"Experts @ Academy"

[leVieux]

While I am on a rant, anyway, let me tell this revealing little story:

Eight or nine years ago, I kept an offshore boat on South Padre Island, fishing offshore from Texas' "tip"'s famous Brazos Santiago & Boca Chica. Fifty fathoms is pretty near-in and 100 fathoms is only about 34 NM from the "dock".

Academy had a fairly new store near my home on the edge of Brownsville. Preparing for the upcoming "snook season", one Saturday, I went by and asked for their fishing line "expert" and asked him to reload a cuple Ambassadeur casting reels with 17# Stren.

Not having much to do, I watched. It was instantly apparrent that the kid had no idea how to start; to attach the line to the spool. I stopped him and asked how long he had been the line "expert" and how many reels he had loaded for customers. "2-1/2 years & thousands". Hmm....... I offered to teach him several standard ways to load a reel.

He, looking very relieved, said "Please do". I spent about an hour showing him different ways of doing things.

The kid seemed sincerely grateful and confided that he had been assigned the task with absolutely no experience and no instruction.

Now, were I to spend $5 to $10 million or more to set up a store like an Academy, I would want to have at least one really knowledgeable guy or gal overseeing each section.

But, when one goes only for "lowest price"; that's not what one gets.

Now, apply the above to firearms and a real NIGHTMARE is visualied !

leVieux

(Older; and, hopefully, wiser!)

 

[chad]

I'm not surprised.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

 

[Hitman]

I've never seen any of their employees with "Expert" badges on.

 

[Rahllin]

I've never seen any of their employees with "Expert" badges on.

Neither have I, and I see lots of their employees for 40 hours a week... I see this stuff first hand, but if it was a "new" store like you say, I highly doubt the guy would call himself an "expert." In fact, I have never heard one of my coworkers refer to themselves as an "expert" of anything. We don't make enough money to be an expert on anything. I sure know if I was an expert in some field, I doubt I would be working at Academy Sports. On the other hand, one of the BEST ways for newer employees to learn is through customers. I feel relatively confident in my knowledge in a lot of fields, but I can't honestly say that I haven't learned A LOT from talking to customers. If I don't know much about something, I will typically make it clear upfront and go from there, maybe the customer learns something new, maybe I learn something new.

Oh, and Hitman, the reason we don't wear badges is that they aren't needed since we all wear expert sashes!

 

[drumz2129]

I spent about a year working in the hunting/fishing dept at the Academy in Lake Charles while I was going to McNeese. My second day they had me behind the reel bar selling guns and having customers fill out the 4473 forms. I had been around guns all my life but only knew the guns I had used, I knew nothing about the ones I was selling, same goes for the optics and fishing equipment. There were one or two in the department that did know their stuff, but there were many more that claimed to be 'experts' and spewed out lots of bogus information. I began fishing a lot more since my wife (GF at the time) got hooked on bass fishing which helped me learn more about the products they carried.

From my experience, Academy does not look for knowledge in a sales employee, just a warm body that will show up on time. I could tell that most customers did not expect the employees to know much technical information, just know where the product is at. Every now and then a customer like leVieux would help educate one of the unknowing employees.

The way I view it, Academy is Walmart with a better selection. Now that the son of the founder has sold the company off, I do not expect it to get any better.

 

[CEHollier]

Rick - You should apply. You would make a great expert.

 

[Hitman]

Oh, and Hitman, the reason we don't wear badges is that they aren't needed since we all wear expert sashes!

 

[Ritten]

Expecting to find an expert on firearms in Academy is like going to McDonalds and expecting the person taking your order to be a nutritionist.

 

[Lafsnguy]

A while back I saw one of the guys behind the gun counter explaining to a customer that the Glock Model numbers indicated how many rounds each one held. Pretty ridiculous.

 

[charliepapa]

A while back I saw one of the guys behind the gun counter explaining to a customer that the Glock Model numbers indicated how many rounds each one held. Pretty ridiculous.

hey, it works for the first one!

 

[oleheat]

I don't have a problem with them- but then again I don't go in there expecting to be helped by John M. Browning incarnate behind the gun counter asking me if I've found everything to be okay, Fred Bear pitching the archery equipment, or Kevin Van Dam telling me where the bass are hitting, either.
Come to think of it, I don't really expect that wherever I go.

