Very poor service from Alan Photo, Funan

[kaiflux]

I decide to upgrade to a new dslr camera on sunday and made my way to Funan IT Mall to John 3:16, only to recall that it is closed on Sundays. I chose John 3:16, because of all the good things I heard of them. I always make my purchases at Cathay Photo Marina Square, but at the time, decided to give Alan Photo a try. I walked around the mall first, as I see quite a number of people in the shop(a couple of caucasian and some filipinos most probably tourists). 10 minutes later, I walk into Alan Photo, being the only customer there as others had left. I surveyed at the displays for the camera I was looking for, unsuprisingly, I was invisible to the retail assistants who were talking among themselves. Maybe because I look young for my age, they dont feel that I was there to make purchases(but that is NO reason not to give every customer + potential buyers, the attention and welcome he deserves) I smiled at one of the retail guy(a man in his 30's to early 40's, quite big, very short hair, nearly balding, stern face) and asked to look at one of the camera. He made his way behind the counter and took the camera I asked for. He also threw me a look. So i tried the camera, asking him the price and asked if is that his best price that he quote me. He said " Ya. you go other shop also the same. If not, they tell you cheap price for the camera, then they will push other accessories for the camera at very high price.so u want or not" all the while he gave me the look, not even a smile. I made my mind that day to buy a camera, so i wont want to go home empty handed. I asked him if i could get a new set. and this was his reply " have. but you got cash or not? must prepare cash to buy" WTF?! i was really agitated at the point but told myself to be calm, make the purchase and leave. and that's what i did. The retail guy did not even thank me, I was the one who said thank you and smiled after paying him and got my receipt. btw, i did not just buy the camera, i bought other accessories with it plus none of them were discounted even with so many purchases.

Im happy with my camera purchase. The accessories I bought from them are over priced, as I checked at cathay photo after that.

I'm sharing this, not to complain, but to warn of the kind of customer service you get at some shops. and at this, im referring to Alan Photo. Im a regular at clubsnap, and i've seen so many threads regarding Alan Photo services, good or bad. Mostly bad comments i've read about. I dont really pay much attention to the threads complaining about Alan Photo.


Now that I've experience it myself, I know, I will never make any more purchases from them.
:thumbsd:

 

[TheChef]

Why did you buy in the first place? For me, the service I got from Alan Photo @ SLS is good. If no good, I just take the lift to 6th floor and buy from OP. :bsmilie:

 

[lloh108]

If you are not getting the service, why buy? If I were you, I will not put up such service and still give them business.
Go somewhere else and buy lah, CP is also near Funan.

 

[wrx_sti_22b]

So remember nxt time dun buy from them ever again loh. You made the guy's day... too bad he didn't make yours...

 

[photobugg]

I am puzzled... I would have walked out right away. You don't deserve poor services since you are paying for them.

 

[kkenji]

same bad experience i had there.

wanted to ask the price of the 50-200mm swd lens.

i felt i walked into some gangster runned shop.

went in and asked how much was the lens and the guy just said " $1530 add the 7% yourself, so want or not ? "

i was so turned off by this kinda service i just turned and left immediately.

then headed up to john 3.16.

damn good service from then !!

 

[wrx_sti_22b]

wanted to ask the price of the 50-200mm swd lens.

i felt i walked into some gangster runned shop.

went in and asked how much was the lens and the guy just said " $1530 add the 7% yourself, so want or not ? "

That is super expensive also. S$1637.10. TK Foto is S$1580 nett.

 

[CherylGlen]

i will ask him to bring out many assessories and cameras then tell him i'm just looking around hahahah! kidding!

 

[CS TAN]

I decide to upgrade to a new dslr camera on sunday and made my way to Funan IT Mall to John 3:16, only to recall that it is closed on Sundays. I chose John 3:16, because of all the good things I heard of them. I always make my purchases at Cathay Photo Marina Square, but at the time, decided to give Alan Photo a try. I walked around the mall first, as I see quite a number of people in the shop(a couple of caucasian and some filipinos most probably tourists). 10 minutes later, I walk into Alan Photo, being the only customer there as others had left. I surveyed at the displays for the camera I was looking for, unsuprisingly, I was invisible to the retail assistants who were talking among themselves. Maybe because I look young for my age, they dont feel that I was there to make purchases(but that is NO reason not to give every customer + potential buyers, the attention and welcome he deserves) I smiled at one of the retail guy(a man in his 30's to early 40's, quite big, very short hair, nearly balding, stern face) and asked to look at one of the camera. He made his way behind the counter and took the camera I asked for. He also threw me a look. So i tried the camera, asking him the price and asked if is that his best price that he quote me. He said " Ya. you go other shop also the same. If not, they tell you cheap price for the camera, then they will push other accessories for the camera at very high price.so u want or not" all the while he gave me the look, not even a smile. I made my mind that day to buy a camera, so i wont want to go home empty handed. I asked him if i could get a new set. and this was his reply " have. but you got cash or not? must prepare cash to buy" WTF?! i was really agitated at the point but told myself to be calm, make the purchase and leave. and that's what i did. The retail guy did not even thank me, I was the one who said thank you and smiled after paying him and got my receipt. btw, i did not just buy the camera, i bought other accessories with it plus none of them were discounted even with so many purchases.

