Employee attitudes at beer stores

I find that it differs from place to place. Not to slam the hipster movement, but I have noticed a breakdown in customer service in many establishments that employ a lot of "hipsters." For example, my wife and I recently had dinner at a local restaurant that caters to the craft beer crowd. That evening, the only server that wasn't completely inept, i.e., stoned, unable to talk to customers in a professional manner, prompt with service, etc., was the one kid who wasn't all hipstered out. That is mostly the owner's fault for hiring incapable servers, but it's indicative of the larger phenomenon: many people forget that they are in a service industry. Yes, you know a lot about good beer and good food, but you still need to treat customers with respect.

 

I've not run into just outright rude, but there is a local grocery store that has two locations in town and one is far more helpful than the other. At one location I asked about ordering things, and while the liquor section person was nice enough and said yes, it was a bit like pulling teeth. They didn't go to the computer to see if it was on their distributor lists or anything. They just said they had never heard of it, and there is a strong likelihood that they can't. They didn't want my number or anything. They just said, if they can get it, it will be on the shelf when it comes in.

Not rude. Not dismissive or anything. Just....less than helpful.

The other location is the polar opposite. The person immediately took me to the computer and looked things up, found it and asked me for my number. Several weeks later...apparently after having spent a good amount of time checking back with their distributor, she called me out of the blue and said she thinks she can get some. Then a week later, she calls me again and lets me know it will likely be in next week. Excellent stuff!

 

One of the reasons I got into brewing was due to a funny experience at my local store. When I helped a couple at my local Liquor store they were looking for Ska's Modus Hoperandi. I pointed out that it was up high in the fridge, he had just missed it. I also made the comment that I am not some weirdo regular, I just so happen to have asked about that exact beer last week. When I checked out, the cashier told me, and I quote:
"Kurt, they do not get more Regular than you in this place"
I said to myself, I need to start making my own beer so I am not here that often!
sad thing is, the local store soon sold out to a big name store and that type of customer service, and great selection vanished.

 

It really does come down to the fact most people that happen to work at the bar, store or any other, are not as educated or passionate as most.

Case in point: We have Star Liquors here in Sheridan. Gene's family owns the place and he himself is a beer geek. He prefers to enjoy Colorado offerings and not promote what Wyoming has to offer. Now, hmmm I wonder if he wishes to promote Wyoming beer as much as me, believes in it or not. This is a different subject but I think it goes hand in hand.

Anyways, the WHOLE time I was in Casper, Wy EVERY beer I tried was poured with the spout INTO the glass! Heck no man!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If I get good service - I go back. Some stores I go out of my way to support if the service is really good. Occasionally, I'll get some attitude... And I don't go back.

 

This.

I've had plenty of customers in my days in retail who have made outrageous claims because they believe they are "always right." I've had customers try to tell me about sale prices that never happened or blame me because the mail-in rebates ran out (because I must have more that I'm just hiding somewhere).

I treat all my customers with the utmost respect, until they treat me rudely because they think "well, I'm always right." Then...well, I still am respectful to them...but only because I should be!

 

Yep. And even so far as to some dbag on here complaining that "people ask for Zombie Dust too much".

You know what, we all have annoyances in our jobs. Suck it up and answer the customers questions without being an asshole.

 

I had this at Cigar City Brewing when I went in to pick up a growler. I live in Michigan but was in Tampa on business and had a day to head down to St. Pete to visit my Dad. I was just asking some basic questions about what they had available and the guy was super smug and treated me like a complete tourist who knew nothing about beer. Then I was ready to finally order and he ignored me for a good 5 minutes. Left a bad taste in my mouth along with the below average $20 double Brown ale crowler I purchased. Went to Coppertail later in the trip and got first class treatment and better beer imo.

 

I had a similar experience when I visited Russian River for the first time back in November. I was thrilled to finally try Pliny the Elder right from the source, but our server could not have been more dismissive and disaffected. I get that you work at the place that brews the almighty Pliny, but the attitude really annoyed me. So unnecessary.

 

I agree that the customer is not always right, but I have noticed that many people who work in retail carry it around like some cross to bear. Customers can be difficult, rude, pig headed, etc., but that's the gig. It would be great if all bottle shops and beer bars were patronized by only knowledgeable beer lovers, but there will always be someone who needs to ask a lot of questions, and they should be treated with the same respect that the know-it-all beer nerds get.

 

Wow, aren't you great passing on your superior knowledge to the "pups". It must really suck to have CUSTOMERS walk in and ask you all these "uninformed" questions. I suppose if they were "informed" your mighty presence there wouldn't be needed... If I owned that business I would welcome as many paying "wanderers" as I could get. And if I didn't have what they were looking for, however "uninformed", I would talk to them and try to steer them to something similar they might like. With a smile, not condescension.

 

Replace "beer" with "record" and go back to the 90's. Same story. I suspect it will always be thus.

 

Craft Beer Cellar does it right. Everyone is super knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.

 

My local bottle store is Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont MA. I can't speak for their franchise locations, but the people in that store are great and very helpful. If they don't know the answer to your question, they will tell you so and go find an answer for you.

I'm also well known enough there that I got invited to a Firestone Walker tasting with David Walker where the two store owners pulled all kinds of stuff out of their private stash for the tasting. No complaints from me!

 

Beginning a paragraph with "Wow, aren't you great passing on your superior knowledge to the 'pups'" and then writing a paragraph and paraphrasing my expressions and giving each sentence I wrote a rebuttal of your integrity, then at the end, writing "With a smile, not condescension", is actually condescension, sir.

Incase you don't believe me,

con·de·scen·sion
ˌkändəˈsen(t)SH(ə)n/
noun
noun: condescension; plural noun: condescensions
an attitude of patronizing superiority; disdain.

You don't own a business, so keep telling me how you'd run one at BizKids, all the while, attempting to pick an internet fight. Relax bub.

 

You must be a joy to hang out with lol.

 

The customer can't always be right. I can walk into a beer store and say "I'm going to pay you $2 for this case of beer." Doesn't make me right.

I don't own a store or restaurant, but pretty sure both sides should be civil to each other and then things are good.

 

Cool, you own a dictionary. First of all, you have no idea whether I own a business or not. Secondly, it really doesn't matter - I wrote this from the perspective of a customer - and I would never buy beer from a store that had such a condescending (an attitude of patronizing superiority; disdain) attitude. And my comments were not merely to pick a fight - given the forum topic, your posting exemplified the attitude that many of us encounter and for which we are discussing... Bub.

 

Agree.

 

actually, I am :-)