Annoying store experience.

Update: I stopped in the shop and the owner happened to be there. As usual he was friendly and opened up some conversation with me. I took a few minutes to let him know of my experience. He was genuinely appreciative and a bit embarrassed. I made it clear that I wasn't trying to attack the shop or his name...quite the opposite....I stated that I want to be a staple customer in an independent shop that is around for a long time. (my subtle point was that his shop won't be around with disinterested staff manning the counter)

This time I was able to pick up a couple of boom stands as he was more than happy to help.
 
I own the oldest computer store in my state and service is where i make my money.. that shit is ridiculous...
 
Update: I stopped in the shop and the owner happened to be there. As usual he was friendly and opened up some conversation with me. I took a few minutes to let him know of my experience. He was genuinely appreciative and a bit embarrassed. I made it clear that I wasn't trying to attack the shop or his name...quite the opposite....I stated that I want to be a staple customer in an independent shop that is around for a long time. (my subtle point was that his shop won't be around with disinterested staff manning the counter)

This time I was able to pick up a couple of boom stands as he was more than happy to help.

That's good to hear. As a proper manager he shouldn't have badmouthed that employee in front of you, but I wonder what the deal was. It's clear he has no interest in his job or being loyal to that business.

Even if a clueless employee who isn't from that department tries to help me out I appreciate it. You sluff me off and I'm out the door ASAP. I'll Prime that item to my house in 1-2 days with a click of my finger and you can screw your store.
 
Funny thing is nowadays I'm teaching customer service skills to people. It's about doing something positive for the customer - even if you can't necessarily resolve an issue.

Case in point. I get asked questions all the time at work from clients that I have no idea what the answer to is. I'll happily tell them that I don't know the answer but I'll ask somebody that does - or direct them to the member of staff that knows. It's simple courtesy like that that goes a long, long way. Then it's my job to find out what the answer is so that I know the next time.

I'm glad you spoke to the owner. That kind of feedback is absolutely vital to any business but particularly vital to smaller ones.
 
I'm glad the owner has listened and apologised, and I presume that you intend to continue to be a happy customer.

Similarish thing happened to me at last years Manchester Drum Show. I wanted to buy a new crash, so I went to the Amedia stand to check out their cymbals. The guy on the stand - who I later found out was only the hired help - completely ignored me and only spoke to the (male) friend I was with, even when my friend indicated that I was the prospective client, not him. Suffice it to say that I bought my cymbal elsewhere.

I made sure that the UK distributor of Amedia was made aware of my experience at his stand, and when I met him at the London Drum Show a few months later, he couldn't have done more to put things right, including assuring me that the other chap would never represent his company again. He certainly didn't represent them at Manchester this year - in fact, I did, and I made sure I did my damnedest to make everybody who took the time to visit the stand feel welcome.

In a way I'm glad it happened (although I was absolutely incandescent at the time, to put it mildly), because it's led to me making a whole bunch of really great friends. Funny how things work out.
 
He certainly didn't represent them at Manchester this year - in fact, I did, and I made sure I did my damnedest to make everybody who took the time to visit the stand feel welcome.
I beg to differ oh fair maiden. I visited the Amedia stand, you greeted me in a pleasing & professional manner, then made no attempt whatsoever to assist me in my choice of cymbal! ;0
 
I beg to differ oh fair maiden. I visited the Amedia stand, you greeted me in a pleasing & professional manner, then made no attempt whatsoever to assist me in my choice of cymbal! ;0

I seem to remember saying "Oh hai, Andy!" and you going off with Mr Amedia because you knew you'd get better mates rates from him than from me :D
 
About 15 years ago,I was on my way home from work and stopped in a little Mom and Pop music store. On a top shelf,I spotted a natural maple Ludwig Coliseum snare. I asked if I could see it. I was told they would only get it down, if I bought it. I told them I was seriously interested but needed to check it out first. They refused and I left. Continuing on my way,I stopped by another store. This one was larger but still family owned. As l luck would have it,there I saw an identical Coliseum sitting on a stand. It was near mint. I purchased the snare and immediately drove back to the original store. I walked in with the snare, said "I just thought you might like to see this." and walked out.

