2. misc-audio
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Aggressive know it all salesman

Why is it that of all the things I have ever bought - fast cars, nice watches, nice clothese, good food - it is the audio salesman that is the snootiest know it all snob of the lot.
I don't adertise my knowledge of audio, which whilst not encyclopeadic, is not that of an idiot either. I recall calling up one supplier to just ask about a pulley for a turntable, and before you know it I got lectured about why DC motors are better than AC. I ended it saying that: I have an ongoing project; a very good battery powered DC turntable as well; two superb DC direct drives, and an idler drive project on the go.
This isn't something to level at all people in audio, I found the guys from Absolute Sounds i nthe UK very approachable and enthusiastic - they weren't the 'audio snobs' I either feared or expected. Likewise it is lamentable that Les Wongs Walrus Systems is now defunct. But we all know the dealers and suppliers out there that are such idiots - bit like the 'haughty' french waiters of yesteryear.
When I want to buy something specific, or if I was just enquiring I really do not expect, nor appreciate being spoken to like an idiot or a child, nor do I think it helps the industry when the people in sales think that you almost hae to be part of a kind of 'in the know club'.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this
lohanimal
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
Because the average audiophile customer is so poorly informed.  For a high end sports car, the customer is usually a "car guy."

I deal with know it all audiophile salesmen by asking them where they got their engineering degree.

If they have a good comeback about not needing one, I ask about their degrees in bioacoustics.
lohanimal OP
659 posts
 
Hi randy - that's a good one.
When I have spoken to both American and German Manufacturers - they are nothing but friendly, helpful, and amazingly enthusiastic.
I know that it takes all sorts, but it may well be a bigger problem in the UK. Or is it just me being grass being greener on the other side?
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,774 posts
 
No need to fear any salesman. After all, they are a salesman...
dbtom2
382 posts
 
@jafant 

One of my first bosses told me something I've never forgot:

Sales is a truly noble profession. Without them, there would be many, many fewer jobs.
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
You said speaking to both American and German Manufacturers, but I think most people here are discussing salesmen in retail shops.

Any good manf. will be chock full of engineers, hopefully analog EE's, digital ones, etc. and not an overload of manufacturing engineers (those are the ones who take decent products and make them cheaply). Tho that is not always a bad thing -- look at Oppo, which makes high quality disc players.  I think only part of the prices they have is Chinese manf'ing.  Some of it must be good circuit design maybe from their Silicon Valley stronghold.

But it will be a rare thing to find an engineer in a retail shop, nor should you expect that.  The costs would be too high.  OTOH, a retail shop worker should understand the need for A/B testing and for blind tests -- but few do.
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