The lost art of customer service...

[RSD]

Travelled a four hour round trip today to pick up a four jaw chuck + special jaws set from one of the multi-state retailers - only to get home and discover that I now need to do another four hour round trip tomorrow to pick up an M30x3.5 threaded insert so as I can use the damn thing. How hard would it have been for the sales guy on the counter to ask me if I had a threaded insert for it?

[Lyle]

Sorry, don't blame the staff for not reading your mind..... You should have asked will it fit my lathe with a xxx sized drive thread.
As for another 4 hour round trip... Get it posted out. It'll be cheaper than your drive. You can spend the wait time contemplating your lack of planning and research.

[Dazweeja]

I agree with your comments completely, customer service is lacking across all retail spaces. When you recieve good cusomer service it feels great, unfortunatly it is few an far between.

I kind of agree and disagree with the comment above around not blaming the retailer for not being able to read your mind. In this instance though a 4 jaw chuck is useless without the threaded adaptor, buying a chuck alone should be a red flag to the retailer to check that you understand that the item being purchased requires an adaptor. It also opens a window to upselling without appearing to do so, rather displaying an in-depth knowledge of the product and adding value to your purchase experience.

I guess we are all human, perhaps the guy simply had an off day and was not thinking. Doesn't help with your predicament though.

[woodPixel]

I'd say it was a lost opportunity for a sale.

Would you like fries with that?
Windows 7 for your new PC m'am?
Leather cleaning kit for your new couch?
Do you need a paint brush or roller kit to go with that TIN OF PAINT?


Hardly an art - especially in these times of dwindling margins. I see it all the time, everywhere. Its sad.... sadder when you think they also whine about their wages.

100% agree with OP.

[old1955]

I'd say it was a lost opportunity for a sale.

Would you like fries with that?
Windows 7 for your new PC m'am?
Leather cleaning kit for your new couch?
Do you need a paint brush or roller kit to go with that TIN OF PAINT?


Hardly an art - especially in these times of dwindling margins. I see it all the time, everywhere. Its sad.... sadder when you think they also whine about their wages.

100% agree with OP.

“Would you like extended warranty with that”.

[RSD]

“Would you like extended warranty with that”.
"I'm not sure what lathe you have but no matter which model it is you are going to need a threaded insert to suit..."

[China]

He was a sales person may have had no clue that you required an extra part.

[section1]

Sorry, don't blame the staff for not reading your mind..... You should have asked will it fit my lathe with a xxx sized drive thread.
As for another 4 hour round trip... Get it posted out. It'll be cheaper than your drive. You can spend the wait time contemplating your lack of planning and research.

You're a grumpy fellow aren't you? China is right and the salesperson was wrong. Every good salesperson asks do you have this or that.

[RSD]

One of the odd things about this store is that sometime between my previous visit and this visit they have totally rearranged things in the store and now anything smaller than a lathe or table saw is behind the counter and most of it isn't visible - you can't just look at things and work things out in your mind like dust collection components etc. It felt weird as!