Beech Grove Firearms.

[Gluemanz28]

Except that, the next guy in line was ALSO turned away! Did you miss that?

Didn't miss that. Did you miss that the range was already closed so there was no line.

Try again Dirt

 

[Gluemanz28]

I have been in sales for 20 years and I deal with the public everyday. The people that complain and threaten to go elsewhere need to go to the competitor.

 

[MikeDVB]

This is my last post on the matter before I'm done with this thread. We could have done any number of things, and it would have angered someone.

I'm not angry.

Had we stayed open, taking people signing in before we cut off, then at 5:00, anyone not on the range would have been turned away. You still wouldn't have been on the range because there still would have been a line.

And that would have been fine.

When we closed it a while before you got there, the line thinned out probably a bit faster than anticipated. If we had started taking shooters again on the range, then someone else who got turned away before you got there would have been even more upset that we refused them but taken a shooter later on.

In this case it would probably be better, as I previously suggested, to just keep a running list of those that are willing to wait rather than simply denying them the opportunity. This way - if they came back and found the range was empty they would have nobody but themselves to blame for choosing not to wait for a lane.

And how mad would the person have been had we told them when they signed in that if 5:00 came before they got on the range, they had to go home?

It's simple - when they sign in make it clear that the wait is approximately XX minutes or X hours and that there's a good chance they won't get to shoot but you're happy to put them on the list if they want to take the chance.

The biggest thing to all of this is transparency and honesty. Don't misunderstand this as me saying you weren't transparent or that you were dishonest - I am just saying that it does help substantially when dealing with difficult situations.

Maybe, if you're busy enough to justify it, get a system to keep track of those waiting similar to what restaurants use. I've been to restaurants before where the wait was 2+ hours because they were so busy but I've never been denied the opportunity to wait in line nor have I been denied the opportunity to eat while the restaurant was still open due to the restaurant having been busy earlier in the day.

Someone could have been waiting there nearly an hour and not gotten to shoot. My point being is, people would have been angry no matter what.

Sure - you can't please everybody all of the time but - that said - there are good, bad, and excellent ways to do things. Any one problem may have numerous solutions and any one of those solutions may be excellent or terrible.

In this case, the way it was handled, was sub-par imho. I'm not mad or upset - but simply sharing my opinion.

The only option that would have kept every customer happy would have come at the expense of the staff on a sunday evening.

No. Let people that are willing to wait - wait. Make it clear that they may not get onto the range before it closes. If they hang around and get to shoot cool. If they choose to leave - then the next person on the list gets bumped up.

At the end of the day you can and should close the range when it is time to close regardless of how busy you are. I know I don't expect you to stay late because you were busy and people were waiting.

Greg and Michelle care about all of us just as much as they do about their customers, and when they decided to be open on Sundays, they made sure to not work us all day.

Nobody is saying you should stay open later because you were busy - all I'm saying is that you shouldn't have empty lanes if you're busy and if you have empty lanes and you're still open you should let those that wish to use them, use them.

Obviously the owners/managers will do as they please and I do not expect my feedback will change that in any grand way - but that won't stop me from sharing it.

I have no issues if I don't get to shoot because you're too busy - I'd actually be happy to see that - it's when I'm told no and you're still open and there are empty/unused lanes that I would be a bit frustrated.

 

[Trigger Time]

I have been in sales for 20 years and I deal with the public everyday. The people that complain and threaten to go elsewhere need to go to the competitor.

So what if you've been in sales for 100 years. That doesn't make you a good salesman or business owner or good at customer service.
You live in bfe right? Have you ever been to bgf? Maybe once? Why are you even here talking trash to regular bgf customers? Obviously bgf has a lot of money to potentially lose and instead of offering to fix the issue with maybe free range time or a free punch on their range cards, they just got told to go somewhere else. That's as **** poor customer service as it gets dude.

 

[MikeDVB]

So what if you've been in sales for 100 years. That doesn't make you a good salesman or business owner or good at customer service.
You live in bfe right? Have you ever been to bgf? Maybe once? Why are you even here talking trash to regular bgf customers? Obviously bgf has a lot of money to potentially lose and instead of offering to fix the issue with maybe free range time or a free punch on their range cards, they just got told to go somewhere else. That's as **** poor customer service as it gets dude.

I don't want anything for free - if it were offered I would politely decline.

The only thing I'd really like is to know that the situation will be evaluated and they will see what they can do to handle similar situations in the future better. Why do I care? I live far away [now] and likely won't be visiting as often as I used to [nearly once a week]... I care because I always enjoyed BGF when I did visit regularly and I want others to have positive experiences as well. I give feedback so that it can affect change - in short - if the owner isn't aware of an issue they can't possibly fix it.

 

[Trigger Time]

I don't want anything for free - if it were offered I would politely decline.

The only thing I'd really like is to know that the situation will be evaluated and they will see what they can do to handle similar situations in the future better. Why do I care? I live far away [now] and likely won't be visiting as often as I used to [nearly once a week]... I care because I always enjoyed BGF when I did visit regularly and I want others to have positive experiences as well. I give feedback so that it can affect change - in short - if the owner isn't aware of an issue they can't possibly fix it.

. I understand. I wouldn't take a freebie either. I have no problem paying my own way. It's just the point of it. They had the chance to turn this thread into a big win for them with a different approach yet they didn't. That's fine. I'm not the one who got turned away, but I've definitely been watching how this was handled by bgf and I don't like it.

 

[MikeDVB]

. I understand. I wouldn't take a freebie either. I have no problem paying my own way. It's just the point of it. They had the chance to turn this thread into a big win for them with a different approach yet they didn't. That's fine. I'm not the one who got turned away, but I've definitely been watching how this was handled by bgf and I don't like it.

Some just aren't skillful when it comes to public relations. There are certainly good and bad ways to handle any sort of public interaction with the consumer.

I'm not sure how important public relations is to a local small business but for a larger nation-wide or international business it's paramount.

 

[bwframe]

... instead of offering to fix the issue with maybe free range time or a free punch on their range cards...

Ding, ding, ding...

 

[Gluemanz28]

So what if you've been in sales for 100 years. That doesn't make you a good salesman or business owner or good at customer service.
You live in bfe right? Have you ever been to bgf? Maybe once? Why are you even here talking trash to regular bgf customers? Obviously bgf has a lot of money to potentially lose and instead of offering to fix the issue with maybe free range time or a free punch on their range cards, they just got told to go somewhere else. That's as **** poor customer service as it gets dude.

And there again comes the sucking up their time by having to continue to post and defend themselves or waste their time dealing with this instead of helping several other good customers. I'm glad that they are taking the same approach as me that this is my last post in this thread. The whining is so old.

You don't know me or my sales skills or even where I live so your attacks are futile.

Im glad BGF is taking the high road as I am and wasting my time. If you haven't gotten it after five pages then you probably never will.

Enjoy the thread I'm out.

 

[Trigger Time]

Im taking my toys and going home. Hufffff

 

[MikeDVB]

And there again comes the sucking up their time by having to continue to post and defend themselves or waste their time dealing with this instead of helping several other good customers. I'm glad that they are taking the same approach as me that this is my last post in this thread. The whining is so old.

It takes very little time to say, "We're sorry about the trouble - PM me your name and next time you come in your half hour is on us."

You might be surprised how much of a difference such a gesture would make - that said - I would politely decline and thank them. It would go a long way towards making a not-so-happy customer happy again.

Im glad BGF is taking the high road as I am and wasting my time. If you haven't gotten it after five pages then you probably never will.

Not sure what you're referring to - I'm responding to the statements others have made in this thread. Just as I am responding to you now - it has nothing to do with me 'not getting it' and everything to do with simply discussing the topic at-hand.

Enjoy the thread I'm out.

Have a good one .

INGO - the only place an unhappy customer can share their honest experience with a business and be labeled derogatory terms for not simply keeping it to themselves.

