Annoyed with Camping World...Grrr! (vent)

[Dak Zonegon]

I'm not sure if this is a typical experience or not, but the store I visited was so UN-helpful. First of all, nobody would ask me if I needed help. There were tons of workers in the store and only a couple shoppers. The other shopper was a retiree who dropped off his huge RV for service and was just browsing around while he was waiting for pickup. An employee was chatting him up, telling him all about some coupon he should get, blah blah blah, going out of his way to impress the guy. Apparently I didn't look like as much of a payout? I dunno. I'm a 30-something mom, toting my 4-year-old around through the store. And I'm only a PUP owner; I don't drive around a huge-ass RV.

First I asked someone to direct me to the pop-up covers. She took me back, pointed to the place they were, and then left without seeing if I had any questions. Next, I asked another employee a question about winterizing (a specific question about having to drain the cassette toilet clean-water tank or if I could just add some antifreeze) and he told me I should ask someone in parts/service. When I asked someone in parts/service, she didn't answer my question, just told me I should bring it in to have THEM winterize it. For $100+. When I said I just had a few specific questions about doing it myself, she totally blew me off. Jerks.

Sill, I got my ADCO cover cheap ($89), so I got the main thing I went there for. Is it so much to ask for some decent customer service, or for someone to act like they are even interested in having me in their store?!

/rant

 

[Retired Alex]

They are in a business, handing out free advice takes money out of their pocket. Try going to an accountant, a lawyer or a mechanic and getting free advice and see how far you get.

There are hundreds of posts on this board about winterizing, and it IS free. Do some reading.

 

[Dak Zonegon]

I have read, and I do appreciate it. I just happened to be in the store to get the cover, so I figured I'd ask some advice while there (they are local after all, and things vary from region to region). Yes they ARE a business and they DO want to make money, so you think they'd want to keep a customer who's shelling out cash in the main part of their store. They aren't JUST a service department. I've just never been in a store before with so many employees milling about and not a SINGLE one of them asking if I need help. Or acting put-out when I did ask for help (even just directing me to a fairly high-ticket item I was trying to purchase).

 

[Dak Zonegon]

Also, the advice may be free, but the stuff I purchase at their store isn't. I've been to plenty of stores where I was given "free advice" and they weren't worried about taking money out of their pockets, just in keeping a customer happy and bringing in repeat business. If they'd been a little more helpful/friendly, I'd be more inclined to call up their service department if/when I DO need it!

 

[Detroit_Iron]

Ive never been to camping world myself (even though these one close to where I live). But I do agree if you ask a question like that theres no reason not get an answer. If they are going to sell the products to winterize they should have no problem explaining how to use them......

 

[goody59]

Your forum friends will give you all the information here re winterizing. I can't as I don't have winter like most of you guys experience. No below zero here where I live.

 

[Dak Zonegon]

We rarely get below freezing here, but I don't want to take any chances.

And yeah...that really was my point. They are having a big sale on winterizing products, so I figured it was reasonable to ask questions about the products I might need. Or reasonable to expect some common courtesy and/or customer service. It's not like they were overly busy!

Thanks to some of you for just letting me vent (because, yeah...I just needed to blow off steam) without getting preachy or flaming. Much appreciated!

 

[kpic]

We went there to buy an adapter and they sold us the wrong one. Haven't been back since.

 

[Unstable_Tripod]

DZ, I think your experience at Camping World was pretty representative of the way they do business. Failure to provide adequate customer service is pretty much their method of standard operation. I've experienced it myself many times in their stores in several states. It's not a one-time fluke. I disagree with the notion that a business should not give advice because it might cost them revenue. In general, the retail businesses that do well focus on super customer service and those that don't, don't. A businesses' personality and values directly reflect those of its top management. When we see CW employees fail to provide courteous, friendly service and work like crazy to get people to sign up for membership we know exactly how management thinks. In your case, a young woman with a small child doesn't fit the profile of a customer with an expensive RV that would generate high revenue for CW.

 

[CharlieTN]

They are in a business, handing out free advice takes money out of their pocket. Try going to an accountant, a lawyer or a mechanic and getting free advice and see how far you get.

There are hundreds of posts on this board about winterizing, and it IS free. Do some reading.

Actually having worked in retail and wholesale most of my adult life I can assure that for a retail business, handing out free advice about products they sell is the best way to put money in their pocket.

 

[goody59]

I agree with that as I return to business to purchase and get free advice.

 

[Snow]

I tend to agree with Alex on this one ... If she asked about a product they sell, then yes Camping world sales droid should have answered her and provided information on how to use the product.. If she asked specifics about their service and what would be included, as she only has a pup and then asked specifically what they would do to the toilet. Making it appear she was interested in them doing the work, then Yes, the sales people blew it big time..

