Rude service MOCO gunshops

[teratos]

We are currently running a special deal... Buy 5 guns and we'll donate a Black Aces Tactical shotgun to SkiPatrolDude.
Our hours are listed below.

Buff7mm doesn't own a 7mm.....

 

[Uncle Duke]

It's all in how you approach it. The real fun was to tell Lou45 you were there to visit his shitter. Then you put your cell phone on his counter, and ask him since you're busy, if he would answer it and take a message if it rings.

 

[teratos]

It's all in how you approach it. The real fun was to tell Lou45 you were there to visit his shitter. Then you put your cell phone on his counter, and ask him since you're busy, if he would answer it and take a message if it rings.

Oh God, that must have spawned a lot of great stories.

 

[John from MD]

It's all in how you approach it. The real fun was to tell Lou45 you were there to visit his shitter. Then you put your cell phone on his counter, and ask him since you're busy, if he would answer it and take a message if it rings.

I miss Lou.

 

[Occam]

Everyone should wait tables for a spell, making them a far more informed (and generally civil) restaurant patron for life.

Everyone should work a retail job, too. Most won't have a chance to do that in the gun biz. But I can hardly imagine a retail sector with more low/mal-information tire kickers than the LGS. Rather than watch the counter staff as they try to size you up as a new customer, get in there on a busy day and watch fifty shopper interactions. The level of endless (and usually fruitless) starting-from-scratch education that's needed to work noobs up to and through their first purchase is pretty spectacular. Knowing that's what's coming when such a high percentage of them are what walks through the door is exhausting in any specialized retail setting, especially firearms these last few years.

Which is no excuse for straight up rudeness, but it's what leads to a higher, rather than lower threshold for warm engagement before the visitor gives off at least some sort of vibe that they might actually become a real customer. I'm a hard guy to read - long hair, resting bitch face, inscrutable logo ballcap, maybe an Orvis jacket or maybe a ratty sweatshirt - which may explain why I can't get LGS counter staff ANYWHERE to take me seriously. Except Atlantic, because I've been buying things from them for thirty years, and when I come in they kneel and say, "My liege!"

Honestly, those guys have been top notch and polite since I was a 20-something ignoramus in the 80's. United has been neutral on the salesmanship but always efficient on inbound transfers. Engage has been a totally mixed bag depending on the day or the weather or who knows what variable. Maybe it's the paint fumes from the Maaco next door!

 

[JasonD67]

I've always received the best customer service at 2A Sales in Jessup and they have always had super knowledgeable sales staff.

I'll second this. Very nice folks to deal with in my experience.

 

[Sgt. Psycho]

I have always found Scott's Gunsmithing in Glen Burnie to be very polite and helpful.

 

[[Kev308]]

My last few visit to the LGS has been, "I know what want, let's get the paper work done."

 

[dist1646]

I have had excellent experiences at Engage. I have only been to Atlantic in Rockville once and will go again.

 

[cww]

I agree with the above. I try to give most people and businesses 3 chances to win me over, make a good impression, or break through whatever invisible barrier exists. Just enough time to get a feel for them and have data.
I do find this to be common at small LGS - often have regular friends or customers who have nothing better to do, at prime customer time, than to take up counter space or pull up a chair and distract the staff just enough to be really annoying or at a min make the experience seem awkward like you described in your experiences. Not just an LGS thing, seen this in many small businesses settings. I have only stayed a customer with a few because of it.

 

[Crazytrain]

I've had good experiences almost everywhere. Even Continental, though lots of folks complain about them. Atlantic? Good. Scott's? Good. Gun Connection? Good. Free State? Good. Perhaps the age thing is right. Older guys tend to have more money than twenty somethings. Older guys tend to have more experience than younger folks as well and probably have a firmer idea of what they want, not demanding too much time. I tend to also relate better to older (say...mid 30s and up) salesmen, and probably give them more respect than the younger folks, so I guess it is a two way road.

Although, now that I think about it, I never really had trouble in my twenties. Of course, I've been wearing a beard since then (1990's, way before beards became ubiquitous, especially on younger folks), so that may have had something of a psychological effect of making me seem more serious. Or perhaps it was that I still maintained my military bearing through my 20s, which also may have implied a level of seriousness. I don't know.

Actually, if there is one complaint on any of these places it is that the counter folks always seem most chatty when I feel most curmudgeonly. Go figure.

 

[wreckdiver]

It's all in how you approach it. The real fun was to tell Lou45 you were there to visit his shitter. Then you put your cell phone on his counter, and ask him since you're busy, if he would answer it and take a message if it rings.

I miss Lou.

 

[Ammo Jon]

We are currently running a special deal... Buy 5 guns and we'll donate a Black Aces Tactical shotgun to SkiPatrolDude.
Our hours are listed below.

What’s the time frame for the special deal?

 

[Masada Tactical]

We are currently running a special deal... Buy 5 guns and we'll donate a Black Aces Tactical shotgun to SkiPatrolDude.
Our hours are listed below.

What’s the time frame for the special deal?

Until someone buys the lever action "shockwave".
All five guns must be bought on the same 4473.

 

[teratos]

Until someone buys the lever action "shockwave".
All five guns must be bought on the same 4473.

What are Yeet Canons going for these days? Hanukkah is just around the corner! (I was almost insensitive and said “Christmas”, but I don’t need any crap from the Karens).

 

[wreckdiver]

My favorite are the gun store commandos wearing drop leg holsters that tell you about their days as a Delta Seal in Nam even though they are like 30. I agree better service might be because of the age thing though. If I go into a gun shop it's usually because I know what I want or need, I don't need a sales pitch or tutorial.

 

[Larry David]

My top three in no certain order:
Maryland Elite Firearms (Baltimore’s Best Pawn)
2A Sales
Masada Tactical

 

[Cal68]

It has been a while since I visited Engage but when I used to go there, they had very good customer service. But those were the days when Andy was there and he would make sure that I was taken care of well. More recently I have had excellent experiences with Brian at South Carroll Sporting Goods and with Dan, Mike and the rest of the team at Baltimore's Best Pawn (Maryland Elite Firearms). I highly recommend both of them. And I had a great meeting with Ammo Jon today to pick up some much needed ammo. All of them are fantastic people and a pleasure to talk to.

Cal68

 

[omegared24]

I haven't been to a gun store anywhere in this entire country that doesn't have 1 or 2 people working there that suck at customer service. It's even worse when you get the daily double and find the one guy with crappy customer service and knows nothing.

With that I've had good experiences at those shops as well. Fortunately, I don't go in trying to build a relationship. If they carry what I like and have a decent price I'll buy and move on. If I'm looking for advice I'll go elsewhere.

I have noticed that the shorter people working at shops have a tendency to be smug and in that poor customer service category.

 

[Bertfish]

I have always found Scott's Gunsmithing in Glen Burnie to be very polite and helpful.

Since Larry quit (and then almost immediately died) I'm sure it'd be a lot more calm to go in. I got tired of being barked at, retired sailor or not.

Our own sxs is my favorite Scott's employee