Today's experience at Funan


thatnikon said:
to some, price is king

Especially to poor students like myself. $10 saving can mean 1 week of lunch money :3
 

Well price is always king in all instances. I mean... come on people, be realistic, it is not as if anyone of you wanted to start a relationship with the shopkeeper or staff or salesperson. You just wanted an item or a piece of equipment, so why buy from someone with fabulous service, but charges more than some shop that heck care about you, yet charge you cheaper?
 

If you are not in a hurry to get the step-up ring, you can order via eBay. I got mine 62-77 for around $2.50 only.
 

rhino123 said:
Well price is always king in all instances. I mean... come on people, be realistic, it is not as if anyone of you wanted to start a relationship with the shopkeeper or staff or salesperson. You just wanted an item or a piece of equipment, so why buy from someone with fabulous service, but charges more than some shop that heck care about you, yet charge you cheaper?

Well if the difference is just by a few dollars, which is usually the case, then why not reward the more customer friendly salesman? :)
 

Well price is always king in all instances. I mean... come on people, be realistic, it is not as if anyone of you wanted to start a relationship with the shopkeeper or staff or salesperson. You just wanted an item or a piece of equipment, so why buy from someone with fabulous service, but charges more than some shop that heck care about you, yet charge you cheaper?
you can always buy from vending machine. :-)


customers service is very important to most people, many people are so willing to pay more for the good customers service if you did not notice. just take a look things and services around you, if low price is the main factor, there won't be so much luxury or premium products and services exist.
 

Good to sharing Bally become badly :D
 

No no no.

Their price is only Queen.

My money is the real King.

Good service is concubines.

Many kings love their concubines more than the queen.
 

you can always buy from vending machine. :-)


customers service is very important to most people, many people are so willing to pay more for the good customers service if you did not notice. just take a look things and services around you, if low price is the main factor, there won't be so much luxury or premium products and services exist.

I can and I will if there is a vending machine out there that dispense cameras and camera equipment :)

I mean, what type of service people wanted? They wanted a piece of equipment, they read the reviews, then they do some homework, and finally go to the shops and get the equipment that is cheapest (comparing the same brand and type of equipment). What more do they want? Someone who suck up to them, treat them like god and worship the steps that they took?

Come on. For an expensive piece of equipment, do you really wanted to go into a shop without knowing nuts about the thing you wanted to buy, then asked around and hoping that the friendly salesperson would advise you and that their advises are actually sound?

And yes... there are people out there who would pay more for the services (something that I couldn't understand). For me (in my opinion). If I wanted something, I would go to the shop that quote me the least, ask if they have stock, and if they have, took the equipment, tested it, okay, buy it. Not okay, just walk out of the shop and go to the next shop. Thats it.

What more service do you want? Go into the shop, chat with the salesperson on how sucky the weather is these few days, look at all their product, get those products out and play with them, then walk out without buying anything?
 

I can and I will if there is a vending machine out there that dispense cameras and camera equipment :)

I mean, what type of service people wanted? They wanted a piece of equipment, they read the reviews, then they do some homework, and finally go to the shops and get the equipment that is cheapest (comparing the same brand and type of equipment). What more do they want? Someone who suck up to them, treat them like god and worship the steps that they took?

Come on. For an expensive piece of equipment, do you really wanted to go into a shop without knowing nuts about the thing you wanted to buy, then asked around and hoping that the friendly salesperson would advise you and that their advises are actually sound?

And yes... there are people out there who would pay more for the services (something that I couldn't understand). For me (in my opinion). If I wanted something, I would go to the shop that quote me the least, ask if they have stock, and if they have, took the equipment, tested it, okay, buy it. Not okay, just walk out of the shop and go to the next shop. Thats it.

What more service do you want? Go into the shop, chat with the salesperson on how sucky the weather is these few days, look at all their product, get those products out and play with them, then walk out without buying anything?
there is this thing call "personal touch", it is not inside the package box, but it will add value to the service and product they are selling.

customers are very happy to pay a premium for these.


You won't get this from pasar malam, $2 stores, but why are there so many other shops selling the similar things at double or triple the price and yet still able to have so many customers? go figure.
 

the same thing also happen to professional photographers,

why some customers go back to the same photographer again and again?

why don't they just go to find some cheap and good photographers?

is no longer about the price, no longer about the photos.

so what makes them go back to the some photographer?
 

Service is not worship people like god or talk about weather. That is a very shallow way to view people in this industry. Service is human relations and a communication skills. It is also respecting others and helping others.

Recently I went to buy a SB910. Went to Alan Photo, asked the price, 599. Salesman face black black so I decide not to buy from him.

Walked to J316. Samuel say brother long time no see with a big smile, asked about my current job, my previous job (how the heck he remember I don't even know), my photogr friend he also remember. Did he worship anyone? No, he was just friendly, courteous and respectful to his clients and he make a point to add a personal touch by memorizing whatever conservation he exchanged with clients from like 5 years ago. Just like hotels do also.

Ask his SB910 how much, he say brother for you is 599.

