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Woodworking tool sales

Joined
May 1, 2004
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Corpus Christi, Texas
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www.davidlauffenburger.com
While shopping for a Bandsaw I have called several tool manufactures and dealers and what has amazed me is that some of them don’t even know the options available on their tools. It was so bad that 2 different retailers couldn’t even tell me the resaw or cutting capacities of their saws, they would have to go to the show room or warehouse to measure one and call me back.

I guess I am from the old school, I feel that manufactures/retailers should be imminently familiar with their products as well as their competitors. How else can anyone provide a potential customer with an accurate description of their product and it’s capability compared to the competition. One of the dealers was obviously misrepresenting his product trying to make a sale, it was like shopping for a used car.

If we represented our products this nonchalant attitude woodturning would be relatively unheard of, thankfully we now have forums like this one to educate each other.

I apologize if this seems like a rant but, it just aggravates the hell out of me to have to educate the people that are supposed to be the experts.

I just want to thank everyone that provides information on the Forum and most importantly the hosts and moderators that provide us venue to help each other.

Dave
 

Bill Boehme

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And, it is not just woodworking machines -- it is almost anything that you buy. Salespersons give you the "deer in the headlights" look when you ask even the most trivial technical question. At best, the response is to pick up a brochure or manual to search for an answer which you are capable of doing yourself and probably have already done. "Know your product" has gone by the wayside. You are expected to make a decision by merely standing in front of a product and getting a warm fuzzy. See, now you have pushed one of my "hot buttons".

Bill
 
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May 1, 2006
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Maryville, MO
I think the forum may need a new smiley for this thread - the red one with smoke blowing from its ears.

I've gotten to the point where if I need a cross-thread, left-hand, plated widget I'll drive the 20 mile round-trip to town to sort through the shelves and bins myself rather than call. Invariably, the answer is: "Sure we have it." only to get there and have an item unrelated to my request waiting.
 
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Apr 24, 2004
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Cowlesville,Western New York
In defense of un-informed sales people,I know ,I know there is no defense. But consider some basic truths(I know because I've been there), most of the folks you get on the phone are part-timers. Read that, old retired f**ts, like me or younger people between jobs. The average hardware store/tool supply has thousands of items. Ask the management how much time they spend training or informing the sales staff of specifications for those items on hand, much less any new stuff just arrived for tomorrows sale. Generally the bigger the company the less information gets to the frontline people. They have to take the time, usually at home, to read the brochures and try to remember the details. I'll admit knowing the cutting capacity of your basic equipment line should be commited to memory as well as hp, voltage, etc.
So that's the view from one guy that has been "a deer in the headlights." :eek: :eek: :D
 
Joined
May 7, 2004
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Lynn Haven, FL
To be honest, if I go to the big box store I just hope the sales people leave me alone so I can find what I need. In our medium-sized town we have a Lowes and Home Depot that do through employees pretty fast. I knew I was too much of a regular when a sales clerk at HD asked me if I knew where something was. I actually did know so the customers went were I sent them, and employee went back to keeping his hands warm in the orange apron.

However, when I go to a specialty store for a tool or something I expect the employee that works there to know more than I do. The same stores that have clueless employees are the ones that complain the most about people that do all their shopping online. If the shipping rates weren't so high I would never go to many stores in town again, I'd even order all my groceries on line if the price was right! :mad:
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
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Location
Haslett, Michigan
sales

My local True Value hardware store has had many of the same people working there for years. I go in and show them a stripped screw thread, a broken piece of plastic, a frozen adapter, and they say "we love problem solving" and they fix things for me. I go out of my way to buy from them even when the price is more. They have helped me cut tubes, release a frozen set screws on my chucks, and they get 20 cents for a replacement screw. AND WITH A SMILE!!!! Our Home Depot when first started had knowlegible people that could help. Now I can't find anyone to show me where things are, let alone help with a problem. Gretch
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2006
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Location
Coos Bay, OR
:) In Boulder, Colorado there is a place called McGuickens Hardware. If you are ever in town go there. It is about the size of a typical Home Depot but without lumber and the plants are all outside. Most of the sales staff are retired working people who know their departments and can answer questions and help with problems. The management people have been there for years and it is family owned by long time residents. It is worth the trip just to see the place. I live an hour away (non rush hour) and go there any time I need anything more complicated than a wood screw even though I drive past two Home Depots, a Lowes and an Ace Hardware.
Terence
 
