Firearms store attitude

[clearconscience]

Luckysg is a great dealer and exactly how a owner/operator should be.

I've had great experiences at NW Armory and Sporting Systems as well.

The people at Safefire are always great.

Keith's sporting goods in Gresham has always been horrible to me and everyone else I witness.
One of the older guys there was always pleasant, the others treat you like pond scum and your wasting their time, even when you just come in to buy something.
Sorry I've always inconvenienced them with forcing them to ring me up for the 4 or 5 guns I bought. Glad I moved out of Gresham and found other Gun shops.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Plus 1 for Oregon Rifle Works, N.W. Armory, and Tic-Licker!
Keith's is hit and miss, with Keith his self an arsehole but Charley, his wife and the one Kid that has worked there forever are damn good! Charley has saved many a sale for them! Keith needs to go to People skilz 101 and happy customer 102 training and better damn well score 99 out of 100 or I will never do business there again! I know, fat chance!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Just throwing this out for general discussion, I like to check out different firearms stores throughout the NW and I have noticed that fairly often I see a stand offish & not so friendly attitude from employees & owners I am just not to sure why this is, it seems like stores and our industry would have a much better result with a friendlier approach.
I have heard of & witnessed potential new customers just walk out because they feel intimidated, as a dealer myself I think it would help our case and our industry to make the customer feel comfortable and give as much guidance as possible especially if they are new to firearms.

The customer is always wrong, boyo!





not really

 

[Trevor Hicks]

I've personally spent a good amount of time, effort and thought on this issue, looking at ourselves and also other stores. Like most thing's there's a wide variety of reasons. Some shops have done an awesome job with customer service and some don't seem to care. Personally I'd say the customer service at gunshops in the Portland metro area is much better than the national average, whenever I travel I stop into all the stores to take a look around and try and see what they're doing well and what they aren't to try and walk away with what we could improve on. Looking at places other than ourselves locally, Id say Sporting Systems, Oregon Rifleworks, Curts discount shooters supply and Rapid Firearms do a really good job taking care of their customers and they actually care that the customer leaves happy. I'm sure lots of other places also care but sometimes there's a disconnect with them caring and how they show the customer they care.

1. Finding the right help- This is probably the single biggest reason, from what we've found its hard to find a person who know's a good amount about firearms and is also personable and comes across friendly. There's lots of people who know about firearms but they often don't have the right personality to be able to be friendly, helpful and upbeat all day long. It's a weird set of skills for a job, you need someone who is great with people, knows a lot about firearms, is passionate about helping people and who also has a passion for guns / shooting. A lot of places just hire people who know at least a little bit about firearms or someone who they don't think is the right fit but it's the best applicant they got which IMO is a mistake, as an owner in this industry you have to be picky about who you hire because they're the face of your business interacting with customers.

2. Burnout- This job can be mentally exhausting at times and people tend to get burnt out working in the industry, Working with guns all day can take the enjoyment out of them and kill the hobby for them. It's hard to talk about guns for 8 hours then go home and geek out on the internet with gun stuff. I'd say a lot of people start working in a gunshop because they think it will be fun or they're passionate about firearms, but over time they start to lose the passion and at some point they start to loathe talking about firearms or doing anything with firearms and it becomes a chore to them. Everyone's heard the old saying about turning your hobby into your job.

3. Owners not business people- This industry is very much like restaurants, lots of people get into it because they think it will be fun but don't have what it takes to run a business. This industry is one of the more difficult ones to succeed in, which is why so many shops go out of business. You could have an owner who is an awesome sales guy and gives 10/10 service but he is unable to run the back end of the business, doesn't know anything about inventory processes and procedures, doesn't know how to hire or train people, ETC. So while the owner gives awesome service and everyone loves him they are often out of stock of the items that people want to buy, The employees give sub par service because they aren't a good fit for the job and haven't been trained well.

4. Not all personalities mesh well together- Personally I'm an honest no BS guy, I tell people the truth as I know it even If it costs us a sale. I've given the exact same level of service to different people and some thought it was the best service they've ever received and others the worst. A good example is when someone brings something in that they're having a problem with, Most people appreciate us telling them what the issue is or why they're having it. Some people take it as an insult when they're told the reason the gun doesn't work is because they installed a part wrong or because they bought something that's the wrong size or low quality and broke.

