Service or Price?
- Thread starter Goondu
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hmmm that's a tough one... cheap prices should kinda go hand in hand with at least decent service. if a place has really cheap prices but the sales person doesn't even give you a glance when u go in, how to buy?
but in comparison, i think price is slightly more impt.
but in comparison, i think price is slightly more impt.
Ah, now I am beginning to see why overall service quality is so bad. Not many people are willing to pay a bit extra for better service. If everyone is interested only in lowest possible price, then obviously the shop people are not going to be very motivated to give customers good service.
Regards
CK
Regards
CK
Originally posted by ckiang
Ah, now I am beginning to see why overall service quality is so bad. Not many people are willing to pay a bit extra for better service. If everyone is interested only in lowest possible price, then obviously the shop people are not going to be very motivated to give customers good service.
Regards
CK
Er, but don't forget some of them are students and they are really on a tight budget.
actually i won't mind pay a BIT more for service (just look at the number of accessories i buy from CP), but it shouldn't be that big a difference. the prices should still be reasonable...Originally posted by ckiang
Ah, now I am beginning to see why overall service quality is so bad. Not many people are willing to pay a bit extra for better service. If everyone is interested only in lowest possible price, then obviously the shop people are not going to be very motivated to give customers good service.
Regards
CK
but that's just my 2 cents...
True. Of coz, if good service and low price actually comes together, then it's good lar!
Regards
CK
Originally posted by firefox13
actually i won't mind pay a BIT more for service (just look at the number of accessories i buy from CP), but it shouldn't be that big a difference. the prices should still be reasonable...
but that's just my 2 cents...
Of coz!
Regards
CK
Originally posted by firefox13
actually i won't mind pay a BIT more for service (just look at the number of accessories i buy from CP), but it shouldn't be that big a difference. the prices should still be reasonable...
but that's just my 2 cents...
But $1 off here, $2 off there, ..... = 1 UV Filter?
Originally posted by ckiang
True. Of coz, if good service and low price actually comes together, then it's good lar!
Regards
CK
Agreed. But more often than not, this is not always the case.
Let me put it this way (salesmen, pay attention!):
Good service MAY make me buy from you, once I get tired of shopping around. It obligates me to you.
Poor service will GUARANTEE I will never buy from you, even if you are the cheapest guy around.
Good service MAY make me buy from you, once I get tired of shopping around. It obligates me to you.
Poor service will GUARANTEE I will never buy from you, even if you are the cheapest guy around.
Ok hang on.
Why is there a presumption that service and low prices are mutually exclusive? Why must a customer pay more to get good service? Do good salesmen cost more to hire and salary? I think not. I can see the case for not having enough (good) salesmen to keep up with customers, but from what I remember, this is not the case in Singapore. Merely that in some places, the salesmen couldn't care less, while in others they are exceedingly friendly.
As I said, good salesmen hardly get paid much more than "poor" salesmen, so at the end of the day why do you have to pay more for good service? Service is part of a salesman's job, unfortunately we obviously do not have enough real ones to go around back home.
Put this another way. A salesman serves you and doesn't give a toss because you're only buying a $2 battery. On the other hand the same salesman treats you "like a king" because you buy a Canon EOS 1D. What is the cost differential to the shop in either situation? Sure the shop will make more money from selling the 1D, but in terms of hiring the salesman the cost is the same, and bad service might mean the shop sells nothing instead of something. I think we as a society have just come to blame cost cutting as the reason for crap service. I think at least some of the blame must lie with the salesmen.
Why is there a presumption that service and low prices are mutually exclusive? Why must a customer pay more to get good service? Do good salesmen cost more to hire and salary? I think not. I can see the case for not having enough (good) salesmen to keep up with customers, but from what I remember, this is not the case in Singapore. Merely that in some places, the salesmen couldn't care less, while in others they are exceedingly friendly.
As I said, good salesmen hardly get paid much more than "poor" salesmen, so at the end of the day why do you have to pay more for good service? Service is part of a salesman's job, unfortunately we obviously do not have enough real ones to go around back home.
