Most appalling display of ignorance/lack of knowledge by a shop assistant

nlgbbbblth · 02-05-2005 06:06PM #1

This one is pretty bad.

Christmas Eve 2003 my cousin was trying to purchase a copy of the Led Zeppelin DVD as a gift for his brother

He tried several places to no avail - all sold out and on his way home stumbled across one more record shop. It was almost 6pm and this was his last chance. The place was full of people buying Westlife CDs and Brendan Grace/O'Carroll videotapes.

'Have you got the new Led Zeppelin DVD?' he said to the girl behind the counter

she exchanges a blank look with her colleague and then my cousin

'Noooo' she says slowly

'Sold out are ye?' he asked

'Noooo' she said in a snail-like pace. 'We didn't ever have it. Never heard of them'.

'Never heard of them!' my cousin says with a mixture of disbelief and indignation.

She looks at her colleague who shrugs his shoulders and says 'Don't know them. Are they new?'

My cousin walked out of the shop in disgust.

A record shop that never heard of Led Zeppelin is pretty bad, don't you think?

aidan_walsh · 02-05-2005 06:07PM

Shops hire idiots sometimes. Fact of life.

grimloch · 02-05-2005 06:09PM

peoples ignorance is astounding these days, to work in a record shop and not know who Led Zeppelin requires new levels of ignorance

snappieT · 02-05-2005 06:09PM

Doesn't beat me, 17 in Game in Blanchardstown, trying to buy a game that was ELSPA Recommended 16+

No ID = No sale.

Idiots.

nlgbbbblth · 02-05-2005 06:11PM

aidan_walsh wrote:

Shops hire idiots sometimes. Fact of life.

these weren't two youngsters hired out for Christmas, we have subsequently ascertained they were regular staff, one of whom still works there

in any case it is unjustifiable ignorance.

aidan_walsh · 02-05-2005 06:11PM

snapscan1212p wrote:

Doesn't beat me, 17 in Game in Blanchardstown, trying to buy a game that was ELSPA Recommended 16+

No ID = No sale.

Idiots.

Oh come on. Thats a judgement call, not blatent ignorance of what they are supposed to know. Unless you walked up to the counter wearing a button saying "17 Today!!" how were they to know the difference.

Civilian_Target · 02-05-2005 07:37PM

nlgbbbblth wrote:

A record shop that never heard of Led Zeppelin is pretty bad, don't you think?

They call it "Golden Discs"....

Guy:Incognito · 02-05-2005 07:40PM

Considering the attitude of a lot of Irish people since the Celtic tiger kicked in , working in shops is viewed as a lowly profession by a lot of people and hence they won't do it. So it's a matter of hireing anyone who applies for the job instead of sifting out the ones who don't know a lot of music. Plus an interest in music isnt required to work a cash register, which is basically all people in record shops do nowadays, they are salespeople as such. It's not like you go in and are looking for a tv and see 4 or 5 different models and need explainingabout the differences. Fair enough that maybe a passing knowledge of music should be required but maybe they don't have an interest in the music you like. Either way they can't be expected to know about every type of music.I doubt I'd take even a passing interest in, say, death metal if I worked in a record shop, so would'nt have a clue if someone asked me about it.

Con9903 · 02-05-2005 07:43PM

aidan_walsh wrote:

Oh come on. Thats a judgement call, not blatent ignorance of what they are supposed to know. Unless you walked up to the counter wearing a button saying "17 Today!!" how were they to know the difference.

actually he's right, they are idiots. ELSPA is the recommended viewing age. It is not against the law to sell it to someone younger.

DublinWriter · 02-05-2005 07:48PM

Stekelly wrote:

I doubt I'd take even a passing interest in, say, death metal if I worked in a record shop, so would'nt have a clue if someone asked me about it.

Speaking of which, I was in the Virgin megastore before Xmas and was a death metaller behind the counter who had his personal favs on the shop PA playing ridiciously loudly. People were just walking out of the place. One of his collegues came up and turned it off after about 10 mins.

I'm not a prude but (yeah, I know, typical opening line!) the lyrics were really bad and the place was full of kids with parents.

