What Do you Consider To Be "Good" Service?

[rgk5]

A retail survey of sorts

My banter with some of the good Wxer's about the free Nike golf ball giveaway got me thinking about the whole retail service issue. Some here think GG gives poor service. I've only been to the one in Okla. City and found it to be good in that area.

So the magic questions are:

1. What do you expect a retailer to do for you as; a/ a prosepct /b a customer?

2. What should the retailer expect in return for good service as defined in question 1/ above?

Thank you for your participation.

[rgk5]

Thank you for an excellent and well written response. The two way street analogy is on the mark. I would however debate the "no cost" aspect of the simulator. There are the initial costs, maintenance, software updates and "soft dollar" staff costs associated with its use.

 

Price matching is a feature that usually only the largest retailers can do as SOP.

[HCL030804]

What I expect from them:

1) knowledge, knowledge, knowledge. I don't go to the doctor and expect to know more than they do. Why do I go into golfsmith and know more than the guy that works there because I read golf digest (edit- this is before I worked where I do).

 

2) The use of services which don't cost them anything to give me I.E. Launch monitors. If I can't make a purchase that way but want to get a good idea of what I need, it doesn't cost them anything to let me on the LM for a little while. If I monopolize it, that's a different story - they're not a driving range.

 

3) Price matching of other comparable stores. If I find that Dick's is blowing out r7 quads, your store had better match their price if you want my loyalty. Even if your store has to eat a couple bucks because you're smaller. If I decide to trust you with my business instead of going to dicks, that should be worth a couple bucks in the short term for you.

 

What you can expect from me for these services:

 

Loyalty. Period. If you price match Dicks, I won't go there next time I need something because I have goodwill and an understanding with you.

 

 

There is a cost to the retailer associated with the launch monitor.  Having to pay a fee to get on the monitor and then have that fee taken of the price of whatever driver you choose to purchase is not unreasonable.  

As far as Dick's goes, yes, your local shop should match the price.  However, keep in mind that if you buy something from Dick's and you have a warranty issue, Dick's doesn't send any clubs back to the manufacturers and won't give you a new product to replace your defective one(at least the Dick's in Massachusetts won't).  Also, a custom order from Dick's takes about 4 weeks.  Most other chains can have it in half that time.  So yeah, Dick's might have great deals, but that's pretty much where it ends.  So I guess sometimes you have to give something to get something.

If you let me on your LM for a while, I will buy my driver at your store when I have the money, because I realize that you took the time to help me and I want to reward that.

[HCL030804]

Dick's is an example - Substitute Golfsmith or "Crazy Frank's golf shop and potato stand" if you like.

 

My point on both of these is this: Most small, single proprieterships are very concerned with the bottom line (and for good reason - they usually have less operating capital).

 

However, what these stores have to realize is that people expect their service to be better than a large chain store. If you have to price match for 20% of the people in your store when a major retailer discounts last-gen product when MAP pricing expires, so be it. You can't expect to survive charging a premium on non bleeding-edge technology. It's just not a viable business model.

 

As far as the launch monitors go, thats your perogative. However, if you are the only shop in town who doesn't charge for LM time, you can expect to see more people in the door. And that is the #1 priority for a smaller business.

 

You make some valid points, and I agree with you to an extent. However, many small mom and pop stores can't provide the discounted prices that a major chain can because they simply don't do the same volume (that's why we're seeing fewer and fewer of them). That's where service and knowledge come in. To me, the extra service and knowledge are worth paying a little more for because I know I'm getting good, honest advice and if I have a problem, I'm going to be taken care of. If a consumer is strictly looking for the best deal, then so be it. Remember, you get what you pay for and good luck if you have an issue after the fact. But for me, it doesn't end after the purchase has been made and having a sense of security about my purchase is important.

As for the launch monitor, every store I know of that has them charges for a fitting and then takes that fee of the purchase price. Obviously, if someone is a repeat customer, they don't get charged so every situation can be a little different. IMO, stores need to do this to protect themselves from consumers coming in, using their facilities to find out what they need and then going to EBay, etc. If someone is the only store in town (or any store for that matter) with an LM, charges for the service, takes it off the purchase price AND provides knowledge and service before, during and after the sale, then they are getting my business every time.

[MrBlack]

1. nothing

 

2. nothing

 

 

when i go to the store, i usually know what i am looking for and why i am looking for it...and the majority of the time, store employees are wrong...they, after all, are making $10 bucks a hour and are usually in between jobs...

 

an exception...the nerdy guy i bought my tv from at Circuit City...i was going in thinking sony and he pointed me to samsung...GREAT choice...

[TheBUNKY]

Changing it up a bit here.....my requests as a customer and what I look for when entering a shop.....

 

1) I like it when an employee greets me within the first few minutes after I enter the store. If I get no acknowledgement, I spend no money there and I leave.

 

2) After being "greeted", I like it for the sales folk to stay out of my way and leave me alone. 99.9% of the time, I know why I am there and what I am looking for. If I can't find it, I'll ask.

 

3) If I ask a question, I want an honest answer. Don't try to sway me away, just give me the facts. My biggest pet peeve is when a shop owner or someone bashes the competition. I've even seen that here on WRX. If you have to bash the competition to make a sale, you aren't going to get any $$$ from me. It's a poor sales tactic and it's used by those that don't know how to sell. Period.