Re: [Paddlewise] Paddle woes.

Rob Cookson wrote:

> Hi Michael,
> > Back when the snow was flying, I ordered an AT Xception Tour paddle.
> > The only vendor in eastern Canada is 150km away.  I sent two email
> > messages and followed with live voice confirmation to ensure they
> > understood I wanted the variable length version with a specific
> > length range.
> >
>
> <SNIP>
>
> I'm very sorry to hear that you had an unpleasant experience with your
> paddle purchase.  I know how frustrating it is to lay out lots of cash and
> have the order fouled.
>
> Sometimes companies drop the ball, sometimes staff members screw up orders,
> sometimes vendors ship the wrong product, mistakes happen.  I hope the store
> was incredibly apologetic.  They should have caught the length mistake when
> the paddle was received and before you were notified.

[and]

>> I get to the store, track down the salesdroid and wait.

>Maybe part of the problem you are having with service is related to the way
>you interact with the sales/ customer service people.

Well, you (and Bruce) may be assuming that my attitute toward the sales person
preceded the event.  Rather, it followed.  You see, the shop in question, which
has a tremendous reputation (primarily among the WW crowd), prides itself in
having staff that are paddlers as well as sales staff.  They sell high end and
I expected a "high-end" result.  That perhaps colours my after-the-fact
representation of the gent.

He wasn't apologetic.  In fact, once the problem was discovered, he was
generally non-communicative.  I was prompting him to respond to the
situation.  I think it's a reasonable expentation that in such a situation,
the sales staff should be proactive.

Two mistakes were made - wrong product shipped (producer) and order
not checked (retailer).  If it had been a shop down the street, I wouldn't have
been so ticked off.  But I had to drive 300 km ( 180 miles ) round trip.   He
knew I had to come a long way; he should have been more careful.

Part of my frustration, in fact perhaps the larger part, comes from the fact
that this isn't a one-off event, but rather another in a long string of events.
Both Amie and I have had nothing but problems with _every_ big ticket
purchase in the last year.  Service is history (and Amie and I are both
in service industries, I as a computer consultant and she as a customer
sales rep in a big company).  Spreadsheets show service as a cost, not
a profit.  Hence in these greedy times, service goes.


> If you are unable to
> get good service from this company, go mail order.  I'm sure there are lots
> of folks on this list that would be happy to share names of good mail order
> retailers with superior service.
>

But that means I can't support the local shops that provide for specialty
sports.  I could have ordered it from the producer's web site.  I chose
to deal with the (almost) local dealer.  I may need that guy in the future
and want him around.

The demise of specialty shops has been accelerating in the last decade.
There is now only _one_ high-end xc ski shop in Toronto (pop 3 million)
and two in the 'burbs (both branches of one store).   One formerly good
shop is now only into high-end sports fashion and the teenie-bopper sales
staff are only good for taking the credit card.   What do you expect with
the minimum wage approach to doing business.

There are two shops downtown that sell kayaks and gear.  One has
mediocre kayak selection, though their accessories are good.  The staff
varies from good to indifferent and I don't recommend the place to
novices.  The second had a big re-org a few years ago.  I used to
paddle with and take lessons from their staff.  Those people are all gone
now, working for outfitters or stores in other cities.  Now staff that
replaced them are in the teenie-bopper min wage crowd.  They don't
paddle and don't know the products as well as they should.  I no
longer feel that they can provide good service.

The big box stores are putting the small retailers out of business and forcing
them to cut corners to compete.  They end up being no better and we all
suffer.

Yesterday's episode was an "Oh no, more of the same" thing for me.  I'll agree
that my post here was somewhat overdone.  My apologies.  I should have
waited till today until posting (if at all).

If you're a kayak retailer - try to stay focused on the customer, not the shareholder.
Shareholders are easily replaced.

Mike


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