The big diy stores

[tiler99]

In some of the major DIY stores they have what they call experts. So if you require ceramic tiles, there is supposed to be a person who knows their stuff. I have never found this at all. Being a tiler i tried this recently. I asked questions and got the all the wrong (IMHO) info. What i did get was someone trying to sell me what they had in stock and not actually what was correct for the job.
Has anyone else tried this if they are in a trade.

 

[MrJay]

That's why it's a DIY store, not a trade store. And yes it's a cynical/disingenuous/half-baked rouse to sell stuff under the auspice of 'customer service'. However, If you're largely clueless it might just be more help than standing in front of 2 miles of shelving and staring a mind boggling assortment of alien products feeling lost.

 

[davy_owen_88]

Ever looked at the large boards with advice in the electrical section? Some of the things I've read on these make my blood boil. I have on a number of occasions made complaints that the information given is inaccurate and downright dangerous but when it's a major chain such as B&Q it's difficult to get anything done about it.

Plus, their 'experts' are usually just members of staff that have read through their 'information leaflets' that are scattered around near the appropriate sections.

 

[Vormulac]

I hate to be a grumpy old man, but I have to say that if I ever find myself in a DIY shed and needing advice/help (God forbid), I try to find the oldest member of staff I can to ask. On the rare occasions I have had to resort to this it seems to work. I actually found someone in B&Q who could help with gas connectors and regulators etc, and showed me exactly where they were in the store. I had previously asked in two other such stores and been rewarded with the ubiquitous pregnant pause, blank stare, then "Dunno mate." with no attempt to persue the issue on my behalf! :roll:

V.

 

[Paul Chapman]

What I think is particularly bad is that they will often tell you that an item is no longer manufactured if they don't stock it. I was re-tiling a bathroom for my daughter and needed some of those quarter-round tiles that go around the edge of a bath. As I was busy, I asked my good wife if she could pop down to B&Q to get some. They told her that they were no longer made and sold her some horrible plastic stuff. I then drove around and found a proper tiling shop and bought them there. The same sort of thing happens with plumbing fittings. My advice is go to the specialist shops if you want something other than bags of compost and bent wood :roll:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DomValente]

I hate to be a grumpy old man, but I have to say that if I ever find myself in a DIY shed and needing advice/help (God forbid), I try to find the oldest member of staff I can to ask. On the rare occasions I have had to resort to this it seems to work. I actually found someone in B&Q who could help

V.

Absolutely,me too.

See how valuable the older members of the forum are

Dom

 

[Smudger]

When our new, huge ?&? opened they made a fuss about customer advice and care. As it happened I was making a toilet roll holder - the sort with a dowel with 2 finials which slips into a slot. I went to find some turned balls, about 1 1/2" for the ends, but as it was a new store I couldn't find them. I got to the 'customer care' guy 3rd.

The first person was a middle aged woman who asked a perfectly sensible question, for which she got such a ridiculous answer you had to assume that the 'assistant'was just taking the mickey.

Next up was a tradesman who asked a question, got an answer, and then realising that he had forgotten his pen, asked to borrow one. The 'assistant' refused, on the grounds that he had once lost one that way. The customer pointed out that he would be spending about a grand, could he borrow a pen? No. So he cancelled his purchase and walked out.

I asked for a 1 1/2" turned ball and was shown a 5" stair finial.

And then when I left I was asked to show the contents of my basket, of course.