Microsoft XBL Points and Currys.

[DJ-Daz]

This is the state of retailers today, I left PCWorld because it's like playing BFBC with a poor team, you get left to do ALL the work.
Not because people are lazy, but because people have little or no clue what to do.
Likewise electronic retailers. Most sales assistants today work for just over minumum wage, and commision, not good for the customer because they will push what earns THEM the most.
But you know this already, thats the problem with commision based sales.
Now a lot of manufacturers will 'incentivise' sales people by placing additional cash bonus's on selected items. And these can bequite large. I've seen as much as £100 on an item, it maybe better than a cheaper product, but you may not need the extra features, but the sales adviser will tell / convince you otherwise.
Eg, 2 routers, both identical in spec, software, and feature.
One is branded, one is vanilla.
One is £50, one is £30, either one will do the job you want, but the sales guy will have an incentive to sell you the branded one, why? Because they are paid an extra £5-£10 for each one sold.
Now not all sales advisors are equal and some will sell you what YOU want and not what they want to sell you.
But when focus shifts from customer needs to sales advisor needs, you will get a huge drop in service.

Now DSG built it's name on service and had a fantastic reputation. You asked for it, they know what it was and more than likely it was in stock.
But things change.
I went into Currys today and asked for Microsoft points for the 360. One woman said she's never heard of it, and asked another (very attractive, but useless) sales advisor, who asked what version of office it's for.
My response was, "it's ok, it does'nt matter" and walked out. I was just about to get into the car, about 50 feet away, and the first woman I spoke to ran to the door and SHOUTED, "ah yes, we do sell them, Apparently" with an incredulous tone to her voice.
I responded the same and thanked her.
I went to Blockbuster, spoke to someone who is paid less than Currys' staff, and got what I wanted immediately.


The state of sales today is shockingly bad, with people who have no clue about technology, electronics, etc, unless it's a high price TV. (Pays the most commission)
And here's me, with 20+years of working in a tech industry, who has forgotten more than they will ever know, and cant get a working at Currys.

A few weeks ago, we went into Currys, and wanted an Xbox 360, cash in my pocket, ready to buy.
Waited 20 minutes to see a staff member, who never appeared, so I walked out. But as I approached the doors, I saw 5+ staff members all talking about last nights TV. One sale lost. Lost commission, lost a customer, and even lowered their reputation even further.

We appear to be in a recession, and some poeple cant find work, others dont want to work even when they have a job. Also, how long can a company keep operating with this kind of service?


discuss or share you're experiences.

[InfiniteStates]

LOL I can't believe you went into PC World and Currys expecting them not to be idiots

In my experience the majority of employees in large chain stores are idiots, and you're lucky of they can even operate the till correctly, never mind give you educated advice on the store contents.

I had a similar experience in Mothercare not so long ago, looking for a baby walker. "[Croydon accent]Nah, we don't 'ave those mate". That's why they're right fucking behind me is it?

Sometimes you can get lucky and someone does actually know enough to help you, but that is too rare to rely on. Internet research FTW lol.

I can see how it would be extra frustrating to see these people holding jobs while you struggle to find one. But it could be for the best - you'd be wasted doing a job that basically a trained monkey could do (and probably better).

Have you looked at going round fixing people's PCs for them? That's often quite a nice little earner if you advertise in the right places...

[codayop]

Daz, I love it when you say incredulous. It makes me horny.

:yaeh_am_not_durnk:

[DJ-Daz]

lool, :yaeh_am_not_durnk: I know big boy!

[EUK007]

In Saudi, some of the salesman employed in retail shops doesn't know what they are selling. Everytime i'll buy any electronic goods, I always check their specs on the net. And when you're talking to the salesman they will give you false specs and will answer you incredulously. They will also try to sell some unwanted products that was not related to the thing that you're looking for.

So If I have this, i'll leave right away and check other shops. Idiot salesman are everywhere, so watch out.

[DJ-Daz]

I went to curry's again! (Woe is me) or should that be .. "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me"?
Anyway's, I need a USB hub and thinking even curry's cant get this one wrong right?
Wrong.
I asked for a powered usb hub, and was asked what it was for, to which I replied, it's for my PS3, they then told me that they dont sell usb hubs for the PS3. WHAT? Eh? WTF?
LOL, ok, I managed not to lol in the sales advisor's face, and asked if they know where I might get one? The answer this time was even better than their first answer. They said.... " Try PCWorld, they have a dedicated console section".

I have to admit, I like going into currys these days, they are just so dumb it's hilarious.

So, what can I go into curry and ask for next?
blue laser DVDrom?

[DJ-Daz]

In fact, how about this, I walk in, ask for something relevant, but Chris films it on his mobile, just to see what answer we get?

[Enigma]

Lmao they are funny as fuck.
I remeber gettin me girlfields laptop.

Now ok first thing is first i hate sales guys. Mainly because i was one. A good one and know all the words.

Second am shopping for a ciomputer. I dont mean to be bih headed but most fully quolifyd engineers cudnt tell me more.

So having a good look around i said i want that one.
He said ok may i ask why. We have a good range.
I said yer i know but thats the best.

He then replyd lol its not. So i decided to have a laugh. I could see the look on my gf face sink.
I said witch one is my bad.

