Is RadioShack that confused?

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haklesup
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by haklesup »

Can you imagine what the prices would be if RS hired qualified technicians or Engineers for sales positions or if HD hired journeyman level carpenters to sell you nails. You would get great service but at an unacceptable price. Most of these jobs necessarily go to people with no more than a high school diploma. When people like us go there, we generally already know what we want.

Personally I'm just glad they stopped asking for name, address and phone number. I always said "you don't need all that to ring up a cash sale, I already get your catalogs and flyers" Funny, I don't see much advertizing from them anymore except during Christmas and not so much last year.

In any case, RS seems to make most of their revinue from non component sales of toys, phones, radios and batteries. Online catalog sales really have changed the face of retail, particularly for components.
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

haklesup wrote:Can you imagine what the prices would be if RS hired qualified technicians or Engineers for sales positions or if HD hired journeyman level carpenters to sell you nails. You would get great service but at an unacceptable price. Most of these jobs necessarily go to people with no more than a high school diploma. When people like us go there, we generally already know what we want.
Wrong. Good customer service, or any retail experience, has
nothing to do with formal education. Hiring "well qualified"
sales associates will actually reduce store revenue and make
these places less attractive to visit.

Imagine if the RS associate whipped out a calculator and "corrected"
your project? Or, chewed your ear off with a MRAL length diatribe?

Retail profits and store longevity has more to do with timing metrix
and keeping "average performer associates" focused than any
technical skills.

Why do you suppose the leadership positions in all profitable companies
are dominated by sales career people, and not PhD engineers?
(Yes, there are exceptions).

Who do you work for? Sales or a Techie? What about her boss?
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CeaSaR
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by CeaSaR »

As far as Radio Shack goes, the best service I had in any of their stores was
in the independently owned store that used to be a Lafayette store (RIP). They
had a repair facility upstairs and the techs were more than willing to help with
any project you might have had. The corporate store just down the road from
there had people who could give general advice on stereos and speakers, but
they didn't have much of an idea on how to fix or build things. They were the
type that said:

Use that receiver, tape deck, "record player" (not phonograph :roll: ), these
speakers, oh, and you'll need some of these wires. Will that be cash or credit?

Fine, if that's what you need, but the hobbyist got left in the dust. And after
the independent store closed, leaving only the corporate store, the sales people
at the corporate store turned over many times, leaving hardly anyone in charge
that knew product or stock. Heck, I knew more about where their product was
placed on the pegboard than the manager!

Radio Shack is definitely a different beast than what it used to be. I guess that's
the price we pay for living in a disposable society.

Sigh.

CeaSaR
Hey, what do I know?
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philba
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by philba »

Or, chewed your ear off with a MRAL length diatribe?
That's uncalled for. Why go out of the way to get slap in?
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MrAl
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by MrAl »

Bigglez wrote:
Imagine if the RS associate whipped out a calculator and "corrected"
your project? Or, chewed your ear off with a MRAL length diatribe?
Bigglez i noticed some of your recent replies have been pretty long too :smile:


I went to RS yesterday again and offered to put a down payment to order me something
and they replied, "We dont take down payments".

Robert:
Yes those little circuit boards are pretty nice. I pick up a few now and then too.
I did clear the rack once too but this last time i just picked up two and left one
there in case anyone else wanted one :smile:
LEDs vs Bulbs, LEDs are winning.
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

philba wrote:That's uncalled for. Why go out of the way to get slap in?
Took me a while to figger your act, filber:
You're always rooting for the underdog.

When that was me you'd PM advice. Now I'm on the
sharp end of your tounge. Too much time on your hands?
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

MrAl wrote: Bigglez i noticed some of your recent replies have been pretty long too
Great! I thought you weren't paying attention...
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

MrAl wrote: Bigglez i noticed some of your recent replies have been pretty long too
Hmm... Let's see. Did some number crunching during lunch today.
For the month of March 2009:

Code: Select all

Poster   Total Posts   Post/Day  Total Words   Average Words/Post
MRAL     64            2.06      12,557        196
Bigglez  80            2.58      12,989        162
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

CeaSaR wrote:And after the independent store closed, leaving only the corporate store, the sales people
at the corporate store turned over many times, leaving hardly anyone in charge
that knew product or stock.
And the reason that the independent store closed, but the OandO didn't?
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

CeaSaR wrote:Radio Shack is definitely a different beast than what it used to be. I guess that's
the price we pay for living in a disposable society.
Technically ignorant society.

Products are disposable for three reasons:
(1) Unwillingness for consumers to buy 'quality' - lowest
selling price is a major buying criterior.
(2) Technology changes faster than things 'wear out' or
require adjustment (or repair).
(3) The next gen will be faster, cheaper, better.

It is unreasonable to expect the average consumer to understand
the technology in their lives. Knowing how a gasoline engine works,
or why "Digital TV" transmissions are really analog, or how an iPod
syncs over USB is irrelevant.

The better question to answer is whether the present trend will
slow or stall?

After all, the stone-age didn't end because humans ran out of stones.
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philba
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by philba »

When I see something wrong, I point it out. I wouldn't say my tongue was terribly sharp on that one. I do think your jibe was gratuitous - it didn't appear to be in response to something specific so what was the point of saying it??
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

philba wrote: When I see something wrong, I point it out.
I do the same...
philba wrote:I do think your jibe was gratuitous - it didn't appear to be in response to something specific so what was the point of saying it??
Wrong. It was on point. Sample the prose of the aforementioned
poster. Yawn.
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jwax
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by jwax »

Yawn indeed. This used to be a technical forum.
WA2RBA
Bigglez
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

jwax wrote:Yawn indeed. This used to be a technical forum.
Then post something on topic and topical. You have the floor!
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Re: Is RadioShack that confused?

Post by Bigglez »

jwax wrote:Yawn indeed. This used to be a technical forum.
You have posted on a wide variety of topics recently. None were started
by you. Help me understand if you consider them appropriate for a
technical forum or not?

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