Im happy with my camera purchase. The accessories I bought from them are over priced, as I checked at cathay photo after that.

I'm sharing this, not to complain, but to warn of the kind of customer service you get at some shops. and at this, im referring to Alan Photo. Im a regular at clubsnap, and i've seen so many threads regarding Alan Photo services, good or bad. Mostly bad comments i've read about. I dont really pay much attention to the threads complaining about Alan Photo.


Now that I've experience it myself, I know, I will never make any more purchases from them.
:thumbsd:

One thing seems very strange to me. You have a camera (you said upgrade) and then you said You've made up your mind you are going to buy a camera that day. Why? Why in such a hurry that you can't wait until Monday when John 3:16 opens their door since you said you read about their good service?

Since you are already pissed about their attitude, you should just walk back out and do your purchases elsewhere. By purchasing from them, you are telling them it is ok to treat you that way. You are not doing any favors to others as being treated badly and you still buy from them. What is the incentive for them to improve on their service?

 

[BlueBull]

kaiflux, when that guy asked you got cash or not, what he meant was "are you paying in cash or not", not " do you have the money to buy this camera or not".
most of these shops, be it AP, MS or others, they would give you the best quote if you pay in cash, different price if you pay with cards. Properly his stern face made his question sound more sinister than it should have. that guy you mentioned, he almost never smile. seen him around for ages, used to work at a shop on 6th floor sls selling blank dvds/cds.

miscommunication.

 

[iMac08]

not happy don't buy la...and i never buy anything without doing some research..else kanna chop also don't know...never have such prob with Cathay TK or MS

 

[crapex]

Bad service, walk out

I've walked out of AP sls when i saw the sales person trying to carrot (shall not use harsh words) some angmor customers. I knew it was a shop i'll never step in again lots of other shops out there!

 

[Ninestar]

TS,

I bought a filter from AP-Funan too. Agree on the service and attitude, its really below average but not as worst as wat i got frm MS Colour. For me, when i was getting the filter, i bargain over the price for quite some time with the salesman. Yes they may seem like "gangster", but if u really knw ur stuff. They won't "carrot" you. Ended up i got the filter at the price i wanted. No doubt, CP and John 316 are still the better ones around.

 

[batavia]

i think there are about 5-6 ppl tending to Alan Photo Funan. The boss, a lady and a skinny guy are the nicer ones, the rest like the balding guys provide bad customer service, stern face and tones, in your face sales pitch, also the Plaza Sing Complex, trying to trick you with overpriced accesories. I would choose who to attend to me when in ALan.

 

[ecargng]

Ditto, i wont purchase from them since service is that bad....

 

[jeffreyliam]

its all about the attitude / service, there is no "welcome to alan photo" nor is there a "thank you for shopping with us, please come again" - maybe that's too much to ask? But at the very least, a smile would suffice. perhaps that smile fades with ageing.:dunno:

i first bought D60 and then upgraded to D90 all at AP but thereafter, each time i go back there for other accessories or enquire about which lens and their respective features, they don't seem so "helpful" (as in "are you gonna buy or not, don't waste my time" attitude).

so i always end up at Johnny's, CP and my latest PariSilk which provide better shopping experience. even after asking them lots of newbie question and walk out, they still smile and look forward to seeing me again. i don't mind if they charge a little higher than competition.

my bad experience with AP was just yesterday :thumbsd::thumbsd::thumbsd:

 

[gabond]

AP- Funan, only buy from David. He's been recommended a few times before in clubsnap...for me he gets :thumbsup:

sometimes (and only because i check around) can be cheaper than CP and John

 

[eng_keow]

maybe it's good, especially if you are on clubsnap, to some members who to look for when you get there. I find that if I am recommended by someone and they know that person, they usually show face and give better service and even discounts.

Recently, I recommended someone to MS color. She works within the building and decided to check out the stuff. As she was not really sure what to get, she went a few times and asked for the cams to try out. She was quite pissed with the service as they ignored her over some things and did not let her try some cams as they say the items were out. In the end, she bought the same items from Courts! I was flabbergasted and told the lao ban niang about the whole issue. On another occasion, I brought my friend there and introduced her to Florence and the settled the deal the next day.

