Lfs Serious Problems Anyone?

[laurac94]

Today I was in the shop to buy some dechlorinator, so naturally I went to nosy around at what fish they had in. They are usually really good for giving advice IME but I was completely disgusted to see one of the workers down there talking to a completely clueless woman about her 20g tank.
She said that she had set it up THAT DAY and had come to get some fish, the man said ok great! Which made me listen closer..
I then watched him walk her over to their larger tanks with the bigger type fish in and point out BALA SHARKS! He then proceeded to tell her that they stay at around 3 inches and 6 would be fine for her tank!
I was absolutely fuming so I jumped in and told him off, then gave her a lecture on cycling and suitable fish.

I then made a complaint to their manager lol!
I hope they get fired!

 

[techen]

I don't see anything wrong with this.
 
Sure, The fish is too large for that tank. But that poor guy your trying to get fired is most likely trying to feed his wife and kids. No doubt trying to shift the balasharks that are no doubt taking up a tank they wish to use for something more suitable.
 
All I see is a salesman and not a person that loves the hobby itself.
 
:3

 

[Mikey1]

it is a business, a LFS is there to make sales and make money, just like any other business,
 
im not agreeing or disagreeing with you,
 
but you have to remember that the "fish scoopers" are there to do just that, bag fish for people,
 
i dont know about you, but if i owned a fish store and one of my employees talked a customer out of a sale, i would be fuming mad at that employee....the customer is not going to wait and come back in 6 weeks time when their tank is cycled, they are going to go to the next closest LFS and buy their fish and supplies there, which equals a lost customer and lost $$$$$

 

[laurac94]

I see your point.. I may have been a little harsh
But whats wrong with guppies or mollies that can live in a 20g and may have a chance of surviving the cycling process, I wouldnt have butted in then

 

[Mikey1]

I see your point.. I may have been a little harsh
But whats wrong with guppies or mollies that can live in a 20g and may have a chance of surviving the cycling process, I wouldnt have butted in then

 
in the business world, the customer is always right, you give them what they want

 

[techen]

I see your point.. I may have been a little harsh
But whats wrong with guppies or mollies that can live in a 20g and may have a chance of surviving the cycling process, I wouldnt have butted in then

 
in the business world, the customer is always right, you give them what they want

 
Agreed, You can't tell someone "No, you can't have this fish" When you are selling the product...

 

[daizeUK]

The way I read it, he was recommending the sharks to her though
 
Giving a customer misleading information to make a sale is not acceptable

 

[BLACK DDOG]

Perhaps the trade LFS needs a bit of regulation ?

 

[laurac94]

The way I read it, he was recommending the sharks to her though
 
Giving a customer misleading information to make a sale is not acceptable

Yeah that's more what I was getting at, from me nosying thats what I heard anyway, hence why I butted in

 

[SushiAk49]

At least more training. I had one be honest with me and admit they were just covering the department for the day and had no real knowledge in that area. I was taken aback and told the person how great full I was and asked them if they could find out the best day for me to come back. Two trips for me a hassle yes, but not nearly as much as getting wrong product and info when it means you could end up waisting money. So now when I go into a large pet store with multiple departments I ask, is this a department you actually have experience in before I ask questions. Or I ask them stuff they should know that I already know, if they know less than me as a novice in this I'm talking to the wrong person.

 

[Tuxyu3]

To give downright wrong information (whether deliberately or simply making it up as he goes along) is downright out of order. It would not be acceptable in any other industry (motor vehicle, computers, televisions, games consoles, cooking appliances are a few that i can think of off the top of my head) so why should it be acceptable for this one? 
I accept we should give some leeway as they need to make sales to survive but that is a little like pointing an OAP looking for a small car to drive to local bingo nights towards a Ferrari and telling them it would be just perfect, though at least it that case the car is not suffering from the deal.

 

[Mikey1]

The way I read it, he was recommending the sharks to her though
 
Giving a customer misleading information to make a sale is not acceptable

 
it doesn't matter, if they have bala sharks for sale in the store, they are there to be sold, thats why they have them in the store,
 
if i go into a grocery store and buy chicken, does the store make sure i know how to cook the chicken properly before i leave? no, they dont care, as soon as i buy the chicken they dont care what i do with it even though i could die from poisoning if its not cooked properly, will they refuse to sell me the chicken because i dont know how to cook? no, its a sale and money made for them, and cooking the chicken is my own responsibility, not thiers,
 
fish stores can not make sales under certain conditions, such as, you treat the fish properly for the fishes lifetime, your tank is adequate size, your tank is properly cycled, you have the proper foods and knowledge, etc etc,
 
if that was the case they would rarely ever sell a fish and be out of business in no time,
 
 
customer "i love bala sharks, and so do my kids, i will take 6 please"
 
employee "how big is your tank?"
 
customer "30 gallons"
 
employee "tank is way too small for bala sharks"
 
 
what does this mean? it means the customer leaves the store and buys them down the street at the next store, it means a lost sale and a lost customer for the store, it means a very angry owner and possibly a fired employee, not the way to run a business,
 
don't get me wrong, i am all for treating fish well, and i do for my own, but business is business, and a sale = profit

 

[TallTree01]

I had a good experience yesterday. I was browsing through the fish when a father and son walked in. He thought I worked there.
He said " hey mate, we're here for some fish for our 80 liter. Could you help us pick some? "
After me asking about cycling he replied " yeah, we used fish food in a sock for several months "
So after thanking them for doing such a good job in setting up there tank I lead them to the livebearer section.
It was love at first sight and they asked for a trio of platies. Me not working there, this put me in a very awkward situation.
I explained to them that I was not a shop employee just a smart fish keeper. So they went off to an employee and sure enough they left with a trio of platies.
Highlight of my week.

As for blaming the employees I'd only blame them for bad advice or poorly kept fish. After all they are there to do a job.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Smart AND modest TT?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Careful, you'll give him a big ego.
 
I have a hard time blaming LFS employees any more, unless they're being purposely cruel to the fish. No one can know everything about their job, no matter what it is. These poor slobs are just trying to pay their rent and hopefully get a raise in 6 months. It's up to the customer to do research beforehand, and that's not going to happen, so I suggest gently assisting whenever you can. The LFS owners who know the most and care are being put out of business by the Big Box stores who could care less about anything but the bottom line: Profit.