talkmagic.co.uk

Yes lets...Although I hope to not offend anyone there...just addressing the issue.

If Bill does find his way here, I do not want him thinking Im just being an *rse, I will be more than happy to talk with him about my visit Wednesday afternoon and my feelings...

Once again my contact number can be found on my site

www.thatmagicchris.co.uk.

May I also add, a big thankyou to Replicant for addressing this issue to the owner...its good to see that a forums voice sometimes does travel fast...

I would be very surprised indeed if there was any ill feeling towards you, Chris, from any of the Davenports. It is obvious that they have issues with customer service; you are clearly not the only one to have experienced problems with Davenports. It is an issue that needs to be addressed and I'm sure they will be grateful to you for highlighting it.

Despite my own issues with their customer service, I am desperate not to stop using them. It is so important, especially now, for us to support them as well as International Magic; they just need to have their eyes opened to the fact that they could be doing so much more to accommodate customers instead of alienating them.

Talking about interview techniques Ron Macmillan used to ask one question only. "Do you drink?" If you said yes you got the job!

I started with International Magic. In fact you could almost say that I had a small hand in starting them to a certain degree. Their business was based in the early days on the svengali deck. I went around the country selling them for International. If there had been no svengali deck there would have been no International Magic.

Magic Chris wrote:
www.thatmagicchris.co.uk.

What Chris meant to say was www.thatsmagicchris.co.uk and not www.thatmagicchris.co.uk

What am I? Your PA?

lolololol cheers hahahaaha

What am I? Your PA?

you wish!

themagicwand wrote:What am I? Your PA?

Oh my, Chris is your son?! It's all coming out now.

With respect Chris, i've been visiting Davenports since I was a boy and have always found them to have exemplary service. I'm always greeted with a smile and acknowledged even if the shop is packed full.
I understand your complaints about talking to friends in the shop... but i find it interesting that you prefer International in that sense. International has always been more of a club and the few times i've been there i felt uncomfortable and unwelcome. I found the demonstrator who was working there (it wasn't Jerry - that would be TOO scary! ) to be unhelpful and uninterested in what I was asking and more interested in working on the DVD the company were putting out at the time.
I'm a book collector and whilst at Davenports the staff can speak extensively about the content (even of new publications) and allow you to flick through the books, in International they are shrink wrap sealed and you are not allowed to touch them until you purchase them.
As for stock levels - that is hardly the fault of the worker, but possibly of the shops as a whole and I'm sure it's a case of 'don't shoot the messenger'. It's probably a frustrating for the worker as it is for you that he can't supply you with anything you need (i know because i used to work in a magic shop up north).
Anyway - sorry for the 'rant'. But I consider Davenports my local magic shop and would like to defend it as I feel your negative feelings towards them are illfounded. But your opinion is your opinion - but can i suggest that you go to the shop and lodge a complaint with the management or to the face of the worker who you are talking about rather than post a malicious attack on the internet. As a business I'm sure they are very open to constructive criticism. They certainly have been when I have suggested things in the past.

Having re-read my previous message i realise the last bit sounded like a 'malicious attack' from my side. It was not intended so - but honestly as a suggestion because i think it will be well-received by the shop.

its a basic rule though eh, if you're trying to sell anything to someone face-to-face...be nice, smile, be friendly and engaging...

not difficult..even i can managed it and i hate the majority of people....

i used to help run a record stall in greenwich years ago, easy peasy to sell to people...work out what they want, and flog it to 'em...and lots of it..

You make some good points, NY, but it is obvious that Chris is not the only unhappy customer here. For the record, I did mention this thread to Bill Davenport last time I called them a couple of weeks ago; I note that he has not responded. If they were so open to constructive criticism, I feel they would have at least addressed such a major issue as this (and I do feel it is a major issue). Unless their business is doing so well they can afford to treat some customers badly and not really give a monkey's. Oh well, I can but try.

We can chat about this amongst ourselves but is our chat getting to the Davenport organisation in any way? I fought my way past the drunks recently to go there and everything that has been said so far seems to be still in place.

I completely agree with you Chris. I've only been in there three times, so maybe not enough to form a complete view of their service but they were bloody miserable every time. When I asked about what nail writers they had, I got a sort of half response, like "er yeah I think we have some not sure what kind", I ended up just geting a pack of cards and leaving. I just got the feeling that they wanted me out. Are they even trying to sell things?!

I'm sure it has got through. And i agree that he is obviously not the first (or the last) customer to leave disatstified - but there may be any number of reasons for that and as someone who feels some loyalty to their magic shop would beg him not to condemn them with such a heavy hand. Their may be any nuber of reaosns for his treatment (not that many of them are excusable). But i just can't reconcile two people having such different experiences in the same shop.
It would appear that Bill has been informed of this thread, however i wouldn't expect him to have replied because the Davenports have not made their name on the technological stage anyway. But even if they had, there is no sense in getting into a mud slinging match. As a unimpressed customer, there is much more to be gained by asking for the management and working through the problem instead of complaining about it. Brick and Mortar magic shops should be cherished or you could find (as small businesses) that they start to disappear.
I know for a fact that the workers at Davenports do have certain areas of expertise and if you find them in the right light, they are SO knowledgeable and SO helpful that I find it difficult to imagine a bad experience in the shop. But I know the shop well enough to know that there are bad times... But that is down to the individual workers on their individual days and I would beg anyone not to write off the whole shop for that - or even that worker. After all the life of a magician isn't easy is it? Imagine having to perform to magicians full time!!!

Might as well throw in my negative Davs experience for good measure!
It was when i was just getting into magic and i was bursting with excitement about visiting the place for the first time and blowing some hard earned cash on a handful of magicy thingamys. The chap behind the counter was talking to his friend the whole time I was in the shop. I got no acknowledgment at all, even while I was standing at the counter looking at him for a full five minutes. No exaggeration. He just glanced at me from time to time and carried on talking to his mate. I was the only other person in the shop. I left without spending a penny, thoroughly deflated.

It's a shame, I'm sure it's not like that all the time but first impressions count for a lot and each time ive been since i've just got the feeling that they'd rather i wasn't there. It's International and the web for me, it seems.

This is amusing, my friend had the exact same bad experience in International, and went to Davenports instead, where he said the service was excellent.

I've been to both only once, and have had a good experience as both, so no complaining there. Good and polite response, as well as them being helpful. At Davenports it was a very nice young guy named Paul Brown who helped me out, I believe.