I didn't know you did a drop off service to the boat ramp too Ian.
Do many people go for this option?
I know it would save a lot of hassles for those who forgot their bait until after the boat was launched
Originally Posted by Steve Mc
Here's a bit of construcive critism. Don't attack people (especialy the owner of the website) in a post trying to explain lack of service whether it be from an employee who slept in (Not real flash is it. Is he still an employee?? How many customers did he permanently lose in one morning?)
They're not attacks from Pinky but merely an observation. An observation many others (including myself) have also mentioned on numerous occassions.
I can imagine why Pinky posts about Budds.
(1) Budd's is the closest tackle shop to his home and the one he would frequent the most because it's convenient AND he likes to support local people. (I know Budd's is his closest local tackle shop)
(2) Budd's did not have tackle or items he needed
(3) Staff were rude when asked about something or too busy talking to friends (observations from others.... not Pinky) to serve him
(4) Budd's was closed when he wanted to go fishing so he had to drive another 15km's to and then another 15km's home from Victoria Pt to get some worms.
I'd be miffed too. Actually I try not to use Budd's purely because I can relate to 3 of the above 4 points.
I intend on living for-ever....so far so good
One important thing to remember about "Bud's" as it was..the sign said "BAIT & tackle", and that indicated the reason that a very large portion of the customers walk in the door.
It is the last place that sold bait on the way to one of the bussiest ramps in SEQ and one of 2 main road locations that sold "significant bait" between the CBD and Cleveland Point.
cheers
Its the details, those little details, that make the difference.
AnthonyL mate just drop in anytime you're more than welcome
ian
Once upon a time (circa 1960's and 1970's), I used to hate going to automotive spare parts businesses because, invariably, the attitudes coming across the counter from the staff were usually atrocious in my experience.
There may have been multiple reasons for this; eg to buy a minor part for say an alternator involved the poor sales assistant's looking up multiple sources of information in huge, well thumbed books of parts diagrams and transferring the part number to a bit of paper to be looked up on some other catalogue of some sort and then finding the price and... and ...and .... Also the parts desk was generally a pretty, tired looking, unglamorous part of the car dealership compared with the new cars section. They always seemed to have ugly scratched masonite tops on the counters. I also always felt that the spare parts desk was where staff ended up if they were in that half of the class than made the top half possible.Maybe there were other reasons but I always felt that I was being a nuisance whenever I went into buy a spare part for my old Austin or Holden or Veedub or whatever car I had at the time.
However, over the ensuing decades, something happened to transform customer service attitudes in Australia. Now when I need something that I have no idea about, staff at most places are only too happy to help in a friendly, enthusiastic manner. I relish the need to go to some places to get spare parts because I know that it will be made very comfortable for me to do that. Thompson's Spare Parts at Capalaba is one such business.
So, since the name Mossops has been introduced here, I feel obliged to say that I have never felt comfortable in going into the Mossops store because I have sometimes felt like I was getting the sort of poor attitudes that I recall from the old automotive spare parts businesses and do not consider it as a place that I want to shop. If the owners of Mossops are reading this then it may well be helpful to explain why before we say that it is all about Budds.
That feeling originates from the days when Mossops were near the PA hospital. In my earlier days as an enthusiastic but unskilled fisho (within the last ten years!), it seemed that whenever I went into Mossops, I found staff who seemed to want to gossip and socialise more with themselves rather than come to attend to me as a customer. (I also occasionally see that in Bunnings these days and it is most annoying.)
When, however, I did attract some attention, I often felt that my ignorance of fishing matters was treated with some disdain by the young staff who often seemed to be haughty and up themselves, and who really seemed to only want to deal with the elite end of the fishing product spectrum. Indeed, that attitude cost them plenty of business from me and all that I can really remember buying there was some giftware, like a picture with Pelicans in it that caught my attention one day, and a few hooks. Oh - yes - I now recall that I did buy a quality fishing rod for my wife there but I also recall being scorned by the young sales guy for buying the 8' version and not the 9' version even though I had told him that I thought that she might find the 8' version easier to use in my, then, new boat. I did not have a great feeling of satisfaction when I left that shop on that day even though the product has always been good. All of my subsequent major purchases of things like Shimano baitrunners, TSS-4 and a Tyrnos 2 speed reel etc were made at the old Springwood Marine Tackle shop where the service was excellent.