To be honest, any retail experience in Ireland is such a depressing one that I normally buy on-line where-ever I can.

aidan_walsh · 02-05-2005 07:50PM

actually he's right, they are idiots. ELSPA is the recommended viewing age. It is not against the law to sell it to someone younger.

True, but its also to the shops discretion as to whether to follow those or not, so they were perfectly entitled to refuse him. They are under no legal obligation to sell it to him either. So the person was doing their job correctly, as mandated by company policy.

Still want to call the person who refused him an idiot?

BlitzKrieg · 02-05-2005 08:05PM

it sounds more like laziness then anything? couldnt they have typed led zeppelin into the computer...i doubt they even need to go beyond Led...poor customer service not ignorance.

when take such a job your never given the title of Till worker. Your given the title of sales assitant...meaning you help the customer. Doesnt matter if they dont know the band or not, if you cant find the product on the shelves you are entitled to enquire at the desk to see if they have any in stock.

rainbow kirby · 02-05-2005 08:11PM

snapscan1212p wrote:

Doesn't beat me, 17 in Game in Blanchardstown, trying to buy a game that was ELSPA Recommended 16+

No ID = No sale.

Idiots.

It's actually GAME store policy to follow the ELSPA ratings in the same way as the film ratings.

neuro-praxis · 02-05-2005 08:24PM

Well, the off licence in my village (Kilcock) had never heard of tequila.

nlgbbbblth · 02-05-2005 08:28PM

neuro-praxis wrote:

Well, the off licence in my village (Kilcock) had never heard of tequila.

There was an off licence in Phibsboro that thought tia maria and tequila were 'all the same' and tried to persuade that tia maria was tequila. :rolleyes:

Guy:Incognito · 02-05-2005 08:29PM

neuro-praxis wrote:

Well, the off licence in my village (Kilcock) had never heard of tequila.

They've probably never heard of anything not called poteen (sp?), guinness or moonshine.

nlgbbbblth · 02-05-2005 08:30PM

Stekelly wrote:

Considering the attitude of a lot of Irish people since the Celtic tiger kicked in , working in shops is viewed as a lowly profession by a lot of people and hence they won't do it. So it's a matter of hireing anyone who applies for the job instead of sifting out the ones who don't know a lot of music. Plus an interest in music isnt required to work a cash register, which is basically all people in record shops do nowadays, they are salespeople as such. It's not like you go in and are looking for a tv and see 4 or 5 different models and need explainingabout the differences. Fair enough that maybe a passing knowledge of music should be required but maybe they don't have an interest in the music you like. Either way they can't be expected to know about every type of music.I doubt I'd take even a passing interest in, say, death metal if I worked in a record shop, so would'nt have a clue if someone asked me about it.

not knowing who Venom, Obituary or Celtic Frost are is (grudgingly) ok I suppose - but Led Zeppelin!
They're hardly obscure.

jezza · 02-05-2005 08:56PM

aidan_walsh wrote:

wearing a button saying "17 Today!!

do they make it that far up??

jezza · 02-05-2005 08:57PM

Stekelly wrote:

poteen

thats good sh!t. though i tend 2 pass out so i dont get to be drunk very long

DublinWriter · 02-05-2005 08:59PM

aidan_walsh wrote:

True, but its also to the shops discretion as to whether to follow those or not, so they were perfectly entitled to refuse him. They are under no legal obligation to sell it to him either. So the person was doing their job correctly, as mandated by company policy.

Still want to call the person who refused him an idiot?

Yes, totally and completely. Gimpage of a high order.

You see, business' exist to make a profit....ah, deduce the rest yourself.

Ghandi Quotes Quote # 3 A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so.

So there, the Great Ghandi has spoken, Bí ciúin.

Stix · 02-05-2005 09:05PM

nlgbbbblth wrote:

not knowing who Venom, Obituary or Celtic Frost are is (grudgingly) ok I suppose - but Led Zeppelin!
They're hardly obscure.

I agree - Led Zepplin aren't exactly specialist music or an obscure genre.

What really gets me is when muppets who listen to Puff Daddy, Eric Prydz and Uniting Nations don't even know legends such as The Police, Steve Winwood and Hall & Oates.

Doctor Benway · 02-05-2005 09:08PM

DublinWriter wrote:

Yes, totally and completely. Gimpage of a high order.