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Phoenix, AZ
Gretch said:
My local True Value hardware store has had many of the same people working there for years. I go in and show them a stripped screw thread, a broken piece of plastic, a frozen adapter, and they say "we love problem solving" and they fix things for me. I go out of my way to buy from them even when the price is more. They have helped me cut tubes, release a frozen set screws on my chucks, and they get 20 cents for a replacement screw. AND WITH A SMILE!!!! Our Home Depot when first started had knowlegible people that could help. Now I can't find anyone to show me where things are, let alone help with a problem. Gretch

I recently found a local TrueValue & have come to the same conclusion. My first stop is TrueValue because the people there can actually tell me where stuff is, and if they don't know or don't have it they don't BS me either. They are also good helping me figure out creative solutions for some things too. 1 If TV doesn't have it, then I might stop at Lowe's and search myself. Some of the people there are good, other's don't have a clue. I avoid HomeDepot.
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
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It depends on the staff, not the franchise. The folks with the gray hair tend to be more customer-oriented, and thus appear to have studied up on their stock, while the younger transitional job folks are just earning wages. Attitude is everything, sort of like the folks who ask "what do you do" as their opener are generally a lot shallower than folks who ask "where are you from?" Of course there are some who regard origin as defining the individual's limitations, putting them on a par with those who figure the job does.
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2005
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North Georgia
Daaaang Michael... as one of those who ask "what do you do?" I'm feeling like I oughta change my opener! ;)

I feel your pain Dave. I hate asking questions that I have to find the answer to...

Of course some of it boils down to the salesperson mentality. Make the sale, get your numbers up.... Whenever I get hit with a sales pitch it's suddenly time for me to go somewhere else, change the air in my tires, or go looking for Sasquatch....

I use a very expensive design software which has not a few "issues". Of course the salespeople won't tell you that, and in fact some of them don't even know the software well enough to let you know the basics. They'll misrepresent the software just to make the sale.... and then the manufacturer wonders why they get such bad press on major woodworking forums... :confused:
 
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
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Oshkosh, WI
I go by a large True Value store on the way to our Chapter meetings in another city (25 Min drive). My first contact with them was at a carving show where I bought a Colewood burner. It didn't work properly and they simply handed me another one when I took it back to the store. This place is big and full of smiling, helpful, knowledgeable people.

LOML and I went there on Memorial day and bought a new grill. Took the floor model and got it home and found it had no igniter in it. Good idea for a floor model right? They SENT someone to our house within 40 minutes to install the igniter. Now, folks, this is a holiday afternoon! Customer service like this keeps me driving that 25 minute drive (one way) with no complaints :)

To be fair, our local True Value store is just as good only smaller with the same class of employees...another :)
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2006
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Location
SF Bay Area
Dave;
I can appreciate your frustration. If I go to the local Home Depot or Lowes, I expect an employee will only have a general knowledge of their department. I appreciate them more if he admits it up front.
If I go to my Woodcraft, it's another story, I expect some expertise. The guys usually have someone who has that particular interest. Such as a turner, who may, or may not know all about table saws.

I've been a television broadcast engineer for 35 years. Recently my big old tv quit. So we went shopping. One cannot believe the hype, rumor and out right false claims that a sales person in an electronics store can make. There are so many choices in picture display devices and standards, that I sometimes get a headache. But those persons are, in some cases, willing to make any claim, or even argue with you to get you to by. When my employer can spend any amount of money for a high quality display, I know what the picture should look like. When I see something in the store that I don't like, I say so. The sales people can be very creative in making excuses!

Good luck, Mike in CA
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2006
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Location
Vienna, Virginia
I went to the Woodcraft store in Springfield, VA this am and the guy did not know what was in the Wolvarine jig box. I mentioned the long arm and he did not know what that was. I also asked if they had any platform jigs for a grinder. "Gee, I don't know" was the reply.
 
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