Local fly shop recently changed owners

[crawfly 0]

As a long time customer of fly fishing paraphernalia, I have noticed a rather ironic contradiction permeates retail sales ...

the former "sales clerks" easily exceeded the customer service provided and which is so seldom found by the now "customer service reps" who are now employed. The unfortunate thing is, it's not just in the fly fishing market. Maybe a reversion to the OLD "title" would yield better results?

[notenuftoys 0]

I travel quite a bit as well, and the two area where I've found the most consistent friendly service has been Oregon and Tennessee. Maybe it was luck of the draw. Colorado has been hit or miss, especially in the tourist locales like Durango and Breckenridge. There's a shop on the south side of Denver (Littleton) that takes the cake - I was in about closing time, and some guys (obvious regulars) were sitting around watching TV and tying flies. They invited me to pull up a chair at a vice, we talked flies, materials, etc. Super nice (younger) guys.

 

Really, though, the fly fishing retail industry is just like any other retail. My wife spent years in retail, even owned her own shop for a while, and it drives her crazy when she goes into a store and isn't acknowledged. She's walked out of stores that had something she wanted just because she got the "vibe" that they weren't interested in her business.

 

Surely there's good money to be made consulting with small retailers on proper customer service. Hmmm.....

[Peterjay 0]

My guess is that a lot of fly shop employees are working there primarily because they're fishermen and not because they have any retail-related skills. They're just picking up a paycheck in a field they're somewhat familiar with. Add in the fact that rude behavior is becoming more and more acceptable, and you've got a pretty lousy mix. Common courtesy and a friendly greeting don't cost a damned nickel, and there's no better way to drum up repeat business.

[lykos33 0]

With the economy the way it is you would think any shop owner would be bending over backwards to get customers. We see / hear it all the time on this forum..."Support your local fly shop"...BS! If you took your car to a local mechanic and he treated you like dog droppings would you go back? NO! I don't give a rat's ass what business you have or run , if you do a lousy job of it you do not deserve for it to survive. If you do find a local shop (or mechanic or baker or whatever) and they treat you right and work for your business then you support them. Heck, if a local shop is run by a dork I'll wait for him to go under so I can buy his stock at a reduced price and never feel the first bit of sorrow for him. Business is about earning your faithful clientele...speaking of which...JStockard KNOWS what business and customer service are about. I will always throw my support and business in their direction as long as they continue to be the excellent business they are!

Murray

[Wavey1988 0]

I live in southern Vt., just minutes from the famed Orvis Co. and within walking distance of the Battenkill from my home. Anyways adding to the cookie cutter fly fisherman dicussion, i love going to the Orvis fish dept. and freaking all the oldtimers out. My tatto sleaves and face tackle always draw attenttion...lol.

 

There's two tackle shops near me, that are very traditional. One is still very frosty. Like you I have face metal as well as long hair etc and in that store, it can take ages to get served. I only go in if I need something urgently.

 

 

 

[Chris Patterson 0]

With the economy the way it is you would think any shop owner would be bending over backwards to get customers. We see / hear it all the time on this forum..."Support your local fly shop"...BS! If you took your car to a local mechanic and he treated you like dog droppings would you go back? NO! I don't give a rat's ass what business you have or run , if you do a lousy job of it you do not deserve for it to survive. If you do find a local shop (or mechanic or baker or whatever) and they treat you right and work for your business then you support them. Heck, if a local shop is run by a dork I'll wait for him to go under so I can buy his stock at a reduced price and never feel the first bit of sorrow for him. Business is about earning your faithful clientele...speaking of which...JStockard KNOWS what business and customer service are about. I will always throw my support and business in their direction as long as they continue to be the excellent business they are!

Murray

Couldn't agree more. I do some business at a local shop but they have a similar customer service approach. I DO try to avoid the big chains but have no qualms about the fact that I do the vast majority of my purchases online with J Stockard and a handful of others.

