Busy Bee Tools Toronto just lost a sale, a potential big sale and a regular customer.

[mochinist]

Modern retail... I worked at Home Depot a little over twenty years ago as a lot attendant. Most of the people working in the different departments back then had worked in the trades or were hired from smaller supply houses and had direct knowledge of the department they were working in and they were full time 40hr/week. If it was more than a side job for extra money and I was interested in working there full time, there was training available for whatever department you were going into, so you could be somewhat knowledgeable in the department.

Before that while I was in college, I worked at Wal Mart, my area was the pet section, I stayed in that section for 4-6 hrs/day unless asked to help at the checkouts. We had training on live fish and fish health so we could answer customer questions, training on different food options for cats and dogs, etc, we also had quite a bit of training on dealing with pissed off customers, hopefully making them happy. Nowadays if go to HD, asking anyone for technical help is an exercise in frustration and never mind asking an associate where an item might be located. I really wasnt looking to walk around the store with you looking for something that you dont know where its at either. I will grudgingly go to a WalMart about once a year or so and there is barely any employees there anymore, mainly shelf stockers and a couple people around the self checkouts, with no option to have an employee ring up your items.

These big corp places management style is the prob, they have eliminated training, employee turnover is high, pay is low and the hours suck, top that off with the fact that the general public is rude and demanding more than ever right now. Saying all that, David Powell should have been treated better and given a better explanation of why they couldn't sell the floor model. On the flip side, the guy he asked is probably getting asked this same question multiple times a day right now because of a supply chain issues and items being out of stock, and deals with customers being rude(not saying David was rude) about it, all while making crap pay. One of the guys I worked under at HD had been there for a long time but wasnt a store manager or anything, just a department lead. He had a nice house, was paying for his daughters college education, drove a pretty nice car with a personalized license plate that said “401k” and from talking to him he had done quite well with his employee stock options and HD pay was decent back then. He was there everyday with a smile and would go out of his way to make a customer happy, he could also answer just about any plumbing question a non pro had. There were several employees like him at that one HD.

Someone else mentioned Best Buy, I have a young nephew that works there currently. One day he might be placed in the TV section, the other he might be over in computers, he couldn't tell you anything technical about either area or help you find what you need minus reading the specs on the box. Again basically zero knowledge training in any of the areas he is expected to work in.

Out of curiosity I looked up Busy Bee Toronto and read some of the google reviews, from those reviews( and Davids story,) I would say don't go to this place looking for any customer service, just know exactly what you need and hope it’s in stock, you are going there for low budget/low quality items, not customer service.

[J Tiers]

"At the end of the day", the situation is that Mr Powell was treated to behavior on the part of the store person, which he found offensive. That behavior was independent of what the store person would, or would not, actually DO for Mr Powell. In other words, not selling the sample is totally not the point in any way, although many are focusing on that as if it was the cause of the problem.

Perception is reality...... so Mr Powell is perfectly correct to react to that perceived bad behavior (which can be assumed to reflect store management style), and never darken their door again, if that is what he thinks is appropriate.

None of us were there, so any "theorizing" about just who was the actual schmuck in the situation is just a guess. But going by what I see here, I very strongly doubt it was Mr Powell.

And, at the end of the day, it is not up to us to approve or disapprove Mr Powell's reaction. It's a matter for his decision. He made his decision, and reported the matter here. He did not ask for approval, or criticism, it was not a "should I just never go there again?" question.

It was just a report of what happened at a potential tool supplier which others may or may not choose to use in deciding where to shop.

[danlb]

I took a damned good look at the vice in question while I waited for the salesman to return., it was pristine with no perceptible lift to the moving jaw. I would have happily given it a home. Regards David Powell.

Another perspective #1: Many companies will not sell display models due to liability. If he sold you that vice, you'd have taken home a bare machine without the printed disclaimers and cautions that are splattered across the packaging and user manual. That leaves them open to a damages claim when you use the vise with an ungrounded outlet in the bathroom. Yes, I've seen that caution printed in the manual for an unpowered hand tool.

Another perspective #2: Many companies will not sell display models simply due to the likelihood that some parts are broken or missing. That becomes a future problem when the buyer finds that it is defective and tries to return it or get warranty repairs on it.

The sales folk are not necessarily told why the policy exists. They only need to understand the simple "No display sales" policy.

Personally, I don't expect the sales person to take the extra steps needed to find me a substitute for out of stock merchandise. I have gotten used to asking them for alternatives if I need a particular tool or device. I find that I can come up with way more alternatives than they can.

Dan

[loose nut]

Someone else mentioned Best Buy, I have a young nephew that works there currently. One day he might be placed in the TV section, the other he might be over in computers, he couldn't tell you anything technical about either area or help you find what you need minus reading the specs on the box. Again basically zero knowledge training in any of the areas he is expected to work in.

Out of curiosity I looked up Busy Bee Toronto and read some of the google reviews, from those reviews( and Davids story,) I would say don't go to this place looking for any customer service, just know exactly what you need and hope it’s in stock, you are going there for low budget/low quality items, not customer service.

My son went into a Best Buy looking for some computer gear once,he knew a lot more about it then the staff did. They offered him a job. Wisely he declined.

I have shopped a few times at Busy bee (not in Tor-on-toe) and have been treated OK and the staff at least had some basic understanding of the equipment but every store is probably different.

[psomero]

Well it's a good thing that Mr Bee himself reads this board...

Oh, wait, he doesn't?

[reggie_obe]

Well it's a good thing that Mr Bee himself reads this board...

Oh, wait, he doesn't?

Neither does Homer DePoe or Joe Lowes. If you want your dissatisfaction known and have at least a slim chance of service being improved, you have to contact customer service and or management.

[elf]

30 years ago, Pizza Hut refused to sell me a vegetarian pizza with hamburger on it 🙃. I've never been in one again (Pizza Hut, that is, not a pizza).