If she was in asking "when I winterize what do I need to do to the toilet?" type question, then I can see why the sales person answered with the "bring it in, we'll do it for you" and then blew you off when you asked additional questions..

What does the lawyer say when you call them on the phone asking specific information about your Will ?? They say "come on in and we'll look into it" ... You call you local car stealership asking about a specific problem, what do they say... "bring it in, we'll look at it" ... Now call a lawyer and ask them how much they charge for altering existing Will's, and ask them a few specific questions about how they would handle something, then you'll get some answers, before they say to come in and see them ...

I see as, all in the way the question was asked..

 

[Detroit_Iron]

This where I disagree. A lawyer or mechanic provide a service not a product. If I walked up with a bottle of rv antifreeze and asked how do I use it at my local rv dealer they would explain it to me and then try and sell me other things I probally dont need also. Not just tell me to bring it in.

 

[Snow]

I agree with that as I return to business to purchase and get free advice.

Yes you bought a service or an item and got free advice on how to use the product, or what to do after service ... This sounds correct ..

But buying an RV cover and asking a question about how to use a different product (it was never mentioned if she bought the second product or not) for doing a service that is offered at a price, and expecting free advice... No .. Now if she was buying the product in question and asked "how do I use this in my pups toilet" .. then Yes, the free advice should be given ..



This reminds me of the joke .. Plant manager has to call in the maintenance engineer at 2 am due to a piece of machinery that isn't working, no matter what he tries the manager cannot get the machine to operate. Engineer comes in, looks at the machine in question, get out a big hammer and wallops the machine with it, presses the start button and the machine starts to work.. The engineer hands the manager a "bill of services" for $700 ... Plant manager can't beleive it cost $700 for the engineer to hit the machine with a hammer, even if it was at 2am ... When asked why the bill was so high, engineer stated.. "2am service call, $300 .. Had to use tools, another $100 .. Knowing exactly where to hit the machine, $300 " ...

Moral ... Knowledge costs .... advice is free ...

 

[Dak Zonegon]

To clarify, I wasn't simply buying a cover and asking about a toilet. I had an empty shopping cart and was looking at all their "winterizing" products that were on sale (antifreeze, etc.). I was asking someone in the SALES part of the store (NOT the service section) for advice on their products and what I needed. The employee then told me to go talk to the parts/service people.

Plus, they blew me off when asking about the cover as well. It was the overall attitude that they didn't give a crap whether I was in their store or not; whether I purchased anything or not.

 

[Dak Zonegon]

So really, the "lawyer" argument has nothing to do with my experience. It's a retail store; I was there to purchase items. If staff is knowledgeable, it seems reasonable to ask questions about those items; what specific ones I need, and how to use them.

 

[Snow]

Don't get me wrong.. you weren't treated the way you should have been, I'll give you that... But as I said .. if you were asking "how would I use this in my toilet" about a specific product, then yes the sales person should have had a better answer or had gone and asked the service department person, how you would use product XYZ ... Which they did not ...

The parts/service person at this point has no clue, the sales bot sent you over to ask the question "how do I use this in my pups toilet" or what ever your question was... So she/he gave you the best answer they could come up with quickly ... "bring it in and we'll take care of it" ... Again suitable response since they didn't know you were sent there by the sales department ....


Again I repeat knowledge costs ... Want knowledgeable people working in your store... pay them decently, want sales bots who don't know an Apple from a piece of fruit .. pay them less, but don't expect great customer feed back ...

 

[Dak Zonegon]

I hear what you're saying about the person in service. It's really not their fault in retrospect. For all they knew, I *was* asking for their advice on how to winterize, and since they are in service, their first response is "Let us do it for you." It's the jerks on the floor that were the big problem.

Also, please understand I'm a total newbie. My reason for posting here (besides just venting) was to get a feel for what CW is all about, and if this was a typical CW experience. I now have the basic understanding that nobody there really gives a crap or knows what they are selling, UNLESS you are going there for RV service.

Wow! I honestly didn't post this here to be told I'm a dumb noob who doesn't know how to read; I didn't post to get advice about winterizing (YES, I know how to search the forum and find that info); I didn't post to be accused of trying to get something for nothing. Most people I've encountered here have been kind and supportive, but I felt pretty flamed by Alex's response!

 

[mickaqua]

Not worth getting upset about it.

I have had a couple of big rv dealers want to sign me up for a long term maintenance agreement
before talking about anything else, and that is not what I asked about.

That is the nature of business.

If you were interested in a high cost rv, and looking at one, and then asking questions,
you would get all the answers.

 

[camper2009]

DZ... If it were me, my shadow would NEVER cross the threshold of this firm again.. If I had to travel out of my way to get something elsewhere , then I would.
I would also tell everyone about their lousy service if and when I had a chance without making it a annoying habit.