Rude customer service

[Teppo87]

I've been buying from Ellwood Epps for a while now and usually look forward to stopping there when I am passing through Orillia. But on this recent visit I left on a sour note with one of the gun room customer service representatives (guy dresses like a biker). I asked the fellow if they had any standard Mosin Nagant rifles come in yet and the conversation went like this:

EMPLOYEE: "Did you look at our website before coming here?"
ME: "No I did not"
EMPLOYEE: "Well then you would know what we have and what we don't have had you looked it up on our website, wouldn't you?"
ME: "..."
EMPLOYEE: "If you're gonna come here looking for something, don't come without looking at the website first. Everything is up to date and from what I can see online we do not have any Mosins"

Ironically, there was an M44 Mosin carbine right behind him which he only noticed after giving me his little scolding speech.

How about this - consider that a customer has many others things happening in his life that checking your website before visiting the store is not exactly a top priority. Also, rather than outright scold a customer for not looking up a product on your website, why don't you learn a little customer service courtesy and look up that product for the customer on the computer terminal sitting right in front of you INSTEAD OF running your mouth off and making a customer feel unwelcome.

I don't care how great an inventory they have - I don't need that kind of attitude when I am willing to stop in and spend a good bit of my hard earned cash at their store. Shape up or lose customers.

[padawan]

Sounds like this guy might be new to the Store ( or firearms in general)

[cmsl333]

I stopped shopping there when that guy from Target sports ended up at Epps. I got terrible service and attitude from Epps too many times and will never spend a cent there again!

[kdubya1050]

For me personally, if I am on a website its because I want to make an online purchase. If I go into a store its because I want to browse, see something, hold it and possibly get some additional information.

[Corry]

So I have a questions since I've seen a few of these threads about poor customers service...

Does this happen a lot? More than in other retail?

Being a new license holder, I've only dealt with two firearms dealers so far and both were great, one local and one from out of province

If I got poor service like this I would not hesitate to talk to a manager

Oh and I've discovered most online inventories are not correct or very incomplete

[Igormon]

I fail to understand why people do this when they are trying to sell something.

Seems pretty backwards to me, even if the same question was asked by a thousand people before just pucker up and answer politely. They are trying to sell you something not the other way around.

Sorry to hear about your experience, lets hope management can put him in line.

[silverfoxdj]

Sounds like this guy might be new to the Store ( or firearms in general)

NOT acceptable , no excuse EVER for that kind of responses.. Fired would be the word if I owned the store.

[redshooter]

Don't forget not everyone in the area has internet. I drive almost two hours to get to the store and if I lived another kilometer away from where I do I'd have no internet (well dial up which these days is so frustrating...). Someone needs to be sorted out...

[.22LRGUY]

You'll see guys who love this store no matter what. The selection tends to be good and let's face it....a real feast for the senses walking into that place. Also, for me, a great deal of nostalgia because like the OP...it's a "must stop" for me if I'm heading-up hwy.11. Now...that said (and even having made some noteworthy purchases there) I feel a little ticked-off when I leave there most times. (2-3 times a year) They're busy, sell a ton of stuff, so I get the sense they feel they can be a little selective with who they treat well. I ALSO think that the RECENT effort they've put into their site gives them an extra layer of insulation at the gun counter. By "insulation" I mean protecting themselves from any extra effort. I recognize that there are guys who tie-up the staff's time tire-kicking and oddly enough...seem to bring 3 non-shooting friends with them. BUT...with few exceptions...the level of service is a bit spotty...to put it mildly. They used to be my preferred place to look for new gear. Now, I rarely even look on their site unless I can't find something I want elsewhere. Even then, I'm more inclined to wait than drive almost 2 hours to be treated like an inconvenience.

[Anyad Pitchaya]

NOT acceptable , no excuse EVER for that kind of responses.. Fired would be the word if I owned the store.

^^^ This. If I was the store owner and this was the way my employee treated a walk in customer, he would be 2 feet behind the customer walking out the door.

You'll see guys who love this store no matter what. The selection tends to be good and let's face it....a real feast for the senses walking into that place. Also, for me, a great deal of nostalgia because like the OP...it's a "must stop" for me if I'm heading-up hwy.11. Now...that said (and even having made some noteworthy purchases there) I feel a little ticked-off when I leave there most times. (2-3 times a year) They're busy, sell a ton of stuff, so I get the sense they feel they can be a little selective with who they treat well. I ALSO think that the RECENT effort they've put into their site gives them an extra layer of insulation at the gun counter. By "insulation" I mean protecting themselves from any extra effort. I recognize that there are guys who tie-up the staff's time tire-kicking and oddly enough...seem to bring 3 non-shooting friends with them. BUT...with few exceptions...the level of service is a bit spotty...to put it mildly. They used to be my preferred place to look for new gear. Now, I rarely even look on their site unless I can't find something I want elsewhere. Even then, I'm more inclined to wait than drive almost 2 hours to be treated like an inconvenience.

Looks like they are a victim of their own success.