Buy from Local dealers?

[TripleDigitRide]

Hero Gear in Winchester and Guns and Leather in Greenbriar get 5 of 5 stars for customer service in my experience. I travel Tennessee from Jackson to Bristol and KY and have found no other stores that meet or exceed their customer service.

I have 2 stores that really suck. One is a vendor here, I will not name... but I will say when I walk into a store and you have 6 people behind your counters, 3 customers in your store and I want to buy a gun and you all are talking about the election, "inaminute" just cost you a customer. The other store I will not name I brought items to the cash register, was the ONLY customer in the store with 3 people behind the counter and couldn't get anyone to wait on me. I ended up buying nothing from there.

Guess what? I buy guns and I sell guns on a pretty regular basis.

That's right, let everyone else learn the hard way.

+1 Hero Gear and Guns & Leather!

[The Average Joe]

Here's my take.

When dealing locally, deal locally.....use the phone or jump in the truck and go see the guy.

Email in this case should be left for written conformation or receipt.

If the guy knows you from your visit or follow up phone call, business (to me) should go alot smoother.

IMHO, email is what these guys use to check on their long distance orders and order conformations....not local inquiries about gun/ammo/accessory prices.

Again IMHO, I'd rather just go visit a dealer...chances are you might find something there you didn't expect to see and in most of my cases...can't live without.

[R1100R]

Tried to buy something twice these past couple of weeks. Two dealers I do business

with regular. Must have been a tough couple of weeks. Went in person, tried

phone and e-mails. Got on line and ordered it.

I don't hold anything personal. I will deal with these two dealers again. When I am ready, I am ready. Everybody can have a bad day.

I am looking for a dealer in the Nashville area that does dealer transfers for 20-25

plus TCIS. One without the attitude. Please PM me if you know of anyone.

[Guest cjr]

Gcrook,

I have read a few of your post and have respect for for your knowledge.Is there a reason you will not give an FYI on who you have had problems with?

I am pretty new to this forum and dont want to be called a snitch but I'll be damned if I let you go give Crowders cash for an order.

[GLOCKMEISTER]

If you want 1st rate service your going to have to go to the stores in person. Introduce yourself to the owner and tell them what you want in person.

Dont call on the phone... and expect the sales staff to ignore their customers standing in front of them to answer 30 minutes of questions on the phone.

Dont email and expect an answer in 15-30 minutes...

Dont call asking stupid questions or get your wife, kid, or girlyfriend to call... when they dont know jack shiet about what you want... Brand, model, caliber, style.... You dont call down to the local car dealer and ask them... "Dude, do you sell cars?" ... "You do, well how much are they?".... "I like trucks... ya got any, How much are they".... "I got a trade in, its got 4 wheels and sounds really good... How much will ya give me for it?"....

Come in and talk to someone in person, if you dont get satisfied.... let the owner know right then or at the earliest convenient time.

[BimmerFreak]

Tried to buy something twice these past couple of weeks. Two dealers I do business

with regular. Must have been a tough couple of weeks. Went in person, tried

phone and e-mails. Got on line and ordered it.

I don't hold anything personal. I will deal with these two dealers again. When I am ready, I am ready. Everybody can have a bad day.

I am looking for a dealer in the Nashville area that does dealer transfers for 20-25

plus TCIS. One without the attitude. Please PM me if you know of anyone.

I thought Bill did transfers for peanuts.

[R1100R]

I thought Bill did transfers for peanuts.

Bill??? Looking for more of a local Airport/ Mt. Juliet/Lebanon dealer with

Saturday hours. For odd items.

[Smith]

Bill??? Looking for more of a local Airport/ Mt. Juliet/Lebanon dealer with

Saturday hours. For odd items.

Bellshire Hardware! Phil just did a transfer for me and I couldn't have been more pleased. Others seem to have the same experience. $20+TICS.

[Guest gcrookston]

If you want 1st rate service your going to have to go to the stores in person. Introduce yourself to the owner and tell them what you want in person.

Dont call on the phone... and expect the sales staff to ignore their customers standing in front of them to answer 30 minutes of questions on the phone.

Dont email and expect an answer in 15-30 minutes...