Wow very well said! and by the way I have stopped by your store to check it out on one of my gun store tours & I thought it was great store, the individual I spoke with at the counter was awesome!

 

[EPS]

Lol years ago I was buying a Glock 22 40cal
All the stores in my area didn't have one.
Except for one .
I actually went and put up with there B.S.
And did the background check and and everything.
But after the waiting time.
Or delay time I went back.
And it was so bad I cancelled the order.
They charged me 20 bucks before they would refund the money I paid for the gun.
Well worth the 20 bucks .
To learn a lesson.
I never pay for a gun now until it's in my hand.
And .
I laugh at the idiots in that store every time I pass by.
On my way home from another gun shop.
Where I bought a gun.
Lol MONEY TALKS B.S. WALKS.

 

[nehalemguy]

Yea, the GunRoom, a PERFECT example of how to run a sucessfull, profitable, and comunity friendly gun business!

NOT!
sarcasm off

And yet they have outlasted numerous other stores and been around for how many decades? I've truly lost count.

E

 

[Ura-Ki]

And yet they have outlasted numerous other stores and been around for how many decades? I've truly lost count.

E

One word, Sponsors!

 

[Flopsweat]

I bet they'd have favorable views of the guns I own based on what I heard about them.

Tell them how much you just love that Glock you just bought.

Lol years ago I was buying a Glock 22 40cal
All the stores in my area didn't have one.
Except for one .
I actually went and put up with there B.S.
And did the background check and and everything.
But after the waiting time.
Or delay time I went back.
And it was so bad I cancelled the order.
They charged me 20 bucks before they would refund the money I paid for the gun.
Well worth the 20 bucks .
To learn a lesson.
I never pay for a gun now until it's in my hand.
And .
I laugh at the idiots in that store every time I pass by.
On my way home from another gun shop.
Where I bought a gun.
Lol MONEY TALKS B.S. WALKS.

Sounds like your money walked too.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Din read the whole thread but has the op knowledge of The Gun Room?

 

[Used To Hunt]

After my favorite small gunshop informed me that a Caldwell bipod was as good as an ATLAS I switched to 90% internet purchases. They still get FFL transfers but that's about it. I ended up getting an ATLAS from Sawtooth up on Lacey but they are headed out of WA.

 

[WWShooter]

With apologies to the forum members who own gun shops - people buy guns in local shops? My local gun shop/FFL is grossly overpriced on everything. I've had over $10,000 in firearms transferred through them in the last three to four years, and they wonder why I don't buy from them. I understand profit, but there's profit and there's grossly overpriced. I like supporting local businesses - but I do that at the book store and coffee shop where it doesn't cost me so much.

 

[zenbreath]

+1 to Shooters Service Center.

I've never had an issue in a gun store, but I've brought a number of ladies into shooting and I've seen what can happen. Good service for ALL of your customers.

 

[zenbreath]

One of my best memories from when I was married.

A clerk and a customer were trying to disassemble a sub compact 9. My housewife steps in and gives them a class.
"How did you know how to do that?" "I have a loaded one in my purse."

 

[Ruggedbert]

+1 for the guys at Curt's Discount Shooters Supply and Tick Licker. They are genuinely friendly.

 

[Member 52301]

I was treated very well in my former gun store back east as a Newbie. I loved that store! I had my favorite salesman who was the owner's son. If he was busy with a customer, his wife would have him call me right back. I bought 15 or so NIB firearms from them. Special orders and ones in the store - in stock.

I have some favorite stores and salesmen out here too. But some of the OLD stores have closed up as I have previously mentioned elsewhere on this forum. Two store owners retired - closed up. TWO of our favorite nice and smart salesmen died. Close to our age a few years ago. Two different men in two different locations. Another store closed up.

We bought a lot from those places, not just firearms, and we sold a lot through them too. One store gave us a full in store credit when we sold things on consignment with our major firearm caliber consolidation and downsizing. They did special orders for us. They called us when something FINALLY came in when it was hard to find elsewhere. Etc.!!!

