Have you ever been turned off by an Arrogant Dealer? Thoughts

My former Dealer Bob Spence was great. He really made you feel right at home. He would give me long demos and bought things from him time and time again. He also educated me along the way in audio. We have even had listening sessions at each other's houses. He was old school.  Did lots of business. I referred lots of clients to him. That's the way it was supposed to be. 

I always have a way of dealing with arrogant and people that thinks their crap don't stink. I will yell at their face right in the store in front of all the customers where the arrogant people will just shut up, surprised and end up listening to you, then at the end I always the one that's right and they're wrong and 99.99% of the time they beg to apologize to me. As a customer no one wins over me.

The place I go to has greeted me like a friend. I walk in they give me a hard time with a smile and will put on music in one of their rooms just for me to listen to. I once was asking about buying a subwoofer and told him what for. He said go right to the -------- dealer they are having a great sale online, I can’t beat it. The cash was in my hand. Over the years I have spend a few k there. Sometimes they have what I need or they think I like, sometimes they don’t and direct me elsewhere. Always have the policy of take it home and listen to it first, then come back and tell us what you think. Went through 3 choices of speakers one time, bought the last onces which were what he thought I might like with the electronics I have. Even when I thought I liked something but it just wasn't right or I was hedging, they said don't spend the money if it isn't right. Superb place, they want you happy. Happy customers return.

Thankfully over the past decades I've had a lot more positive experiences than negative, so have relegated the names of the jerks to the mental dustbin.  Dealers who were more than helpful (even when I was a high schooler and college kid with little to spend) were Jonas Miller, Havens & Hardesty, Middleton, White and Kemp, and of course Neil Sinclair and Evelyn at the original Absolute Audio in Santa Ana.  These days I consider Mike at Excel Audio (Newport Beach) to be my "go-to" dealer, and have made two (for me) major purchases from him in the past year.

My second week open at my high-end store (1974--South Florida) a young man walked in with no shoes, no shirt, cut-offs, and really long, stringy blonde hair.

Surfer, I thought, but hey, I was only open two weeks, so what the heck?

He bought the most expensive Audio Research and Magneplaners in the store, along with a Trinitron TV (remember them?) and a Thornes TT, SME arm, and Supex cartridge.  He ordered a Nakamichi, which was not out yet.

He then went to his car and came in with a suitcase of cash.

SO, I learned very early that, one, never discount a customer over appearance, and two, NEVER ask a customer what they do for a living.

In those days in South Florida, and thoughout the 1980's, we had MANY cash transactions from people one may not think on first look could make those purchases.

Now, the man I sold the business to had two rules:  treat customers like crap, and if they don't squeal at the price, double it.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess...