does sweetwater know when to give up?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:29 pm

trodden wrote:
MoreSpaceEcho wrote:
mjau wrote:Should've seen that one coming from a mile off.
too easy!

hey remember like a million years ago when i said i was gonna send you some records? it's actually going to happen this week. really.
drawmer.
line 6.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

User avatar
leigh
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1636
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 11:16 am
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Post by leigh » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:31 pm

superaction80 wrote:
leigh wrote:
superaction80 wrote:3-The follow-up is a good thing, usually. I used to tell my guys to skip call-backs on accessories, unless they had a good relationship with the client or they knew from talking to the client that there maybe be issues with that particular transaction. But, Sweetwater doesn't have the luxury of that type of personal interaction with their clients.
Ironic, then, that they're the only company these days that, when I call, I have to wait to talk to my personal salesperson (let's call him "Brad") to put in an order. If I call and "Brad" isn't available, I have to leave my info and wait for "Brad" to call me back.
I stand corrected. But I'm curious. Does "Brad" follow up on sales under $100?
Oh, I didn't mean to correct you, per se. I think Sweetwater tries for that "personal interaction" by having their sales database prompt their guys to make followup phone calls. But it's so impersonal that it's a joke. As someone else mentioned here, how silly is it to call someone up and say "so, how are those rack screws working for you?" "Ah, swell, thanks, and I'm doing just fine wiping my own ass as well, thanks for asking."

I don't think I've ever ordered anything small from Sweetwater, so I can't vouch for < $100 orders.

I know they're trying, and they're trying something different from Musician's Friend and the like. It just is weird to get a call from a sales guy trying to be all buddy-buddy, out of the blue (when I haven't ordered anything for months). Sorry, Sweetwater dudes, that's a fact. I have enough friends that I care about, who I don't get phone time with, that I'm not going to spend my phone time with you.

just my 2 bits...
Leigh

User avatar
;ivlunsdystf
ghost haunting audio students
Posts: 3290
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:15 am
Location: The Great Frontier of the Southern Anoka Sand Plain
Contact:

Post by ;ivlunsdystf » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:13 pm

I think they do a lot of business with "houses of worship" (as they refer to churches throughout their catalog) and college AV departments and other outfits that might be more amenable to developing "relationships" with "sales engineers". Maybe, dunno.

lyman
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 671
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 5:14 pm
Location: Plymouth Rock City, MA

Post by lyman » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:43 am

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:didn't boston guitar works actually have a shop in boston for a brief while? like diagonally across the street from symphony hall? i remember going in there once and being impressed with the obscure pedals/rack stuff they had.

and then they were gone.
quite possibly. though there are a bunch of music stores around there, what with berklee and NEC and those pedal whores of the boston symphony. :D

User avatar
Jay Reynolds
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1607
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC
Contact:

Post by Jay Reynolds » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:19 am

lyman wrote:
MoreSpaceEcho wrote:didn't boston guitar works actually have a shop in boston for a brief while? like diagonally across the street from symphony hall? i remember going in there once and being impressed with the obscure pedals/rack stuff they had.

and then they were gone.
quite possibly. though there are a bunch of music stores around there, what with berklee and NEC and those pedal whores of the boston symphony. :D
My sister lives in Scituate and during a recent visit I stumbled on a music shop there. Forgot the name, but its the only one in the "Irish Riviera". Totally awesome, old-school layout with guitars, cds, lps, pa gear, mics, drums etc. practically poured into this tiny old space. The guy who owns it was a but of a character, too.
Prog out with your cog out.

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:28 am

i wish there were still loads of music stores here.

pretty much all out of business now.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

A National Acrobat
gettin' sounds
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:53 pm

Post by A National Acrobat » Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:31 am

In defense of Sweetwater, especially in light of Musicians Friend, when you have a 'buddy buddy' over at Sweetwater, it's a helluva lot easier to badger them on satisfaction and returns. Musicians Friend reps act like they don't even want to pick up the phone, let alone make sure you're stoked about your order.

Now with Sweetwater, you can call up your rep and say "Hey, Stuart...about this (blank)...what a pile. I gotta return this." And since you're buddy buddies, you can pile it on him.

