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View Full Version : Customers from down below....


Melody
Feb 15th 2007, 12:59 AM
People are forever beating up fish stores because they don't try to tell people what they shouldn't have in their tanks, etc. Well today I witnessed another example of just what they go through when they try to tell someone something.

I won't say what store just in case they drop by. I don't mind them knowing what I think of their foolishness, but I don't think this is the place to express it.

Anyways, I was shopping with one staff member while the other was dealing with the CFH (customer from <ahem> down below). She, the customer with the brandy new ONE GALLON tank, was the one who the fish was for and maaaaannnn.... the girl was downright whiney. She's with a guy and all I'm hearing is this little whiney voice "But I want that oooooooooone... its so cuuuuuuuuuute" :rolleyes: . What was 'that one'? 'That one' was an Angelfish. Yes, an Angelfish for her newly set up one gallon tank which already had fish in it! (dunno which fish she already had - probably would scare me)

The lady working at the store was trying to gently explain to her that her tank was too small, already over-stocked, and uncycled. She got more and more firm with her, coming right out and saying those fish would die.

<Enter more whiiiiiiiiiiining> Which she'd do to the guy rather than the lady working there. Reminded me for all the world like a freaking 4 year old whining to her Daddy at a store.:rolleyes:

Regardless, she ended up on the verge of a tantrum so finally the lady gave up and sold it to her. Next week that whiner will be back saying all her fish are dead because the store sux. She'll post on forums and tell everyone how they shouldn't have sold it to her, but seriously, what do you do? What kind of a position is that to be in? You tell them, you explain it to them and they still insist? Every ounce of customer service training in you is going to tell you that you can't refuse to sell it to someone.

Maybe they shouldn't, but I certainly wouldn't want to be put in that position. Its just too bad that a live creature is in the middle of it all. What if she started screaming in the store? Or got violent? They don't pay those people enough.... I'm not sure you could pay people enough to deal with that type.

Kudos to the store for trying - some people are just too self-centered to care.:no: I did make it clear to the staff that their efforts were admirable though.

mixixe
Feb 15th 2007, 01:35 AM
ah, good example mel. I think it depends on the person working in the fishroom rather than the store itself. I've been to many stores when they ask me about the inhabitants of my tank and big the tank is etc before they sell the fish to me which is good. So not all LFS are bad!

Melody
Feb 15th 2007, 02:29 AM
Yippers - if you get any other animal you research it first and fish should be no different. Would you go buy a baby horse and try to keep it on an apartment deck?

My other fave statement is "Fish stores are only into it to make money." Well DUH - why else would you own a business? LOL Since when did money become evil? However, I think the majority of fish store owners actually got into the business because they also like fish.

I daresay those who don't advise have given up trying :rolleyes: . And then if they do advise, someone complains that it was the wrong advice or the staff should have magically known that they also had a shark, even if they forgot to mention it...lol.

Its like most things - people like to find someone to blame because otherwise they have to look in the mirror.

I'm not saying that all stores rock in this department, but I can certainly see both sides of the coin.

Oh here is a funny part, the CFH asked the employee how long the fish would live. The employee said she felt like saying "About two weeks at your house". :laugh:

Sailor
Feb 15th 2007, 08:34 AM
When I was posted to Borden Ont(22 yrs ago) there was a little pet store just off base in the town of Angus. It was this owner of this shop that got hooked on fish and aquariums. I used to work there sometimes on my days off. (get paid in fish to feed my ever increasing need for more fish more fish) I was surprised the more time I spent there the more (excuse my language but) stupid idiots I saw in there. The owner would try as he might to explain to people the proper way of cycling their tanks. How to set them up, and what sort of fish were compatable etc. I would see the owner, lets call him Dan, actually his name was Dan lol, get so po'd at customers he would have to go to the back store room to cool off. There was 1 customer above all others who had more money than brains who continuously would drop at least 100 bucks a week on fish that were incompatible. Dan finally gave up with this customer as he would not listen and just ring his money into the till. Dan made most of his profit from his tanks, equipment and dry stock and charged very little mark up on his fish.
I was sometimes surprised that he had repeat customers as he would get so upset there was the odd time he would tell someone he was a f'n idiot and they couldn't mix this or do that. I learned alot from that man about cichlids. It used to be a great store and I used to have such a hard time not laughing seeing Dan get so mad at stupid people who would not or refuse to listen

Melody
Feb 15th 2007, 04:09 PM
LOL Let's call him Dan.... :laugh:

That's the thing, I think even when the stores don't tell you about stuff, it may be just that kind of frustration that drove them to it. I still think they should try and most of them seem to. Others wait until you ask but then they're honest about it. Sometimes the staff is just misinformed themselves or maybe its something that they think and I don't... there's more to it than meets the eye the vast majority of the time.

There are some horrible fish stores out there to be sure, but they're not the majority in my experience. I still say the responsibility falls on the buyer.

If I owned a store I would put up a sign saying that while we'll answer questions to the best of our ability, the buyer should research their fish before buying. I always thought it might be a good idea for them to have a fish book chained to the fish section - then the fault is in the book if its wrong and the hobbyist if they choose not to read it.:smile:

Nobody should rely on any one person or source for information. I try to tell people about the fish I have for sale but that doesn't mean I'm always right. Its no different for stores.

Forums are a great way to get various opinions, but if you really want reliable information you should read scientific material or information by recognized experts. The best place for a new hobbyist in my opinion, is the library. That will give you the knowledge base you need to sort throught the truth and the fish poo found through other sources of information.

Soggybottom
Feb 20th 2007, 02:26 AM
Ever seen those robotic dogs? I used to think they were retarded, but then I thought about all the real dogs that would be spared miserable lives if these numbskulls bought a plastic one instead. Genius really...but how to make a robotic fish?

Melody
Feb 20th 2007, 02:51 AM
Robotic Fish (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1007_051007_robot_fish.html)

Soggybottom
Feb 20th 2007, 01:38 PM
Dang you guys are way ahead of me. Looking at Jay's link, theres another that was released back in 2000:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/679642.stm

blainep
Feb 20th 2007, 08:11 PM
Robotic Fish (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1007_051007_robot_fish.html)

Ok, Melody, do you spend 20 of the 24 hours in a day on the 'net ?

You seem to have more links to everything than anyone I've ever met :laugh:

Melody
Feb 20th 2007, 08:22 PM
LOL Pretty much. I'm a perpetual learner - always have to be learning something. I mean HAVE to - drives me nuts to do something brain-dead like watch TV. The internet is my workplace, my school, my hobby and my social life.

Well thanks for making me see just how pathetic my life is Blaine!

:laugh:

blainep
Feb 20th 2007, 09:15 PM
LOL Pretty much. I'm a perpetual learner - always have to be learning something. I mean HAVE to - drives me nuts to do something brain-dead like watch TV. The internet is my workplace, my school, my hobby and my social life.

Well thanks for making me see just how pathetic my life is Blaine!

:laugh:

I'm just here to point out the highlites :smile: