New and Improved reasons why Guitar Center Sucks!

I've been a business owner. I've dealt with customers in that capacity and I know how difficult and unpleasant it can be sometimes. I'm old school. The customer is always right, even if they're wrong. It costs so much more money to gain a new customer than it does to retain one you already have.
I also know that no matter how hard you try, you cannot please every customer and some will "vote with their feet"....simply walk away without explanation.

So it confuses me why a chain as large as Guitar Center can masterfully run off so many customers. Their apathy...and I'm talking about the people they employ to sell...is overwhelming. Their ego is suffocating. Their arrogance and sense of entitlement is amazing.
Look, it's a vicious cycle. the turnover is high, the pay is low, the stress is over bearing. To say the business model is a disaster is like saying Attila the Hun was perturbed.

But still, I believe that it's better to communicate my experiences than to just walk without explanation. That is MY mistake.
After a very unpleasant experience in the Lewisville, Texas location, I shot off an e-mail to the customer care department. About a week later, I received a cordial response from the Pro Audio department manager, Mike Stewart. I didn't immediately respond, but after another bad experience in the Dallas, Texas location on Central Expressway, I responded to Mike's e-mail message about that experience. Both experiences had to do with being largely ignored while in the store and when I finally got someone to deal with me, they didn't really want to help me. I was looking for specific parts and pieces during my first visit and the second bad experience was being told that a demo of an audio signal processor was just not possible. I think the exact phrase used was "I just don't know how we could hook that up for a demo". I said, "OK" and left.


This is the verbatim response from Mike Stewart, now the former Pro Audio Manager from the Lewisville, Texas location:

"Well, I will say this. You're an asshole for never sending anything back to us in the 1st place to verify you even got my e-mail. I don't even work for Guitar Center anymore but if I did you'd be the oppistate (sic) of anyone i would want to deal with."
Mike Stewart

Nice.

I took exception to being called an asshole and wrote back suggesting maybe we get together to discuss the matter further.
Mike wrote back:

"oh yeah physical altercation is always problem solving in this era huh? Seems you have a great life and have accomplished much in your many years according to your website lol. Done with you dude, get over yourself. You're just another whiny "I've spent thousands of dollars here" guy we delt (sic) with every day that was a pain in the ass. Ciao."
Mike Stewart

Mike, by the way is now starting his own audio production business and no doubt, trying to drum up some new business...although I wouldn't exactly endorse his promotion style....you know, just in case you're in the market. Shoot me an e-mail and I'll pass along his company profile.

So the next time you're considering a purchase of music gear and you're thinking about Guitar Center, just remember the heartfelt words of this former employee and ask yourself, "am I a whiney (sic), pain in the ass" that these poor people are going to have to deal with today?

A sidenote: I was watching Letterman earlier this week and "Built To Spill" was the music guest. Brett Nelson was wearing a t-shirt on the backline with the "Guitar Center" logo on the front and a red circle with a line through the middle. Here's the link, see it for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfQk7MOWQn8

If I can figure out a way to wear one everyday, I will.

Here's another great site if you love Guitar Center as much as I do:

http://www.guitarcentersucks.com/