Therefore, my conclusion: if you are going to buy big ticket items, either go back to the same shop that you know the sales ppl or try to get a contact b4 you go, otherwise, be prepared to feel disappointed!

 

[waderbreak]

TS,

I bought a filter from AP-Funan too. Agree on the service and attitude, its really below average but not as worst as wat i got frm MS Colour. For me, when i was getting the filter, i bargain over the price for quite some time with the salesman. Yes they may seem like "gangster", but if u really knw ur stuff. They won't "carrot" you. Ended up i got the filter at the price i wanted. No doubt, CP and John 316 are still the better ones around.

yep... i went MS the previous weekend, all i got was this young kid and this older male chit chatting and the ladies are just bo chapping. I still wouldn't say CP is one of the better ones around, because their attitude also sometimes very inconsistent and lacklustre. (of course that will change if u buy a d3x or 5dmII with a 300f2 or something..). John, out of the lot, is the most decent one, just that sometimes they get too shorthanded and often you get left out if you don't chope someone to serve you.

I decide to upgrade to a new dslr camera on sunday and made my way to Funan IT Mall to John 3:16, only to recall that it is closed on Sundays. I chose John 3:16, because of all the good things I heard of them. I always make my purchases at Cathay Photo Marina Square, but at the time, decided to give Alan Photo a try. I walked around the mall first, as I see quite a number of people in the shop(a couple of caucasian and some filipinos most probably tourists). 10 minutes later, I walk into Alan Photo, being the only customer there as others had left. I surveyed at the displays for the camera I was looking for, unsuprisingly, I was invisible to the retail assistants who were talking among themselves. Maybe because I look young for my age, they dont feel that I was there to make purchases(but that is NO reason not to give every customer + potential buyers, the attention and welcome he deserves) I smiled at one of the retail guy(a man in his 30's to early 40's, quite big, very short hair, nearly balding, stern face) and asked to look at one of the camera. He made his way behind the counter and took the camera I asked for. He also threw me a look. So i tried the camera, asking him the price and asked if is that his best price that he quote me. He said " Ya. you go other shop also the same. If not, they tell you cheap price for the camera, then they will push other accessories for the camera at very high price.so u want or not" all the while he gave me the look, not even a smile. I made my mind that day to buy a camera, so i wont want to go home empty handed. I asked him if i could get a new set. and this was his reply " have. but you got cash or not? must prepare cash to buy" WTF?! i was really agitated at the point but told myself to be calm, make the purchase and leave. and that's what i did. The retail guy did not even thank me, I was the one who said thank you and smiled after paying him and got my receipt. btw, i did not just buy the camera, i bought other accessories with it plus none of them were discounted even with so many purchases.

Im happy with my camera purchase. The accessories I bought from them are over priced, as I checked at cathay photo after that.

I'm sharing this, not to complain, but to warn of the kind of customer service you get at some shops. and at this, im referring to Alan Photo. Im a regular at clubsnap, and i've seen so many threads regarding Alan Photo services, good or bad. Mostly bad comments i've read about. I dont really pay much attention to the threads complaining about Alan Photo.


Now that I've experience it myself, I know, I will never make any more purchases from them.
:thumbsd:

1) you need to lower your expectation of singapore camera shops. seriously. that's all i can say, regardless of whether it's CP-M or AP or JO.

2) once you see a camera shop with stern balding old men and other shop assistants chit chatting to themselves or staring out of their shop, you should just turn away. more or less chop shop. (either that you can take the risk.. if it's good then you know you've got a favourite)

3) usually old stern men working at camera shops think they know everything. maybe just not good service.

4) you can always make up your mind to buy a camera. another time. (you need to be flexible about it.. if not sure chop)

5) the 'have you got cash or not' is just rude. period. refer to 1)

6) don't expect to get discounts on freebies, especially if you're just 'expecting' them and not trying to negotiate for them at a lower price.

7) great you learnt a lesson to share with fellow clubsnappers.

 

[eng_keow]

maybe it's good, especially if you are on clubsnap, to ask some members who to look for when you get there. I find that if I am recommended by someone and they know that person, they usually show face and give better service and even discounts.

Recently, I recommended someone to MS color. She works within the building and decided to check out the stuff. As she was not really sure what to get, she went a few times and asked for the cams to try out. She was quite pissed with the service as they ignored her over some things and did not let her try some cams as they say the items were out. In the end, she bought the same items from Courts! I was flabbergasted and told the lao ban niang about the whole issue. On another occasion, I brought my friend there and introduced her to Florence and the settled the deal the next day.

Therefore, my conclusion: if you are going to buy big ticket items, either go back to the same shop that you know the sales ppl or try to get a contact b4 you go, otherwise, be prepared to feel disappointed!