that potetial sale out of the pocket of a local shop, and i dont meen the big power stores ( we know who they are ),I am talking about independant/family owned shops. It is very rare to get positive feed back from a large proportion of customer the only idea that you can see is that they keep on comming back to your shop, but bad service or catching the shop keeper on a bad day ( which we do have know and again), spreads like a cold every body has a dose of it and they all like to add thier 2 cents worth.
We here in australia do suffer from a disease, and this is called complacency, we do not know how good we have it until it is gone and then we wonder why........
Small bussiness has to pull its head from the sand and bring back the local shop owner service that founded small bussiness.
Micheal Phillips
Kawana bait and Tackle.

[DR]

i feel sorry for the tackle stores, the cost of purchasing goods through a distributor can be rediculous.
i looked at getting a particular item from the local dist. the wanted me to buy a large quantity, the cost for each item was approx 40% dearer than i could buy from pretty well any tackle store in the US, (& at the time that included conversion,freight & tax) so on top of the dist costs the store has to add his costs & markup, how the heck can they survive.

I should ad that with the economy like it is at the moment this won't apply, but how long before dist. prices go up to keep profit margins similar & overseas becomes attractive again

[Jeremy87]

From a different perspective. I work at a BCF, which at any one time employs at least 20 people (larger stores have sometimes over 40 employees). On a community level would you rather give work to 2 or 3 small buisnesses or employ the same number of older staff and give your kids an interesting place to work through high school and uni?

I naturally shop at BCF but i also go to other tackle stores for specific needs that we can't cater for. Over the 4 years I've worked there I've seen alot of customers being brought into fishing at my store and then moving on to the more specialised tackle stores as there skills and interests develop. Some do the rounds and shop at a variety of stores others stop coming altogether. From a customer service perspective i don't think our store provides poor customer service, paperwork can be misfiled and complications may arrise against the customers liking but on the whole the vast majority of customers walk away happy. What we lack is the level of experience and product knowledge you would expect from your local from all of our team members.

I'm not saying that you hould all swap over from your local to a chain store, just that the reputation for big chains stores may not be as bad as alot would make out.

[Sniper]

I try'd to support my local store here on the southern end of the sunshine coast, but won't be back unless I absolutely have to. I won't mention any names, but its not Michaels shop, Kawana Bait and Tackle. Its another one in the general area. I won't get into specifics, however most people I know that used to shop there no longer go there because of the staff. Not all of them though. They did have some great staff who were really great, and are now good friends. The other stores around the area, including the big chain that is in the area, are laughing. One of the chain stores have even said to me that this certain store sends that much business to them indirectly because of the "service" that they supply.

[spears]

Nic

Interesting answer, I own a small tackle shop with 3 of the chain stores around me and a 4th on the way, yes we do get a little bit annoyed by the tackle hounds chasing a prices over the phone to price match or start a price war between the respective shops, I no longer give out prices over the phone due to the above statement. I operate 7 days a week, a 10-12 hour day it has nothing to do with lifestyle it is a bussiness, there is no lifestyle or injoying the fruits of your labour , it is hard work just to keep your head above water, This industry has seen many small and large fishing and boating shop fall to the way side over the last 12 months and i do believe it will not get any better in the short term due to the economic crisis. So i give credit where it is due to all the fishermen and fisherwomen out there trying to support the small local independant shop, do not get disheartened there are a few of us that will still bend over backwards to help.
micheal phillips
kawana bait and tackle.

I no longer give out prices over the phone
This is not the right answer.


So I find a rod in a magazine and decide I would like to own one.
I phone you and ask “do you carry these in stock”..you say yes
I ask “how much are they selling for”..you say I’m not telling you
I say "I’ll shop elsewhere..bye"

First impressions over a phone will make the consumer decide where he takes his business.