ESP2009:mikeinbrum:
I got put off going to Richer Sounds when I nipped into their Birmingham branch one day to pick up a run of speaker wire.... they stripped the wire in front of me..... using their teeth.
I was less than impressed.
Well, it sure impresses me! I wish I was that rough, tough and macho!
I've not been to the Birmingham branch in more years than I care to think about, but have to admit that if you know what you want (and haven't been cheeky enough to have a demo elsewhere before going for the cheaper RS supply), they used to be great. That said, my last hi-fi purchases were all from other suppliers who
did provide proper demo services and were willing to spend time with me.
As with anything else, it's 'horses for courses'. Don't be too hard on them; I recently wandered into our local Sony Centre in the vain hope they might have the elusive DA-2400ES at a good price, only to be approached by a minion whose opening gambit was "any particular size?" I hope he was referring to the HD TVs I was walking past on my way to the anonymous and unglamorous black boxes at the rear. Didn't encourage me to hang around, particularly when I reeled off the item's details and got a blank look, followed by a careless "don't think we have them in stock, but could probably order one if you give us your details" response.
Box shifters - hah!
I'm sorry you got such careless service in a Sony Centre. Its something you shouldn't be seeing in a Sony Centre and Sony are really putting the pressure on the companies that run Sony Centres at the moment to ensure that they create the right sort of buying experience for the customer, with the expert advice and high levels of customer service that every customer has a right to expect from an associate store. Box shifting is a long way from what Sony themselves, and most of the people running and working in Sony Centres, expect and want to aim for.