Dealer manners and psychology. (TAGZ,etc.).

wingedliberty

Recently, there have been numerous posts regarding terrible dealer manners, both in person and on
the phone, at shows in particular. TAGZ has been mentioned, along with others. I have also experienced
this level of unprofessionalism, an would like to offer a few suggestions. I would also like to praise
dealers who are consumate professionals, and I continue to do business with them both by phone and
at shows. Many of these dealers were nice to me when I was a young collector, and I continue to do
business with them today.

I am a professional by day who wears a suit and tie, on the weekends , I like to kick back and relax,
I usually wear jeans and a Tshirt. This goes for attending shows as well. Dealers will make certain
assumptions about you by the way you dress. This goes for the non-numismatic public as well. I always
find it interesting, that when I am in a nice shirt and tie, coming back from work, I might stop by the
drycleaners or a grocery store. I tend to get superior service, when paying by check, I am never asked
for a drivers license on weekdays. They same cashiers and business owners, don't even recognize me
on the weekends, when I dress casually. When paying by check, I am always asked for my drivers license
on the weekends. It is interesting to observe human psychology and stereotyping. The same goes for
ignorant dealers. I have had this happen with many, including some interesting events at the FUN show,
some of these so-called, national and high caliber dealers ignored me when I approached their table, when I asked for a closer look at an expensive coin, they sneered or acted like I was inconveniencing them. I find this mindboggling, since I spend more on coins every year, than many of their so-called
VP's make a year. I believe their actions are based on profiling. I am 33, look about 25, they must have
thought that I was just window shopping, since I was again , dressed in jeans and a tshirt.

Here are my suggestions for dealing with ignorance.


1. Your purchasing power speakes louder than words, take your business elsewhere!!!
2. Let the offending party know why you have taken your business elsewhere, Let the person in
charge know!!! Be calm and objective.
3. This works both ways, Let dealers who are professionals know that they are doing a good job,
and why you buy from them. In our society, we often complain about bad service, but also need to
praise good service!
4. If the dealer is a ANA or PNG member, let the organziations know, don't vent!!!, just give a detailed and objective account of what happened.
5. Strength in numbers!!!!!, mention this forum to the offending party, let them know that besides being
an ANA member, you are also part of a group of 50,000 serious collectors who will act together, reputation is everything. There is no doubt in my mind that TAGZ is aware of this forum's opinion of them,
so is ACG!!, ICG!!, and anyone else who is being evaluated.


Strength in numbers!!!



Enjoy the hobby, (Recommended dealers: David Lawrence, Pinnacle, Bill Coleman, Northeast Numismatics, Holman Hutchinson Rare Coins, Rare coins of New Hampshire, Heritage, Jonathan Kern)
.



Enjoy the hobby,

Brian.

michael

the more things change the more they stay the same......

in other words i have seen this same sh1t go on the last 35 years in the coin game..... different day same sh1t

but of course it is not a very pleasant experience and it is too bad that this is a common occurance in the coin game

sincerely michael

lordmarcovan

I was once looking for a nice, problem-free, certified No Stars Seated dime for a type set. I went to one particular NCNA show in Raleigh, and set that coin as my number one goal for the trip. After browsing the bourse floor all weekend, I found exactly one exaple of the type in an acceptable grade and holder, with decent eye appeal and a decent price. It was in a case owned by one of the leading dealers at that show, who I believe was a high-ranking elected official in the NCNA and one of the show sponsors.

Unfortunately, he was also, in my humble opinion, one of the most pompous blowhards I'd seen in a very long time. But he, and he alone, had the coin I wanted.

I bought it, too. But rest assured that if anyone else at the show had had a comparable coin, I would have bought theirs first.. even if it had cost $20 or $30 more! While the guy was not a huge jerk to me personally, I watched his attitude toward the other customers. (I was assisting one of the dealers at the show, and our table was just around the corner from his... I got to listen to the pompous loudmouth pontificate and boast all weekend.)

Trime

I agree entirely that every client, customer or passer-bye should be treated with respect. I try to practice this approach and encourage all that work for me to espouse and practice these principals. Those that fail to understand the concepts are inevitably headed for failure. On the other hand, the public needs to treat dealers and fellow forum participants with the same degree of respect. If they fail to meet resonable ideals they need to be identified. You never need nor should support from people that do not respect you!

Spooly

Who wears a suit to a weekend coin show?

leothelyon

I read somewhere that dealers are now penalized and fined if they leave a coin show early. Maybe this what's got everyone's underwear all bunched up about. Just a thought.

Leo

CalGold

Brian,

I think you are being unfair to the dealers given your own observation of how members of the public at large deal with you based upon your appearance and attire. And I doubt that you are really different from them. Why do you wear a suit and tie in your business?
Why don't you go to work in a T-shirt and jeans? It is because of the impression it creates.

You can't really expect dealers to act differently than other people. First impressions count. It is human nature to make certain judgments about a person based on their appearance, as your own experience has shown. Certainly one's first impression may be very wrong, but dealers are no different than other people in that regard.

This is why in a recent thread about coin show attire I suggested dressing nicely--neat but casual suffices. I found my self to be espousing a minority view point since most others endorsed T-shirts and jeans, even while complaining that they get the cold shoulder from dealers when they approach their tables at the bourse.

goose3

If I want to wear shorts and a muscle shirt to a show it shouldn't matter to me or anyone, but it will.

I like to dress down (jeans and t shirt)and don't care what anyone really thinks about it. I enjoy some of the "attitude" I sense at a show and I enjoy throwing it right back at these pompous asses and then walking away.

You cannot jugdge people by what they are wearing and I would think that coin dealers might realize this someday.

I'll be dressed like a bum at Baltimore but I might be shopping for a low grade Chain Cent. It ought to be fun.

EVillageProwler

CalGold,

I think you make a very good point. Dealers are very much like the rest of us, and should be evaluated accordingly.

On occasion, I'll go to a show looking quite casual. It's ok that I get snubbed a little bit by strangers; I normally make my rounds to the dealers I already know.

At this year's NYC ANA, I was dressed VERY casual once. Remember how bad NYC summers can get? Anyway, I went to the show dressed in shorts and a wife-beater. A dealer buddy of mine saw me and laughed and asked if I was going to the beach. But, I sure was comfy!



EVP

supercoin

Wear what you want, but please... shower occasionally. That goes for the dealers too.

DCAMFranklin

I will never tollerate treatment, as has been described of TAGZ by a number of Members. Ever. I had always found their prices to be high, so I never was inclined to buy from them. Now, I am quite sure I will never give them any of my business. Any business owner or manager that doesn't insist upon GREAT people skills and customer service is not worthy of my business. I don't believe any of us has to be an a$$ about pointing out poor service or sorry people skills, however we do owe the manager good feedback about our experiences, good or bad. If that owner or manager then refuses to act upon our feedback, then we have the right to vote with our feet and our dollars!

Russ

<< <i>Who wears a suit to a weekend coin show? >>



Spooly,

At the Tacoma Dome show I went to there was one dealer dressed in a dark suit and and brightly colored silk tie, and had the attitude to go with it. He stuck out like a sore thumb among all the other dealers who were dressed like regular Joe's. Struck me as a used car salesman type.

Russ, NCNE