Ever feel like a "low dollar" customer that your dealer doesn't think worth their time?

Boy I miss the Tech HiFi back in the day....and also Spearit Sound in Boston....those were the days....

Let me add examples of my experience, and I'll tell you, how I am treated by a business means whether or not they get my money.
When I call Vintage tube services and talk directly to Andy or I call Brent Jesse Audio recording and speak to Brent (both NOS tube retailers) they take their time with me. They are polite and very helpful. They both are happy to answer all my questions so I can make an informed decision and that is why I continue to give them my money.
When I called a speaker manufacturer, here in the U.S., about some upgrades that he offers to the speakers they sell I spoke to the owner and I was treated like he couldn't be bothered. His attitude was horrible. It was his product, you would think he would be proud to discuss any questions I had about them. I can't imagine wanting people to buy my products and me treating them like that.
What he didn't know was, I was asking because I was planning on buying a pair of speakers further up the line from the ones I already owned, from his company. My plan was to give my current speakers to my nephew.
I'm glad that the speakers I was going to hand down were purchased used, and because of how he treated me, I will never give his company a dime of my money regardless of how many tweeters his speakers have!
Moral of the story is you never know who you're talking to and what means they have. So when you mistreat people you may never find out.

John

@fdroadrunner I love your story. Especially in the age of the internet, you can never know the difference between a "local" and "regular." It makes sense this happened in Omaha, where I’d expect people to be nicer than they might be in, say, New York (where I’m from, so I know). But as MillerCarbon points out, money can change even nice Seattle folks into keepers of dens of privilege.

@Rushfan71 I have also had good dealings with Brent Jessee about tubes and was surprised to get a nice notes back quickly from Don Sachs, Kara at DeHavilland, Quicksilver, and Vandersteen himself. Some of these sell direct, so you can almost expect that direct response (still, they deserve credit). Others sell through dealers and yet there they are — keeping friendly dialogue going. These folks all know that the audio community is not *that* large, that these are often passed down, and that folks talk to one another.

Back in 1977 I went to Lyric HiFi in NYC to buy a Dynavector 20B mc cartridge. I wasn't allowed into the store! I had to wait in the foyer while the cartridge was brought to me (factory-sealed) and I paid with cash! That was my first visit to Lyric (run by Mike Kay). My second visit several years later was even worse (posted a few years ago)! 

As a former owner of audio stores, I can vouch for the absolute stupidity of some in the business of audio retail.
Not only for the rudeness stand point, but the total dismissal of future business because your nose is in the stratosphere while your brain is in a tire rut, is certifiable lunacy.