Customer service

[Killi Me Softly]

My LFS recently did an unboxing video. In that video they got 2 pair of Austrolebias Nigripinnis, Pearl Killifish. Pretty rare and hard to find around here. I've been shopping at this shop since 1972, so I called and had a pair put on hold. No problems. When I arrived this morning to pick up ny Great White Buffalo, I was told that a store associate also had a pair on hold and that he would scoop ny fish for me. He proceeded to tell me he will be keeping the better looking of the pair. I asked Sammy if he understood these are an annual fish and what his plans for them were. He says, just gonna take em home and drop them in a tank. He says if they breed they breed. I'm not sure of the place has lost my business for good or if I'm just being petty. BTW, I plan to collect eggs and hopefully keep this fish going in the hobby. Hopefully the fish cooperate. Thoughts?

[TeeJay]

Well I think as a customer you should have first choice. I feel as a business owner you need to take care of customers first. That's what keeps you in business not the employee trying to cherry pick.

[nabokovfan87]

I would've explained to him that you plan to breed, would love to re-sell him some fish. 

I probably would've just walked out.  Clearly the person didn't *want to* let those fish go.

[Katherine]

I would think if they had fish they weren't willing to sell they shouldn't have been on the sales floor. Or at the very least should have been in a separate tank, which was clearly marked as not for sale.

[anewbie]

On 7/23/2022 at 1:25 PM, Killi Me Softly said:

My LFS recently did an unboxing video. In that video they got 2 pair of Austrolebias Nigripinnis, Pearl Killifish. Pretty rare and hard to find around here. I've been shopping at this shop since 1972, so I called and had a pair put on hold. No problems. When I arrived this morning to pick up ny Great White Buffalo, I was told that a store associate also had a pair on hold and that he would scoop ny fish for me. He proceeded to tell me he will be keeping the better looking of the pair. I asked Sammy if he understood these are an annual fish and what his plans for them were. He says, just gonna take em home and drop them in a tank. He says if they breed they breed. I'm not sure of the place has lost my business for good or if I'm just being petty. BTW, I plan to collect eggs and hopefully keep this fish going in the hobby. Hopefully the fish cooperate. Thoughts?

I would have a conversation with the manager.... It isn't a question of who deserves the fish et all but this sort of behavior is really unacceptable imho particularly given the conflict of interest of the associate and probable lack of knowledge of what he is grabbing.

Edited July 23, 2022 by anewbie

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/23/2022 at 2:34 PM, anewbie said:

I would have a conversation with the manager.... It isn't a question of who deserves the fish et all but this sort of behavior is really unacceptable imho particularly given the conflict of interest of the associate and probable lack of knowledge of what he is grabbing.

For me.... it's moreso a question of, was the fish available on the floor?  If yes, it's available then and you had the right to purchase all of them because you're in the store to do so. 

"We'll have one pair available in X weeks after QT" would be my response if I was that associate.  There's literally no need to mention anything about taking some home, it's irrelevant.

[anewbie]

On 7/23/2022 at 5:01 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

For me.... it's moreso a question of, was the fish available on the floor?  If yes, it's available then and you had the right to purchase all of them because you're in the store to do so. 

"We'll have one pair available in X weeks after QT" would be my response if I was that associate.  There's literally no need to mention anything about taking some home, it's irrelevant.

I disagree with this comment. Clearly they had four and all four were claimed. The issue is sale associate attitude. The store i shop at frequently have fishes being held for customers and that is the case here - but the sale associate is one of the customer. The problem is his attitude and conflict of interest. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/23/2022 at 3:04 PM, anewbie said:

I disagree with this comment. Clearly they had four and all four were claimed. The issue is sale associate attitude. The store i shop at frequently have fishes being held for customers and that is the case here - but the sale associate is one of the customer. The problem is his attitude and conflict of interest. 

This is why I was saying, where the fish was located matters.  If it was out in a public tank, marked for sale. It's for sale. If it's back in QT and not in public view (was called for, via video) that's a very different sales path.  I'm certain Robert / Cory don't bring in fish for special order and then mark them out in public tanks. The customer has a chance to come pick them up and QT themselves or wait for them to be available.  It's mentioned in a few of the ACO videos, even on special orders, they still QT them to ensure quality.

I do not think the associate should've mentioned at all about "taking some" and specifically not "taking the pretty ones".

[Atitagain]

@Killi Me Softly I would assume you haven’t had problems before 

On 7/23/2022 at 2:25 PM, Killi Me Softly said:

I've been shopping at this shop since 1972,

And they did hold you a pair as promised the problem IMO is obviously the store associate attitude. I would be willing to say if owners/ managers were to hear this they would reprimand for this. Sounds more like the associate was super excited about the fish as well (and doesn’t have a good communication filter) also to me doesn’t matter if they are going to breed or not in reality you both had a pair on hold and he had first pick. Should they have handled the situation different, probably. Need better training, definitely 

All I’m saying is could they use a talking to, talk to a manager about them, or something along those lines? Yes if that’s how you want to go about this, but to not go back or to have walked out really only hurts you.

 

[Flumpweesel]

It is possible that the assistant was trying to have a joke /banter with you and it fell a bit short in delivery. As said you are a regular do the staff might feel over relaxed with you 

Did you get a nice looking pair? Are you happy with the health a looks of them. Did you want the other ones?

However I often pick the exact fish I want at lfs's and they always check I'm happy with the selection before they close the bag. If at any point I was told I couldn't have the one I wanted they would need to give me a good reason to keep me as a customer

[Killi Me Softly]

I have never run into this before. We could tell the owner was uncomfortable the minute we opened the door. I thought maybe at first they had simply sold the pair before I arrived. I did get a nice pair, I am very happy and more than a good chance I will return to the store. I've been going there for 51 years. It was the attitude of this young man, and the fact that after asking a few simple questions,  we knew he had really no clue what he had. I believe the fish should have never been put out on the floor at all if they were essentially picked before they ever arrived. I would definitely take advantage of an employee discount, but I would never put my customer in a situation where it felt like a competition and he clearly had the upper hand. I just rubbed me the wrong way I guess. If, in the end I am able to breed these little dudes and possibly pass some along to another hobbiest, win win.