Another local shop had a huge sign that read "CLEARANCE SALE!!! ALL DRUM HEADS 50% OFF" I went in and gathered a rather large selection of heads. While in line at the register,I noticed small price stickers on the spine of the boxes. I hadn't looked before. Places in this town don't usually price heads. The prices were as high and higher than the everyday street prices in this town. I asked if those were the "sale" prices. The guy behind the counter looked up and with the most condescending tone said "Looks like you figured it out, big guy!"
I tossed the stack of heads up in the air and walked out.
 
Nothing irritates me more than when I WANT to buy something and go to the store to buy it and the employee kills the sell with their shitty attitude!

I'm with you on helping local businesses, especially local drum shops and other musical instrument stores. I recently started working at Guitar Center and get a fairly significant discount on gear, but I still regularly go to the drum shop I've been going to for years and buy sticks or heads or something.
 
I've heard this story many times. They even did a MADTV skit about it! Will Sasso plays the guitar salesman who wants to show you his SRV licks but not ever let you touch the guitar.
When I lived in Memphis, Tenn. there were two big music stores to go to when I was looking for my first drum kit. (I had not yet known about the Memphis Drum shop yet!) The legendary Strings and Things which was an hour or so in town and Musitron, the closer one. Musitron sponsored the New Daisy Theater on Beale Street. Strings and Things advertised in Guitar World magazine and built guitars for the rockstars like Keith Richards. Both i think advertised on Radio all the time.
We went into Musitron and the guy ignored us. When we finally got his attention he was rude and condescending. "First drum kit, huh? Um, yeah, you want um, that.. see ya, my band buddy just walked in!" and pointed to a cheapie beginner three piece with no hardware that looked trashed. Would not acknowledge us and let us leave without answering a single question while he loudly chatted with his douchy rocker friend.. My friend Jon bought his first guitar there, a beautiful Fender Strat that only they had. They only let him near it when he pulled out his wad of hard earned cash. He didn't save enough for a great amp so when he asked what they had in his price range, they showed him a trashed amp in horrible condition. Name brand of some type but not a good one to begin with in poor condition. Would not let him even look at any other. He begged them to let him buy a Squier amp. They of course went out of business later.

Strings and Things were great. The shop had a classic old vibe and the guy helped my parents pick out a good kit for Xmas. That's where my first kit came from. They told them to get a decent throne and extra sticks. My parents also brought my brother's first electric from them that same Xmas trip. When I came back in they recognized my dad and he introduced me. They got all excited and asked my about my kit and how I was doing with the drumming. Same brands of everything as the other store but the staff was almost too perky. "Dude! keep rocking!" They shouted as I left. Still there, still legendary in town.
 
That really is a shame. The store I go to regularly is on the North Shore of Boston (Beverly, MA) and the owner is not only patient and knowledgeable, he'll match any online price. And if he's not there, any of his staff are equally knowledgeable and friendly.

There is no reason to experience what you went through. The owner of this shop wants it to be the neighborhood store in the area: for merchandise, info, lessons and clinics. And consistency of service is a big factor to make that happen.
 
I'll let the owner know. I think I'll do it in person. If it were a chain I'd do it on Twitter, but it's an Indy shop and I don't want to put a bad vibe out publicly. There's a GC now 5 minutes away and I don't want to drive business away from this shop.

You wouldn't be driving business away from this shop. The employee has demonstrated his ability to do that on his own.

But good on ya! Face time with the owner shows a lot of respect for his business and there a lot of people who don't have the figs to do that.
 
I was planning to check this place out in the fall while on a business trip to upstate, NY. But, the trip got cancelled. I might have another trip to upstate NY this summer or fall...if so, then I'm going for sure.

Closer to home there is the Village Drum Shop in Scituate, RI, Drum Center of Portsmouth, NH, Al Drew's in Woonsocket RI. They all give excellent service.
 
Closer to home there is the Village Drum Shop in Scituate, RI, Drum Center of Portsmouth, NH, Al Drew's in Woonsocket RI. They all give excellent service.

+1 on Village Drum and Music and Al Drew's. Both owners play in bands and are almost always on site. They both have new gear and get in interesting vintage gear as well.
 
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