I've been to damn near every sporting goods outfit in the surrounding area, and as far as having what I'm looking for on hand, Academy usually stacks up pretty well against the rest of the field.

But I have to admit I miss going to the old Steinberg's on St. Phillips, and Fred Parnell's on Airline....

 

[leVieux]

Rick - You should apply. You would make a great expert.

I can't afford Academy; and, vice-a-versa !

 

[leVieux]

I don't have a problem with them- but then again I don't go in there expecting to be helped by John M. Browning incarnate behind the gun counter asking me if I've found everything to be okay, Fred Bear pitching the archery equipment, or Kevin Van Dam telling me where the bass are hitting, either.
Come to think of it, I don't really expect that wherever I go.

I've been to damn near every sporting goods outfit in the surrounding area, and as far as having what I'm looking for on hand, Academy usually stacks up pretty well against the rest of the field.

But I have to admit I miss going to the old Steinberg's on St. Phillips, and Fred Parnell's on Airline....

If you are that deprived; go to Cabela's; they actually have a few employees who know what they are doing. Jim's & Barney's are lots better. If you want to talk to a real "Pro", try
gmshooter here on B-S.

Remember: Academy is for T-shirts, ice chests, & folding chairs !

 

[scooterj]

If you are that deprived; go to Cabela's; they actually have a few employees who know what they are doing. Jim's & Barney's are lots better. If you want to talk to a real "Pro", try
gmshooter here on B-S.

Remember: Academy is for T-shirts, ice chests, & folding chairs !

Yep, James does his homework, but he will let you know if he doesn't know about something. He'll never blow smoke up your butt.

 

[scooterj]

double tap

 

[Beeramid]

There are no experts working at Academy. This guy at one of our local stores didn't even know how to check a pistol, it was so bad his co-workers were laughing at him when he turned around. Went back a week later and this halfwit was giving someone defensive pistol advice, I wanted to crawl up on the counter and drop kick him in the face.

 

[buckbuilt]

I tend to do my homework before going into Academy so I get in and out without having to deal with employees.

 

[flamatrix99]

I don't have a problem with them- but then again I don't go in there expecting to be helped by John M. Browning incarnate behind the gun counter asking me if I've found everything to be okay, Fred Bear pitching the archery equipment, or Kevin Van Dam telling me where the bass are hitting, either.
Come to think of it, I don't really expect that wherever I go.

I've been to damn near every sporting goods outfit in the surrounding area, and as far as having what I'm looking for on hand, Academy usually stacks up pretty well against the rest of the field.

But I have to admit I miss going to the old Steinberg's on St. Phillips, and Fred Parnell's on Airline....

I tend to do my homework before going into Academy so I get in and out without having to deal with employees.

Exactly!

I dont go looking for advice at Academy or Walmart. I go to buy what I am looking for. I have already looked up what info I need.

As far as gun shops, I go to Jim's to look feel touch. Just like last week. I want an HK 45c. My wife wanted to know what they look like ect. Hell she has bought most of my guns for me as various presents. So we go to Jim's, look around, fondle the gun, laugh at thier price and leave. Now she knows what to order at a far better price elsewhere. I have heard of people getting a decent deal there but very few and far between.

 

[oleheat]

If you are that deprived; go to Cabela's; they actually have a few employees who know what they are doing. Jim's & Barney's are lots better. If you want to talk to a real "Pro", try
gmshooter here on B-S.

Remember: Academy is for T-shirts, ice chests, & folding chairs !

Oh yes, I go to them all (but I probably go to Bass Pro more often than Cabela's, just because it's closer to the Home 20). There's probably not a weekend I'm in town when I don't make a trip to at least one of those establishments.

It makes me somewhat sad to go to some of these places and see what is now offered quality-wise compared to what was offered say 25+ years ago, though- especially when it comes to hunting clothing. Cabela's & Bass Pro are on the same level as Walmart (probably WORSE) when it comes to selling clothing made in China. That's just hard for me to get used to. But I suppose it's just a sign of the times....

 

[2011Corvette]

When is the last time you went to a new car dealer and had a sales person come greet you and knew anything about the car you are looking at.
I don't blame the dealer because the buyer wants a bottom dollar price. You get what you pay for. You would think the sales person would at least get a brochure and read a little about what they are selling.