Just stopped by Ted's sports in Lynnwood to get my fishing license and it all came back to me why I don't shop there. A salesman was helping a customer with waders by the door when I came in. Another was stocking shelves by the counter. I don't know his name so I will call him Richard. Richard Head. In short, Dick. Mike was doing paperwork down at the end of the counter. I walked in and went straight to the counter unfolding my old license. Dick looked up and says "got a question?" I say no, I just need a new license. He stands up and says "cash only". I say fine. He gets behind the counter and asks what I want and I tell him. He says $40 something. I throw out a $100. He gives me change. Nothing said. Fairly soon, he throws the stuff on the counter and says "there ya go". I filed through it and signed where I was supposed to and said "here is my old punch card too. He says "we don't take those anymore, haven't for a couple years". Mike says "yep". I said "I don't remember that last year, Oh well, do I mail it in? Dick says "just like it says on the front". I said OK, see ya. I meant , see ya. They could care less if I needed anything else, where I fished mostly, If I was going out for the trout opener. If they don't care, neither do I. I will continue to shop elsewhere. As you can tell, I don't get on here very much, just had to vent a little bit. It really pi$$e$ me off when I am spending money and the vendor could care less. My 2 cents.

The same reason I don't spend money at Jerry'son Broadway. No service. There's too much competition for my dollars and these outfits don't really care. They make enough off the locals to keep them going so no extra effort is needed. Fine with me. I'll spend elsewhere with no hesitation.

Yeah, ok.

You bought a license and got one.

What exactly is or was the problem?

Not like they made any money on that transaction - and in all honesty, I'd bet they *lost* money from your license. The transaction "fee" probably doesn't equal the loss of time and wages spent on your license.

Now, take that $60 in change and go spend it on some gear there. If they don't seem to care at that point, you might have a gripe. But just a license?

It's kinda like those people that buys a new reel on the internet, or FishCo, and wonder why the people at Ted's are a little "pissy" when people want line put on it.

"Here's what I didn't buy from you, but can you put $3 of line on it."

Oh, and not that it really matters, but if you can READ THIS NOW, you probably should be buying your license on the internet.....

Here's even a handy dandy link to bookmark for future use.....

WDFW On-Line Licensing

"It really pi$$e$ me off when I am spending money and the vendor could care less. My 2 cents."

So they made a dollar or two on your license sale. I bet they have sold hundreds if not a thousand licenses in the last month. Alot of them to total strangers that only buy a license. Maybe if you'd been in there enough that they remembered you (or you would know the sale clerks name) you may of had a different sales experience. Or bought $5 of other items. You can buy your license on line, no fuss at all.

I buy my licenses online now. Seems easier. Don't have to wait for the clerk or get dispapproving comments.

there are plenty of places in the south sound area who dont mind selling licenses and will put line on a reel with no snotty attitude. and sometimes they actually smile and talk about fishing, a noble concept that is lost on some i guess.

if they require that you spend a certain dollar amount to get decent service then maybe they should post a sign on the door so we know before we walk in :rolleyes:

Hi All

This has bothered me for a while and almost came to a head last year at one shop when I watched how an older gentleman was treated.

It seems to me attitudes, lack of customer service, rudeness etc is a common theme in most of the Tackle Retail business. I or my wife have shopped at most of the shops in the North King County/South Snohomish County area as well as Holiday Market in Burlington(nice people). I must say, that over the last few years we have witnessed or received a lack of or bad customer service in pretty much all of them.

As someone who has worked in sales for 15+, with a wife who has worked in customer service for 15+ years we don't get it. At a time when more of us are buying on the NET or stores like GI Joes you would think that the owners would hire knowledgeble, helpfull people who understand what customer service is. They should look at what the Pizza chains or Mcdonalds are doing. If they did instead of just a License you would most likely of walked out with tackle as well. I would love to say that we have a favorite tackle shop, that has great stock and we don't mind paying a little extra for the service but we have not found it yet. Not sure if we will.

I do know that I will be buying a few things once the new regs come out and I also know if the comments are made to me like they were to the older guy I will be comming unglue'd.

Just a comment on Parker's post.

How do you know the guy your selling the License to may not need to spend $500 on new gear if you don't be nice and ask if the person needs anything else. It's called customer service. If the seller does not understand the concept they have BIG problems. I for one have walked out of stores not spending $$ I planned on because of attitudes, lack of help etc (and I'm easy to get along with).