I have been treated with respect from gun store people 99% of the time NO matter what state that I was in. From the East Coast to the Great Lakes region to CO, ID, WY and Montana!

Although, sometimes you can get a salesman, NO offense, who thinks that you (Meaning me!) do not know what you are asking for on the telephone and he proceeds to tell you that X or Y will work when my husband wanted Z! LOL I am polite but it has irked me sometimes since I helped ORGANIZE ALL OF THE DEN and the super insulated garage for my husband's GUN stuff with his help. I helped when his friends asked him for products when he was getting out of many calibers. So we had GIFTS and some sales going on there too. Plus I am the main LIST KEEPER for all of his inventory from a to z! I do this for HIM as I run the house and pantry/freezer! Plus I not just my husband or the store owner - FFL named the asking prices for the sales on ALL of his and her guns.

I have had one salesman ignore me even though I tried to FLAG HIM DOWN at a SW one time. He looked right at me and walked away. I had been waiting in line for a reloading powder for my husband and it was not on the shelf and in the back non customer section of the store. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted with a note of mine to double check my memory. I had been looking up products for my MT husband and for one or two close friends. If they needed something, could NOT find it and could not get down here, my husband would get it for them and wait until they met up so they had some items. The man who ignored me was not at the SW store for long. I only saw him there twice. The regular man there knew me via the telephone and sometimes when I came into the store.

There have been a couple of young men and one older man who really did not know SOME of their products well in 2 other stores in this town. But I figured that they were new or did not know some reloading products well or even specific types of 22lr packages/brands/grains. They were nice but not really helpful and with my own hunting - I found some things that were on a list and other things were not in stock or in the back.

MOST gun people are as NICE as most sail boat and power boat people. You can throw in fishermen to that lot too. GOOD people like ones that you meet in a specific sporting goods local or national stores, a BOOK store when you travel, etc.

I try to treat people as I would want to be treated (The Golden Rule!) and I expect the same thing from them. It usually works but not all of the time.

Respect, kindness, good customer service, brains and common sense go a LONG way in this world even on a 'bad day'. I do TRY to put myself in the other person's shoes if they are NEW or old at their profession or job too.

Cate

 

[teflon6string]

Is that gasbag from the old Beaverton GI Joes still spewing his uninformed, unwelcome commentary over the counter at Dick's WS? Oh wait, we were talking about places I might actually go to buy a gun. Never mind.

 

[DB is Here]

With apologies to the forum members who own gun shops - people buy guns in local shops? My local gun shop/FFL is grossly overpriced on everything. I've had over $10,000 in firearms transferred through them in the last three to four years, and they wonder why I don't buy from them. I understand profit, but there's profit and there's grossly overpriced. I like supporting local businesses - but I do that at the book store and coffee shop where it doesn't cost me so much.

I get what you're saying, but listed price isn't the selling price much like a car lot. Just have a convo with your LGS, mine was happy to offer a discount, plus if I ever have any issues, they are Johnny on the spot to help rectify it.

 

[MannyGlocks]

I've just started reading this thread so perhaps what I'm about to post has been mentioned...

If the LGS employees including the owner btw or manager, demonstrate a poor customer attitude, before leaving I would politely inform them why I was leaving without buying.

I do mean politely too as it would go a long way in adjusting poor customer treatment.

 

[Member 5605]

I have been in customer service in one form or another my entire adult life.

I've sold retail, wholesale, in business for myself and others.

It always amazes me how piss poor customer service can and is now days. One shining example was a local chain store that I went into looking for a knife.

The chew/lip stuffed behind the area with the knives, while he suggested what I specifically said I was not looking for, decided that dropping the F bomb at least once in every sentence was a proper way to promote the knives, steel and companies they were selling.

While attitude towards another is a portion, the professionalism of the individual is more important. While I didn't buy the suggested inferior knife that was suggested, I did leave without making a purchase.

 

[MannyGlocks]

Sales folk dropping f bombs?

I'd speak to management.

Am I being a Pollyanna?

Nope, I cuss like a sailor, but there are 'no f bomb zones' and I adhere to them and sales folk, absolutely.