[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Are Tech Salespeople a Dying Breed? here

[dc3889]

You are totally correct about Circuit City. I applied for a job there and got a call back, I told the manager that I couldn't start work for a few weeks. So he told me to come back when I was ready. When I returned he said that the computer department I was going to work in didn't need anybody that I would work in video games and movies, and he also said that I need to re-apply as some of my information had changed. After re-applying I never got a call back. I went in a few times and called a few times asking the manager to call me. After a week of trying to get a job there I gave up without getting a straight answer from the manager, yet they still have help wanted signs for all departments in the front windows. -Daniel Cass

[OneTrueFriend]

I don't think that this is a new problem.
In 1982 when I went looking for my first VHS Video Recorder - which was high tech then - I recall being absolutely appalled at the severe lack of knowledge of sales people.
I wanted a machine that would place index markings at the start of each new recording - which was available on higher priced machines at the time - but no one had a clue as to what I was talking about.
Most salesmen knew the absolute basics about machines and the system, but nothing else.

[momcal]

I went to Circuit City last week to buy a new router. I had a question about the one I was thinking of buying & asked the salesperson. He took me to the back & said to ask the person working the firedog booth. After I waited quite a while for the firedog person to finish helping someone whose computer he had screwed up, he told me it wasn't his job to answer questions & to ask the sales help. I told him the salesman had sent me to him & he just shrugged. I purchased the router at Best Buy.

[dc3889]

I was working on somones computer and they told me that they had purchased a printer and that it didn't come with a usb cable. I knew that printers didn't come with the cable and I was surprised that someone didn't know that at the store.

[bleatherwood]

Circuit City lost a $1000 sale (not to mention future income) when I went to buy my first big screen HDTV. I found what I was looking for and was ready to make the purchase--but there was not a single salesperson around. Well, there was one wandering around who finally noticed me and said "that's not my department". After a few minutes, he noticed me again and asked if anyone had helped me. I told him no, he shrugged his shoulders, and I left--making it clear why I was leaving. So their hiring/staffing policies are indeed having an effect on their revenue.

[clh2991]

From what I have noticed, it seems that the problem of knowledgable salespeople isn't just limited to Circuit City, but many of the large retail chains.



I had nearly identical experiences at Circuit City and Best Buy, while trying to find a basic item.. I needed a simple 8.5mm stereo to RCA audio cable. I told the salesman in the audio section, and he said he didn't know what I was referring to. He asked what I wanted to hook up, and I explained that it was a computer that I'm hooking up to a surround sound system.

He directed me to the computer dept, who sent me to the television dept, who told me they didn't carry it.

However, after spending 20 min in roundabout, I searched for 15 minutes and found the cable...which they "didn't carry"





Another experience was with routers. I asked for the rep's opinion on brands, and his response was, "All the brands and products we sell are good and reliable." However, a quick check on their website shows some unsatisifactory reviews.