Both shop same price, buy where?

Engineers spend years studying and researching and getting expert knowledge. But sales people get pay higher, always higher.

People commonly think sales people are just doing lip service and conning people to buy, people also think service staff is just going recitting a service script. That was in the 70s/80s. If right brain industry had moved 50 years, what makes anyone think left brain industries are stagnant?

Was at Four Seasons hotel to set up photo booth and instant print. Asked hotel manager for table and chair and power point. His mannerism and friendliness to me, a common sweating photographer, is like as though as I am a VVIP. The best part was that I think he is really sincere about it. I thank him and before I could finish my thanx he said he wished he could had helped me more but he is not familar with my stuff. Did I pay him money? Did I pay Four Seasons money? No, its an image they keep and its that image that brings in sales and progress.

The art of communication transit to personal life and happiness too.
 

rhino123 said:
Well price is always king in all instances. I mean... come on people, be realistic, it is not as if anyone of you wanted to start a relationship with the shopkeeper or staff or salesperson. You just wanted an item or a piece of equipment, so why buy from someone with fabulous service, but charges more than some shop that heck care about you, yet charge you cheaper?

Agree 110%)
 

Service is not worship people like god or talk about weather. That is a very shallow way to view people in this industry. Service is human relations and a communication skills. It is also respecting others and helping others.

Recently I went to buy a SB910. Went to Alan Photo, asked the price, 599. Salesman face black black so I decide not to buy from him.

Walked to J316. Samuel say brother long time no see with a big smile, asked about my current job, my previous job (how the heck he remember I don't even know), my photogr friend he also remember. Did he worship anyone? No, he was just friendly, courteous and respectful to his clients and he make a point to add a personal touch by memorizing whatever conservation he exchanged with clients from like 5 years ago. Just like hotels do also.

Ask his SB910 how much, he say brother for you is 599.

Both shop same price, buy where?

Engineers spend years studying and researching and getting expert knowledge. But sales people get pay higher, always higher.

People commonly think sales people are just doing lip service and conning people to buy, people also think service staff is just going recitting a service script. That was in the 70s/80s. If right brain industry had moved 50 years, what makes anyone think left brain industries are stagnant?

Was at Four Seasons hotel to set up photo booth and instant print. Asked hotel manager for table and chair and power point. His mannerism and friendliness to me, a common sweating photographer, is like as though as I am a VVIP. The best part was that I think he is really sincere about it. I thank him and before I could finish my thanx he said he wished he could had helped me more but he is not familar with my stuff. Did I pay him money? Did I pay Four Seasons money? No, its an image they keep and its that image that brings in sales and progress.

The art of communication transit to personal life and happiness too.

Well... I tend to agree with you on most instances (as well as what Catchlight had mentioned), however what I really don't get it is this. You are going to a shop to buy a piece of equipment, say a SB910. Normally we would sent in a few quotation requests via email or phonecalls. Then after receiving these quotations we look through and see which one is the cheapest and which one had stocks. Then we go into the shop, ask for the equipment, buy it and get out of the shops.

Is going into a shop where people greeted you warmly immediately that important? I hardly think so.

I have my share of people don't really treating me that well... or heck care about my existence and would rather suck up to tourists, but seriously, I don't think that matter much, as long as the salespersons would move his/her ass to their storeroom, get the stuff I wanted, charge me the price they quote and that is fine. I mean, what more to I want?

And yes, you can feel damn high about people giving you great services, ask you about your job, give you 'friendly' advises, and stuff, but seriously, as a professional photographer who are already in the line, I would tend to think that you should know your stuff well already, so what other advises could they give you?

And talking about the personal touch, what personal touch? I want a product, I find the cheapest available, I get the product and walk out the shop.

Of course there are people who would pay a premium price for services that make them feel good. But there are also people like me who would rather get something that is cheap (and service person heck care about me). I mean... at the end of the day, both the person who would pay a premium price and myself who go for a shop that had almost no service would go home with practically the same product, onl;y my cost alot or abit less.

And as for the S$2 shop example, well... like I say, I would get from there... and I am sure many would too, rather than go to some shops with fabulous services, people with smiling faces, etc but selling the same items that is a couple of times more expensive. Of course there are needs and wants for these services, that is why they are still surviving... and likewise there are needs and wants for the S$2 shop that is also why they are surviving in this industry.

As for Catchlight example on the photography industry whereby people would go for expensive photographer (but had good service) rather than cheap but good photographer... well, that is a different case all together, why?

How could you perform (say pose for your wedding photo) when the cheap but good photographer are barking at you at all angles? so for that example, being a photographer with good services is part of the package, but this cannot be translated into the sales of equipment (say a camera, a flash, etc) whereby, in my opinion, all services are not necessary, except for honesty.
 

Well... I tend to agree with you on most instances (as well as what Catchlight had mentioned), however what I really don't get it is this. You are going to a shop to buy a piece of equipment, say a SB910. Normally we would sent in a few quotation requests via email or phonecalls. Then after receiving these quotations we look through and see which one is the cheapest and which one had stocks. Then we go into the shop, ask for the equipment, buy it and get out of the shops.