So he took me to a less powerfull machine. Ioone with less ghz in processor.
Same ram but less clock speed..
The screen was a tad bigger and it had an extra 20gb harddrive.

So he went off on one about how faster it was. Etc etc. When he finshed i said oh right but why does that machine have a higher processor and better ram speed. But still slower.
Then i reply am a computer engineer. Can i take the one i picked please.

My gf face hit the floor and she hid in embarisment. And the sales guy face went as red as a tomato.


Another one was a digi camrea. Now i know a fair bit about speed. Lence and megapixles etc and for what i wanted 7 wouuld of been max. The pics aint getten blowen up to a A1 size.
So said looking at camreas am not too sure what one.
The guy looked around (must of been new and not known too much about them)
then asked the wrong question. Do u know much about them. Then i replyd i know a fair bit yes.
I have never seen a nervious rek and some stutter soo much.

Anyway my to experances. They are fucking stupid.
Pc world is just has bad.

A customer sent there pc to pc world. Looked at it and said motherboard is dead.
Wrote a full report and stuck it to them machine. Machine was posted to our company for me to extract data off it.
So i wanted to see if it was true.
Well fans kicked in. And machine looked like it was booting up but quickl y done the reboot cyle and was stuck like that.

Repaced the hd. Quick format. Bang machine is working fine.
I worry about people out there who is realy employed.

AND HOW FUCKING STUPID THEY ARE LOL

sounds fun tho daz. Name and shame them lolol

[Symonator]

In fact, how about this, I walk in, ask for something relevant, but Chris films it on his mobile, just to see what answer we get?

yer man do it , lol!

[EUK007]

Yeah Daz do it. :secret_laugh:

Then we can have a list "The best of Funny as Fuck Salesman" Lol

[daywalker]

its a plan!!!!

[Astro]

Lmao they are funny as fuck.
I remeber gettin me girlfields laptop.

Now ok first thing is first i hate sales guys. Mainly because i was one. A good one and know all the words.

Second am shopping for a ciomputer. I dont mean to be bih headed but most fully quolifyd engineers cudnt tell me more.

So having a good look around i said i want that one.
He said ok may i ask why. We have a good range.
I said yer i know but thats the best.

He then replyd lol its not. So i decided to have a laugh. I could see the look on my gf face sink.
I said witch one is my bad.

So he took me to a less powerfull machine. Ioone with less ghz in processor.
Same ram but less clock speed..
The screen was a tad bigger and it had an extra 20gb harddrive.

So he went off on one about how faster it was. Etc etc. When he finshed i said oh right but why does that machine have a higher processor and better ram speed. But still slower.
Then i reply am a computer engineer. Can i take the one i picked please.

My gf face hit the floor and she hid in embarisment. And the sales guy face went as red as a tomato.

Top class. :XD :XD

[DJ-Daz]

So having a good look around i said i want that one.
He said ok may i ask why. We have a good range.
I said yer i know but thats the best.

He then replyd lol its not. So i decided to have a laugh. I could see the look on my gf face sink.
I said witch one is my bad.

So he took me to a less powerfull machine. Ioone with less ghz in processor.
Same ram but less clock speed..
The screen was a tad bigger and it had an extra 20gb harddrive.

So he went off on one about how faster it was. Etc etc. When he finshed i said oh right but why does that machine have a higher processor and better ram speed. But still slower.
Then i reply am a computer engineer. Can i take the one i picked please.

My gf face hit the floor and she hid in embarisment. And the sales guy face went as red as a tomato.

Thats what happens when you give sales people cash incentives.

[YorkshirePud]

you should hear the shit i put up with in halfords remind me to take notes

WIPER FOR A VAUXHALL ESCORT PLEASE!

erm i dont think there is a such a car my luv,

IT IS A VAUXHALL ESCORT!

ok, i can pop outside and check it for you if you like?

YES SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT FIRST!

/goes outside with customer, points at ford badge on bonnet

OH ARNT I SILLY

course not now lets get that wiper (you silly fucking waste of dna you menopausal bitch!)

[YorkshirePud]

heres another one a friend i know who is very clever perhaps too clever sometimes for his own good got barred from a PC world

he went in for something and came accross a really pushy salesperson trying to fob an over specced and expensive pc on this old couple who just needed it for basic web browsing and email, nothing fancy. when the sales person went away to get it he went over asked them what they wanted a computer for and duly showed them something much better suited and a hell of a lot cheaper.

the sales person came back and the old folks said it was ok they had changed their mind this nice young man helped us, pointing at my now grinning friend, the sales person apparently went ape shit, "how dare you interfer with other customers how do you know what is right for these people" to which he replied "im a computer engineer mate" the fella ran off and got his manager who asked him to leave, he said no as he was within his rights to simply talk to other customers, the manager accused him of sabotaging sales and called for security to escort him from the premises, my friend then pointed out that he was really digging himself into a hole here as he had genuinely done nothing wrong but was also acting like a complete twat in front of the old couple. he then said he would ring the police

to which my friend said "go on i dare you, i bet i know the law better than you cause you certainly have no scruples over charging people especially vunerable people"

my friend then left with the old couple and suggested somewhere else for them to shop