You see, business' exist to make a profit....ah, deduce the rest yourself.

Ghandi Quotes Quote # 3 A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so.

So there, the Great Ghandi has spoken, Bí ciúin.

You could equally argue that by adopting a "responsible" policy in relation to the sale of violent games to children, the company is ensuring that it will be able to sustain its profits (and the profitability of the console/PC game sector) by countering any accusations that "those kinds of games" are unsuitable, and a negative influence on young people.

DublinWriter · 02-05-2005 09:17PM

Doctor Benway wrote:

You could equally argue that by adopting a "responsible" policy in relation to the sale of violent games to children, the company is ensuring that it will be able to sustain its profits (and the profitability of the console/PC game sector) by countering any accusations that "those kinds of games" are unsuitable, and a negative influence on young people.

I could easily argue that this thread is actually about a Led Zeppelin DVD.

Meanwhile back on Planet Earth, video games have age ratings etc etc, rant, blah.

Sponge Bob · 02-05-2005 09:47PM

BlitzKrieg wrote:

it sounds more like laziness then anything? couldnt they have typed led zeppelin into the computer

as in Lead Zeppelin maybe ?? , stupid but not illiterate style

StupidLikeAFox · 02-05-2005 10:15PM

Big deal, who cares, etc etc

(at thread in general)

TerrorFirmer · 02-05-2005 10:29PM

I mean come on, no matter WHAT your taste in music, no matter where you have or have not worked, youve heard of Led Zepplin.

Jesus, come on. Nothing in this world bar literal retardness can excuse not having heard of Led Zepplin....

RicardoSmith · 02-05-2005 10:48PM

I had never heard of Led Zepplin till I went to college. It wasn't in the charts, it wasn't on the radio. 70's Rock music just doesn't get airplay. That was 10 yrs ago. I can imagine its really easy never to hear of a lot of old bands.

I have nieces and nephews in their teens and I'm amazed when they know of bands I used to like. Generally its because they are into some niche music scene which has lead them research their influences etc. Some people however only hear whats in the charts and nothing else. Its like these nu metal fans who haven't heard of the classic 70's and 80's bands.

Look at Ozzy. All these people who know Ozzy from that TV show. Most people haven't even heard any of his solo stuff at all. Its like on onther threads where some guy who claimed he was a blues fan. Didn't know that Billy Gibbons was famous for his blues quitar playing.

aidan_walsh · 03-05-2005 01:49AM

dawballz wrote:

So what ID did you have when you were 17? College ID, probably not...Garda ID, defiantely not, passport? well, maybe under your parents name.

What ID would a 17 year old have?

Actually, yes I did have a college ID, thank you.

aidan_walsh · 03-05-2005 01:57AM

DublinWriter wrote:

Yes, totally and completely. Gimpage of a high order.

You see, business' exist to make a profit....ah, deduce the rest yourself.

Ghandi Quotes Quote # 3 A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so.

So there, the Great Ghandi has spoken, Bí ciúin.

Yeah see thats the traditional way of thinking, but in these heady modern times a certain degree of social responsibility is also expected, and this includes following industry guidelines that recommend when a product should be sold. Of course, as I said before, its entirely up to the individual business whether thay follow these or not.

Oh, and Ghandi ain't law either.

bp_me · 03-05-2005 08:17AM

I feel the need to point of the obvious (as someone who has worked retail for 3 years part-time)

At christmas the people at the sales desk get a terrible time from customers. It's hassle from the moment the shop is opened.

To make it more specific to your music shop problem:
In any music shop I have ever been in, there isn't a seperate customer service desk, which means the staff at the sales desk must deal with the complaints from stupid, irate customers, who bought the wrong thing, and don't/can't/won't understand the stores return policy (i.e. once the seel is broken it can't be returned).

pat kenny · 03-05-2005 09:13AM

RicardoSmith wrote:

I had never heard of Led Zepplin till I went to college. It wasn't in the charts, it wasn't on the radio.

Hasn't "Whole lotta love" been the intro music to Top of the pops for about the past 20 years?

And even if they were really retarded and liked Puff Daddy Music they would have heard all the instrumental from Kashmir.

Most appalling display of ignorance/lack of knowledge by a shop assistant

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