Put this another way. A salesman serves you and doesn't give a toss because you're only buying a $2 battery. On the other hand the same salesman treats you "like a king" because you buy a Canon EOS 1D. What is the cost differential to the shop in either situation? Sure the shop will make more money from selling the 1D, but in terms of hiring the salesman the cost is the same, and bad service might mean the shop sells nothing instead of something. I think we as a society have just come to blame cost cutting as the reason for crap service. I think at least some of the blame must lie with the salesmen.
Jed always makes a good point and I must agree totally.
The term service here is probably related to the sales attention during the sales transaction, but there is also the after-sales service that are sometimes missing also.
For in-transaction service, there is no extra cost to the shop so there is no excuses for bad service. (Unless the salesperson are paid peanuts due to the low margin?) Of course, it is perfectly understandable if there is a difference in level of service between serving customers buying a EOS 1D and just a pack of batteries.
For after-sales service, this might be a difference and I would prefer at least some form of after-sales service especially in the first couple of weeks. After this, probably the actual agent for the brand will take over the service and it does not matter where u buy from anymore.
The term service here is probably related to the sales attention during the sales transaction, but there is also the after-sales service that are sometimes missing also.
For in-transaction service, there is no extra cost to the shop so there is no excuses for bad service. (Unless the salesperson are paid peanuts due to the low margin?) Of course, it is perfectly understandable if there is a difference in level of service between serving customers buying a EOS 1D and just a pack of batteries.
For after-sales service, this might be a difference and I would prefer at least some form of after-sales service especially in the first couple of weeks. After this, probably the actual agent for the brand will take over the service and it does not matter where u buy from anymore.
Hi All....
Its realy sad to share that during my initial photo equipment scouts.......i was once overcharged by a shop-owner in Peninsula.... not along the good shops alley.....
....as i was not aware of the price of a external slave flash.....which i was intending to use with my manual Pentax spotmatic......paid a god damn SGD150 for it after the owner quoted SGD210 for it and bargained.......wow i thought i was okay getting things bargained for SGD60 less...........nad off i went ........the following week....i went to Adelphi and got a Shock!!! when i was told that that "stupid(me i suppose)" flash only cost SGD45.
Well.........I'm really dissappointed on how some of the photographic equipment dealers can just overcharge innocent people like us........and really spoil the hobby.
Lesson Learnt......and i now stick to places like Fotoguide,Cathay and John etc.
They not only gaive good adveice but also good services that really improve your photo taking skills.......
Just hope this helps........just beware......!!!!
Regards,
me
Its realy sad to share that during my initial photo equipment scouts.......i was once overcharged by a shop-owner in Peninsula.... not along the good shops alley.....
....as i was not aware of the price of a external slave flash.....which i was intending to use with my manual Pentax spotmatic......paid a god damn SGD150 for it after the owner quoted SGD210 for it and bargained.......wow i thought i was okay getting things bargained for SGD60 less...........nad off i went ........the following week....i went to Adelphi and got a Shock!!! when i was told that that "stupid(me i suppose)" flash only cost SGD45.
Well.........I'm really dissappointed on how some of the photographic equipment dealers can just overcharge innocent people like us........and really spoil the hobby.
Lesson Learnt......and i now stick to places like Fotoguide,Cathay and John etc.
They not only gaive good adveice but also good services that really improve your photo taking skills.......
Just hope this helps........just beware......!!!!
Regards,
me
I agree that there will always be some unscrupulous salesmen around, regardless of any country.
But I just hope that you think about this. Some salesmen are earning a meagre fixed salary. The bulk of his income comes from commission that they earn. Now, if I am the salesman, and there are 2 people happened to be in the shop at the same time, one is asking for a '1D' and the other is asking for a $3 battery. Now who do you think I will serve? No matter how remotely the chances of securing the '1D' deal, I would still take it to task.
(Don't misunderstand that I am a salesman, which I am, fortunately or unfortunately, not.)
We live in a practical world and being practical will always have its ups and downs.
I want to EMPHASIZE again that I am only sharing my thoughts.
