I wasn't "One of the boys"

[rrich]

I have encountered that type of attitude on occasion. However, more recently I have found that if you start the conversation with, "Would you help me with this problem?" Attitudes are usually left in the break room.

[peter_sm]

It was a P****Tec Trade outlet.

Did you go to the Reece trade desk .....

[peter_sm]

Interestingly I have been to a plasterboard trade outlet, and they were more than helpful. They supplied me with all the correct stuff.

[rileyp]

Hey Warburtons used to be in South Melbourne and I found them most friendly and extremely helpful!
Where are they now?
Oh and Ive been to Reece in your area and found the same poor treatment as I'm a sparky not a plumber.( I went in their 10 years ago and haven't been back...)
Tradelink or Mcanns in North Geelong both are excellent!
Problem with trade outlets aka Reece is this they sell 1 - 2 million $$ worth of stuff a year to 2 or 3 contractors and anything else is just filling in the time...
They would much rather fill in there time with someone who knows what to order than with some wanna be plumber and they get frustrated easily.
The thing is they can take an order for maybe 50 -60 individual different items over the phone from a tradey that knows what to ask for worth 5-10 grand in the same amount of time they can take your order for 2 lengths of 65mm zinc down pipe with 4X85 degree off sets.
And so they feel they are pissing in the wind so to speak because what happens to them is this.
You buy the stuff you take it home you only use half of it and then you take the rest back for a cash refund and they wish they never met you in the first place.
I'm not in anyway condoning their bad behavior as its just plain rude.I do understand their frustration though.
Its no different to my feeling when they send the wrong stuff to site and I have to call them and say I ordered bends not elbows and I even gave you the part no.!!!!!!!!!!
When I go into trade outlets these days that are not of my trade I go in and announce I'm a Saturday morning customer (better known as idiots day)and ask who would like to help me?
From that point on they are usually pretty good and are happy to help.
If I do go in on Saturday I ask how they managed to draw the short straw and they smile as its idiots day.
I just need the thingmajig that goes on the end of the long thing...
Warburtons is a engineering supplier with excellent staff and support for their customers.They used to be in South Melbourne near the blood bank...
I alway wondered what happened to them as I would gladly pay a little more to get the help they provide as the help you get from bunnies isn't usually the help you generally want as the tradeys they employ are usually pretty crappy... couldn't make a dollar in the trade and so they go work in bunnnies...
When I go into bunnies sometimes I listen to them talk to customers innocently while I choose what I'm after and its sad the ???? they tell them...some times so sad I go get what the customer is after and hand it to them and the bunny tradey goes yeah I just about to suggest that.
Yeah right if you had any real trade experience.
my 2 cents
I'm spent
cheers Rileyp

[Ian Wells]

found this thought it was relevant

[prozac]

I have to give the staff at REECE PLUMBING in Brookvale (near Manly) full marks for patience, helpfulness and courtesy. I have been doing renos of late and buying lots of copper pipe and fittings, waste pipes and fittings etc. When I don't know the exact name for something they go and fetch a couple of similar items and ask which one I need, and then tell me what it is and if I can get a cheaper one or one that will last longer. I have not had attitude from any of them. To top it off they suggested I open an account and the more I buy the cheaper it gets!

prozac