Fast forward to a couple of years ago at the new shop at the 'Gabba. I decided to buy a new D series Shimano baitrunner and having seen them at the Tackle Warehouse at Camp Hill, I telephoned Mossops to see if they could better the price that I had been given. The response was that they would not give a price over the phone and invited me in to get a good price. I protested that I did not want to drive in to the Gabba unnecessarily but was promised that I "would not be disappointed" by their price offer. So in I went with a pocket full of money ready to do the deal heartened by the promise that I "would not be disappointed."
That was a lie because indeed, I was disappointed. That was because all the bloke did was to match the Tackle Warehouse price. So I had dressed and driven all the way into the Gabba only to have my time completely and quite, in my view, arrogantly wasted accompanied, as it was, with a shrug of the shoulders by the bloke behind the counter. He was the only fellow in the shop and had been the person who I had spoken to an hour earlier by telephone.
The reward for this poor level of service was, Mr Mossop, that I came home and researched online sales and immediately ordered the reel from the USA at a greatly reduced price to the Aussie price.
ie your competition is no longer down the street, it is from the nice old bloke at Aussie post who delivers welcome parcels from far off places at terrific prices and with awesome service. Aussie retailers need to lift their game to an international level of service to survive.
But wait, there is a footnote. Could the Aussie retail tackle industry have saved the sale?
Clearly, they could have because about two weeks later, the Tackle Warehouse had a three day sale during which the reel in question was offered for a price that was only a few dollars more than the USA price and one which did not make the importation option especially attractive. I would certainly have bought the reel from the Aussie shop had I not already ordered the reel from America. I would have also bought the reel from Mossops had they shaved something off the Tackle Warehouse price on the day that I visited them with a pocket full of cash. Anything really. But to squander my time with a shrug of the shoulders after promising that a trip into their shop would be worth my time is something that I have not forgotten.
So, in all of the times when I have gone into the contiguous Whitworths chandlery shop in the past couple of years, I have never ever walked that extra 20 m up to the Mossops shop to have a look in there whilst I am there.
It ain't just Budds that might be needing to get a strategic review of operating values and principles. I would not care if Mossops went out of business. They certainly don't deserve mine. Perhaps, I am not elite enough.
.
Just remember the more we support the big guys the more we are going to pay for goods in the long run. It maybe cheaper now but once all the small guys are gone, so will the prices and quality staff & knowledge.
I have shopped at this store, not sure under which ownership and they couldn't have been more polite and helpful.
We all have bad days and good days just remember when all the small guys are gone we'll all have to buy from the big guys who probably wont open until 9am let alone have a staff member in there who knows what there talking about.
I regret that I cannot accept your thesis about competition on a number of grounds...
1. "we'll all have to buy from the big guys who probably wont open until 9am"
I have no doubt that the big guys will open according to the hours that win them customer business.
eg Bunnings open at 6.30 am and close at 9 pm every week day. Show me the small hardware store that ever did that.
Officeworks, which you would expect to be only open during daylight hours, is open until 9 pm every week night.
If BCF saw a business opportunity in opening early, I have no doubt that they would.
2. "once all the small guys are gone, so will the prices "
Not proven by experience in other retail environments. When the big guys fight on price, they take all prices down. Small retailers often don't need to compete on price until the major chains force them to by offering better prices. You see that with Bunnings' price guarantee which I have used several times.
Likewise, yesterday my brother achieved a price $35 less than the special four day Harvey Norman sale price on a computer because of the Officeworks 5% price guarantee.
Also, when it looks like a major chain like Bunnings might have a monopoly, a second player like Woolies' "Masters" hardware chain arrives to get some of the action and keep prices low to win the market share that marketing managers are rewarded for achieving.
3. "once all the small guys are gone, so will the ........ quality staff & knowledge"
If anything, the quality of the customer interaction will improve because large corporations invest in things like Customer Experience policies and corporate values development. They work towards achieving those policies and values with extensive training of the managers who generally have customer feedback parameters built into their target packages.
Show me the chain store with a really bad customer experience rating as measured by shadow shopping, exit interviews or other market research, and I will show you a store that will soon get a new manager, irrespective of its profit and loss statement.
