AD sales rep with misinformation

[got-it]

Sometimes I think the AD sales rep contributes in messing up gens by giving some pretty bad information.

I went in to an AD over the weekend to purchase a gen Oris Williams Day Date. Before purchasing, I always pretend I know nothing about mechanical watches or the brand. A sales guy introduces himself to me and asks if he can help me. I told him I am interested in the Oris Williams Day Date, and if he would provide me a bit more information on the watch.

He tells me that all Oris watch movements are in-house, and that the one I am looking at is no exception. Ok, so he got this wrong, but it wasn't a huge deal because Oris does purchase the 2836-2 and modify it in-house.

As I am looking at this watch, he suggest that I give it a few shakes to get the movement going. I'm thinking..."shouldn't I wind it up instead?" I politely ask him if I should wind it up instead, he proceeded to tell me that winding up is not required, and that I can just shake it up to get it going. He proceeds to pull out the crown on a chronograph automatic and shakes it rapidly...then....he uses the chrono...oh lord no. At this point, my eyes glazed over and I somehow believed I am in some sort of nightmare.

I didn't purchase from him. Instead, I went to another AD and bought it from them. But sometimes I wonder if these sales people contribute to the defectiveness of some gens. I especially like how he had pulled the crown out and couldn't understand why the second hand had stopped, and shook it some more in an attempt to get it going LOL.

[buster1]

I agree that some AD's don't know what their talking about, but what is wrong with running the chrono on a partial wind?

B.

[buster1]

I agree that some AD's don't know what their talking about, but what is wrong with running the chrono on a partial wind?

B.

Sorry..I didn't see the part where you indicated the crown was pulled out when he tried to run the chrono.

Edited April 2, 2007 by buster1

[jfreeman420]

Most sales people at AD's are low paid counter people. They undergo little training and are paid an hourly was plus sometimes a small commission. This is the retail world. These are the same people at macy's and dillard's etc. There is no 6 month training course to sell watches although there should be. Because of the low pay most of these stores have a high turnover of sales people and it doesn't pay to invest in training. Plus, running a retail establishment is quite costly to begin with and they can't afford to pay someone like me $150,000/year to actually know what they are talking about.

[eddhead]

" I politely ask him if I should wind it up instead, he proceeded to tell me that winding up is not required, and that I can just shake it up to get it going.

If you shake it real vigorously, and trwrill it around on your index finger 3 x over your head, the time reverts to the atomic energy clock time in you local zone... I don't know how they do it but it is true!!

[got-it]

Most sales people at AD's are low paid counter people. They undergo little training and are paid an hourly was plus sometimes a small commission. This is the retail world. These are the same people at macy's and dillard's etc. There is no 6 month training course to sell watches although there should be. Because of the low pay most of these stores have a high turnover of sales people and it doesn't pay to invest in training. Plus, running a retail establishment is quite costly to begin with and they can't afford to pay someone like me $150,000/year to actually know what they are talking about.

I can certainly understand the cost to train them, but I would certainly expect at least some minimal basic training. You don't start a job without learning a little bit of your position. By following some basic rules, the sales person should know, at the very least, on how to operate the watch, since they are the ones that would be teaching a first time mechanical watch buyer on how to use it. I can certainly let the knowledge of the movements slide (like what I wrote in my original thread), but I would expect them to at least know how to use the watch properly.

[jfreeman420]

I agree, training is key to a successful sales person. Keep in mind 99.9% of the watch buying public are not nearly as detail oriented as any of us and this particular ad sales person was just a moron. If it was my store he would be thrown out on his ass, but then again if it was my store he would know how to use the watch. Mcdonalds and Burger King give their franchisees more training than the big watch manufacturers do.

[Tim]

The dealer was probably Tourneau.

If you are looking for good Oris prices, www.watch-czar.com is going to get you about the best AD prices I've seen. I got my Artelier Moonphase from him and it was a very positive experience. He also runs a very nice Oris forum. Grey market, I know a lot of people that have purchased from Preppyboy (www.chronosfinetime.com or preppyboy1971 on e*ay).

/Tim