mtmattan
Hi all,
Today I called up SaMusicalInstruments to offer some advice on their (appalling) website.
In today's age, there is no excuse not to have a usable online presence.
The person to whom I spoke (Mike), was incredibly rude, refused to listen and subsequently put the phone down on me.
I appreciate that he may have been busy or had a customer at the time, but there is no excuse for being rude to someone simply trying to help.
As such, I would urge all members not to deal with SaMusicalInstruments.co.za (not that you even could due to the disaster of a website)
Kind regards,
Matt.
singemonkey
I'm sorry mate, but I can't be astonished that a small business didn't take kindly to unsolicited business advice from a stranger - no matter how well you meant it. They may be awful people and an awful store, but this isn't enough for me to go on. A great many people might react inappropriately in response to the scenario you present - out of shock or defensiveness.
mtmattan
Hey man,
Thanks for the response. You did bring up some valid points - it's true that one cannot condemn a business because of one stressed/overworked/unkind employee.
I did however introduce myself as a UCT Business Graduate (and hopefully a Chartered Accountant within the year) and tried to explain that I was only trying to help.
I only wanted to share my experience on this forum. I most certainly can not take a business seriously if they 1. Have an appalling website 2. Are unwilling to accept help (especially from professionals).
Kind regards.
Malkav
mtmattan wrote
I did however introduce myself as a UCT Business Graduate (and hopefully a Chartered Accountant within the year) and tried to explain that I was only trying to help.
It most likely came across as quite condescending, especially if you were using language like:
mtmattan wrote
I most certainly can not take a business seriously if they 1. Have an appalling website 2. Are unwilling to accept help (especially from professionals).
StephenG
ahh yes - found that website the other day by accident - after a minute or so it gave me a headache just trying to figure out what was going on.........
so whilst it doesn't bother me how you came across or whatever the intentions, - i gotta agree with your accessment of the website - definitely NOT inviting for business... ???
Ray
So you had a runin with a guy at a store because he didnt take kindly to your telling him to fix up his shopfront. Now you reckon we shouldnt shop there. I'll make a note of that.
mtmattan
Hey Chad,
I most certainly hope I did not come across as condescending - it was not my intention. As I remember it (obviously subjective), I was quite friendly.
Any ill-will and condescension I have now is due to being spoken to so rudely. Like many people, I have often emailed people/businesses with ideas and feedback. This was the first time I've had such a negative response.
mtmattan
Hey Ray,
Where you shop is your choice ?
I'm only sharing a bad experience I've had.
mtmattan
Just re-read my first post. I shouldn't have mentioned the part about "urging people not to shop there". That amounts to vindictive. My apologies.
DonovanB
mtmattan wrote
Hey Ray,
Where you shop is your choice ?
I'm only sharing a bad experience I've had.
Sounds to me like he had the bad experience.
I've dealt with him before. he's a decent guy. Interested in selling gear.
I can only hope you, and others, can learn from this.
flatfourfan
I see where you're coming from and know that you mean well, but as a webmaster for a foreign government I get called all the time from so called *professionals* who tell me that the site is hard to navigate and that the layout is terrible and that they can help me sort it out. I'm polite, but to the point and I have gotten defensive on a few occasions as I know the site is 100% perfect.
I've dealt with the shop in Riviera and actually found them to be very helpful and friendly.
mtmattan
Hey FlatFourFan,
Just check out the website though, you need to see how bad it actually is - it's not about minor (or even major) changes but it needs a whole new site.
I wanted to convey that the website is doing the business harm - it's scaring customers away, not attracting them. ?
flatfourfan
mtmattan wrote
Hey FlatFourFan,
Just check out the website though, you need to see how bad it actually is - it's not about minor (or even major) changes but it needs a whole new site.
I wanted to convey that the website is doing the business harm - it's scaring customers away, not attracting them. ?
the website looks like it's been done by a noob...........lol.....I have to give you that.
shaundtsl
That site has been around for a while. I have stumbled apon it a few times over the last year or two. Not very user friendly that's for sure. But it seems the guy has been in business for a while so he must be doing something right.
vic
mtmattan wrote
Hey man,
Thanks for the response. You did bring up some valid points - it's true that one cannot condemn a business because of one stressed/overworked/unkind employee.
I did however introduce myself as a UCT Business Graduate (and hopefully a Chartered Accountant within the year) and tried to explain that I was only trying to help.
I only wanted to share my experience on this forum. I most certainly can not take a business seriously if they 1. Have an appalling website 2. Are unwilling to accept help (especially from professionals).
Kind regards.
Mistake....why didn't you rather say a
Stellenbosch graduate ? Just kidding.... ?
Maybe you would have had a better reponse by visiting the guy in person and had a one-on-one discussion with him. Most people do not take kindly to emails or tele calls about matters like these... I get them all the time.
Hammeron
mmmmmm...with all due respect, the website is a bit like a Chinese telephone directory.... ???
Averatu
Wow, I was expecting to read about how you got scammed out of thousands of Rands, in stead you're upset because someone did not take your advice. I hope for your sake the owner of the site does not come across this post.
EttieneB
Hey Matt
I get that u were trying to help these guys and personally i know nothing about this site or shop! But remember that guy maybe had a very bad day and didn't want to take some advice or something of that nature that possibly sounded to him like just another dude complaining! I'm not in a position to judge and i don't think any of us are because we do not know what went down in the actual conversation! One thing in business is that u never put the phone down in a client's ear or on anyone for that matter cause that is firstly bad for business and secondly its just freakin bad manners! Just phone them again ask for the manager and file a personal complaint against this person! Or leave it be! U get idiots that are nice people actually all over the place and vice verca! Don't stress cause karma will take care of that dude if he continues he's rudeness! Or they will sue u for slander!!! hahahah just kidding! ?
Best case is to leave it alone. Good luck!!!!!
G-Man
I've always liked the concept of the repayments that they offer, they are the only site in S.A that allows you to pay off an instrument off over the course of a few months that I have managed to find. I was going to buy a cheapy from them when I was hunting my first electric guitar last year, but found a killer bargain on my Ibby on Gumtree.
But seriously, it seems a bit irresponsible to tell people to avoid the site just because they didn't want to take your advice? Maybe build your own company with a decent website and put them out of business that way, not by bad mouthing them on an internet forum...
DaFiz
I found that website to be very busy with lots of windows that all worked. I've seen far worse websites than this. :-\
