Re: [Leica] Re: A Simple M6 Question

[Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>]

I agree in spirit and theory with your store owner's comment....BUT there 
are exceptions, and while the customer should NOT be treated rudely, 
these things are still fact.

First, there are "customers" who are a loss and a drain on the business.
In photographic retail and high-end audio, I have experienced several 
of these....they are either retired, don't work, or have a job where 
they need to "waste" time....they hang on the counter forever, and buy 
little or nothing....they ask MILLIONS of questions, usually the same 
ones over and over....if they buy at all, they buy mail order after 
"looking" for hours in your store....when and if they buy anything, 
they invariably bring it in day after day with more questions or a complaint 
or two...rendering any profit useless......in repair, they're the ones who 
find the dust spot in the lens, or the "distortion" in their home audio (of 
course, it's not measurable!!)

You know what?  Most of these folks own Leicas!!!

Now don't bother to email me a bunch of crap that defends you as "not being 
one of those....."....if you're not, then this isn't addressed to you, now 
is it?

Walt


On Fri, 5 Mar 1999 12:07:00 -0800 Joseph Codispoti 
<joecodi@thegrid.net> wrote: 
> Regarding the differences of opinion between the two parties involved in
> this incident (Glingaman vs. Gandy), I would like to offer my experience as
> a photo dealer:
> 
> Soon after leaving the Air Force, I managed a photo store in NY State. I was
> young and inexperienced in the business of retail sales. In the three years
> with the company I learned much about
> public relations.
> What is still etched in my mind are the words with which the owner of the
> store would close every Monday morning's staff meeting:
> "The customer is never an interruption of our work. The customer is the very
> purpose of it."
> 
> Joseph Codispoti
>