Shane Michael Rose
steve albini likes it
Posts: 326
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:11 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY
Contact:

Post by Shane Michael Rose » Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:01 am

the cambridge music in porter square is a joke in comparison to the one that was off of boylston street.

i dont remember the name of it, but there is a pretty rad guitar/ amp place in david square. their tech nick was in a band that recorded at The Milkhouse

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:16 am

*puts on "Ken's Electrostatic Wurlitzers" and boogies*
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

User avatar
Mudcloth
steve albini likes it
Posts: 332
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:30 pm
Location: Elgin, Texas
Contact:

Post by Mudcloth » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:42 am

A friend of mine toured the Sweetwater warehouse a couple of years ago. He told me the sales reps have a mirror next to their monitors and are told to make sure they're smiling when they're on the phone. The thought of a basement full of reps all doing this at the same time kind of creeps me out.

I did enjoy the Bit O' Honey that was sent with my last order. It's been years since I challenged my fillings in such a way.
Matt Giles
Austin, Tx


http://www.mattguitargiles.com
http://www.myspace.com/mattguitargiles
http://www.thedrakesband.com/

How much is a stamp? I'll buy the goddamn stamp.

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:44 am

Mudcloth wrote:I did enjoy the Bit O' Honey that was sent with my last order. It's been years since I challenged my fillings in such a way.
you were supposed to suck it.

wait, that came out wrong.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

rwc
resurrected
Posts: 2333
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:21 pm
Location: Bed Stuy, Brooklyn

Post by rwc » Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:56 am

I was looking through the spam folder of my gmail account, and found this:
Just a really quick note - I've actually asked my marketing department to pass this information along to you because I needed to send it to everyone as soon as possible.

Now through the end of the month we have a 12-Month No Payments, No Interest promotion on our Musician's All Access Card. Check out the link below to learn more about it and apply - it only takes a couple of minutes.
?
http://www.sweetwater.com/financing/allaccess.php

As always, if you have questions about gear you've seen lately or any of the new stuff from Summer NAMM, just give me a call!
so lame

I'm glad gmail puts that where it belongs. :D

I've since lost the cellphone number that the guy called that one time, so luckily they are running out of ways to contact me. :mrgreen:
Mudcloth wrote:A friend of mine toured the Sweetwater warehouse a couple of years ago. He told me the sales reps have a mirror next to their monitors and are told to make sure they're smiling when they're on the phone. The thought of a basement full of reps all doing this at the same time kind of creeps me out.
that is really weird. I would never be able to work that kind of job, for all the money in the world.
Real friends stab you in the front.

Oscar Wilde

Failed audio engineer & pro studio tech turned Component level motherboard repair store in New York

Johnny B
pushin' record
Posts: 271
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 5:18 pm
Location: Syracuse, NY
Contact:

Post by Johnny B » Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:29 pm

Tatertot wrote:I think they do a lot of business with "houses of worship" (as they refer to churches throughout their catalog) and college AV departments and other outfits that might be more amenable to developing "relationships" with "sales engineers". Maybe, dunno.
That's my relationship with them (college AV department), and let me tell you, I don't have time for that either. I spend enough time fixing broken stuff, trying to keep the other stuff from breaking and researching new purchases that once I find something that I think will work and get it ordered, I really don't have time for the follow-up phone calls. That'll be about the time someone is having an equipment "emergency" (you know, it won't turn on and no one can figure out it's because it's unplugged). I don't mind the emails, even though there are only three times I buy equipment: 1-when something breaks and I need a replacement right away, 2-at the beginning of the fiscal year (which is when I stock up on supplies and buy new gear) and 3-about 2/3 of the way through the fiscal year I use the rest of my equipment budget before the university takes it away. Sales really don't enter into it.

cgarges
zen recordist
Posts: 10890
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:26 am
Location: Charlotte, NC
Contact:

Post by cgarges » Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:10 pm

A National Acrobat wrote:Now with Sweetwater, you can call up your rep and say "Hey, Stuart...about this (blank)...what a pile. I gotta return this." And since you're buddy buddies, you can pile it on him.
I do that at Guitar Center and used to do it with several mom and pop stores around here without getting calls asking if I needed anything and without having to deal with one specific person anytime I did need something.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

ctmsound
george martin
Posts: 1259
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 10:43 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Post by ctmsound » Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:41 pm

I like how every sweetwater engineer is a supposed killer engineer with a shitpot of studio experience and has experience with every piece of gear known to man (or atleast that they sell). It's funny seeing johnny in his tie with headpiece phone saying the apogee big ben sounds better than anything he's ever used in his studio yesterday...

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 74 guests