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Thread: Customer Service.....

  1. #1
    CGN Regular Rupert's Avatar
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    Customer Service.....

    I've been to Target Sports several times over the past month and they have some associates who are very knowledgeable, kind and helpful who make spending hundreds of dollars a pleasure. However, the other day there were two "chubb's" who "knew everything" disregarded my "novice" questions as ignorant and totally changed my opinion of the store. I asked one fellow how the trigger pull was on a .22 rifle I am interested in and he said arrogantly and patronizingly "what does it matter it's a .22". Ok, I said to myself, fair enough, but it may matter to you (Target Sports) if I choose not to spend my money in your store and the word of mouth disseminated (best advertising) by your atrocious customer service. I know that not all the employees are not like this but it was enough for me to begin looking for the .22 somewhere else and contact my shooting friends of the experience. I decided rather quickly that even if I have to spend a couple extra bucks for shipping by ordering online it would be worth it just not to deal with these two putz's.

    Employees should be kind, courteous and helpful to customers ensuring an enjoyable and for some of us educational experience while shopping. This isn't Wal-Mart and I would expect that when inquiring about products the sales people would be knowledgeable of the products and be able to actually answer your questions without attitude while appreciating you are not spending nickels and dimes!

    I look forward to a response from Target Sports as they are located in close proximity to my house ensuring my steady business until my last visit sullied my opinion of them.

  2. #2
    Contributing Dealer Target Sports Center's Avatar
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    I have questioned the "chubbs" you refer to, and I think it is only fair to include a couple of points that you neglected to:

    1. Dry firing a .22LR gun of almost all makes is inherently damaging to the gun as the firing pin stikes the face of the chamber and causes peening. Ask anyone and they should confirm this independantly. Therefore your request to "try the trigger" should have been refused on all accounts, and likely would be refused in any store.

    2. You originally asked to "try the trigger" of this gun, not to buy it in our store, but as you rather ineptly said to my sales rep at the time, 'because you intended to buy one online'.

    With these two rather salient points in consideration, you are welcome to take your business elsewhere, perhaps a big-box store? I am sure you will get excellent customer service there. Or you can accept that your request was unreasonable, and that the sales rep had every reason to refuse your request to damage a gun you had no intention of buying from us anyway.

    Unfortunately this forum allows the posting of ALL opinions, informed or not, so I felt compelled to answer this one personally. You are of course welcome to refute these claims, but I was there at the time, overheard the conversation and did not feel the need to intercede, as my "chubb" was acting exactly as I would have wanted. I am sorry this is not to your liking, I think the community will back me on this one.

    Darren S
    Manager of Target Sports
    Target Sports Canada
    905-888-8288 Phone
    905-888-8688 Fax
    RANGE/STORE HOURS

    • MONDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-9PM
    • SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS 10AM-6PM

    [b]info@targetsportscanada.com

  3. #3
    CGN Regular Rupert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Target Sports Center View Post
    I have questioned the "chubbs" you refer to, and I think it is only fair to include a couple of points that you neglected to:

    1. Dry firing a .22LR gun of almost all makes is inherently damaging to the gun as the firing pin stikes the face of the chamber and causes peening. Ask anyone and they should confirm this independantly. Therefore your request to "try the trigger" should have been refused on all accounts, and likely would be refused in any store.

    2. You originally asked to "try the trigger" of this gun, not to buy it in our store, but as you rather ineptly said to my sales rep at the time, 'because you intended to buy one online'.

    With these two rather salient points in consideration, you are welcome to take your business elsewhere, perhaps a big-box store? I am sure you will get excellent customer service there. Or you can accept that your request was unreasonable, and that the sales rep had every reason to refuse your request to damage a gun you had no intention of buying from us anyway.

    Unfortunately this forum allows the posting of ALL opinions, informed or not, so I felt compelled to answer this one personally. You are of course welcome to refute these claims, but I was there at the time, overheard the conversation and did not feel the need to intercede, as my "chubb" was acting exactly as I would have wanted. I am sorry this is not to your liking, I think the community will back me on this one.

    Darren S
    Manager of Target Sports
    Where to start! I neglected nothing, your staff/you has added info to make themselves appear to look better. I never requested to try the trigger or even ask them to remove the trigger lock! I asked them what the trigger was like after the salesperson had placed the rifle back on the shelf. So....I never asked to/or tried the trigger! I did intend on buying it, in fact I went to the bank and took out the cash before I came by the store, but I don't tell the salesperson this, thats customer awareness. I didn't buy it wanting time to think about my purchase, I don't like buyers remorse. Oh, and I never said that I was going to buy it online but I did say I was looking (researching) them online, there is a difference. However, there was another customer dry firing a Beretta 92fs!

    My salient points are very valid. I have had good experiences in your store but not this time. I am amazed at how you make such a limited attempt to gain my business and even question my opinions as uniformed - it was an experience, not a book! I don't need to research my own experiences to articulate them. Rather than try to resolve my complaint you refute my claims effectively telling me (customer) I am wrong. Really not good for business! You guys have a nice facility, the big box of gun clubs, but your not the only game in town and its a shame that you would prefer to send a local customer away rather than resolve my issue. You would rather send me off to Bass Pro etc. than to take my concern seriously, more bad business! This post is in the Dealers Section of the forum, you think you don't have competition? As a manager you should understand the importance of a persons shopping experience in your store and how you treat your customers and, now, their complaints through public relations. You may not agree with me, thats fine, but to call me uninformed and to turn away a customer tells me don't need my business and that you don't need/want my money, thats quite arrogant. I have told others of my experience and low and behold I'm not the only one who has had this occurrence.

