WSS salesman.......
- Thread starter powder burner
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- Location
- Southern Alberta
Agree with Covey
I'm to the point that I phone before heading up to Lethbridge WSS. Called on Friday about a .308 in Rem 7600. They had none but could get one of the two shipped down from Calgary...in two or three weeks? Last Rifle they pulled this stunt on me with, I phoned Calgary and ordered it direct, took about 4 days. This time I phoned Russells in Calgary and they should have it to me in 4 days.
On the plus side, phoned ahead to WSS in the Bridge, and they had my new scope, base and rings ready when I got there, just lost out on the Rifle sale. Lethbridge seems to be pretty good for service for the most part though.
I'm to the point that I phone before heading up to Lethbridge WSS. Called on Friday about a .308 in Rem 7600. They had none but could get one of the two shipped down from Calgary...in two or three weeks? Last Rifle they pulled this stunt on me with, I phoned Calgary and ordered it direct, took about 4 days. This time I phoned Russells in Calgary and they should have it to me in 4 days.
On the plus side, phoned ahead to WSS in the Bridge, and they had my new scope, base and rings ready when I got there, just lost out on the Rifle sale. Lethbridge seems to be pretty good for service for the most part though.
Not much of a stunt! If they hired a truck to immediatly bring your gun to the bridge no one would make any money! It takes a minimum of 10 days to get together a skid of stuff to make a store transfer worth while. You always had the option of mail order? No stunt! Good business!
They dont have to hire a truck solely to move one gun from store to store.
I've tried to purchase a pair of boots from Marks Work Warehouse in the past. Found the ones I wanted, didnt have my size. The store had a pair sent overnight from their store in Edmonton to Calgary, at their cost.
By doing little things like this, it keeps me coming back and Im not affraid to tell others about the great level of service. For the $20 or whatever it cost them to get me the pair of boots I wanted, it ensured I'd return for future purchases and I'd send my friends to buy boots or clothes as well.
Now that sounds like good business to me.
Places that go out of their way to help me, even if they cost a bit more will always get my business.
Last week when I was in WSS, one customer walked away from a new Browning Xbolt rifle he really wanted becuase the store didnt have rings and bases for his gun. If I was betting dollars to donuts, Im sure if they called Russel sports and found a set of rings for the poor guy, he would have bought the new rifle and scope at WSS.
And before someone makes some sort of comment about how WSS salesmen shouldnt be refering business to the competition, its all owned by the same company.
I've tried to purchase a pair of boots from Marks Work Warehouse in the past. Found the ones I wanted, didnt have my size. The store had a pair sent overnight from their store in Edmonton to Calgary, at their cost.
By doing little things like this, it keeps me coming back and Im not affraid to tell others about the great level of service. For the $20 or whatever it cost them to get me the pair of boots I wanted, it ensured I'd return for future purchases and I'd send my friends to buy boots or clothes as well.
Now that sounds like good business to me.
Places that go out of their way to help me, even if they cost a bit more will always get my business.
Last week when I was in WSS, one customer walked away from a new Browning Xbolt rifle he really wanted becuase the store didnt have rings and bases for his gun. If I was betting dollars to donuts, Im sure if they called Russel sports and found a set of rings for the poor guy, he would have bought the new rifle and scope at WSS.
And before someone makes some sort of comment about how WSS salesmen shouldnt be refering business to the competition, its all owned by the same company.
Covey Ridge has pretty well nailed it IMHO, I don't see a lot of folks asking the kid in the electronics dept at walmart "should I buy a plasma or lcd big screen" and don't even think about ordering one that isn't in stock. If it wasn't for WSS Leth this area would not have one tenth the selection that is available now, yea not every thing is in stock all the time and special orders are a pita but at least they try and meet customers needs in spite of the stupendous amount of red tape gumming up the works. The stores in the smaller centres actually try, the larger centres are at the mercy of an indifferent labor pool.
I've been to WSS in Kamloops and they had great staff, very helpful. Of course, i usually know what I want, but they got it for me, helped me wiht a couple of things thst needed sizing (scope covers) and basically did a god job!
Well how are they going to get it there? It does not make sense to make special delivery, if it can be sent within 4 days by the mail order service that they offer. Next thing customers will not be happy with 4 day or one week mail order and just demand store transfer
Everyone in this world knows that WSS and Russells are owned by the same donuts except maybe some of the new sales people at WSS and Russels. Salesmen from both stores usually offer that service, except when it it so busy that neither store will anwser the phone. Salesmen often did that way before WSS and Russells became one. Since you were in the know, why did you not suggest that? The problem, that I see here is that Browning was so anxious to sell their X-bolt that they did not supply bases in enough quantity. Heck I think that Browning should have included the bases with the new rifles since they were unique to Browing X-bolts. Too bad that that customer wanted browning bases. WSS has a good supply of Leupold bases for the X-bolt which are cheaper and better. If the salesman was not right at the receiving door that day he might not have known that. Russells was surprised when I told them that!
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Well how are they going to get it there? It does not make sense to make special delivery, if it can be sent within 4 days by the mail order service that they offer. Next thing customers will not be happy with 4 day or one week mail order and just demand store transfer
Since you were in the know, why did you not suggest that? The problem, that I see here is that Browning was so anxious to sell their X-bolt that they did not supply bases in enough quantity. Heck I think that Browning should have included the bases with the new rifles since they were unique to Browing X-bolts. Too bad that that customer wanted browning bases. WSS has a good supply of Leupold bases for the X-bolt which are cheaper and better. If the salesman was not right at the receiving door that day he might not have known that. Russells was surprised when I told them that!
