What do you want to use it for?

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

What do you want to use it for?--Surely one of the most irritating questions when you ask for something.

So I want some 3mm diameter ball bearings as part of a redesigned secondary mount for my Newt. Me: Do you have 3mm ball bearings? Bunnings Team Member (BTM): What's it for?
How is this going to help the BTM to know whether or not he has them in stock. Either he has 3mm ball bearings or he doesn't. It's irrelevant what I want them for.

Then I want a mercury vapour lamp to so I can see interference fringes when I test an optical flat. Me: Do you have a MVL? BTM:What do you want it for? Like he's going to follow the explanation.

I go into Sydney Glass to pick up some mirror blanks, which they told me over the phone was ready. See the guy on the shop floor and tell him I'm there to pick up an order for Smith. SG: What was the order?--Reasonable question, so I describe it---glass discs of such and such a diameter and thickness. SG: What's it for?
The list goes on and on.
Geoff

[TrevorW]

My standard reply

"What are you, a policeman or something"

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Mine is: "That's irrelevant."

It annoys the hell out of me as well...

[koputai (Jason)]

A BTM won't know WTF a BB is anyway!

Cheers,
Jason.

[Octane (Humayun)]

They're only trying to be helpful.

H

[troypiggo (Troy)]

TBH I've been guilty of asking these sorts of questions. If you're selling something, whether it's a product or services or just advice on a forum, you need to fully understand the client's expectations. Obviously I do assess the person asking for the advice and if it sounds like they know what they're talking about, I'll just answer their question directly. But if it sounds like they're not quite 100% on what they're asking for, I'll ask for clarification or more information because I've found that often they're asking for the wrong thing and I reckon they appreciate being steered in the right direction.

That being said, not many BTMs have any sort of expertise to be able to offer that level of help/advice.

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

What do you want to use it for?--Surely one of the most irritating questions when you ask for something.

So I want some 3mm diameter ball bearings as part of a redesigned secondary mount for my Newt. Me: Do you have 3mm ball bearings? Bunnings Team Member (BTM): What's it for?

Geoff

Maybe the people are interested in the projects / not just the bits????

[CraigS]

Yes Geoff;

I've had shop assistants, (not BTMs), refuse point blank to give me what I've asked for, unless I tell them my requirements !! .. It gets worse !!

Cheers

[PCH (Paul)]

Yep, ditto what Craig said.

A reticulation outlet would not sell me some odds and sods that I wanted UNTIL they had successfully conducted that bucket test thing that gives you an idea of water pressure. I explained very carefully that I've had a working system for years, and all I wanted was to changed one station, and that I was happy to accept full responsibility for whether it worked or not. To be honest, it totally p****d me off that I was even humouring this fool by talking to him.

But anyway, despite my efforts, he wouldn't bend. He said they had to be able to guarantee their systems, and he couldn't do that if the necessary tests hadn't been done. Jeepers, it was painful. He was lucky he didn't get a fat lip to take home to his missus

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Originally Posted by Octane

They're only trying to be helpful.

H

I concur, on occasions I have asked for a product thinking I had the best I needed, the retailer had some other ideas for consideration, sometimes helpful sometimes I still wanted product "a" But on those occasions where it was helpful I appreciated it.

If you don't want human interaction that much just order it online.

A good retailer/ manufacturer wants his clients to have the best service possible, don't complain too loudly.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Try going into a store to purchase something and have the staff completely ignore you.
Their excuse?
Oh, we thought you were waiting for your husband.

Yes, it still happens.

[Octane (Humayun)]

lol, Jeanette, that's classic!

H

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

LOL Yeah, bless their flabby little sexist hearts.
Fortunately most of the optical stores know me now, even if I haven't purchased from them before. (thanks to IIS)
But I sure gave one fellow from Repco a serve. He'll never ever patronise a woman again. LOLOL

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

bless their flabby little sexist hearts.
Fortunately most of the optical stores know me now, even if I haven't purchased from them before. LOLOL

You are notorious?

Sorry, sorry, could not resist

Cheers

[DavidU (Dave)]

I hate that question too! I just tell them I am making a Triantiwobbulating Ketchup dispenser.Usually shut's them up.

[TrevorW]

I get really P'd when they call me mate (trying to be helpful or not) in most cases I'm old enough to be their father, actually it's only the younger ones that say it and I particularly hate it when a girl says it

I was in a shop the other day and a pretty little thing said "If you need a hand, call me", so I responded with. "I would but I don't know your number", she was quite amused by that