Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I don't think there's one camera store I've been into without snobby or untrained sales reps. Yesterday I walked into one looking for an item and first thing the rep says is they don't have it. So I went through their inventory to see what else they had and low and behold the item I was looking for was there. I asked him for more information on the product and he kinda gave me a brief answer and just stood there. Then when I asked him if there was anything better he just kinda mumbled something nervously and said oh that is the best.

What the hell kinda sales expertise is that? With the internet being such a popular place to buy things now (and often times cheaper) you'd think the local stores would focus more on service to retain customers, but nope it's like they don't give a hoot.

Anyone else run into this?

The best way to get good customer service at any of the camera's store's is to find a sales rep that you like, form a relationship with that person, and continue to do business with them over a period of years. I have found that this is my best experience on getting great customer service, and good pricing when possible.

The sales folks that work at the larger outlets deal with so many people in a day, and from what I have noticed - there is a fairly high turnover rate in sales rep's. There are very few folks that stay in the business for years - but those are the people you want to deal with.

Why do you bother dealing with snobby or ignorant sales staff? In this day and age it pays to patronize a camera store or 2, get to know the senior sales people or owners.

Exactly what I just said!

I know the telephone rang before I had time to hit the post button, anyway good information always bares repeating

i don't frequent the stores much so i don't know the sales reps. i just walked up to the first person that was available. any suggestions on who to see?

It's not really isolated to camera stores. Toronto is known for poor customer service in general, unfortunately. I blame it on bad parenting. :lol:

When I do find someone with exceptional customer service skills I will go pay it back with either a commendable letter to the store (mentioning the person's name) or simply complimenting them on the spot for their outstanding service.

Ken Kwan - Downtown Camera. He's one of the best.

+1. I get exceptional service when I travel outside the GTA. Surprisingly, I find NYC even friendlier.

Don't tolerate that. Asked for the supervisor or the manager and you can complain right in front of him to set him straight. Bad day or just plain don't give a hoot about what he does, who cares.

I sometimes get those but I'm quick on the rudeness tit for tat.

Always excellent service at Vistek, DT Camera, 5/10 Henry's.

Alan from Henry's at Queen St. West is the guy I deal with. Great sales guy.

+1.

Alan is very easy going and knowledgeable, told me a few things about flash lighting that I didn't know/ think of. Very helpful.

Write a letter to the headquarters! Threaten them you are boycotting their stores.

I got a personal phone call from the CEO of Marketing from Suzy Shier, changed their store policy within two weeks and received a nice gift certificate to welcome me back to their stores to witness the change!

But if you don't complain, why should they change?

No complaints = continue doing what they are doing.

+1.

Patrick from Merkle at VP/Sheppard is great too

Jay shuster at downtown henrys is a great guy

+1 For Alan

+1 for Jay too. Great guy. Though the last few times I saw him, he was working on the video side.

Of course it's not just photography stores, it's everywhere!

The problem is no one cares anymore...they just do the absolute minimum to keep their job, and not a thing more (and I say that as someone who was in retail for more than 10 years).

Their excuse is the economy is they could get be let go tomorrow, so why bother learning about the stock, or where things are.

I don't even bother with salespeople anymore if I can help it, because they usually end up spending more time finding an item than I do (if I know the store).

Couple of days ago I was looking for shielded speakers that were on clearance. The salesperson first looked on the computer, looked at the displays, and then looked in the back room, told me their inventory count was wrong and they were out of stock. As I was leaving I took a look at the display and found it right away.

FutureShop used to have their sales people hand slips of paper with their employee number on it so they get a commission. I don't want to go into a long story here but they couldn't answer my questions, they couldn't help help me (I wanted to try out a stylus on a tablet before buying it, they had the tablets out on display but no pens)...yet he still handed me that piece of paper because I was buying it. As I was going up to cashier I crumbled up the piece of paper and put it in my pocket...why should he get a commission for NOT helping me? I don't know if they still do that, if I do go to FS it's to buy stuff that DOESN'T require a salesperson.

