Employee attitudes at beer stores

I had a very similar experience at CCB, tbh. The bartender was a really un-helpful, smug guy. The GM had to come over at some point and reconcile for his behavior after he witnessed it while being around the bar during that time. Weird.

 

Very case-by-case. But as a bartender, I've had more cases where customers are the ones offering the "unfriendly" and pretentious vibe.. there are a plethora of wonderful customers who make my work very enjoyable, but for the sake of argument, I've had those "long time homebrewers" that try and challenge my knowledge from time to time. They will dissect our beer menu and tell me that we need more variety or tell us that a certain beer has an "off putting flavor" when there isnt. But hey, comes with the territory.

 

I don't think that anyone on this thread is this literal in their interpretation of "the customer is always right." It's a general philosophy that emphasizes the importance of good customer service, even when dealing with an irate or irrational customer. A condescending attitude towards "uninformed" customers is unwarranted, even in high-end bottle shops.

 

It's like in the movie "High Fidelity" with Jack Black. He was a snobby music snob, and was mean to customers. The original hipster, IMO. You're not cool enough to patronize our bastion of cool.

Or something.

 

He makes really good beer, for one thing.

 

You don't own a business, so lets get past that. Secondly, it must matter because you got your panties in a twist channeling your inner-customer, which is a cry-baby, to my post. Your comments were not merely to pick a fight but it was included. We know you're so smart now, no need to respond to this. Get back on topic with your own personal views, instead of latching onto mine and navigating from there. We want to here you Brian Burke because so far so good.

 

Says the guy with David Liebe Hart avatar.

 

You clearly belong in customer service. What's the name of your store, florida drift?

 

I agree with your assessment here. I would look at it as a joy to guide "uninformed" customers to something comparable to the white whale that they are six months behind in searching for; or just offer information about beer styles, future release dates, etc., to anyone who patronized my business. You don't have to own a business to know that it's better to treat every customer equally (within reason) to be successful. It's only acceptable to refer to someone as a "pup" if you're an elderly man who's gained the respect of your community by having an encyclopedic knowledge of beer; whilst smoking a pipe. "Gather 'round, pups, while I share my tasting notes of Hanahpu with you."

 

This "you don't own a business" thing is irrelevant. It's common decency to not treat an "uninformed" customer any differently than some prick-ish beer geek looking for barrel-aged whatever. I've walked right out of any establishment that's treated me with condescension for not being a regular or "in the know." The uninitiated should be welcomed; after all, we all were noobs at one point.

 

Thanks Tdizzle. I know he/she is taking exception to the way I responded, and perhaps it came across as harsh, but I just felt the attitude expressed towards his/her customers in that note completely exemplified what many of us do run into and for which we are discussing here. I am very fortunate to have a local craft beer store nearby that bends over backwards to be a welcoming place and that loves to talk to its customers. I'm starting to learn a good bit about beer, but God knows I have probably asked a dumb question or 3, or have asked something they've had to answer a thousands times, but I would never know it by the way they respond. Hope you drink some good beers this weekend!

 

Its always cool when people are nice, helpful, etc. But honestly, employee attitude is never a deal breaker for me. If a store has good beer and good prices, I'll continue to shop there, as long as someone isn't going out of their way to be a jerk. I would visit craft beer vending machines if there was good selection.

 

I remember when I first joined BA in 2006, right after turning 21, and I read about "chill haze" somewhere on this site. For two months, I checked every bottle that I purchased at my local spots for chill haze. The beer guys at these places probably did their fair share of face-palming every time I walked in, but they were always cool to me. I eventually got hip, and they never treated me any differently. I still go to these places and talk beer with them, but I've long forgotten the places that gave me attitude. As a side note, how inconvenient is it, really, to answer a "dumb" question by a customer?? That's your job! Lol...

 

I don't think you are, jpwobbles, but I have had experiences where specific sales staff have been unpleasant. Some related to my relative ignorance at the time. Others, since I got up on that beer learning curve, have run the gamut from typical low-pay, low-motivation clueless to active distaste because I was not among the hipster crowd who frequents the store.

That said, plenty of clerks at the stores I go to are helpful, many are knowledgeable, and a few are downright insightful and turn me on to stuff I'd never learn about otherwise. Honestly, having worked retail at one point, I know what a tough gig it can be, but I also know what the job is, and so I do resent it when people do not do the job they are hired to do. In a liquor store, the job is to know the stock, help when asked, and ring people up when the time comes. And most people get it right, most of the time.

 

Yep, I'm always very nice and friendly with the staff at one specific beer store in Seattle and without fail one of the guys is never willing to help and actually pretty rude even though I'm a regular customer that has spent LOTS of money at the store.

 

This is going to sound super messed up and a tad unethical, but I would actually love to have a certain percentage of "uninformed" customers as my regular clientele simply to move product. For example, I never buy IPAs that are over about one month old; but a customer that is new to IPAs might not mind drinking something approaching the two month mark. Also, sometimes the hard core beer geeks -- myself included -- steer away from the core lineup beers. For example, I can't remember the last time I bought one of Ballast Point's beers other than Sculpin and Victory at Sea, whereas a novice might really prefer their Calico Amber or Wahoo White to bring to a party, BBQ, etc. We need these customers to buy the stuff that the diehards take for granted!

 

Employee attitude is a deal breaker for me. There are literally hundreds of places I will not enter (going back to the 1980s) based upon crap employees. If I don't vote with my feet and my dollars, who will. My wife is alternately amused and aggrevated with my antics. "Why won't you go to any Jimmy John's again?" "Well, three years ago, this one delivery guy..." And we can't get Papa John's because 3 times in a row, I ordered AND paid for extra cheese, and the delivery guy forgot it. I didn't complain, I just never patronized them again.

Oh, and I moved states for many reasons but one being the piss poor service in that state's bureaucracy (and high taxes).

 

That is hardcore. You know that the vast majority of the people who provided you with poor service no longer work at these establishments, right? Might be safe by now to give some of them another shot.

Also, I assume you have never made a mistake or failed to meet expectations at work.

 

Same here.

 

Oregon checking in, most beer store employees are nice enough to nice. More hands off than other places but I like it that way.