By example, recently, I also bought a new laptop computer from Officeworks. The service from the two young men at their Capalaba store was nothing short of stellar. I would not expect to get the same care and attention from any small retailer.
.
Re: Budds Bait & Marine Cleveland - going ............ going .............. almost go
Having started the original thread on this issue, I would like to suggest a few things that might help dig "BUDDS/MOSSOPS out of the hole they have dug for themselves:
1. Why not start up an email service for every customer who enters the store (most of us have it) It would be child's play to send out regular info on whether a new supply of fresh bait is expected, cannot be obtained, out of stock, out due bad weather etc. Sure it will take some effort but we all get so tired of the "fresh bait" signs, go inside and find nothing. Let us know the story BEFORE we travel kilometers to find the cupboard bare!
2. If you only have old/broken worms left then tell us up front! We do understand the difficulties in getting them in but I really object to getting home and finding them mostly dead or all broken bits, Yeh I know, should
check em in the store but sometimes you are just a bit trusting ..........
3. Make a huge effort to keep FRESH bait as much as possible. I made the effort to call the fish markets who assured there is ALW AYS a supply of fresh mullet, mackerel, squid etc. I mean go to Aussie Seafoods at CAPALABA and every day they carry more fresh bait than BUDDS so it is available out there!
4. Go for quality small pillies and not the mullet sized ones that are
useless.
5. If you are on the phone (or it rings) then the present customer comes FIRST! The caller can wait or call back ...... Like he comes SECOND.
6. Check your pricing guys! You are way way too expensive on most products. As already said, your products can be obtained from Tackle Warehouse Coorparoo or even at worst BCF and online Internet buying. I know the latter makes it tough but that goes with the territory ........
7. Greet EVERY customer who comes through the door like someone who is going to spend ten grand in your shop. One bad customer will tell a dozen others, one good customer will tell about four or five but all good!
8. Sack the guy who turned up late! How many customers did he lose? Certainly lost me!
9. Figure out why the guy at Victoria Point is becoming so popular! He's doing something right that you have to copy.
10. We Fishos are demanding and unforgiving guys! We want everything we need right here right now with no excuses BUT having said that a friendly person behind the counter who goes out of his way to oblige, make enquiries for us, make our sale of paramount importance (pretend if u have to) and you will get us back.
11. Ignore us, make no effort to be friendly, run out of obtainable bait etc and we are lost forever.
12. Pull down the BUDDS sign, spend some cash on tarting up the signage, BIG signs out on the side road even if it reads "OUT OF WORMS DUE HIGH TIDES" or "FRESH MULLET THIS FRIDAY"
You guys can do it but you need a Manager and staff to pull it all together!
Good luck - we all want you to succeed for our sakes!
When you get bad service, instead of whingeing and whining about it to everyone who'll listen, has anyone done something RADICAL?????????? Say, talk to the shop concerned and politely tell them WHY you are pi**ed off with their service/products? Give them a chance to address it and fix it? How does one improve if the cleintele doesnt talk to them, just goes away and sooks to everyone? Try it, you might get a surprise via improved service and products.
Mike
Ummmmmmm, if meant for me Mike that is exactly what I just did!
Identify the problems, give positive advice or ideas on how to fix it and provide ongoing support!
If your post was intended to the other knockers then couldn't agree more!
what if the fish markets did not answer your call?? They may have been serving someone.
Ah well- this is why large retailers will be better at providing service at the end of the day than the small retailer no matter that the small retailer is often self delusional in regard to their view of acceptable service standards in their own business.
If you don't get good service from a small operator and complain to them about it then, yes, theoretically, they might see the error of their ways and make good on the situation. Most times this is what happens and usually customer referrals result because of the fine reputation that the retailer lives up to.
However, of course, if pride gets in the way, or testosterone, or arrogance or face saving or a cranky mood generated by the morning's argument with the wife or whatever, then the customer complaint may be greeted with a shrug of the shoulders or something a bit ruder.
Where does the aggrieved customer go to from there? Some issues can be dealt with by a small claims action but that will not fix attitudinal issues or the wasting of a customer's time.
The best avenue to escalate the customer's grievance will be via the internet. No doubt about that.
