Academy Sports upset me a bit yesterday

[Dolomite_supafly]

So yesterday I was in town doing a few things. While in town I decided to check Academy Sports for 22. We were about 3-4 minutes out so I called to see if they had any so we wouldn't need to stop if we didn't need to. I had no other need to go in there other than to buy 22 ammo so a quick call telling me they didn't would save me some time and effort.

 

I called and went through the options to get to the gun counter. It rang 5-6 times then there was a distinct pause and it began to ring again. After it rang 2-3 times someone from customer service picked up. I asked if they had any 22 ammo. He didn't say a word and transferred me to the gun counter. It rang 5-6 times again then the same guy at customer service answered and asked how I could help. I again asked about 22 and he asked me to hold please. I interupted him and told him I had already called back there twice. He said he would check on the 22 ammo and come back to the line. At this point we pulled into the parking lot of Academy Sports and my wife says I should just hang up because I am here but I didn't. I kept the phone to my ear while I waddled my happy butt into the store on crutches. I made a bee line for the gun counter but did not ask anybody anything when I got there because I wanted to see what the hold up was. So I stand there for 2-3 minutes and I watch as 4-5 employees are BSing and laughing amongst themselves. They were all standing around the cash register which is where the phone is. As I was standing there my phone began to ring again. I guess if someone is on hold for too long it automatically rings customer service again. Someone else picked up at customer service and asks if he can help. I tell him I am on hold to find out if there is any 22 ammo. He asks me to hold and transfers me, yet again, to the gun counter again. I am standing 3 feet from their phone as it begins ringing but they continue to BS and laugh amongst themselves without acting like the phone is even ringing. Then after 5-6 rings, in which they do not answer, I again get transferred back to the customer service where the last guy picks up again. I ask about 22 ammo and I again get transferred to the gun counter where the same 4-5 employees are still standing around BSing and laughing. I am standing there watching them all as the phone continues to ring and not a single one is even acknowledging it. It rings 4-5 times then a female employee runs up and frantically picks up the phone. I ask about 22 even though I already know they don't have any. We hang up and those 4-5 employees continue to BS as I walked away.

 

I spent close to 10 minutes waiting on the gun counter to answer with 5 minutes of it standing right in front of the gun counter watching them BS as their phone rang. I don't know about the first two calls to the gun counter but the last two I was standing right there without a customer in sight so I know it wasn't like they were busy with a customer. I can only assume they didn't answer the first two calls for the same reason as the last two.

 

So on my way out I asked for a manager. I told him his employees were not answering the phones back at the gun counter. He was nice as can be but started to make excuses so I interupted him and told him I was standing right there as the phone rang without them answering it because they were chatting away amongst themselves. At that point he seemed to get a little pissed and said he would take care of it. No clue whether he did or just got a good laugh at my expense but at least he knows now and can't claim ignorance when I talk to his boss the next time this happens.

 

I am not going to fool myself into thinking I am not going to buy from there ever again or boycott the place or anything. But every time I pull into the parking lot I am going to call to see where it leads.

 

[Trekbike]

I'd been tempted to holler over to them while the phone was ringing and you were standing there so they knew that it was you that was calling in order to get their response before talking to the manager.

[runco]

Very interesting, I understand corp. America takes facebook postings of their stores seriously.  That might be an option to get some real traction since the manager didn't seem to be to interested.  On the other hand, how many folks likely call each day, they could be very numb and calloused to the customer service thingy on the phone.  In all I think you did the right thing.

[TripleDigitRide]

Sadly, their phones have probably been ringing a million times a day for the last year, with calls from everyone and their brother looking for. 22 ammo. They have likely become deaf to the sound.

[DaveTN]

Stores spend a lot of money advertising to get you in. It’s a shame they lost your business over lazy azz employees. If I were the store manager I would have walked back there, chewed azz, and let them know they aren’t on the clock to stand around and BS. Of course then they could all feel like victims and talk about what an azz I am; that is until the next time it happened.

Like anything you have good and bad, I generally get good results when I am in stores and need something, and generally when I call (once I can get a person on the line.)

I’m sure that phone rings constantly, but they need to know those are buyers calling. I hope the Manager you talked with had the sack to explain that to them in no uncertain terms. (Although that shouldn’t have to be done with adults)

[jacob]

Would have been hilarious if they'd picked up the phone and heard your voice on the line and from you standing in front of them simultaneously. ...

[LI0NSFAN]

I know several of their managers (one was my assistant at UT) and if you talked to one of the managers I know, it will be handled swiftly. The down side to big box retail is that the corp policies only allow a slap on the wrist for the first couple of times. I have seen the phone ring like that before and all were just standing around, so I know that it has happend before.

Edited November 16, 2013 by LI0NSFAN

[Guest PapaB]

If you could reach the phone it would have been funny to pick it up and say in a loud voice "You've reached the gun counter at Academy Sports but the employees are too busy jawboning to answer their phone. I reccomend calling back and complaining to management." then hang up before they learn it was you on both ends of the call and walk away.

