DSE dumbing down - ok, so it's old news, but *really*!!!

Fair go! You DON'T actually expect the average DSE staff member to know anything about what they are selling do you? :P :-)

Cheers, Alan

Been that way for 15+ years and is expected. The hard part is when they refuse to process it and make you go back and get the part number and write it on one of those little self-serve order sheets. Do they still do that?

Jaycar and Altronics are still pretty good in this area though.

I've noticed a few times now that the Farnell trade counter staff refuse to offer any advice on components when someone comes in and says "I need a 10A fuse" or whatever. They weren't like that a few years back.

Dave :)

Not IME. But is to be expected. Jaycar complained in SC for ages that they can't get good staff because they aren't prepared to pay the wages necessary for qualified people. Personally I'd rather get the cheapest price and NO advice. (incorrect advice is worth less than nothing anyway)

Someone probably tried to sue them. That usually stops people giving free advice pretty quick smart.

MrT.

Yes, noticed that. The ones I visit seem to have some (but not all) fairly cluey staff though, at least on the basics. Certainly streets ahead of DSE.

So would I. I don't need advice, but it's nice when you dump your components on the counter and they know what is is and/or how to punch it into their system quickly so you don't have to wait for the dreaded "catalog number check". That's the difference bewteen DSE and Jaycar/Altronics I guess, DSE are not in the "component game" any more so the sales staff don't know what to do when you bring a bunch of components to the counter.

I suspect as much. They have to refer people to a "component engineer" if they want any sort of advice.

Dave :)

Dick Smith where I am have not had 10K resistors in the trays for three years now, you tell the counter-jumpers this and they say "The computer says we have 1000 in stock...so there".

maybe the 10k ris were priced as 10a fuses when they were sold

Say for example

DSE sell 1 Xtal at $1 and make 50c proffit (50%)

DSE Sell 1 Radio at $100 and $10 proffit (10%)

IF you owned the DSE store would you want $10 or 50c in your pocket..... (less GST of course).

So to make more dollars in your pocket it's quite hard work selling small qty of components, BUT sell a few Radio's ....

Would you encourage your staff to sell Xtals or Radios?

If a customer wants 1000 Xtals - he wont pay $1 each ' he/she will shop around.

Have you ever gone in to a supermarket for milk and come out with lots more?

JG

"Alan Rutlidge" > know why it's happening but I thought I'd share this little gem.

Not unless they're trying to sell you a mobile phone, DVD player, computer, television set etc

Charles L

Mr.T furiously typed the following on 5/10/2005 3:11 PM:

[snip]

BINGO!

I was hired by DSE for my background in electronics - but after a few "customer cases", we were informed that "...advice was not to be given to any customers in regards to componants, kits or repair of items..." because, even if we gave good advice, the person went home and did what they wanted anyway most of the time.

So, after a while, if the staff werent allowed to give out the advice, why hire people trained in the advice - when they could earn more money somewhere else... ...in all truth, it took the fun out of helping people in the job and was one of the reasons that I left to drive the lightrail in sydney! :-P

--Richard W

I fondly recall DSE staff in Melbourne who you could actually discuss the pro's and cons of circuits with. They're just checkout chicks now. Your new job sounds better by far. :-)

Ken

Ken Taylor furiously typed the following on 6/10/2005 9:31 AM:

It gets that way Ken, and "just being a counter jockey" was crap - even some of the Area Managers left too, Bill White from the Nth Shore (Hornsby) and Newcastle Area, where I was...

...and these days, I run my own business - Im a professional Magicician! ;-)

--Richard W

Did you wave a magic wand and introduce more letters? :-)

The staff at the Lonsdale St. store in Melbourne when it first opened were a great bunch of guy; hams, hobbyists and hackers. Ah, the good old days......

Cheers.

Ken

Point taken, although I rate them no better than the average salesperson at an electrical discounter for product knowledge, which is disappointing when you think of it. Unfortunately most of these jobs aren't well paid and the rapid turnover in staff generally means they don't get to know much about what they sell before they move on to another position.

My experience with my local Altronics and Jaycar stores is that there seems to be a core of permanent staff who at least have a reasonable knowledge of the products they sell. That isn't to say you don't draw a blank from time to time.

Cheers, Alan

I've always wondered if the guy who comes in to water and trim the indoor office plants has a better and higher paying job than being an electronics design engineer?

Jim's mowing franchise anyone?

Dave :)

I once read an article published by a casual electronics TAFE lecturer. Taking into account he doesn't get paid for preparation time, research, updating lecture notes, photo-copying etc he worked out that he'd be making just a much money as a trolley boy rounding up shopping trollies at the local shopping centre and with a lot less grief. And people wonder why I can't be bothered doing the TAFE lecture circuit anymore. :P

Cheers, Alan

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they

necessary

says

free

Well this little bit of advice landed in my mailbox the other day from a = local computer shop. It reads -

"Always double check with your salesperson when purchasing a system in = parts. Make sure that all components are compatible with each other, eg. = SATA, PATA, DDR1 and DDR2. Majority of new motherboards require the user = to have SATA rather than PATA. A lot of products are returned due to = them being incompatible with each other."

Sensible advice, but could they be sued for it?

Cheers, Alan

But I've already *got* all of those things. All I really needed was a

4MHz crystal (sometimes I 'ang about at night *dreaming* of owning a 4MHz crystal). But yes the thought did cross my mind that if I ever needed a new mobile phone or plastic thing with lights that plays MP3s, then I was in the right place.

Yes it now the case of "do you want fries with that"

DSE have dropped MOST kits (from the new catalogue). I was told at one store make an offer on kits. Remember when they sold ecells? Sorry what a 1 watt resistor is the reply in most stores. The only good test equipment there now is the Meterman which is fluke (danaher)

Casual rates at Uni: $28/hr for practicals, $57/hr for tutorials, $78/hr for lecturing, $156/hr if you write the notes yourself.