This PC QuickBuys store advertises itself to be “The Computer Enthusiasts Resource Center”. Now, don’t you believe that. Aside from an unhelpful staff, it seems that they do not know stuff. ‘Nuff of being a “resource center” for computer enthusiasts. Maybe for stupid computer enthusiasts, but then again, there are no stupid computer enthusiasts, so that store might as well close, if they can’t change the way they deal with customers.
I was wondering how to make my principal’s internet connection cable longer so that I can connect my own PC when he (our principal) goes home. I’m just plain tired of being a “Guest” on someone else’s computer (aside, of course, from the many benefits of being an administrator on my own PC: ability to install files, hide files, etc. :-)). So I went to PC Express, my favorite tech store, and inquired how to accomplish my goal. The good thing about these PC Express guys is that they are willing to help you. So somebody (sorry, I forgot to ask his name, but I do remember the lady secretary’s name!) told me how to do it. The better thing about these PC Express guys is that they are willing to help you, even if they can’t earn a cent from you at that moment, because they have ran out of stock of the particular product. And the best thing is that they are willing to tell you where you can possibly buy the same product.
If you really think about it, the last one distinguishes the lousy business establishments from the better ones. What I want to say is, a business establishment which is not confident and secure of its place in the market would not be willing to give you a pointer to its competitors. After all, you could potentially spend your money with that competitor, and a cent you give to the competitor is a cent lost from the establishment. But a business establishment which puts the customer’s needs first before its own needs would tell you where you can find a product (or service) it doesn’t have at the moment. Even if you could potentially spend your money elsewhere, it knows that you will only use the competitor’s services at that moment because it (the better establishment) knows that its services can never be equalled by any wannabe.
I don’t know if PC Express owners believe in this business idea, or even if it was not just that employee’s individual initiative to point me out somewhere else. But this morning my interactions at PC Express and later PC DontBuy (I mean QuickBuys), have validated that idea.
As I’ve written above, I went to PC Express and inquired. One of the attendants told me that I might be able to buy what I need, an RJ45 coupler, from PC QuickBuys. They don’t have it at the moment. I went to the second store and waited for about 15 minutes before being entertained. And then I have to wait for another 20 minutes before they gave me what I wanted. Well, what they thought I wanted. They provided me with an RJ45 connector. When I tried to point out that what I wanted is an RJ45 coupler and not an RJ45 connector, the attendant told me to get lost and go to Ace Hardware. (Ace Hardware is a general hardware store: I hope you get the insult.) Of course, it is true that I just learned the difference between an RJ45 coupler and an RJ45 connector minutes before I came inside that cramped store, but then again, I do know the difference. What I most hate in this world are people who act as if they knew, and then are angry when it is pointed out to them that what they gave you (based on their understanding) is not the one that you want.
Moral of the story? PC Express is still the best computer store in Cebu, and PC QuickBuy should change its name to PC DontBuy.
P.S. To PC QuickBuy staff, look at the difference between RJ45 connectors and couplers.
I decided to part with my XML file from 2005 with its index. I rationalized that I will just download the latest dump.