[daddyo]

I've gotten similar treatment at the Academy here in Cool Springs. I wanted to ask the guy at the gun counter about something that I was looking for and it was very evident to me that I was interrupting his online activity. He never even looked at me and sort of grunted his way through the answers. He was an asshat.

 

I complained, but I doubt it did any good whatsoever.

Edited November 16, 2013 by daddyo

[Guest Brutnus]

Just show up on Wednesday morning and you will get all the ammo you want.

[Lumber_Jack]

Sadly, their phones have probably been ringing a million times a day for the last year, with calls from everyone and their brother looking for. 22 ammo. They have likely become deaf to the sound.

No excuse. They are paid to answer the phone regardless of how many times a day it happens.

[GuitaRx]

No excuse. They are paid to answer the phone regardless of how many times a day it happens.

 

agreed!!!! tha's what they get paid to do.. their jobs. No excuses, lame ass workers.. I've found the only place you find customer service is the ma and pa stores. The corporate owned chains do not care because no one is held responsible.. Ma and Pa know if they don't take care of their customers, they go out of business..

[bersaguy]

All I can say you have the patience of a Saint my friend. If that would have been me and I was on crutches just to get into the store and I got treated like that everyone in the store would have known how I felt because I would have found an intercom phone and announced it to the whole store. I don't have that kind of patience at all when it comes to poor service and I don't care what store it is. A few folks here mentioned that it may be because they probably get a 100 phone calls a day. That is not an excuse for employees doing the job they are paid to do and the employer expects them to do. I don't know which Academy Store you went to but the one were have in Goodlettsville here near Nashville you would have never gone through that. They are very quick about answering the phone or if your in the store they an employee will always politely ask you if the can help you with something. I shop there quite often if I get with in 5 miles of it I always stop in just to go to gun section not just looking for ammo but to drool and slobber ll over the counter at the high end weapons I would love to have but know I can't afford.............jmho

[Erik88]

I was trying to buy ammo a few months ago at wal-mart and no one was working in sporting goods. I walked over to tire counter and asked for help but no one ever came. Eventually I picked up the phone that's right on the counter and called customer service. They got someone over there pretty quickly and she didn't seem surprised at all that I had called from an internal phone. Clearly I wasn't the first person to think of that.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I don't konw if it is a Knoxville thing but a lot of places here have employees with attitudes or are just plain lazy. Almost like they have a problem with the fact they are working. I always tell my wife when we that happens that maybe we need to fix that problem for them. One of our Walmarts is the worst. 8 out of 10 times if you ask an employee for help they roll their eyes or get an attitude. I was in Best Buy yesterday when I ask one employee where something was, he looked around for a second then pointed at another employee saying the other employee would help me. No big deal. Walked over to the other employee who was sitting at a computer and asked where something was. He got visibly upset that I had interupted what he was doing. And at one point I told him nevermind and that I would find it myself. Now I will say that this is a rarity in Best Buy but there are a few with Kurt being the biggest ass I think I have ever met.

[UncleJak]

Had this not been a sad reflection of what customer service has turned into, it would almost be comical. Too many companies no longer teach customer skills.

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[TripleDigitRide]

No excuse. They are paid to answer the phone regardless of how many times a day it happens.

As frustrating as it may be for the employees, It wasn't meant as an excuse. I was more or less typing out loud.

[peejman]

There's a reason why retail stores are dying out, you just found it.

[GuitaRx]

I was considering a gun purchase there.. I have changed my mind now.

[TripleDigitRide]

I was considering a gun purchase there.. I have changed my mind now.

You'll be doing yourself a disservice. Academy is a great store.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

It seems Academy also has a few people working there that do not know a flipping thing about guns..

 

How can they give advice to people who don't know anything yet either about guns but rely upon these assclowns to give them some.. Its sad and dangerous

[Dustbuster]

Do it again but covertly video that and send it in to loss prevention at corporate hq. Title it: million dollar heist at xyz store caught on film. See what kind of response you get,tell em you want 10 cases of 22lr in exchange for showing them how to save 100 grand a year by firing those 4 a holes...

Brick and mortar nightmares live...



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 of course it ate my spelling.

[Dolomite_supafly]

You'll be doing yourself a disservice. Academy is a great store.

+1

 

They have decent prices and always seem to have guns at those decent prices. If you can walk in and get what you need without asking for advice or help it is a great place. I will go back again.

[Joe357]

Clearly those employees were overworked, hadn't had a day off in months and were working double shifts for over a year.

NOT !!!

A typical, they want to get paid and not want to have to work for it..
Very common in today's labor force! Edited November 16, 2013 by joe45

[DaveTN]

There's a reason why retail stores are dying out, you just found it.

You sure couldn’t tell it by driving around Middle Tennessee.