Dont call asking stupid questions or get your wife, kid, or girlyfriend to call... when they dont know jack shiet about what you want... Brand, model, caliber, style.... You dont call down to the local car dealer and ask them... "Dude, do you sell cars?" ... "You do, well how much are they?".... "I like trucks... ya got any, How much are they".... "I got a trade in, its got 4 wheels and sounds really good... How much will ya give me for it?"....

Come in and talk to someone in person, if you dont get satisfied.... let the owner know right then or at the earliest convenient time.

1+

The last time I was in Phillip's store a customer came in and I watched him go to a lot of extra effort to find an odd spec'd gun for him and make arrangements to get it shipped from his distributor, all while the customer stood there.

Instead of saying "I don't have it, settle for something in my inventory," Phillip stepped up and said, "Let's see if I can find it" and commenced the search right then. I'm sure his customer was impressed with his service. I know I am.

[Guest jwp]

The volume of people calling to see what is available and what the price is has jumped about ten fold in the past month. So has the number of people standing at the counters with goods in hand looking for someone to ring them up.

One of the biggest problems is someone calling in for an item and then it not being available when they finally (usually a day or so later) come in. Tears and outrage! I don't understand what's so hard to understand about "Yes, we have ten of those right now but they're selling as fast as we can put tags on them and place the on the shelves" for some people.

[Guest Astra900]

+1 on Phil @ Belleshire. I've used him several times, and will continue to do so. Absolutely no . He will stand and shoot the breeze if you like, or just get you in and out, if that's what you want. THere's a lot of Mid Ten dealers that could use a few pointers from him.

[DaveTN]

Hero Gear in Winchester and Guns and Leather in Greenbriar get 5 of 5 stars for customer service in my experience.

+1

I have had good luck with both of them and they have replied to PM’s in a timely manner.

I usually don’t go just to browse; I know what I want. They are both a two hour round trip so I try to find out if they have what I want before going. On one occasion I said “I can’t get there until tomorrow, I will buy that will you put my name on it and hold it?†They said “No problemâ€.

[Guest eyebedam]

1+

The last time I was in Phillip's store a customer came in and I watched him go to a lot of extra effort to find an odd spec'd gun for him and make arrangements to get it shipped from his distributor, all while the customer stood there.

Instead of saying "I don't have it, settle for something in my inventory," Phillip stepped up and said, "Let's see if I can find it" and commenced the search right then. I'm sure his customer was impressed with his service. I know I am.

I've had the same exp with Phil. If he don't have it in the case he's on the phone & will let you know a price & how soon he can have it. No bs from him. Straight up guy alot of folks could take some lessons from him.

Edited December 27, 2008 by eyebedam

[Guest gcrookston]

1

Edited December 27, 2008 by gcrookston

[TripleDigitRide]

Bellshire Hardware! Phil just did a transfer for me and I couldn't have been more pleased. Others seem to have the same experience. $20+TICS.

+1 Phil is a great guy.

[Guest gcrookston]

I thought Bill did transfers for peanuts.

Be nice. LOL

[Guest gcrookston]

1 delete

Edited December 28, 2008 by gcrookston

[Guest gcrookston]

Be nice. LOL

never mind...

[Mike.357]

my boss, who has a buttload of spendable cash, pretty much will never go to coal creek again. Said he went in to look for a handgun and a holster for a Glock he carries. He told me he was basically made to feel that he was a bother and in the way. He had asked me if I have ever dealt there. I told him honestly I have never been in the door, but have heard tales such as his from several people on this site.

There is a gun shop on my side of town I won't go back into for the same reasons I described above.

Maybe the gun business is so good to the shop owners that they can pick and choose their customers now days.

Now on the other hand I happened to visit Frontier Firearms today. It is way out of the way for me but I found myself on Rt 58 with time to kill. From the second I walked in the door I was made to feel like I was wanted there. I was asked if I needed anything in particular. I explained how I was just killing some time. I was told that was great and to make myself at home. I was offered something to drink. It may have been the nicest gun shop experience I have ever had. From the parking lot it does not look like much but once inside the door it was a very pleasurable experience. Heck I even dropped some dough on a couple of items I did not know I needed when I first went in. Now if I had been made to feel like a bother I would have walked around it once and left to never return. Maybe someone from there lurks here and if they do I say my hat is off to you and your way of doing business.

[Guest eyebedam]

never mind...

Quoting yourself in the wee hours in the morning are you.

[Guest gcrookston]

Quoting yourself in the wee hours in the morning are you.

