Had AP standard drop so much?
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For me, I did not get any of such "do not care or want to buy or not, don't ask to many questions attitude" when I first step into Cathay about 10 years back when I was a newbie, they just served me with a smile and was patience. I even went back 2 days later to change a lens to another model because I bought the wrong lens (a noob then). They just change for me without any question and even went further explained the various types of lens and functions. Because of that I have been their customer since then, even though sometimes their prices are higher by a bit compared to others.
And the pleasant first time experiences is also felt in TK Foto, John 3:16 and MS color. You no need to know the sale ppl there to get respected as a consumer.
Whereas my first (and certainly last) was with AP (which I mentioned earlier) it seems that I have to know ppl there, if not they just ignore you unless they sense that you have money and are buying from them. As such you have to suck up to them, speak to them even if they ignore you and try to build up a relationship with them being a seller and you as a customer.
Anyway, each has their own experience and the members here have to judge for themselves
sorry ah...what standard were you referring to? :think: as far as i know...ap no standard. :bsmilie:
lol....that should be a given. if you know someone there and still kena lousy service i dunno what to say :bsmilie:
AP SL used to have one old uncle that gave me good prices and advice when I first bought from them. But I never saw him again after that that and the service after that was bad. The KKK prob gave better service to the blacks :bsmilie:
I saw AP in Simlim was really brisk in sales so that the salesmen seems to be ignoring you. At one time, I saw a professional salesman really gone extra mile to a couple Angmoh, probably because they bought Nikon D300, SB800 Flash, lenses, bags, etc (all high end stuff).
I asked about a macro lens, he checked and said no stock, which is OK, not that friendly nor rude either. I went to the Funan branch, lucky to meet David. He really give me a good advice and provided a good service, I'll come back there again and look for him.
Cathay Photo has a really good service, but their price can fluctuate really significant from one salesman to another. so got to know your salesperson.
OP. I think I met the one so-called 'ah tiong'. He made my experience bad there, and I don't think I'll consider the shop again.
MScolor, never been there but heard a very good words about them.
I asked about a macro lens, he checked and said no stock, which is OK, not that friendly nor rude either. I went to the Funan branch, lucky to meet David. He really give me a good advice and provided a good service, I'll come back there again and look for him.
Cathay Photo has a really good service, but their price can fluctuate really significant from one salesman to another. so got to know your salesperson.
OP. I think I met the one so-called 'ah tiong'. He made my experience bad there, and I don't think I'll consider the shop again.
MScolor, never been there but heard a very good words about them.
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vince123123
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Yup that is probably the case, which is why I say that AP is good only if you know the poeple there. Once you know the people there, the service is much better than any other place where you also know people. Hence, AP has a greater variance in terms of service level.
For places like Cathay, whether you know the people or not, the service just varies a little.
For places like Cathay, whether you know the people or not, the service just varies a little.
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vince123123
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To put it in simple terms.
At AP, if you know the person, you can get a score of 9 out of 10. If you don't know the person, you can probably get a score of 3 out of 10.
For other places, if you don't know the person, maybe you get a 4 or 5. If you know the person, you may get a 6 or so.
That is the point I was trying to make.
At AP, if you know the person, you can get a score of 9 out of 10. If you don't know the person, you can probably get a score of 3 out of 10.
For other places, if you don't know the person, maybe you get a 4 or 5. If you know the person, you may get a 6 or so.
That is the point I was trying to make.
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vince123123
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To further clarify, the numbers above are arbitrary, merely to illustrate variances rather than absolutes.
dont bother to visit AP lah. simply waste of time. Anyway price now is so closily match betwen shops. why bother to go there? I also encounter bad experiance with AP stuff at SLS . hai ..sad .. the sale ppl there are eyeing for Ang Moh or those who dress "high class". Thats the time when they go "extra mile". One pieces of advice. if possible, just call to check stock or price. Save the travel .. in fect go all the way up to OP .. haha .. they provided better service than AP
probably i will invited some harsh words here, but nevertheless, i would like to just highlight this - do we as consumer approach sales exec/counter service guy/watever you wanna call it, with a smile?
do we usually start off with 'eh, this one how much?'; 'how much is this model'
some may argue that a lot of shops treat the whites and the locals differently. perhaps a good starting point to find out why the preferential treatment for whites is to look at the way how these whites converse with the service guy/gal.
take some time to observe this in any mall, for any type of goods and service. observe how a ang mo enquire and how a local enquire. ask at the back of our minds, ask, if i am the service guy, which one do i prefer?
good service comes both way.
something to think abt.
I personally patronise CP,AP,MS,TK,OP, CW and other usual camera joints...so far, my personal experience has been good. I agree with Gizmore that I guess the consumer experience really dependent on the buyer(customer). Lots of time, I spoke to thoe non-favoured shop, Hearing form them on the "demand" of most customers to have the Ai Chee-Ai Pee-Ai Guarantee ....sometimes to much that these shops gets a little pissed.
Buying and selling is a very great interaction opportunity - requiring some level of human touch. I see at times people coming by into shops and then straight ask for cheap price ....often due to people quoting price that their friends got for some gadgets or things they bought from a particular shop - demanding the same price. There needs to be some level of give and take I guess.
isnt it obvious that some shops are not cut out for local shoppers? We have clubsnap, we have clubs & societies and we have plenty of friends to help us police pricing.