[flytire 0]

i really dont expect any shop owner or employee to drop anything they are doing and come over and kiss my ass to show me their customer service. i actually prefer to look around the shop for awhile and if i need assistance or have a question then ill ask for it. like i mentioned in an earlier post, i dont want a shadow following me around like im a criminal and rob them blind. and if an owner or employee asks if i need any help, ill just tell them id like to look around a bit.

 

not all shop owners or employees are as bad as some are making them out to be. (doesnt mean they arent out there)

 

just my opinion

[untamed spirit 0]

 

 

There are 2 other shops I know of here, one is called Backwater Angler, and the other Great Feathers. They cater to anglers who fish the Gunpowder River in upper Baltimore Co. & other area trout streams, so they're more into trout fishing. I've never been in either shop, but have heard from many folks that they're both operated by good people who take care of their customers.

[untamed spirit 0]

Will vouch for Great Feathers. Great bunch of guys and they were helpful from the time this old gal walked in the door.

[williamhj 0]

i really dont expect any shop owner or employee to drop anything they are doing and come over and kiss my ass to show me their customer service. i actually prefer to look around the shop for awhile and if i need assistance or have a question then ill ask for it. like i mentioned in an earlier post, i dont want a shadow following me around like im a criminal and rob them blind. and if an owner or employee asks if i need any help, ill just tell them id like to look around a bit.

 

not all shop owners or employees are as bad as some are making them out to be. (doesnt mean they arent out there)

 

just my opinion

 

I agree. There are a lot of great fly shops around. I'm glad there are a number of them are in my area. I also don't like having folks follow me around and don't expect the employees to drop what they are doing the second I come in. I actually like browsing in peace. However, when I ask a question politely a sarcastic answer is unhelpful, acting as though they are doing me a favor when checking me out is a turn-off, and talking about other shops as though they are garbage lacks class. Thankfully with the internet we all have options to varying degrees. Many of us can just visit other shops in our area, others through the net. Either way, we vote with our dollars and I'd imagine the negative shops will eventually get the message. Customer service doesn't have to be perfect nor is it possible to please everyone, in fact the shops I like don't have perfect service. However, they do seem to recognize that fly fishing is a rather small market and, whether or not a customer is a member of the clique in a given shop, every dollar matters. I think that shapes a more positive attitude, and is much more attractive to me as a customer.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

you should see the looks I get when I wheel in on my harley leathered out Beard hair tattoos and colors to pick up a pack of hooks and a spool of thread I swear the last time I did it the girl behind the counter ran to the backroom and got 2 guys to come out the one guy started laughing and the other one came up to me and asked how the fishing has been to this day when I go in there her face turns red now the kicker is they carry my flies in their showroom

[SILKHDH 0]

Oh boy, I was going to stay out of this one but I can't help it. It was the hoodie and the nose ring.

 

riffleriversteelheadslayer nailed it.

Bottom line this whole situation was about ( I DON"T KNOW IF IM SPELLING IT RIGHT) Stereo typing.

I had to laugh at rifflerivers story. The punch line (THEY CARRY MY FLIES IN THE SHOW ROOM) Awsome.

Hey lets face it people. If you choose to look different and or look like a (PLEASE FORGIVE ME) a hoodlem.

Some one who doesn't know you will probably (LETS HOPE ONLY AT FIRST) treat you like one. It doesnt mean its right.

I used to have long hair and still have three piercings in my ears. I remember the (FOLLOW YOU THROUGH THE STORE)

sales people. But as soon as we started to talk and they figured out I knew as much or some times even more about the items they where selling, they settled down a bit. Even more so when I would leave the store with a hundred dollars of there inventory that I purchased. lol.. Hey ,,, I guess im a hipocrit of sorts. Because if my child is lost in a croud, I would want her to go up to the police man, not the tatoo covered long haired dude. I have friends that look like that.

SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THAT ONE!!! Im not a jerk like that at all. Lets face it folks. Stereo typing is real and its out there. We all have to deal with it sooner or later.

 

 

p.s. My brother-in-law has the uglyest tatoos and looks like a skin head.lol He is a great dad and a great guy.

The police chief of a small town 15 miles south of me is now in prison for indecent acts with a minor. GO FIGURE????