Contrast that with the corporate world. If the customer's grievance is not dealt with satisfactorily at the shop level, then the customer can put pen to paper and escalate the issue to the state manager or equivalent. If not handled satisfactorily there, the customer can escalate the matter to the national manager. If not handled satisfactorily there, the next step might be the chairman of the board. In some industries, there will also be an ombudsman. Somewhere along the way, the media might also get involved. They will willingly do that with a large corporation but less likely to be interested in a one-off issue with a small business.
Do people carry out this sort of escalation? You better believe that they do and corporate careers can depend very significantly on how well the escalations are managed. I certainly have heaps of experience in being on the receiving end up the chain a bit in corporate land. Who are the most assertive/aggressive complainers and escalaters of complaints? Small business owners.
So the guys who themselves might cry foul when an aggrieved customer airs his unhappiness in the online world have no compunction in using every means to them to escalate issues as far as they can.
IMHO, what is good for the goose , etc.
I have been thankful for many recommendations about good service aired on Ausfish. I have also been thankful to read of the contrary. At long last, the internet makes customer power real and very, very quickly exercised.
.
Steve, your'e wasting your valuable time sifting through old posts on this issue, more better you accept the fact there IS a problem with the store rather than killing the news-bearing Messenger! I don't have a personal grudge against your store and the following will confirm I am not alone on this issue.
And just as my last word on this topic, what part of my last post did you have a problem with understanding? i.e.
"Good luck - we all want you to succeed for our sakes!"
"Ihave been in the Budds now Mossops a few times recently and have found it verydisappointing. I also vowed to myself after the last time never to go in thereagain after, I was told the F#$K off by the guy behind the counter because Isaid I not happy with the time it took to get a reel serviced. Not a good wayto build up a good client base"
“I'm another onethat can't be assed going to Budds/Mossops any more and fully agree that withevery change of management the level of customer service seems to fall.
Its been a bit of a while since i've needed to buy tackle and bait but the lasttime i did i went down to the bait and tackle shop down the end of ColbournAvenue at Victoria Point.They had everything i needed and the fella that runsit is always up for a yarn and has the customer service that mossops lacks. I'llbe going there in the future”
“ditto to what MuddyToes advice, the bait and tackle shop down the end of Colburn Ave closest tothe ramp on the right hand side, plenty of bait, worms etc”
“The guys inattendance don't seem to give a rats about customer service and can be damnrude by leaving you standing while they chat with a mate or such!”
"Itain't just Budds that might be needing to get a strategic review of operatingvalues and principles. I would not care if Mossops went out of business. Theycertainly don't deserve mine. Perhaps, I am not elite enough."
"Here's a bit of constructive criticism.Don't attack people (especially the owner of the website) in a post trying toexplain lack of service whether it be from an employee who slept in (Not realflash is it. Is he still an employee?? How many customers did he permanentlylose in one morning?)
They're not attacks from Pinky but merelyan observation. An observation many others (including myself) have alsomentioned on numerous occassions.
I can imagine why Pinky posts aboutBudds.
(1) Budd's is the closest tackle shop to his home and the one he wouldfrequent the most because it's convenient AND he likes to support local people.(I know Budd's is his closest local tackle shop)
(2) Budd's did not have tackle or items he needed
(3) Staff were rude when asked about something or too busy talking tofriends (observations from others.... not Pinky) to serve him
(4) Budd's was closed when he wanted to go fishing so he had to driveanother 15km's to and then another 15km's home from Victoria Pt to get someworms.
I'd be miffed too. Actually I try not to use Budd's purely because I canrelate to 3 of the above 4 points."
“Ithink part of the problem is that "BUDS" as it was in it’s hey daywas such an exceptional store, everybody went there and they had the stuff youwanted when you wanted it.
Stock levels were good, as was the quality and variety.
They opened early and stayed open late and had enough staff who wherehelpfull and enthusiastic.
The down hill slide put a bad taste in quite a few mouths, a taste thatlingers and possibly effects the current situation.
If this store is to remain, considerable effort must be made to make itcompetitive.
Remember in recent times there have been several well placed competitorscome into the market.
People may winge about BCF and "the place wedon't mention", but they take a very large chunk out of the market....andthere are a couple of very competitive indpendents not far away.