 

[Bunnykid68]

INGO - the only place an unhappy customer can share their honest experience with a business and be labeled derogatory terms for not simply keeping it to themselves.

That'll learn ya

 

[chezuki]

INGO - the only place an unhappy customer can share their honest experience with a business and be labeled derogatory terms for not simply keeping it to themselves.

Think of the outrage had this been Bradis!!

 

[Dirtebiker]

And there again comes the sucking up their time by having to continue to post and defend themselves or waste their time dealing with this instead of helping several other good customers. I'm glad that they are taking the same approach as me that this is my last post in this thread. The whining is so old.

Im glad BGF is taking the high road as I am and wasting my time. ..

Dealing with a customers complaint is a "waste (of) their time"? I haven't seen that they have dealt with it yet.
Wasting your time is taking the high road? I don't get it!

 

[jd4320t]

I feel a "-1 Atterbury Range" thread coming...

 

[ViperJock]

People that provide poor service should expect to have complaints. I for one am glad to know that if I show up during regularly scheduled hours,I may be turned away at the whim of the range. I've been around that part of town (friends live nearby) and considered playing there if time permits. Now I know that if it's afternoon, I may be better off going elsewhere rather than wasting the time to show up and be turned away. At the very least, I'm going to call ahead first and make sure the lanes are running. That is useful objective information.

Sure, it's a business's right to refuse service. But it's a customers right to tell their story. Outside of those who stand to suffer financial loss if BGF loses customers over this, I don't understand why people are so angry at the OP for sharing his story and frustrations. And I say that as someone who has been at odds with the OP in other threads (magpul for one). Obviously, some people don't mind the potential inconvenience Some people like to be able to count on businesses being reliable. As I said before, be straight with the customer, explain the reasons for the departure from the advertised product or service and you won't end up with as many -1 threads dedicated to your business.

 

[ViperJock]

Think of the outrage had this been Bradis!!

you mean like the "can't carry loaded" at Bradis threads, lol.

 

[Trigger Time]

you mean like the "can't carry loaded" at Bradis threads, lol.

Post stupid signs and have grouchy employees, win negative threads and unhappy customers. They earned that thread.

 

[223 Gunner]

I can't believe I've read the whole thing. I see p*ss poor planning, screaming, kicking and moaning. I personaly would never want SNS as a customer, he has told me in the past that I am on his ignore list. I am of the opinion that he is nothing short of a broke dick that doesn't have the money to be a valued customer anyway. If I owned a retail store of some sort and he felt you some how "wronged" him, then he gets on here, whines and makes accusations that may or may not be true. It's his feeble attempt to somehow "hurt" business.
So with that, and yes I have shopped plenty at Beech Grove, they are a good store. I have never used their range, but I would not hesitate to try it.
What I see is a group of people that sat around at a meet and eat, then someone probably looked at their watch and said "Oh Sh*t we better get going, rushed in at the last possible second to get a lane or two.

 

[ViperJock]

I can't believe I've read the whole thing. I see p*ss poor planning, screaming, kicking and moaning. I personaly would never want SNS as a customer, he has told me in the past that I am on his ignore list. I am of the opinion that he is nothing short of a broke dick that doesn't have the money to be a valued customer anyway. If I owned a retail store of some sort and he felt you some how "wronged" him, then he gets on here, whines and makes accusations that may or may not be true. It's his feeble attempt to somehow "hurt" business.
So with that, and yes I have shopped plenty at Beech Grove, they are a good store. I have never used their range, but I would not hesitate to try it.
What I see is a group of people that sat around at a meet and eat, then someone probably looked at their watch and said "Oh Sh*t we better get going, rushed in at the last possible second to get a lane or two.

Yes but you are missing the whole point. Mike was there on time. The hours posted aren't 4:55. The hours posted are 5:00. They were there on time and denied service. Everything else is irrelevant. Are you saying people who don't have tons of green to spend have no right to be annoyed? Or just not to voice it in public? Businesses should only treat their "valued" customers with respect?