Nm512, it's sad to hear a story like yours. A lot of us have been in your situation at one time or another, and for those who haven't, count your blessings.
Sedona's example is perfect. His brother did the right thing, going back to the Mercedes dealer and speaking with the sales manager to tell them that they lost a sale (and future sales) and WHY. The latter is important, and while it's a bitter pill for the dealer to swallow, if he's smart he'll learn from the experience and do better with other customers.
I don't agree that someone wanting a demo should call the manufacturer to be introduced to the local dealer and have a demo arranged. If the dealer isn't going to help you, that's his problem! Like the Mercedes dealer, he should be told after the fact that he lost a sale and why, but except for a few cases he doesn't deserve a second chance. By the same token, a little mutual respect can go a long way.
My story that dates back to around 1977 is about when I happened to be working in the area for a few weeks and decided to take the train into Chicago to visit a dealer or two I'd seen ads for in some of the high end publications. One of them carried most of the stuff you would see mentioned, and on that Saturday in the summertime there turned out to be a fair number of customers in the store. The memorable moment came when one of the salesmen, dressed in a WHITE SUIT, walked over to where several of us were standing around and loudly proclaimed, "anybody who's here to A/B preamps today might as well forget it" and marched back to whatever he was doing.
As it turned out I did get a chance to audition some gear that day and gather some literature, but that day will always stand out in my mind as a bad experience.
Conversely, I had some wonderful experiences back then with Mel Hodes and John Thomas of Perfectionist Audio, a home based dealer in central Pennsylvania who's long gone. These guys had killer stuff, and they demo'd the stuff in an unpretentious manner: Dayton Wright, Quad, Magneplanar, Dunlap Clarke, Audio Research, and the list goes on and on. To this day I vividly remember leaving John Thomas's home in total awe after experiencing his Tympani IIIA's triamped with ARC tube gear. WOW! More than anything, it was Mel and John's sincere approach as music lovers and audiophiles that made a lasting impression and served as an inspiration for what a high end dealer should strive for. Since I now wear the hat of a dealer as a home based dealer in my spare time, I have a good example to live up to.
Brian
Sedona's example is perfect. His brother did the right thing, going back to the Mercedes dealer and speaking with the sales manager to tell them that they lost a sale (and future sales) and WHY. The latter is important, and while it's a bitter pill for the dealer to swallow, if he's smart he'll learn from the experience and do better with other customers.
I don't agree that someone wanting a demo should call the manufacturer to be introduced to the local dealer and have a demo arranged. If the dealer isn't going to help you, that's his problem! Like the Mercedes dealer, he should be told after the fact that he lost a sale and why, but except for a few cases he doesn't deserve a second chance. By the same token, a little mutual respect can go a long way.
My story that dates back to around 1977 is about when I happened to be working in the area for a few weeks and decided to take the train into Chicago to visit a dealer or two I'd seen ads for in some of the high end publications. One of them carried most of the stuff you would see mentioned, and on that Saturday in the summertime there turned out to be a fair number of customers in the store. The memorable moment came when one of the salesmen, dressed in a WHITE SUIT, walked over to where several of us were standing around and loudly proclaimed, "anybody who's here to A/B preamps today might as well forget it" and marched back to whatever he was doing.
As it turned out I did get a chance to audition some gear that day and gather some literature, but that day will always stand out in my mind as a bad experience.
Conversely, I had some wonderful experiences back then with Mel Hodes and John Thomas of Perfectionist Audio, a home based dealer in central Pennsylvania who's long gone. These guys had killer stuff, and they demo'd the stuff in an unpretentious manner: Dayton Wright, Quad, Magneplanar, Dunlap Clarke, Audio Research, and the list goes on and on. To this day I vividly remember leaving John Thomas's home in total awe after experiencing his Tympani IIIA's triamped with ARC tube gear. WOW! More than anything, it was Mel and John's sincere approach as music lovers and audiophiles that made a lasting impression and served as an inspiration for what a high end dealer should strive for. Since I now wear the hat of a dealer as a home based dealer in my spare time, I have a good example to live up to.
Brian