Originally posted by Old Timer 56 I've had somewhat mixed experiences at B&H over the years. Once, one of the young Hasidic staffers (most of them are Hasidic) told me I had to remove the "picture" from my arm. He was referring to an old Army tattoo and I replied that it was none of his business.
I used to think the Hasidic staffers were the ones who were unfriendly (they often don't look at you and mumble a bit) but in fact, one of them is just the opposite. Maybe it's because he's from Brazil rather than from Brooklyn or Monsey (an Orthodox Jewish enclave). If you ever visit the store, he's the one situated below a picture of the Brazilian flag.
Not all the staffers are Hasidic and this is not a rant about the Hasidim. But there does seem to be a certain cultural hostility toward "outsiders". And if you are a woman, you can probably expect a snide and condescending attitude as a matter of course. I've witnessed it a couple of times in the store. Yet, the Brazilian guy is not the only one who seemed friendly. True, he wouldn't shake hands with my wife who accompanied me on one of my visits. But he then apologetically explained that he was forbidden to touch any woman not his wife. He then shook my hand a second time, sort of for my wife. She wasn't offended, probably because of his warm and friendly attitude. Anyway, this religious rule was not news to her, being the daughter of a Cantor.
I bought my first K10D body at the store. I simply handed the saleman a printout from their website and said "this is what I want". No arguments. He did ask if I wanted an extended warranty, extra batteries, or extra memory cards. I said no thanks and that was that. I bought my second body as well the two prime lenses I use via their website.
I think it helps if you know exactly what you want when you visit the store. I always do and I convey that fact to the salesman by my manner and VOICE. And I never ask the salesman for advice.
Richard
I appreciate your recommendations, Richard, but I can see no reason why I should have to seek out specific B&H staff members in order to minimize the unpleasantness of that place--not when there are just so many other options right here in the city.
I know of, and have been occasionally exposed to the "cultural hostility" often ascribed to the Hasidim. However, in my experience, the Hasidic staff at B&H have been the least frequent offenders.
Without going into the details of the experience that served as the proverbial last straw, a doddering fool of a B&H manager more or less told me that my business doesn't matter (and he's right given the inexplicable devotion so many people have for B&H). Incidentally, that manager also advised me that the key to success in his establishment was to "know what I want before I walk in." (This admonishment was completely irrelevant to the situation, but he didn't know that because he wasn't actually listening to me.) Now, I can assure you, as I did him, that I ALWAYS know what I want before I walk into a store of any kind (I'm one who'll ask for sunglass frames by manufacturer's model number). But why should I have to? If staff isn't there to actually
assist customers in making a purchase, then they are little more than order-takers; and that makes them of no more help (less in fact) than a product page on Amazon.com.
I can also assure you that the dysfunction with my B&H experience is not due to me being insufficiently direct or assertive. And, using your account of your K10 purchase as an example, you know you didn't even get to speak to a one of those penned-in sales staffers until you had been corralled in a roped-off waiting area, among other possible indignities (see my reference to being "herded like cattle").
For a stark contrast, go to the new Apple store on 14th (if you haven't already) and see how I think a customer should be treated. If I simply must go to a brick and mortar store, I want the experience to be more like the Apple store and far less like B&H.
Given the size of the place, the size of the staff, and the overwhelming popularity, I was willing to believe that I (consistently) had bad luck with B&H. But no, B&H, to use the parlance of our times, just
sucks.
-XM