How about they shady lucky plaza ah beng cam shops? If we find AP bad, go try those. They survive by baiting their target and then overcharge for accessories or switch to a completely new model/brand which the buyer has no info on pricing to compare. They make a living this way and they hate local customers who knows too much. Why? Because they know they cant mark up 100% above market price and play fishing with us on the prices.
So, if anyone going to these kinda anti-local shops, go there and ask for price. If no answer or no good deal, walk off without a word as the salesman will not give a dam either.
Somehow, i had been lucky with the following stores:
Lords, CP, AP (simlim), OP, TCW, John3:16.... etc
Not happy with price, wave my hand and walk off. I dont waste their time, they dont waste mine. If those ahbeng shops grumble some passing remarks audibly that I do not like to hear, I walk back, put my hand on the table and ask him what he meant. I can see their balls shrink when I changed my tone.
Fortunately, most of the shops i visited are nice to me, including those shady ones i bumped into last time.
How about they shady lucky plaza ah beng cam shops? If we find AP bad, go try those. They survive by baiting their target and then overcharge for accessories or switch to a completely new model/brand which the buyer has no info on pricing to compare. They make a living this way and they hate local customers who knows too much. Why? Because they know they cant mark up 100% above market price and play fishing with us on the prices.
So, if anyone going to these kinda anti-local shops, go there and ask for price. If no answer or no good deal, walk off without a word as the salesman will not give a dam either.
Somehow, i had been lucky with the following stores:
Lords, CP, AP (simlim), OP, TCW, John3:16.... etc
Not happy with price, wave my hand and walk off. I dont waste their time, they dont waste mine. If those ahbeng shops grumble some passing remarks audibly that I do not like to hear, I walk back, put my hand on the table and ask him what he meant. I can see their balls shrink when I changed my tone.
Fortunately, most of the shops i visited are nice to me, including those shady ones i bumped into last time.
I never had good experience with AP either.
Like most bro said, if you know the salesperson there, speaks their slang their style. might get good price or attitude.
I find it hilarious, we are spending good money, and a lot of us are not trying to get those salesman to speak my style either. I guess we just interested to find out the prices and make a deal. Customers deserve some decent treatment, not blackface or father die mother die face. Not necessary to serve with a smile but just don throw that attitude look like we ask for it.
Avoid at all costs, unless like fellow bros here who knows some of them there... those special treatment
I just find it ridiculous that i have to socialise with them in their frequencies to NOT get a bad face treatment. Buy things and be at people's mercy? think about it....
Like most bro said, if you know the salesperson there, speaks their slang their style. might get good price or attitude.
I find it hilarious, we are spending good money, and a lot of us are not trying to get those salesman to speak my style either. I guess we just interested to find out the prices and make a deal. Customers deserve some decent treatment, not blackface or father die mother die face. Not necessary to serve with a smile but just don throw that attitude look like we ask for it.
Avoid at all costs, unless like fellow bros here who knows some of them there... those special treatment
I just find it ridiculous that i have to socialise with them in their frequencies to NOT get a bad face treatment. Buy things and be at people's mercy? think about it....
I totally agree. Only in Singapore where one actually has to "por" the salesmen and make them happy for them to sell stuff to us!!!
I have ever seen salesmen acting yaya and dissing some customer, while the kaki kaki customer has no choice but to laugh laugh smile smile and agree with the salesmen.
Dont trust any photo centers @SLS. Such con artist, brought visiting cousin from overseas to SLS to buy camera. Crazy dude there charged me GST off from Nikon promo bundle. which i got to confirm with nikon on the same day that prices DO INCLUDE GST already! ;( ill never step on that place again. complained to the tourism center, havent heard from them again.
MS Colour so far the best and most accommodating, and yah also CP.
MS Colour so far the best and most accommodating, and yah also CP.
My experience with both their branches has been fabulous.
I always walk in like approaching a friend. Do remember that AP is an Ah Beng shop, so I always roll up my long sleeve shirt, unbutton the top of my shirt to be compatible with them.
Just a few weeks ago, I bought a Canon PnS. I didn't even know that got freebies like 2GB card and 4 rechargeable batteries. They just gave me just like that when they could have kept the Sandisk card and the batteries.
Maybe, I am sort of having the same wavelength / frequency with them la. And I use some Singlish + Hokkien as well.
I prefer the Funan branch, less crowded so can get faster and better service la. :thumbsup:
And one more thing - I like their pricing.:thumbsup:
I always walk in like approaching a friend. Do remember that AP is an Ah Beng shop, so I always roll up my long sleeve shirt, unbutton the top of my shirt to be compatible with them.
Just a few weeks ago, I bought a Canon PnS. I didn't even know that got freebies like 2GB card and 4 rechargeable batteries. They just gave me just like that when they could have kept the Sandisk card and the batteries.
Maybe, I am sort of having the same wavelength / frequency with them la. And I use some Singlish + Hokkien as well.
I prefer the Funan branch, less crowded so can get faster and better service la. :thumbsup:
And one more thing - I like their pricing.:thumbsup:
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