Bad experience with Alan Photo-Funan

[Aidil Omar]

Just called Alan-Funan to find out about the price of Nikkor 50 f1.8 lens...
This is how the conversation went.
Me: Hi, just called to find out about the 50 f1.8 lens.
AP-F: Its 18......erm 195$.
Me: Has the price increased? Its mentioned in clubsnap that you were selling it for 175 earlier
AP-F: YOU GO AND BUY FROM CLUBSNAP!!!! *Hung up*

What a effing rude guy! Anyone else had similar experience?

Alan Photo has no salesmanship or customer service of whatsoever. If I were the shop manager, I'd sack the bugger who responded with such vehemence to a customer query. But wait.. maybe that was the manager? LOL!

 

[rueyloon]

They have good salesman and bad salesman.

It's a pity their bad salesman is pulling down their reputation and wasting the good service given by their other colleagues.

 

[Aidil Omar]

Alan Photo badly needs to send their staff for sales training in my opinion. It should be included with interpersonal skills with GST (Greet, Smile, Thank) attitude. This is the 21st century- not a time where people can sell their wares thru intimidation, arrogance or hawker-style like panache. Selling is an art of persuasion- to listen to the prospective client, understand their need, build the trust and friendliness, add value to your proposition and close the deal. If an ill-trained salesman thinks he can survive in modern environment where customer service is the norm, he is misinformed and misguided. These days, customer service is VERY important. It build sales and reputation. Ill-service also build reputation of the ill-kind and dwindling sales.

Much to be earned with good customer service and salesmanship. Camera products are sold everywhere in almost similar selling price. Question is- where would you buy them and why. Most customers do not mind paying a bit more if your service is legendary. I do not mind either.

 

[nikkie]

The margins for lenses are very thin and the shop rental in S'pore is unreasonably high.
every tom, dick, harry goes to your shop and expects the lowest price.
And the market is not that big really. It saturates very fast.
It's a matter of time before you close shop isn't it?

The rest of us who doesn't run a business will naturally not have to think about such issues.
But if you own a small biz and every calls in saying some where out there, there's a better price.
It's also a matter of time before you ask that customer to go buy from that hearsay source.

Let the guy earn a bit more and so that he can have his salary and lunch. Afterall it's not a capital good and the price is already 'ok' upfront.
After he has his money lunch, he'll surely be nice to you la...

 

[maxtheevil]

The margins for lenses are very thin and the shop rental in S'pore is unreasonably high.
every tom, dick, harry goes to your shop and expects the lowest price.
And the market is not that big really. It saturates very fast.
It's a matter of time before you close shop isn't it?

The rest of us who doesn't run a business will naturally not have to think about such issues.
But if you own a small biz and every calls in saying some where out there, there's a better price.
It's also a matter of time before you ask that customer to go buy from that hearsay source.

Let the guy earn a bit more and so that he can have his salary and lunch. Afterall it's not a capital good and the price is already 'ok' upfront.
After he has his money lunch, he'll surely be nice to you la...

haha, if u are like that, then, u better don't be in trading line...

no value add, somemore want to direct people to other sources...

how to grow?

 

[maxtheevil]

The margins for lenses are very thin and the shop rental in S'pore is unreasonably high.
every tom, dick, harry goes to your shop and expects the lowest price.
And the market is not that big really. It saturates very fast.
It's a matter of time before you close shop isn't it?

The rest of us who doesn't run a business will naturally not have to think about such issues.
But if you own a small biz and every calls in saying some where out there, there's a better price.
It's also a matter of time before you ask that customer to go buy from that hearsay source.

Let the guy earn a bit more and so that he can have his salary and lunch. Afterall it's not a capital good and the price is already 'ok' upfront.
After he has his money lunch, he'll surely be nice to you la...

and the profit margin is not thin...

i am in trading too...

please, if the margin is thin, why would we be in trading...

 

[Octarine]

These days, customer service is VERY important. It build sales and reputation. Ill-service also build reputation of the ill-kind and dwindling sales.

Only these days?
A black smith of past ages would get anything but money if he trows his horseshoes at the future users and takes the phrase "sell as long as they are hot" too literally. The sales men attitude of weighing customer whether they are worth the offered goods is something only a very few manufacturers of luxury items or some banks can afford - smells a bit feudal to me. For commodity services and goods it is practically suicidal to do so. Search me what makes the AP sales man straying into that swamp.