Turned away at a GW store

[ashmie]

Hi everyone,

I've come back to the UK for a week to see folks too.

Here's what I have been up to. Getting p'd off as usual.

[iDear Games Workshop Customer Service,

I regret that I am having to contact you with a complaint as I have been a loyal member of your customers for quite some years now. I started gaming in 1989 and played until 1992. I later rediscovered the hobby in my 20s in 2004 and have been happily shelling out my hard earned money ever since on your products.

I now live in Japan and myself and the other members of the foreign games community over there readily promote the hobby and organise events for newbies and veterans.

http://www.nagoyahammer.com

Owing to the recent nuclear disaster and tsunami catastrophe we have been experiencing I decided to take a week off and come home to Devon. All I wanted to do was chill out and roll some dice.

I was gravely saddened and surprised that when I entered the Exeter store on Tuesday morning on the 22nd of March to request a game of 8th edition I was turned away.
There were no other customers in the shop besides myself and there were about 2 or 3 staff milling around and 6 tables available.
At first I was asked if I had played before to which I replied yes, many times. The staff member then returned with "In that case, no I haven't got time".
He made out that he was clearly too busy for anyone who wasn't a beginner (potential new customer).

I appreciate everyone has sales targets to meet and I'm not blaming this guy as he is perhaps covering company policy or following bosses orders? I was just very sad to learn that even though I have contributed to the hobby these past 20 years and stuck with the systems despite the rules and army books changing 3 times since 2004, I was turned down for a quick skirmish in my local store.

I would like to know what your policies are for this? Have the days of 'come in and game any time you like' gone? White Dwarf would beg to differ.

Please have a manager call me.

I am waiting for your response,

Ashley.
[/i]

[Spevna]

"In that case, no I haven't got time".

If he actually said that, he has no business working in a GW store. Even if he is following policy, that was bloody rude. If I heard one of my employees talking like that, I would give him/her the bollocking of a lifetime.

[Primarch]

The last time I was back home I visited 3 stores, Newcastle (well, a shopping mall nearby called the Metro Centre), York and my home town of Middlesbrough. In all three I was given the hard sell technique by the staff, which was bloody annoying. The guy in Newcastle was pretty cool though. Even though the store was packed (sunday and a BIG shopping centre so parents dropped their kids off), he still took the time to chat. In York they were pretty busy so the guy had to talk to the next customer that came in the door. In my hometown, the shop was having some kind of painting tutorial and once it became clear that I wasn't their to pick up a full army with all the bells and whistles the staff lost all interest and generally made me feel unwelcome.

Their level of customer service varies from store to store.

However, that guy Ash spoke to, that's the worst I have heard of in quite some time. Finger's crossed that you get a response soon.
If you dont get an answer, Jervis posts his mail address in every issue of WD, so you could always try writing to him.

[Spevna]

Their level of customer service varies from store to store.

Very true.

Last time I went into a store was a pretty good experience. The guy found out I lived in Japan and had loads of questions about it. At the same time, another customer walks in, also working in Japan, and the three of us had a good natter about Japan, the new (then) LotR movies, and GW stuff. I ended up buying what I had gone in for PLUS a few other things.

[Mike the Pike]

What the Fudge!
That sounds awful Ash. I really hope GW get back to you on this one. I would love to hear what they have to say for themselves. Hopefully something other than a bog standard/ form apology. If not, mail Jervis, as Prim suggested.

As for me, I have visited GW stores in the UK, US, Japan, Hong Kong (since closed?) and New Zealand. All of them started off with the full on sales pitch but differed in their approach after that. Most, after they realized that I wasn't a newbie that they could brainwash, left me to my own devices. The manager at the Ikebukuro store was pretty friendly though. He seemed in awe of the fact that I have been playing these games for umpteen years. He even let my son vote in the store's painting competition. he was definitely the exception. The staff at the various Indy stores I have visited have generally been a lot friendlier.

[Primarch]

Get it whilst you can.
A GW UK store manager went on 4chan a popular website and answered folks questions about working at GW.
The thread will probably die pretty soon, so read it if you have the time. Very interesting indeed.

boards.4chan.org/tg/res/14347162 XXXXX This link is dead. Sorry.

[Spevna]

Get it whilst you can.
A GW UK store manager went on 4chan a popular website and answered folks questions about working at GW.
The thread will probably die pretty soon, so read it if you have the time. Very interesting indeed.

Got a link?

[Primarch]

Get it whilst you can.
A GW UK store manager went on 4chan a popular website and answered folks questions about working at GW.
The thread will probably die pretty soon, so read it if you have the time. Very interesting indeed.

Got a link?

Gomen

boards.4chan.org/tg/res/14347162 XXXXX This link is dead. Sorry.

[Admiral-Badruck]

I have never been to a GW store... I am not sure I want to go to one now...

[Spevna]

Interesting bloody read. Was not too surprised to hear that they have a bunch of "retards" working at head office. That makes GW the same as most other companies I have worked for