Nowadays it's the stores that do go out of their way to help you, or they find you a cheaper (or used) item that will do the job better than the one you were going to buy that are the rarity. I'll shop at those stores again and again, even if they cost a little more than the FutureShops of the world.

But most people aren't like that...every penny they can save they will take it, and that's the level of service we get for it!

Blame the ultimate profit motive and cheap product from overseas. Used to be that you could find a professional salesperson in virtually any store, from electronics to shoes. Now the product is so cheap and disposable that the profits can't support actual professionals. The result is Burger King style service.

Alan is awesome. I've known Alan since the old days when we both worked in Fairview Mall. Very knowledgeable person who won't try and BS you. If they could all be like him in there...

there's really not much point in talking to store reps. they'll feed u BS and it's easier to get the info u want on company websites. but i admit to going to store to check stuff out than buying it on the internet for price.

Hi

I always deal with "Allan Selario" at the Henrys on Queen St. My brother have known him since he worked at Japan Camera back in early 2000. The guy always keeps up to date and is very honest.

Professional or not, take pride in your job. Many of the best salespeople I've met are not professionals, they simply have an interest in the product they are selling. Don't bulls**t me. I mostly expect the sales person to have an interest in the product they sell and be willing to look up, or ask someone else, for the answer to a question instead making up an answer or getting bored with my 'too many questions'. I'd rather have a 16 year old help me find the answer, then a 'professional' make up an answer in order to move on to the next sale (Henry's every single time I enter that customer service wasteland).

Professional or not, take pride in your job. Many of the best salespeople I've met are not professionals, they simply have an interest in the product they are selling. Don't bulls**t me. I mostly expect the sales person to have an interest in the product they sell and be willing to look up, or ask someone else, for the answer to a question instead making up an answer or getting bored with my 'too many questions'. I'd rather have a 16 year old help me find the answer, then a 'professional' make up an answer in order to move on to the next sale (Henry's every single time I enter that customer service wasteland).

By "professional sales person" I mean exactly that; someone who is knowledgeable and takes pride in his work. When someone makes dirt they don't have much incentive to learn the product, nor to provide the type of service that you describe. As a result you only get that sort of service from someone who happens to be an enthusiast, of whatever product he happens to be selling.

The effort put into the job is generally proportionate to the amount that knowledge will assist in obtaining compensation. You don't get the best salespeople for the least money. The good ones go elsewhere, where their work ethic and knowledge are appreciated.

Well I was a professional sales person for 6.5 years. And to do the job I do agree the best sales persons have to have a genuine interest in what they sell but most of all integrity. The way I felt about what I sold was I would not sell what I would not buy myself. So being impartial and judging things with out prejudice helped me succeed in that role. My idea of success is I would have clients who knew me downtown come from to see me in Fairview mall because they appreciated my honesty and knowledge.


As for the dollars and cents. Well the problem is that sales jobs for the longest time has attracted some of the least educated persons. This is purely based on the companies you buy from. They get bodies into the job to service customers and only keep the ones that can sell. It doesn't help that there is next to no mentor-ship or training.


But this is no excuse for bad service. Because there are examples of people who love what they do and stay because they can make a living off the referrals. After all my sales job got me through college.

I think if you get bad service (and in most cases there is no help from the sotres management) I just don't shop at the store.

I find Toronto staff to be indifferent rather than snobby. Go to the UK if you want to see snobby.
I research online and only step in to a brick and mortar when I need to view/touch/hold the objest of my desire. I am not interested in the opinion of a salesperson because they have a self-interested biased view. If I want opinions of something I am more likely to give importance to opinions of people on this board than I am to anybody who stands to make money from me.

+1 that to

Ask him about Vegas

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Ask him about Las Vegas while your there

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Ask him about Las Vegas while your there