Is going into a shop where people greeted you warmly immediately that important? I hardly think so.

I have my share of people don't really treating me that well... or heck care about my existence and would rather suck up to tourists, but seriously, I don't think that matter much, as long as the salespersons would move his/her ass to their storeroom, get the stuff I wanted, charge me the price they quote and that is fine. I mean, what more to I want?

And yes, you can feel damn high about people giving you great services, ask you about your job, give you 'friendly' advises, and stuff, but seriously, as a professional photographer who are already in the line, I would tend to think that you should know your stuff well already, so what other advises could they give you?

And talking about the personal touch, what personal touch? I want a product, I find the cheapest available, I get the product and walk out the shop.

Of course there are people who would pay a premium price for services that make them feel good. But there are also people like me who would rather get something that is cheap (and service person heck care about me). I mean... at the end of the day, both the person who would pay a premium price and myself who go for a shop that had almost no service would go home with practically the same product, onl;y my cost alot or abit less.

And as for the S$2 shop example, well... like I say, I would get from there... and I am sure many would too, rather than go to some shops with fabulous services, people with smiling faces, etc but selling the same items that is a couple of times more expensive. Of course there are needs and wants for these services, that is why they are still surviving... and likewise there are needs and wants for the S$2 shop that is also why they are surviving in this industry.

As for Catchlight example on the photography industry whereby people would go for expensive photographer (but had good service) rather than cheap but good photographer... well, that is a different case all together, why?

How could you perform (say pose for your wedding photo) when the cheap but good photographer are barking at you at all angles? so for that example, being a photographer with good services is part of the package, but this cannot be translated into the sales of equipment (say a camera, a flash, etc) whereby, in my opinion, all services are not necessary, except for honesty.

In Japan, prices are the same so the shops with the best services get the most customers, in Singapore things are very different as different shop has different prices, but there is also reason why people want to build bond with the sales person, if you talk about benefit, yes there is, I remember when the Nikon 24-120 was 1st launched, it was sold out everywhere and I did not reserved it in any shops, but I just casually walk into TK & David just suddenly take out the lens, than I remember i casually talk to him about this lens, in the end I purchased the lens from him, this is services going an extra mile because David remember my conversation with him and secretly reserved the lens for me :)

And because there is people who do not care about services, they tend to walk in the shop with a black face than walk out to compare prices which may diss some sales person, just last week I was looking for the OMD battery and I was at MS color chatting with florence, there was this particular guy who just walk in asking for the OMD battery, his tone was like the sales person owe him money and than walk out, when he came back, the sales person just tell him sold out, the young chap than make a remark saying no point sellint to the guy with a black face but he rather sell it to his regular....
 

By the way, talking so much about Funan, has anyone noticed there is a new camera shop on 1st floor corner, next to Pastamania?

Anyone know anything about this shop?
 

And because there is people who do not care about services, they tend to walk in the shop with a black face than walk out to compare prices which may diss some sales person, just last week I was looking for the OMD battery and I was at MS color chatting with florence, there was this particular guy who just walk in asking for the OMD battery, his tone was like the sales person owe him money and than walk out, when he came back, the sales person just tell him sold out, the young chap than make a remark saying no point sellint to the guy with a black face but he rather sell it to his regular....

Don't care about services, doesn't means they would walk into the shop with a black face. I don't care too much about service either, I don't go into a shop with black face, or talk as if the salesperson owe me anything. I tends to be polite to everyone I talk to, even those that give me the black face. Don't be mistaken, people who don't really care about the service he/she was getting when getting a stuff, doesn't mean he/she had to give hell to the service guys, afterall everyone is just trying to make a living.
 

rhino123 said:
Don't care about services, doesn't means they would walk into the shop with a black face. I don't care too much about service either, I don't go into a shop with black face, or talk as if the salesperson owe me anything. I tends to be polite to everyone I talk to, even those that give me the black face. Don't be mistaken, people who don't really care about the service he/she was getting when getting a stuff, doesn't mean he/she had to give hell to the service guys, afterall everyone is just trying to make a living.

You may talk about yourself not showing blackface or speak politely but at the end of the day, you have a "heck care the services" attitude which will show through facial expression or body language or your speaking tone...
 

donut88 said:
By the way, talking so much about Funan, has anyone noticed there is a new camera shop on 1st floor corner, next to Pastamania?

Anyone know anything about this shop?

Capture photo? That shop has the same boss as bally, slrr, camera talk and many carrot head shops in sim lim, and it's located as what we commonly call tourist hot spot...
 

Thin line between sales service and after sales service.

If you know what you want and have done your research you just go buy from the shop that gives you best price la.it doesnt matter if they smile or not.

Though being courteous (both buyer and sellers) does make the transaction nicer.

But if the same shop is also the service center for the product that you buy then their after sales support staff have to be polite as when someone goes for servicing of their product their mind is mostly stressed that their equipment has gone faulty and tempers can fly when you have rude staff.
 

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