I go back to the Pizza chains, Mcdonald's etc. How many of us have bought Bread Sticks, Soda etc or Super-Sized on top of our order after we were asked by a nice, polite Salesperson?

For most of us, all it takes is a little politeness, common courtesy and help for us to be happy and in a lot of cases spend more $$.

Bingo!

"KK," you covered it nicely ... you don't make a sale unless you ask. A smile would be good too.
:>)

Just got a new G. Loomis Steelhead rod and Daiwa reel from Ted's as a result of the recent drawing. Nice to know that Ted's supports what goes on on this board. I did not see G.I Joe's, Sportco or any of the "Big Boys" step up and contribute. My hat is off to Mike and Joe for what they have done. Thanks for your "service".

Captain

I feel I need to step up and defend Mike Chamberlain. I was reading all of this and remembered when my 20 year old daughter was 2 years old. She came to Ted's with me on a regular basis. She wanted a piece of gum from the gum machine...probably 2 cents or 5 cents...Mike told her that dad probably didn't have anything smaller than a $100 bill....He knew that dad had lots of cash and would spend a bunch of it at Ted's...and I did. Mike always took the time to address me by name which he does today and even if he is feeling how bad retail sucks on a given day he is polite. I still have a box set up for King fishing on the Kenai...set ups tied for me by Mike. I still fish to this day with a custom rod Mike gave me since he hadn't put an eye on one of my custom rods he had promised to do for 2 years...I was obviously patient. Anytime I needed advise he gave it....any time I ask for a donation for a good cause he stepped up....every time.

The prices have never been the lowest and I know how he feels about selling licenses. I totally disagree with how they handle licenses but I understand their frustration with the WDFW system. Believe me, dealing with the retail public sucks swamp water at times. So I work too far away to visit Mike often but I do when I can because I feel they have earned my business over the years.

With all that said I will say that some of my best customers give me all their work because I am willing to do the small stuff quickly. One of my biggest jobs came from 5 years of doing the small stuff without a complaint. As a very successful sales person I am very critical of sales people. The GI Joe's kids know nothing and I understand that going in. I like Outdoor Emporium for the selection but they could learn a thing or two about appreciation of my business (and my recommendations to others)...Still wish Mike well with the new store in Seattle... Sportco in Fife is a disaster of a retail store in my mind but they have selection ...as long as you don't mind searching for it yourself. I'm sure if I lived down by Tacoma I would shop there and eventually get better service.

In conclusion I will say that if I could shop at Bob's in Longview that is where I would go. They are excited about being good at what they do. They are interested in me and my business and they have come up with creative ways to get me to spend money there. They even have a special checkout line for licenses which is where I got my last one...slick and easy and pleasant. Now I bet they sell thousands of licenses and are glad to do so.

"So they made a dollar or two on your license sale. I bet they have sold hundreds if not a thousand licenses in the last month. Alot of them to total strangers that only buy a license. Maybe if you'd been in there enough that they remembered you (or you would know the sale clerks name) you may of had a different sales experience. Or bought $5 of other items. You can buy your license on line, no fuss at all.
Jerry, I realize that they have been very busy with new licenses lately and will be for a while. I might have went and spent my $60 change if he had cared. Imagine how much more they could be selling this time of year if they were courteous and asked "is there anything else I can do for you" or "Thank you". Maybe I will make plans for my next trip to that store next year just to get a license. LOL. No wonder there was only 1 customer in the store.

You know, I'm really torn on this subject. I remember as recently as 5 years ago when someone at Ted's knew my first name. I bet I spent $2k at Ted's the first year I got back into Steelheading and the way I was treated was the reason. Now service seems so bad everywhere (not just Ted's) that I'm inclined to shop online, both to save money and not be subjected to the ignorance at a G.I. Joes, or the "Are you dumb" attitude at some of the tackle only shops. I know how to fish, and I know what I need. I'd like to see my dollars go into the local economy, instead of seeing them go to some mid-western guy who never even touches tackle, but has a nice website and has the ability to have the manufacturer direct ship to my house at no cost. Some of the pricing locally is completely out of touch with reality though. As someone that sells for a living, I can't force myself to pay the sometimes 100% Margin some of the local shops are trying to get. Every time I make a major purchase I'm willing to put my dollars into the local economy, but the local retailer needs to show me he cares and wants my business. Otherwise, a URL can treat with just as well.

