I have been using a local fly shop for quite awhile. I took my family to the Little Rock airport and figured as long as I was in the “Rock,” I would hit the shop. I got to talking with the owner and said I couldn’t wait for the weather to cool down since I have 3 new rods in hand or on the way. He asked what kind and when I told him TFO he started a “session” on why I would want “Cheap Korean crap.” When I told him why I buy TFO, he had a comment about when a certain TFO spokesperson passes on, maybe a TFO rod can be strategically placed. I walked out and will not return to that store. I have purchased 2 full rigs… rod, reel, backing, line and case for the price of one of the rods he recommends. Oh well… I like my TFO and have had nothing but excellent service from them. I had a question on lines for a 2 and 3 weight and would a certain Mastery line be better on a 4 than another. I had an e-mail back from Rick Pope within an hour that broke down the different Mastery lines that Lefty tried on TFO. I ended up with an 8’ 2WT with a DT XPS, a 7’6" 3WT with an XPS DT also and a 9’4 with the XPS in a WF. I’ll do a report on the lines when it gets cool enough for me to head out. Heat and humidity and my arthritis don’t mix.
Mike
There is no greater fan of flyfishing than the worm.
If those TFO fly rods work for you, more power to you. I know the fly shop guy wants to sell some rods but he does need to learn a new technique. If he handled the TFO brand you know he would tell you they’re the best rods around.
I’ve seen the same attitude around a bit too. Mostly when an owner or rep is trying to push a different Name. (and not just for “buy inshore” arguments).
Too bad … leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
JC, …
…a guy has the right to succeed… or fail. He has made his choice.
Very nicely said, … can I quote you on that on occassion?
I’m sure it wasn’t your intent, but if you were the shop owner and some guy came in and bragged that he had bought three rods, with an itch to get out and fish them, what would your reaction be? Taking into account that he didn’t buy them from you and they were not a brand that you carry.
I’m not saying his bad mouthing TFO and Lefty was called for, but…
Steve… let me know what the line is you’re looking at. I misplaced the info… possibly deleted it… but I may find an answer for you.
I had only bought tying supplies at this shop. We had in the past talked about different rods but there never was any intent shown by me to buy from him because I can’t afford his prices and have told him so. He knew where I stood all along. Maybe the comment on the product started me going out the door and the slam directed at Lefty finished it off.
Mike
There is no greater fan of flyfishing than the worm.
Having made my somewhat meager living in Retail for some time now, I feel qualified and obligated to add to this discussion.
I would never run down someone else’s store, product or service. It does no good. I will let a customer know the benefits of my store, product or service over another. I will also never get angry with a customer who tells me " I can get that at (insert name of some other store here) for half the price. I will explain that sometimes they are cheaper/better/available here and sometimes there. Products are products and I have no control over the quality, price or any thing else in my store. I do however control my attitude and demeaner when dealing with customers.
I, like MD, will not use some retailers because of the service I have gotten (or not gotten) but I will never hold the retailer responsible for the quality, price or availability of the product.
My $.02
Clint
BTW Maddog, it was Al Finley who said the line in your tag, and was reported by Pat McManus. I am sure everything Pat writes is factual and certainly not fiction.
No one has the right to be disrespectful that’s for sure. But I can understand how an independent shop owner could get up set under these circumstances. From Mike’s thread it is obvious that this guy did not handle things well.
Also times have changed. Use to be the fly shop was were you had to go. Now all the big sporting goods retailers are selling fly fishing gear. And some of the big box stores as well. Kind of pushing the independent out of the way. Same thing happend with independent gas stations once convenient stores popped up on every corner selling gasoline along with milk.
So we buy great items made over seas that if and when they break we send em back and brag about great customer service. Maybe I should be ****** because what few rods I have are made in the USA and in over 40 years of fly fishing haven’t broken a one. I feel as if I may be missing out on something.
I think everyone agrees it could have been handled differantly. I was not there so I don’t know. I grew up in retale and spent 25 years as a Rep. Lefy was and reamins a freind of mine. a lot of folks thought he was a trader when he left Sage for a better Gig. Same with Bob Jacklin going to ST Croix. I understand, it was simply a better deal for them. Now with that said, the owner may have acomplished what he intended with the slam on TFO and there suporters I have had the pleasure of sending people away my self.LOL with little or no loss of business and great sadisfaction. (EXAMPLE) TFO? … Gosh I didn’t know you lived in a treiler park? Or TFO… I understand they take food stamps, but how are you feeding your kids LOL
This is not a slam on anyone DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL.
early on in my fly fishing career i made a pilgrimage to mecca (the orvis store in manchester vt.). i was looking at a very expensive rod (which by todays prices would be mid-priced, but that’s another story) and an associate came over to talk to me. i told him i loved the rod but couldn’t afford it. “what rod do you fish now?” he asked. “i have an inexpensive cortland rod,” i answered. “Cortland makes a very good rod,” is what he answered, and to this day I’m still impressed that he said that.
