Sympathy for ADs

[Howlerbro]

I walked into an AD this morning shortly after they opened, not expecting much inventory and just wanting to kill some time between business meetings. I was the only one in the store and the woman I spoke with was super nice - we spent the majority of our time just talking about the brand and pieces in general. I did let her know what I was interested in towards the end but it wasn't a focal point of our conversation.

About halfway thru a guy with his two kids walks in and made a beeline for the professional case - within 60 seconds, no kidding, he had asked (i) what stainless steel models they had, (ii) which lists he could get on and (iii) pulled up a Sea Dweller, Sub and GMT on his phone and asked about a special order of each. After hearing unsatisfactory answers to each question, he just left. As cruddy as some of the AD experiences are out there, watching this whole thing made me feel pretty bad for them - this sort of stuff must happen numerous times a day. I feel like Rolex, rightfully so, encourages their sales staff to turn the watch buying experience into something really special for their clients but when a fair percentage of those that walk in don't care about that I imagine it can be pretty draining.

[Locust]

This Is the problem. Not the ADs, not the greys. The ticket scalping types trying to make a buck. Do you blame an AD for only selling to people they have history with when this kinda nonsense is what’s going on nowadays? I don’t.

[pepsiretail]

Saw a very similar event this Sunday. The guy thought he was pretty slick though, gently asking for "the black Daytona with the black bezel" amongst others. The salesman is very experienced and handled it with complete professionalism. It was mildly sickening how he had this little scheme, playing naive but letting slip knowledge of Rolex tactics.

[vandyologist]

Agree. I don’t blame ADs at all for getting their customers for desirable pieces. When I was in last week, they had two calls asking about SS models. The owner told me that they get countless calls every week from randos around the country trying to get lucky.

[Marcjvr]

Struggling to see the “problem” here. A customer walks in, ask for a product that the AD sells, AD says “sorry we don’t have it”. Customer walks out.

Where’s the part where we should feel sorry the AD? I’m not being difficult I just honestly don’t see a problem. That’s their job, to deal with customers. The next customer may walk in and buy 10 datejusts for his best friends because he can. Is the AD entitled to only deal with big spenders and/or people who don’t seek hot models?!?!?

Would the AD rather stand around doing nothing? Should ADs not be subjected to the horror of people walking in and asking about hot models...

[Solo118]

I feel bad for the salespeople needing to turn down dozens of people per day. If the goods were in stock, they would be making a nice commission. I just wonder if grey dealers deal with an actual salesperson, or if they cut a deal with the manager/owner.

[pepsiretail]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

Struggling to see the “problem” here. A customer walks in, ask for a product that the AD sells, AD says “sorry we don’t have it”. Customer walks out.

Where’s the part where we should feel sorry the AD? I’m not being difficult I just honestly don’t see a problem. That’s their job, to deal with customers. The next customer may walk in and buy 10 datejusts for his best friends because he can. Is the AD entitled to only deal with big spenders and/or people who don’t seek hot models?!?!?

Would the AD rather stand around doing nothing? Should ADs not be subjected to the horror of people walking in and asking about hot models...

You make a legitimate point. Trouble is, this guy I saw started by trying on some pieces before he went into his sickening lying for some time, on a busy Sunday afternoon. There were plenty of other customers to serve but maybe half of them were wannabe BS artists as well.

[Randy63]

Originally Posted by pepsiretail

Saw a very similar event this Sunday. The guy thought he was pretty slick though, gently asking for "the black Daytona with the black bezel" amongst others. The salesman is very experienced and handled it with complete professionalism. It was mildly sickening how he had this little scheme, playing naive but letting slip knowledge of Rolex tactics.

Imagine how majorly sickening his "scheme" would have been had he asked for "the white Daytona with the black bezel".


Randy

[Danny83]

If I owned an AD I would not be too Happy With Rolex

[Tha Baron]

Originally Posted by Danny83

If I owned an AD I would not be too Happy With Rolex

If I owned an AD I’d be laughing all the way to the bank.

People who work in sales should generally have thick skin... they have to deal with people. Sort of comes with the territory

[kbutler1]

I was at 1 of my local AD's the other weekend with my son just to get out of the house. Their stock was completely wiped. Gentleman working there said they had display space for 120 Rolex watches but just had blanks in most of them. I was wearing my EXP II I had bought from them a few years ago and he told me about a regular who has been waiting for 6 months on the same one to be able to give to his son for graduation.

I don't blame the AD's but it does suck not being able to get what you are looking for. I think most people that aren't in tune with what is going on get frustrated at the wrong people.

[coralfarmer84]

The AD’s should be and are ecstatic. They are basically printing money. Most of their inventory is sold immediately leaving empty cases. Business is so good they can dictate all terms helping them sell other expensive but slower moving items. Any whoa is me stories they give are a ploy to keep people whom they don’t care to sell to now interested in case of future recession.

[pepsiretail]

Originally Posted by Danny83

If I owned an AD I would not be too Happy With Rolex

It is a fact that the AD is now the parent of thousands of well off children, who are used to getting what they want, and must juggle and explain to them why child #1002 got a watch when #29000 did not. Add all the BS artists and opportunists and it is total chaos with Rolex at the AD.

[nashjack]

I had a similar experience. I've worked with the SA at out local AD and went in recently to look around and talk with her. I always found her knowledgable and honest. She seemed frustrated that they get almost no SS Rolex models while having to field tons of calls looking for these hot Rolex watches.

