Game shops make me angry

[Super Stu]

Sorry, disagree with Bowser here, to a degree anyway. Whilst I wouldn't expect all staff to be knowledgable to the extent folk here expect (KoF being a well known fighting series, for example), or even knowing the full spectrum of PAL releases, what I would expect is not to be confronted with the "look son, this is how it is, I know" attitude that we've had detailed here and that I've experienced myself.

A revolutionary concept perhaps, but if I don't know something - I look it up! I don't stand there trying to look more knowledgable.

Let's have an example shall we:

Punter: XYZ for xbox please
Staff: It's a PS2 exclusive
etc

Would it hurt to see

Punter: XYZ for xbox please
Staff: Fairly sure that's PS2 exclusive, but I'll go check now

Not the best of examples, but it illustrates the point. Course, this applies to so many things beyond retail; call centres are another dynamite source of cba ****fests.

[anephric]

When you have staff working in a store and it's just their "job" no amount of information you proffer will sink in if they're not interested...

I was asst. manager at Blockies for ages and tried my best to get the staff interested in the gba bundles, release schedules (because we weren't even provided with one - everything release date-wise came from me) and general games fluff: they simply weren't, because they knew they could just shout my name whenever anyone was interested in talking about games (and if not mine, then Leighton, the other A.M., who was obsessed with Saturn shooters).

The only thing Blockies required of them is that they worked the till and that it balanced - selling high-value bundles etc was left to the A.M.s...

There's a lot of cynicism in here: I could go into my local Dixons and I GUARANTEE I'd know more about dvd players than the first asst. I could find. Game (and Dixons) staff know enough to satisfy the casual shopper - anything more than that and you're daydreaming. Why should they? For most it's just a job... they get by on the bare minimum. I know I do at my place of work (you try memorising British Standards).

[DjSatansfury]

Sorry, disagree with Bowser here, to a degree anyway. Whilst I wouldn't expect all staff to be knowledgable to the extent folk here expect (KoF being a well known fighting series, for example), or even knowing the full spectrum of PAL releases, what I would expect is not to be confronted with the "look son, this is how it is, I know" attitude that we've had detailed here and that I've experienced myself.

A revolutionary concept perhaps, but if I don't know something - I look it up! I don't stand there trying to look more knowledgable.

Let's have an example shall we:

Punter: XYZ for xbox please
Staff: It's a PS2 exclusive
etc

Would it hurt to see

Punter: XYZ for xbox please
Staff: Fairly sure that's PS2 exclusive, but I'll go check now

Not the best of examples, but it illustrates the point. Course, this applies to so many things beyond retail; call centres are another dynamite source of cba ****fests.

Then you get some twat like the other week, on HL2 release, arguing with me that the Euro collectors edition wasnt out. He left the store telling me i know nothing. Pish

[Paul3704]

Hardcore games players are so elitist.

If everyone in here worked in a game shop you'd be pushing Pro Evo over FIFA, Ico over GTA:Vice City and Timesplitters 2 over Medal of Honour.

It's not a case of who's right, and who's wrong, it's about giving the customer what they want.

Then you get some twat like the other week, on HL2 release, arguing with me that the Euro collectors edition wasnt out. He left the store telling me i know nothing. Pish

Odds are he posts on a forum similar to this.

Elitism, nothing more, nothing less.

When i was in retail I loved all my customers, but every single one of them, without exception, was a ****ing moron.

John Beaulieu and myself disagreed on Mario Sunshine, but I accepted his taste, as he was spending a fair bit of money, and got imports quickly. He'd tell me what was good, I'd get more for release day and pass his opinions on.

People want to buy what they want to play. It's as simple as that.

If they ask for a recommendation, don't give them what you like, give them what you think they might like. If you choose well for them, and they enjoy the game, they'll come back and ask again. THEN you can suggest Rez or Ico or whatever.

It's simple salesmanship.

[Strider]

If they ask for a recommendation, don't give them what you like, give them what you think they might like. If you choose well for them, and they enjoy the game, they'll come back and ask again. THEN you can suggest Rez or Ico or whatever.

It's simple salesmanship.

Got to agree with Paul3704 on this. Kaladons post where he recommended Outrun 2 over another racer was the perfect example of this. Most of the customers bought it back, disatisfied becasue they had been recommended what was in their opinion a rubbish game. If you kept on doing things like that you'd have no customers left and a very angry manager.

[MikeRox]

aye when I was dragged out of warehouse to do console sales asking which console they should buy, 9 times out of 10 I jus said PS2 straight off having asked them what they wanted (normally GTA) even tho I prefer cube personally.

Pauls right, it's what they want, not what you think is better but at the same time when you go into a shop, even if they don't know as much as you, the piss poor "you're wrong I work in a games shop therefore I know more" attitude you get from so many staff is my problem with UK games shops, the fact that they don't know as much as me I don't care about coz it IS "just" a job though listenin to them spout utter ****e and what I see as abusing their position does annoy me too.

[superstarbeejay]

As I have said before, it's not their level of knowledge that annoys me but the level of arrogance. Most of my local stores now know me quite well and respect my opinion but when I go further afield I get all kinds of arrogant remarks.

An example of GAME (again):

ME: Have you got Heroes of might and magic 4, it should be out today.
Staff: Errr no that game is years old, no chance of it being released again.
ME: Any chance you can check the delivery for this morning as I spoke to the publishers and they said it was out today.
Staff: *throws list on table*, errr no it's not on here after 2 seconds looking.
ME: Can I have a quick look?
Staff: sure
ME *pointing at heroes 4 on list* There it is look says you should have 1 copy.
Staff: Oh ok I'll have a look for you...

the rest is history and I got my heroes 4

The point is the attitude not the knowledge. Videogame stores seem to have the ethos "The customer is allways wrong until proven right".

[Spatial]

The point is the attitude not the knowledge.

Nail. On. Head.

Its a problem not just associated with video game stores. Its a pain in the arse buying anything these days ( unless you want to be spoken to like dirt )

edited:- just to say that not everyones like this though Particularly the fit women behind the counters in Boots. They don't even smirk when I ask for my weekly supply of `cream`

[DjSatansfury]

I can guarentee i dont have an attitude, unless someone pisses me off. And thats usually when they start ranting off X law which doesnt exist when they cant get their own way.

I'll blag my way through a Fifa convo if need be heh

[Super Stu]

Well granted, it swings both ways. Folk dealing with customers have to put up with no end of turds, so it makes you weary of being bothered to put the effort it, as alluded to in the last few posts. Vicious circle.