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Camera Exchange · **Here we go! Christmas 2006 Top Ten Phone Calls! -** 12-20-2006, 10:29 PM

Here it is... my Top-10 for the holidays!

Keep in mind folks that these calls are only the ones that I have personally answered. Since I am not in sales at the store, I only answer the phone when the floor is too busy to handle the call volume (this is probably a 1-100 ratio). If you have ever wondered why people that work in retail can get a slight bit "cranky" during the holiday season, this might be a small insight. Or as I call it....

Welcome to My World!

Number 10 - "Q: My daughter wants a new CanYon 76 for Christmas." Response: "I am sorry, I am not familiar with a Canon 76, can you be bit more specific about what you are looking for?" "No, if you don't know, I don't know why I called this place! *click*"

Number 9 - "Q: I bought a Nikon camera from your store a week ago and it was too big to fit in my briefcase so I took the front part off... I figured out how to do that by myself. However, now every picture that I take is really blurry. Do I need to bring it in for repair?" Response: No sir, you need to put the lens back on the front of the D50, everything should be fine after that. (The customer brought the camera back in for me to put the lens back on).

Number 8 - "Q: I understand that you are a ThinkTank dealer. Can you fax me information on size and plumbing requirements?" Response: "Sir our ThinkTank products are camera bags"... *click*

Number 7 - "Q: I have an Olympia digital camera that has never been out of the box and is in perfect condition and has never been used. How much would you give for that?" Response: "Sir those items are promotional cameras that are given to folks that attend sales events and they aren't digital, they are plastic film cameras. I am sorry to say that we wouldn't be interested in purchasing that item." Response: "@*#&^, I bought the @*#&^ property!"

Number 6 "Q: Do you have any filters?" Response: Yes we do, do you know the filter size?" Response: "No, but my Aunt wants one that will filt her Canon". FYI - This one went on for about 15 minutes before I just couldn't take it any longer

Number 5 - "Q: I am looking for some Mamiya accessory for my husband." Response: Can you give me an idea of something specific that you are looking for?" "NO!... you should know that. *click*

Number 4 - This one is REALLY cute. I received a website contact from a young lady (11 years old I found out later) that said she had just received $100 from her Aunt and wanted to buy Mom and Dad a gift from the store and she wanted to split the $100 down the middle and get them both one of the "big white" Canon lenses that they really liked when they were in the store the day before. She said that Mom and Dad really liked that lens and thought they would always want to use it so she wanted to buy one for each of them).

THIS ONE scared the heck out of me and I didn't really know how to respond. So I responded by telling her to have Mom or Dad bring her in and we could work something out. Mom brought her in and we worked out a deal where both Mom and Dad would be happy (made her tell Mom to leave the store while we shopped for her gear).

FYI - The daughter was happy (and I had to cut prices to make the $50 each work). We wrapped them up and she is good to go. Mom and Dad should be happy!

FYI - The "white lens" she wanted to blow the $50 each on was the Canon EF 300 2.8!

Number 3 "Q: Do you sell cameras? Response: Yes we do any particular model you are looking for? R: No, just checking."

Number 2: "Q: I just purchased a camera (digital Point-n-Shoot) online from New York for my daughter for Christmas. Since you guys are Fuji dealers, I understand that I can send her in there right after Christmas to learn how to use it. She is only available on the 26th before she has to go back to school. We will require training on that day.

Sorry TPF'ers, we were EXTREMELY busy and I lost it on this one and my response was... "I am sorry, we do not offer training on items purchased online. However, I would be willing to fly to "X" at your expense and provide the camera training at a later date, but this might cut into your Internet savings. We could look at booking something around July '07... how does this work for you." The whole time my mouth was moving, my mind was saying "don't say this, don't say this". However, it came out, and... I am sorry to say, IT FELT GOOD! FYI. I haven't received any flight reservations yet.

Number 1 - "Q: I am getting ready to order a Canon 5D online since their prices are cheaper. However, I have never held one and would like to try one out. Do you loan cameras out or can I come in and "test drive" a 5D?. Response: "I am sorry we are out of stock on Canon 5D camera bodies".

Thanks folks! This was very theraputic!

Abel · 12-20-2006, 10:39 PM

I'll take Deal #4 Please...

ndsimm · 12-20-2006, 10:39 PM

NOW I remember why I got out of retail.......

My prayers are with you Mike! but when are you gonna get any of the $50 lenses to fit Nikon

Abel · 12-20-2006, 10:40 PM

only a few more days left mike... hang in there...

oh wait... then after christmas youll have to deal with the returns/exchanges... darn it... nevermind...

hehee

Daniel Bates · 12-20-2006, 10:50 PM

I'll take the other half of the $50 deal.

Camera Exchange · 12-20-2006, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndsimm

NOW I remember why I got out of retail.......

My prayers are with you Mike! but when are you gonna get any of the $50 lenses to fit Nikon

Sorry Prentis,

The Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR $28 sale ended last Saturday. Hopefully Nikon will pony up for another promtion soon.

Nikon and promotion. Now that was funny!!!

Regards,
Mike

zepp · 12-20-2006, 11:05 PM

I see Abel's been making prank phone calls from work again.....

Abel · 12-20-2006, 11:13 PM

hahaa... now theres an idea.... hmmm.... lemme see what crazy questions i can come up with for little Mikey....

Camera Exchange · 12-20-2006, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abel

only a few more days left mike... hang in there...

oh wait... then after christmas youll have to deal with the returns/exchanges... darn it... nevermind...

hehee

Oh no, it is worse than you think. We are off on Monday and then all of the Christmas money AND returns start first thing on Tuesday! So it really doesn't end for a few more weeks.

GRRRR!!!

BTW - Happy Holidays to all you TPF'ers. I don't think I had the opportunity to tell everyone to have a safe and happy holidays season. So now I have.

On another note, if any of you TPF members are attending the PMA show in San Antonio in January, I will be in the ThinkTank Photo booth for the entire event. As ThinkTank's premier dealer in Texas (there are only two of us), we were asked to man their booth at for this show. Make sure you stop by to meet us at PMA.

Regards,
Mike

Abel · 12-20-2006, 11:24 PM

we'll be there....

youll have to introduce me to the TT guys....

Camera Exchange · 12-20-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zepp

I see Abel's been making prank phone calls from work again.....

Frank,

Now that is funny... wait a minute. No it isn't!

I can see Abel thinking this thing through. Make Mike crazy during the holidays, I don't get squat for sponsorship and he won't cut me a deal on a new 300 2.8.

You know what, this all makes sense to me now!

Damn you Abel! Stop calling and/or having your TPF minions drive me crazy! I can't take it any more!!!!