[Oyster84]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

Struggling to see the “problem” here. A customer walks in, ask for a product that the AD sells, AD says “sorry we don’t have it”. Customer walks out.

Where’s the part where we should feel sorry the AD? I’m not being difficult I just honestly don’t see a problem. That’s their job, to deal with customers. The next customer may walk in and buy 10 datejusts for his best friends because he can. Is the AD entitled to only deal with big spenders and/or people who don’t seek hot models?!?!?

Would the AD rather stand around doing nothing? Should ADs not be subjected to the horror of people walking in and asking about hot models...

I'm struggling to follow this thread but I think the OP was insinuating that this guy was not a regular customer but a "flipper" hocking SS models to unsuspecting victims. I do agree with you though. I not sure why we're supposed to feel sorry for an AD making a sale. I mean, a sale is a sale...

[Iowa 73]

Not sure what is worse: turning away customers that may or may not have the cash to purchase what they don't have, or spending thirty minutes showing a customer watches that they do have, and not selling anything??

It's all part of the business.

[Howlerbro]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

Struggling to see the “problem” here. A customer walks in, ask for a product that the AD sells, AD says “sorry we don’t have it”. Customer walks out.

Where’s the part where we should feel sorry the AD? I’m not being difficult I just honestly don’t see a problem. That’s their job, to deal with customers. The next customer may walk in and buy 10 datejusts for his best friends because he can. Is the AD entitled to only deal with big spenders and/or people who don’t seek hot models?!?!?

Would the AD rather stand around doing nothing? Should ADs not be subjected to the horror of people walking in and asking about hot models...

I think it was more the obvious nature of this guys’ interaction that bugged me, as it was abundantly clear he had no relationship there and was only interested in hot pieces. If it were a TV at Best Buy or some other commodity good if agree with you. But I think most of us are buying a Rolex because we really love it or are celebrating a milestone/achievement and the brand appreciates that. No one gives you champagne and tells you congratulations when you buy that TV or MacBook. When customers make it purely a capitalistic transaction it’s tough to see


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[outtatime]

A person came into a store and showed the clerk a product from the website, and then wanted to buy said product? And then, when the store didn’t have it, he left?? The nerve of some people!

(Meanwhile in another thread)

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[Ichiran]

An AD recently told me they have the highest profit margin in decades. He said they are now selling Rolex watches with very little or no discount presently.

[SoTaxLaw]

One guy walks into an AD intending to buy a watch. Another guy walks into the same AD to kill time between meetings. Neither one buys a watch. The guy who intended to buy nothing but still use up the sales staff’s time has sympathy for the AD because why again?

[zaydans]

I visited my local AD recently and asked if they could source an oyster bracelet for my GMT. They took the details of the watch and my contact info and said they’d call me back. Three weeks pass and no call back at all so I call RSC NY and they have one in stock. Make a special trip there the next day and hey presto the bracelet is now mine. If they can’t even do something simple like that why should I give them my business?

[pain888]

Don't feel sorry for them. My AD tells me there profit went way up. Because they bundle and less discount or none with date just ........

[pepsiretail]

Originally Posted by SoTaxLaw

One guy walks into an AD intending to buy a watch. Another guy walks into the same AD to kill time between meetings. Neither one buys a watch. The guy who intended to buy nothing but still use up the sales staff’s time has sympathy for the AD because why again?

Because the slimy residue he must wash off after a full days accumulation takes up most of his evening relaxation time.

[Howlerbro]

Originally Posted by SoTaxLaw

One guy walks into an AD intending to buy a watch. Another guy walks into the same AD to kill time between meetings. Neither one buys a watch. The guy who intended to buy nothing but still use up the sales staff’s time has sympathy for the AD because why again?

Fair point - I guess technically I left the same way the other guy, without a watch in hand. I think the point I was trying to make is that seeing a guy who, I have to assume, only had flipping in mind interact with salespeople the way he did made me feel like the broader consumer population isn't totally un-complicit, or whatever you want to call it, in how salespeople and ADs have evolved to treat people. Sure, it'd be awesome if they took care of everyone who walked in the door as a longtime valued customer but when some potential customers are only in it for a buck, I can see why it sucks for the salespeople and contributes to frustrations on both sides.

[Cesium137]

This is the game that the AD’s signed up for, I have no sympathy for them. Nor do they for me...

[77T]

The sales staff at my nearby AD does suffer from lower sales volume which drives their personal commissions down.

Rolex has done a good job of molding a pleasant “sales process” inside the AD’s.

Unfortunately they’re not doing so well with the “waiting process”.


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[liu_watch]

I didn’t know ADs are like bars nowadays. We walk in, strike a lengthy conservations with the lady behind the bars about drinks, when the drinks themselves are not the focal point of the conversations.

A lot of assumptions made: there is no indication that the customer was a flipper. Why does anyone have to be a flipper by asking for hot ss models? Aren’t we all interested in them on this forum?

[Merkaholic]

OP...... Sorry to say but your being a bit pretentious in judging others as by your own standards you don't have aleg to stand on. Assumption is the mother of all evil.

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[MSchott]

[/B]

Originally Posted by Iowa 73

Not sure what is worse: turning away customers that may or may not have the cash to purchase what they don't have, or spending thirty minutes showing a customer watches that they do have, and not selling anything??

It's all part of the business.

The last sentence in particular is spot on.

[airpeace]

the feeling is mutual