Quite a few different responses on this subject. I do not shop on the internet very often. Might be a good idea. I would also have to agree that is is not just Teds. It is also not just fishing gear. Wish I had a good Barber, Doctor, Grocery store, blah, blah. Had my say. Thanks, I'm done.

When I lived up North, Ted's was my store. 15 years ago and Mike was *****in and moanin back then about retail. But, they were knowledgeable and fun folks to shop with. I will always buy locally to support the local economy and support the local government with my sales taxes.

I did stop in at Ted's a year or two ago when I was in the area. Still gave me good service and they had the right selection.

In the South end, Auburn Sports & Marine gives me the same overall feeling as Ted's. I agree with Grandpa, Sportco is not the paragon of customer service, but has a lot of stuff.

I've pretty much got three requirements for a sporting goods store...

1. They stock what I want.
2. They stay out of my way and don't bug me when I'm there to buy it.
3. I don't ask questions hardly at all, but if I do, it's nice to have someone just gimme the answer.

I once shared a smallmouth honey hole on Lake Sammamish with a store owner, in confidence for him to fish, as he had given me a deal on a rod...only to find it in Fishing and Hunting Lies the following week, quoting said store owner as saying "a local Lk. Sammamish expert" had told him about the spot, and he had fished it, and it was even better than the "expert" (me) had told him.

That's right up there with one of your buddies calling your girlfriend and asking her on a date.

Doesn't get a lot of my business anymore...

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. Mike has been very good in the past at freely loaning the store for sport group meetings after hours, and has not missed a chance to donate for raffles or auctions that I have heard of.

Big wholesale places are bad in one way, but if you know what you want already they are fine. Whats sorta creepy is most fly shops I have been in. They all seem to have the one guy... who don't work there... is always there... Is something of an ass... wants to give you his opinion.. and never buys anything. Just sort of stops in every day to talk and waste time. His time, your time, the guys who run the places time. Wants to tell you all about the great day on the upper SlapaHoh river when 30 inch browns were jumping all over size 28 gerardea fly tied by a monk in Nepal using only the pubic hair from virgins.....etc etc etc.... You don't see "that guy" at sportsmans warehouse, or any other place that has crappie jigs and night crawlers.. its a fly shop thing

SH101
I am delighted to have served such a freindly and personable individual as yourself. :rolleyes:

Hold the phone
I travel 60 Minutes to get there.
Because I know they have what I'm looking for, if they don't they UPS it to me.
They have been nice to me every time I'm there.

Gotta jump in and say that I've had nothing but good service from Teds. For instance, last year someone at a PSA meeting was showing off one of those folding wallets for flasher storage. I went to Teds and asked about them. The counter guy said that they didn't stock them, but asked me to wait a minute. He got on the phone with his distributor, and 5 minutes later let me know that they'd have them in a few days. I do shop there reasonably often, but mostly for odds and ends, I'm not a big spender or anything. I also like John's Sporting Goods in Everett and Ed's Surplus. I agree that Jerry's is kind of anoying to shop at.

My WORST license experience was at a Wal-Mart. I had some folks in from out of town, and we decided to go fishing the next day. It was pretty late in the evening, and wally world was pretty much the only option to get a license for my visitors on short notice. It took shuffling through 5 employees in the sporting goods department to find someone who said they knew how to work the licencing gizmo. Took her 15 minutes or so to figure out what information they needed and put it in the computer. Then she went to print the stickers, and the machine was out of paper. She goes to put a new roll of stickers in, but didn't know that there was a button to open the cover on the machine, so she forced it open and broke the latch. Put the new roll in, then discovered that it wouldnt print with the cover open, and couldn't close it due to the jammed latch. I stepped in and managed to remove the broken bits of latch, so it would print as long as someone held the cover closed. She finally printed the licence, and it was for freshwater, when we asked for salt. Went though 10 minutes of trying to figure out how to do a return on a licence. Called the manager, who didn't know either, so they gave us a refund from the store till in cash, and FINALLY got us the two saltwater licenses we needed. All told, it took over an hour to get two licences, just as the store as about to close.

Dan