[This message has been edited by D. Micus (edited 17 August 2005).]
From the owners side of the question. Yes that is not the way to handle it. When I owned a one hour photo and camera shop we would get customers all the time buy their cameras at Wall Mart and then come to us to figure out how to use them. We helped them because we might get the film processing. But the times I had to bite my tounge was when they would come in with the film jammed in the camera and Wall Mart couldn’t remove it because they had no darkroom and we would remove it for them and then they would take the film and say they were going back to Wall Mart because I was too expensive. Go figure.
Made my twice monthly jaunt to Gene Stutzman’s shop in Lebanon, Oregon. Gene was tying some beadhead caddis. We started yakking about caddis and he showed me some books he liked. I bought my TFO 3 wt. from Gene, but none of my other rods. ONe day we were talking about light rods and I mentioned my Sage 1 wt. His eyes got big and he exclaimed, “You have a 1 wt?”. Next day I brought it in. He showed me his Orvis 2 wt. Gene sells neither Orvis nor Sage. It was just a couple of guys who love to fish talking about the art and its tools. While we were talking he handed me one of the flies he had been tying. I bought nothing that day but came away with that pleasant comraderie and sense of fellowship that this sport really needs.
Tell him to check the country of manufacture on his products. Just because the finished product was “Made in the U.S.A.” doesn’t mean that the materials it’s made from are “Made in the U.S.A.”. My Red.Fly reel is made in Korea and the Orvis is made in England. I buy American products when I can but quality products are made in other nations as well. Not out to bash anyone just my 2 cents worth. I would have walked out of that so called fly shop too.
Eric “nighthawk”
An American Proverb:
Perseverance will accomplish all things.
That’s interesting, b/c the shop here in Richmond sells tons of TFO’s along with Sage,Loomis, Winston and Scott, and they are all too happy to do it too. Their theory is that if you treat a customer the right way, and sell them what they want or need, not just some expensive outfit, you will get their return business.~Scott
“Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.”
On the advice from Purebs I went to a nice sporting goods store. I took my son and his family and my wife. Now this is a big retail store lots of different sports are covered some better than others but a good selection. I wondered away from the family and wound up in the Fly area. I was looking at some of the vises that they carried and this gentleman walks up and asked me if I was interested in buying one or just looking. I told him I had just bought a vise and was comparing the features of some I had not seen. Well he gets excited and tells me I just have to see this new vise that has just come in.
We go over to the area where he gives demos and there was a nice import vise. I do not recall the brand. But it was less than 80.00 it was a beautiful vise and it was well finished. He told me with that price alone he would not be able to keep them in stock but the quality would keep people coming back to him. He had all the name brand vises, and the one I bought was there. But he was excited because he had something the average fly fisherman could use. He had expensive reels, yaks, rods of all kinds but his excitement was contagious. I was there to buy supplies. I bought over 150.00 worth of fly tying material. But he did not know what I was there for nor did he care. He was just a fly fisherman, and had someone that could appreciate seeing quality. While I was surprised at his attention I was shocked and proud to find out that my grand kids were getting the special treatment. They were in the gun room with their daddy and the people were talking to the kids so daddy could walk around and look. WE left that place knowing that we would drive the extra miles to visit them again. It takes us 2 hours to get there but it is worth the trip. I have thanked Bill a number of times for sending me there. They went the extra mile and when I told them were I was from they said if I am in a bind let them know and they will ship me what ever I need.
Service that is welcomed in this day and age.
Maddog48, I wish you had the same kind of experience. You can bet if I am ever going to the Rock I will contact you first so I know where not to spend my pennies.
Oh yes they give free fly casting lessons once a week.
Take care
Harold
[This message has been edited by Harold Hattaway (edited 17 August 2005).]
It is apparant that you appreciated the personal attention and enjoyed your visit to that store as well as the sales personnel appreciated your business. So, I’m curious. Why not mention the name of the store?
This IS a ‘Sound Off’ bb. Many companies and shops have been identified by name and raked over the coals when they’ve seemed to be inhospitable, unresponsive, arrogant or sell poor quality. Unless the rules dictate otherwise, why would someone say something positive, as you have done, and omit naming the store/shop?
You are right Allan I was very pleased and wanted to make sure I gave the correct spelling and address not just from memory.
Here is the address and telephone number.
I will not single out any one person because the whole staff was wonderful.
Bill Jackson, Inc.
9501 U.S. 19 North
Pinellas Park, Florida
(727) 576-4169