    It is also humourous that you state the community will be on your side when the two "chubbs" were both criticizing the CGN community specifically peoples posts in the EE. Denounce them then declare you have their support. But you were present for this conversation, you say, so you "know" this! Can't refute your own claims!

    Really, all you needed to say was: You feel unfortunate about my experience and assure me that your staff will be spoken too regarding how to politely speak to customers and how to better communicate with potential customers making them feel welcome. And to help them by answering their questions respectfully when making firearms purchase. But you decided to do the opposite by challenging and opposing my complaints as uninformed.

    Darren, I don't know if you or others at the store have an education in business or any type of background in retail sales, but you guys are going about public relations the wrong way. Your effectively turning future customers away with conceitedness and adding insult to injury by abandoning the people who keep the balance sheet in the black! Membership appreciation day may be once a year but customer appreciation should be 24/7!


    The following is from your website:

    "We appreciate your comments

    Now that we are charged with continuing where others have left off, we need your support to help grow the shooting sports.

    It has been our desire to provide the best in every way. If we do not deliver our best, I would really like to hear from you (and if we do deliver, a note would also be nice!)

    Once again, thank you.

    JR Cox
    President / CEO"

    Darren I have been fair and in this case I feel that not only did you and your staff not deliver your best you refused to listen to my concerns and then disregard my complaint. So far, in your reply there is no evident desire to do anything other than to protect the image of your store and employee's disregarding the customer as inconsequential to your business.

    I look forward to your reply! Perhaps we can resolve this squabble and we can build a healthy business relationship where we both benefit from each other.
    Last edited by Rupert; 12-17-2009 at 12:57 PM.

  4. #4
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    I have to echo this sentiment. They have some very cynical staff members who have apparently seen and heard it all, though most of the new staff are very young.

    They seem to have gotten rid of all the older more knowledgeable people.

  5. #5
    Contributing Dealer Target Sports Center's Avatar
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    Rupert,
    I am curious why both my sales reps independently repeated the same point that you had indicated you were going to buy this gun online. Are you denying this?

    If, as you say, you came to the store to buy the gun, then you must be a completely different customer than any of us remember. Please come back to the store and introduce yourself to me. I will make it right.

    If however you are in fact the one and the same who fails to understand:
    -that a rim-fire gun cannot be dry-fired and a centre fire gun can with no risk of damage,
    -that a plinker is not a match rifle with a match trigger,
    -that we deal with hundreds of customers a day, many asking the same questions over and over,
    -that even the best sales staff can have a bad day from time to time,
    -that I have no respect for people who go on-line anonymously to make complaints rather than addressing them to the management in person,
    then yes I would rather you take your business elsewhere.

    This is a competitive market, but we have excellent business dealings with our competition, and I would congratulate any of them on making a sale to you instead of us.

    I hold you no ill will, but feel compelled to refute what APPEARS to be ill-informed and misplaced whining. Prove me wrong and I will publicly retract this.

    AS I SAID EARLIER, IF YOU ARE NOT THIS CUSTOMER PLEASE DO COME IN AND SEE ME, IF YOU ARE, FEEL FREE TO CONTINUE YOUR ANONYMOUS SMEAR CAMPAIGN.

    Darren S
    Manager.
    Last edited by Target Sports Center; 12-17-2009 at 03:37 PM. Reason: signature
    Target Sports Canada
    905-888-8288 Phone
    905-888-8688 Fax
    RANGE/STORE HOURS

    • MONDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-9PM
    • SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS 10AM-6PM

    [b]info@targetsportscanada.com

  6. #6
    CGN Ultra frequent flyer bear.23's Avatar
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    I'm guessing that you don't have any 22 snap caps.. They exist for just this purpose..
    Tired, Old, Sore & Cranky... What else is new..

  7. #7
    CGN Regular Rupert's Avatar
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    I don't know what to say other than public relations! I have attended several events and they were well organized and the staff were friendly and helpful (I even brought some non-shooters who thoroughly enjoyed the day) then I have totally random experiences when window shopping or purchasing from your store. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. I recognize your staff may have good days and bad but those bad days reflect negatively on Target Sports. This conversation has been unproductive and as a customer I am disappointed.

  8. #8
    BANNED USP's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
    I don't know what to say other than public relations! I have attended several events and they were well organized and the staff were friendly and helpful (I even brought some non-shooters who thoroughly enjoyed the day) then I have totally random experiences when window shopping or purchasing from your store. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. I recognize your staff may have good days and bad but those bad days reflect negatively on Target Sports. This conversation has been unproductive and as a customer I am disappointed.
    What do you want a hug? I bought a gun off TSC today, the guy who took the order Jon was super friendly and helpful. I grilled him abit on some details and he was knowlegeable enough as well. :D

  9. #9
    CGN Regular Rupert's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by USP View Post
    What do you want a hug?
    That is a patronizing and condescending comment! Not needed and unbecoming!

    I'm Glad you had a good experience dealing with TSC. Maybe I should speak to Jon rather than the people I spoke with!

  10. #10
    CGN Ultra frequent flyer CdnCombatMedic's Avatar
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    Holy crap Rupert.......I can see your not happy with your experience. You said what you had to.....lets move on shall we.

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