I've had walking pneumonia, asthmatic bronchitis for about a month, and last week one of my lungs partially collapsed. After 30 yrs of smoking and drinking, the Doc tells me no more smoking, no more drinking. My bride is overjoyed, Me, not so much.

I've been a bit bitchy, and I apologize to the members of this forum. The Industrial strength robetusen occasionally gets the better of me (but the roof thing still seems like a good idea).

Poor excuse to be offensive, I know. Sorry.

Sorry that I offended anyone. My bad

Edited December 28, 2008 by gcrookston

[Guest bkelm18]

my boss, who has a buttload of spendable cash, pretty much will never go to coal creek again. Said he went in to look for a handgun and a holster for a Glock he carries. He told me he was basically made to feel that he was a bother and in the way. He had asked me if I have ever dealt there. I told him honestly I have never been in the door, but have heard tales such as his from several people on this site.

There is a gun shop on my side of town I won't go back into for the same reasons I described above.

Maybe the gun business is so good to the shop owners that they can pick and choose their customers now days.

Now on the other hand I happened to visit Frontier Firearms today. It is way out of the way for me but I found myself on Rt 58 with time to kill. From the second I walked in the door I was made to feel like I was wanted there. I was asked if I needed anything in particular. I explained how I was just killing some time. I was told that was great and to make myself at home. I was offered something to drink. It may have been the nicest gun shop experience I have ever had. From the parking lot it does not look like much but once inside the door it was a very pleasurable experience. Heck I even dropped some dough on a couple of items I did not know I needed when I first went in. Now if I had been made to feel like a bother I would have walked around it once and left to never return. Maybe someone from there lurks here and if they do I say my hat is off to you and your way of doing business.

+1 on Frontier. They run a good business. Know how to treat a customer. Mike/Phantom6 gets most of my business here in Oak Ridge but everytime I've gone to Frontier they've treated me right. So has Mike. Usually.

[Guest gcrookston]

my boss, who has a buttload of spendable cash, pretty much will never go to coal creek again. Said he went in to look for a handgun and a holster for a Glock he carries. He told me he was basically made to feel that he was a bother and in the way. He had asked me if I have ever dealt there. I told him honestly I have never been in the door, but have heard tales such as his from several people on this site.

There is a gun shop on my side of town I won't go back into for the same reasons I described above.

Maybe the gun business is so good to the shop owners that they can pick and choose their customers now days.

Now on the other hand I happened to visit Frontier Firearms today. It is way out of the way for me but I found myself on Rt 58 with time to kill. From the second I walked in the door I was made to feel like I was wanted there. I was asked if I needed anything in particular. I explained how I was just killing some time. I was told that was great and to make myself at home. I was offered something to drink. It may have been the nicest gun shop experience I have ever had. From the parking lot it does not look like much but once inside the door it was a very pleasurable experience. Heck I even dropped some dough on a couple of items I did not know I needed when I first went in. Now if I had been made to feel like a bother I would have walked around it once and left to never return. Maybe someone from there lurks here and if they do I say my hat is off to you and your way of doing business.

my experience, too for CCA , what are the good stores in your area?

Edited December 28, 2008 by gcrookston

[Guest eyebedam]

I've had walking pneumonia, asthmatic bronchitis for about a month, and last week one of my lungs partially collapsed. After 30 yrs of smoking and drinking, the Doc tells me no more smoking, no more drinking. My bride is overjoyed, Me, not so much.

I've been a bit bitchy, and I apologize to the members of this forum. The Industrial strength robetusen occasionally gets the better of me (but the roof thing still seems like a good idea).

Poor excuse to be offensive, I know. Sorry.

Sorry that I offended anyone. My bad

You didnt ofened anyone that I know of. I was up sick as a dog just wasting the night away myself. Hope you get to feeling better.

[Guest SUNTZU]

As far as Coal Creek Armory is concerned, I have had some bad experiences with one of the salespeople and one of the gunsmiths, both who no longer work there. JWP has always been a pleasure to do business with and takes the time to just talk to you as well. He has also has given me some good deals and some rangetime. I like to shoot there when its not so busy. The past three times I've been there it was slammed with people. The guys he has working there all asked me if I needed any help. I have purchased two pistols there, and also took a new member from TGO there to get his firearm. I might get scared on the range depending on whose shooting there, but I've had no problems since the aforementioned people no longer work there. My two cents.