Sorry steve, but if something substantial, isn't done soon, ya mightas well shut the doors"
“Steve mc ,mate the last 3 or 4 times ihave been there the cleveland store has been out of stock of swivels and hooksi was chasing, in saying that the guys behind the counter actually bent overbackwards to get what i wanted ,rang around ,could get them in ect. but i wasin a hurry.
The local bcf in capalaba is even worse ,every time i go there they are out ofstock, so after visiting both stores i always end up at the tackle warehousewhere i get everything in 1 go and pay a shitload more.
I would rather support you guys being local but get sick of driving from shopto shop in the area to source basic hooks like big guns in a particular size.
The old budds used to be a one stop shop,i havnt been to your store for acouple of months now will give you guys another go this weekend and hope i dontend up at the tackle warehouse.”
“Steve Mc....mate, the problem has been goingon for a long time. It's not only Pink Panther who has commented but many otherpeople including myself.
I have been using Budds as a local for many years and well before they moved toyour current location. I only went into the old Budd's every few months andsince Budd's sold the business I have noticed a huge differences in the shop.Especially over the last 12 months or so.
To be honest I did not even know Budd's sold out as I don't look at the signsover the doors or who (if it's an owner or staff) works behind the counter. Iused it because it was there and I needed bait or tackle.
Many people have complained about lack of stock etc and lots of people havecomplained about bad service from your staff.
I was another in the bad service predicament about 6 months ago when I wanted afew fresh prawns to have a fish with.
I leftthe shop never to return.
I never did find out if there were freshprawns there or not.
It's a shame as I only go around the corner to Ormiston to have a Sunday fishusually”
“As a hint....keep a closer eye on YOURshop as it's your livelihood on the line not your staff's.
How YOUR shop operates is a reflection on yourself and your partner and no-elsecan be blamed to what happens there.
How can a tackle shop run out of hooks and swivels? I would have thought they'dbe there in their thousands and if stocks were getting anywhere near depletedthey'd be restocked.”
“If the economy is hard then you cannot afford to lose long standing clients nomatter how little they buy.
Your losing customers at the moment who go and tell their family and friends.
Word of mouth is the quickest means of communication...especially if the newsis bad.”
Hope the Mod kills this thread now!
Last edited by ThePinkPanther; 10-07-2011 at 03:54 PM. Reason: typo
Why?I'm actually quite interested in hearing how Steve Mc is going to implement change in to his business.Far be it from me to question one's ability to run a business, but as a local to this store it would be good to know if the owners are genuinely interested in keeping their customers.If they are then I'd be more than happy to swing by again some time.
"While customer service is of utmost importance and instilled in our staff" What a crock.The few times I've been in there under the 'Mossops' banner I've found the staff there to be very abrupt bordering on the point of rude.When a customer comes up to the counter to make a purchase and the guys that are meant to be serving are talking absolute crap about god knows what they did on the weekend and not stop to serve a customer let alone acknowledge them then the quote above just doesn't ring true in real life.
Now i don't know, nor do i really care who The Pink Panther is but i am highly doubtful that whoever he or she is that they do not have some sort of personal vendetta against you guys let alone have a vested interested in the store's demise but how can you say "I'm all for constructive criticism, and I am grateful for those who provide such feedback." but in the same breath accuse them of being such.
If you need to post this stuff up on here to assist the owners to regain some lost patronage then maybe it will be the next Budds.
Gee i hope that it hasn't all come down to teaching the fundamentals of business ownership on a fishing forum.
At the end of the day cash is king.With an abundance of competition out there, here and overseas it takes more than a few products on shelves to get my cash.
From here I guess Steve Mc can go either way. He can ignore what people are saying or take it on board and turn it all into a winner. There are obviously people on here who care very much, like PP and Charlie, to go to all that trouble and offer all those suggestions.
I hope you run with it Steve and get people on the forum behind you. Business consultants charge a lot of money for the types of suggestions being offered here.
I have never been to this particular store, but about a year ago there was a similar thread about Jones' Tackle. Though no where to the same extent as this lot. I was one of the ones that had a couple of bad experiences. Anyway, after the commotion had settled down I decided to give them one last shot. Seems that they had taken the advice as I got really good service. Even the guy that was previously arrogant to me was much nicer. He even managed to force out a smile. Hopefully the same thing can happen here.
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