But I just hope that you think about this. Some salesmen are earning a meagre fixed salary. The bulk of his income comes from commission that they earn. Now, if I am the salesman, and there are 2 people happened to be in the shop at the same time, one is asking for a '1D' and the other is asking for a $3 battery. Now who do you think I will serve? No matter how remotely the chances of securing the '1D' deal, I would still take it to task.
(Don't misunderstand that I am a salesman, which I am, fortunately or unfortunately, not.)
We live in a practical world and being practical will always have its ups and downs.
I want to EMPHASIZE again that I am only sharing my thoughts.
What is the ratio of the customers coming in to get $3 battery to customers coming in to get a 1D? A smart salesperson should know that the majority of the market is made up of people with realistic budget and requirements. If he/she cannot understand this, then that's just too bad, for him/her. Yes be practical but not stupid.
I'll shaer with you guys an experience I had in a Melbourne Camera Shop.
Went in and saw the a 1D sitting on the shelve. Asked if I could have a look at it. The salesman was obliging and even brought out a new 16-35 for me to test the camera, despite me saying that I just wanted to have a look and had no intention to buy. Guess what? We went on to speak for a good half an hour and there were other customers in the shop who might want to get the 1D(I don't know). But to that salesman, that 30 mins was devoted to me and me only. I got quite embrassed and said you better tend to other customers, I'll leave now. He said, "you sure?"
That's what I call service.......... and by the way, it wasn't that I was lucky to have met a good salesman. Its pretty common occurance here.
Went in and saw the a 1D sitting on the shelve. Asked if I could have a look at it. The salesman was obliging and even brought out a new 16-35 for me to test the camera, despite me saying that I just wanted to have a look and had no intention to buy. Guess what? We went on to speak for a good half an hour and there were other customers in the shop who might want to get the 1D(I don't know). But to that salesman, that 30 mins was devoted to me and me only. I got quite embrassed and said you better tend to other customers, I'll leave now. He said, "you sure?"
That's what I call service.......... and by the way, it wasn't that I was lucky to have met a good salesman. Its pretty common occurance here.
Actually, just for the photographic market anyway, I'm not sure that many are on commissions. Secondly, there's just one problem with the scenario you describe. A salesman never gets asked simultaneously by two customers who tell him at the same time what they're interested in. It's not like the salesman has a reason to pick between two people. It's not a public tender where the salesman sits and waits 10 minutes for various customers to bid what they are interested in, and then pick the highest one.
The salesman should serve the first person that walks into the store. BEFORE he finds out what that person is buying. Then if he finds out that person only wants a S$3 battery, and a person who walks in 2s later wants a 1D, then he has an obligation to finish serving that customer. If a fellow colleague hasn't already met the person who wants to buy a 1D (in an ideal world, he would have been met already), then he deals with that person. I don't see where any discriminatory decision comes into the process.
I can't believe we are actually trying to find excuses for poor service. And in the spirit of it, there is no good or bad service, only service.
You hit the nail precisely, Kit. The ratio of buying a $3 battery compare with a 1D is indeed a big difference. Would the so-called smart salesmen offer the same sort of services to the buyers of the batteries as to the 1D buyer? Would anyone?
:dunno:
I agree with Kit, good service, or actually shall I just say service, is a pretty common thing over here too.
Put it this way, I'm on first name terms with a supermarket checkout guy. Huh? You ask, why should I care about being on first name terms with a checkout guy?
That I suppose is the difference. In Singapore lots of things are mechanical or viewed as mechanical. Who says a supermarket checkout process should be dump goods on the counter, make payment, leave process? In Singapore and the region, it is.
Like a photographer is really thought of only as a machine operator, not as a creative individual utilising a camera as a tool (if someone wants to debate this please start a new thread).
Where's the personality and character guys?
Put it this way, I'm on first name terms with a supermarket checkout guy. Huh? You ask, why should I care about being on first name terms with a checkout guy?
That I suppose is the difference. In Singapore lots of things are mechanical or viewed as mechanical. Who says a supermarket checkout process should be dump goods on the counter, make payment, leave process? In Singapore and the region, it is.
Like a photographer is really thought of only as a machine operator, not as a creative individual utilising a camera as a tool (if someone wants to debate this please start a new thread).
Where's the personality and character guys?
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