While I was patiently waiting in the hour long line up to get my 1lb of powder, I was talking with the guy buying the xbolt. Just said it looked like a really nice rifle and after the WSS sales person was unable to find any ring/base combo (Leupold or Browning) that would work for him, I suggested he called Russell. Without trying to get in the middle of the potential sale, I tried to stay out of their business. At the point when the customer was really frustrated that he had spent so much time picking out the perfect scope and perfect gun combination and was unable to get the parts to put it all together I mentioned Russell might have what he needed. The salesguy gave me a deer-in-the-headlights look. The customer was obviously upset at this point since the sales staff wasnt doign much to help him out and make the sale. He asked the sales guy if Russell would have the same gun and scope in stock to which the sales guy said, yes.
The customer put everythign down on the counter and said, well, I'll just go there instead and he walked out.
The way I see it, the WSS sales person doesnt have to go out of his way to help. He doesnt get paid to do anything other than hand you what you ask for and to take your money if you want it.
The good sales people at WSS (and yes there are some I deal with) will go out of their way to help and thats what makes a sale and what keeps customers coming back.
Wss
I work at P&D and we have had lots of calls from WSS staff for product that they are out of that we may have in stock. Time to do this for a customer is likely the limiting factor, when you have a pile of guys at the gun counter it isn't as likely to happen. FS
I work at P&D and we have had lots of calls from WSS staff for product that they are out of that we may have in stock. Time to do this for a customer is likely the limiting factor, when you have a pile of guys at the gun counter it isn't as likely to happen. FS
Service at WSS isnt all bad. Like anywhere else, its all in who you deal with. There are a lot of older guys who really know their stuff and have a lot of hands-on knowledge which is good.
In the last 4 or 5 months I've left the store with new-to-me rifles. First was a stainless BDL in 7mm RUM and just last week a mint condition stainless Sako 85 in 7mm-08.
In the last 4 or 5 months I've left the store with new-to-me rifles. First was a stainless BDL in 7mm RUM and just last week a mint condition stainless Sako 85 in 7mm-08.
When I was last involved in a retail gun shop, we had some sales staff who were great, some who weren't so great, some who told the truth always, some who told such outrageous lies it was an embarassment to hear them. Some were knowledgeable or at least knew when to ask someone else, others would just try to wing it. I doubt that things have changed much. Regards, Bill.
Bill, I remember you from the good old days at GunCraft. In those day, one did not have to wait or take a number and as I recall coffee was always on, or it was when Pete was still alive.
- Location
- Southern Alberta
No Covey! It was a dumb stunt
I never explained the last time they screwed themselves out of a sale. I asked for a Ruger 260 and they had one in Calgary...but it was "probably" sold. They would check into it and phone me back. After waiting a week, I phoned Calgary myself and had the rifle shipped within days. After about two more weeks the Lethbridge store phones and says Ruger discontinued that rifle, and maybe I would be interested in a different one? Dumb move on their part.
This time I phone Lethbridge and it will take two to three weeks to (walk) the rifle from Calgary to Lethbridge? Phoned Russels and the deal is done.
I still deal with WSS, and don't mind their slack, uncaring attitude about a sale, or lack of. When they have, or can get what I want in a reasonable amount of time (not two or three weeks) I do buy from there. I like to support local when I can. The cost to ship to Taber where I live is about the same as me driving to Lethbridge to pick up my stuff, so it's no skin off my butt to mailorder....from the company that cares!
I never explained the last time they screwed themselves out of a sale. I asked for a Ruger 260 and they had one in Calgary...but it was "probably" sold. They would check into it and phone me back. After waiting a week, I phoned Calgary myself and had the rifle shipped within days. After about two more weeks the Lethbridge store phones and says Ruger discontinued that rifle, and maybe I would be interested in a different one? Dumb move on their part.
This time I phone Lethbridge and it will take two to three weeks to (walk) the rifle from Calgary to Lethbridge? Phoned Russels and the deal is done.
I still deal with WSS, and don't mind their slack, uncaring attitude about a sale, or lack of. When they have, or can get what I want in a reasonable amount of time (not two or three weeks) I do buy from there. I like to support local when I can. The cost to ship to Taber where I live is about the same as me driving to Lethbridge to pick up my stuff, so it's no skin off my butt to mailorder....from the company that cares!
One big problem with WSS is they can't keep up with the demand, I mean we have to serve hundreds of customers per day and the store just can't restock in time for the next crew. Plus those saturdays are nuts and every last minute hunter wants a scoped rifle for that same or the next day for his hunting trip, you just gotto love that!!
I'm one of them, because when we don't carry or are sold out it I know you guys will probably have it.
WSS in Kamloops is OK to deal with. Most of the people behind the gun counter recognize me when I come in. Most are somewhat knowledgeable (and some just think they are).
I stay away from the place (Saturday's) when the "weekend warriors" are out in full force and I can usually get what I need and out the door in a matter of minutes if I stop by after work, even if it is stuff they keep in the back.
I stay away from the place (Saturday's) when the "weekend warriors" are out in full force and I can usually get what I need and out the door in a matter of minutes if I stop by after work, even if it is stuff they keep in the back.
I have to admit I have always been treated good and well taken care of at WSS in Edmonton. When they didn't have what I wanted I was given a few numbers of other places that might have what I was looking for. They do get busy with people looking at guns but that is not thier fault they are just doing there job. They cant help it when some guy that has no real experiance with guns wastes 20 minutes of there time looking at this gun that gun and asking questions that sometimes don't fit the situation. I have also seen many times when they asked if some one just needed ammunition, or say that they where headed to the reloading if anybody just need some shell holders, dies, ect. I also try and help out the mom & pop stores to like P&D as it is important to have competition aroud.
