Your Yupangco/Perfect Pitch/Yamaha Customer Service Experience

[jefisipbata]

I'd like to hear your story, sir.

was looking for a keyboard a few years back and the guys here at the forums pointed me to llb. sent him a pm and after a few exchanges, was able to reserve the model i was looking for and told him i'll be coming to their store in buendia to pick it up. he gave me his phone number and told me to just text him a day or two before i was going so he can have his staff prepare the keyboard.

i was going on a friday so come thursday, sent him a text informing him of my plans. was told that everything's taken care of and ready for pickup. friday morning, sent him a text again just to confirm and he replied that the keyboard's awaiting pickup. i arrived at their store around 3 pm or so and when i tried calling him up, his phone was unreachable, asked for him and was told he was in a meeting. when i asked for the keyboard i reserved, i was told by one of the staff present that they've sold the last stock an hour before i arrived. i explained to him that i've reserved one and maybe it's stashed somewhere in their warehouse, he said he'll look for it and left. almost an hour passed and the salesman i was talking to have not surfaced yet, so i talked with someone in their customer service, explained to her again my story and to her credit, she was kinda helpful. turns out, there indeed was a keyboard reserved but when another "preferred" customer arrived looking for the same item , they got clearance to sell it.

left the store, vowing never to set foot on a yamaha/yupangco store again. this one gets an unexpected and happy ending though. a fews days after that, i went to The Music Source, and saw that they have a few entry level Yamaha keyboards on display. being a TMS suki, i emailed their owner (yeah, the top guy himself replies to emails from the regular customer) and told him my experience and asked if i could purchase the keyboard i was looking for (forgot the exact model) thru them. he replied that i can but i have to wait a month and it would cost a few thousand pesos more. told him it was no problem and after a month was able to finally purchase the keyboard, no thanks to yupangco.

[dirtybluesplayer]

That's why there are demo units, just for testing the feel and sound of the guitar design.

If a customer decides to buy that guitar model (or whatever item), he asks for a new stock and tests it, this time with the intention of purchasing it.

And salesmen need not be rude if they really don't want their display scratched by buckles. They should put some rubber foam on those contact points if they want to.

bihira lang ang guitar nila na may new stock, mahilig pa naman ako sa new stock, kasi nung nag test ako ng mga reissues nila, parang gamit masyado (medyo laspag with matching rust).

[sQuid]

bihira lang ang guitar nila na may new stock, mahilig pa naman ako sa new stock, kasi nung nag test ako ng mga reissues nila, parang gamit masyado (medyo laspag with matching rust).

One of the reasons why I tested different Stratocasters (American, Standard, and De Luxe) was because most of the guitars I tested weren't properly set up. String height is off, intonation is so-so. I tested a De Luxe but the sound wasn't there. For its price, it should be well set-up but the Standard I tested even sounded better (but still not good).

left the store, vowing never to set foot on a yamaha/yupangco store again. this one gets an unexpected and happy ending though. a fews days after that, i went to The Music Source, and saw that they have a few entry level Yamaha keyboards on display. being a TMS suki, i emailed their owner (yeah, the top guy himself replies to emails from the regular customer) and told him my experience and asked if i could purchase the keyboard i was looking for (forgot the exact model) thru them. he replied that i can but i have to wait a month and it would cost a few thousand pesos more. told him it was no problem and after a month was able to finally purchase the keyboard, no thanks to yupangco.

Good thing the item you were looking for was available somewhere else. Yupangco is the sole distributor of the Fender brand here in the Philippines, even The Music Source gets their supply from them. Monopoly isn't good for customers like us. Sellers don't give importance to service if they don't have competition.

[rollingboy]

I've never really experienced any "power tripping" from the sales people at Yupangco so far. Kahit na 2 times lang ako bumili ng gitara dun out of the hundred (oa) times Ive been there just to appease my prurient needs lol. I'm speaking for the main office lang since I havent been to their Perfect Pitch/Yamaha branches for quite some time now.

We've had really good conversations with their sales staff like sina Enzo, sir Allen and si xky. Though I learned just recently na nag resign na pala si xky. 

[slowspeeder]

my experience in japan's premier guitar stores:

walk in their store and ask where the custom shop guitars are located. they will gladly guide you several floors up until you get there and you'll be endorsed to the one incharge of that section. in my case, i asked if i can look at their entire collection and they showed me around. i tell you how awed am i to see the entire inventory! i asked if i can test a few guitars, a junior staff picked out the guitar, wipe it clean and guided me to their testing area and set up everything for me  while they talk out the guitar's specs. (you can choose any test amp you like). after handing back the guitar to them, again they'll wipe it clean and hang it back on the rack. they allowed me to test several guitars one at a time (mind you these were all custom shop pieces worth several thousand dollars). they asked my opinion on the ones i tested, i said all were fine. then they brought me to another section, this time custom shop of another guitar brand where again they allowed me to audition several. eventually i told them i will have to think it out first and just come back when im decided. they gave me a call card and said that if i decide to go back, they would offer me discount and some freebie. i left the store thinking how f__king great that service was! very impressive! considering there was a language barrier but they did their best to provide their customer with very good service... and much respect. so i came back the next day, got my Custom Shop piece and they gave what they promised. they even advised that before i fly back to the Phillipines i can have it changed in case i didn't like it. i said to myself: Wow! then there were exchanges of handshake in the end! What an experience! In most stores in Japan, you will be treated the same. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!! (i don't even have to emphasize that...)


... so got to fly back to the Philippines. went inside local music shops, well..... ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!!

[analog.matt]

kaya nga dapat buksan na ang economy. the current system babies Philippine businesses. we put up with them and what do we get? crappy cellphone service, crappy customer service, expensive rates, etc etc.

more FDI, more jobs for pinoys, and more money. dahil maraming may pera Pinoys then can venture amongst themselves (or even with the foreigners) and create better Stores or even can go deeply into R&D, lalo na't pag may transfer of technology. pretty sure, most of the peeps here would support and finance local luthiers/technicians with their projects. just look at japan and korea.

bottom line, pinoy ang panalo, hindi yung kuha ng kuha ng pera (stores), hindi naman commensurate yung serbisyo, bastusin ka pa at crap pa yung ibang benta. yung mga gitarang ganun (kinakalawang) dapat sinasale na ng husto.

[gandydancer123]

my experience in japan's premier guitar stores:

walked in their store and ask where the custom shop guitars are located. they will gladly guide you several floors up until you get there and you'll endorsed to the one incharge of that section. in my case, i asked if i can look at their entire collection and they show me around the area. i tell you how awed am i to see the entire inventory! i asked if i can test a few guitars, a junior staff picked out the guitar, wipe it clean for me and guided me to their testing area and set up everything for me  while they talk out the guitar's specs. ( you can choose any testing amp you like). after handing back to them, again they'll wipe the guitar clean and hang it back in the rack. they allowed me to test several guitars one at a time (mind you these were all custom shop pieces worth several thousands of dollars). they asked me what i think about the ones i tested, i said all were fine. then they guided me to another area, this time custom shop of another guitar brand where again they allowed me to audition several. finally i told them that i will have to think it out at the meantime and come back when im decided. they gave me a call card and said that if i decided to go back, they would offer me discount and some freebie. i left the store thinking how f__king great that service was! very impressive! considering there was a language barrier but they did their best to provide their customer with very good service... and much respect. so i came back the next day, got my Custom Shop piece and they gave what they promised. they even said that before i fly back to the Phillipines i can have the item changed if i didn't like it. i said to myself: Wow! then there were exchanges of shandshake in the end! What an experience! In most of the stores in Japan, you will be treated the same. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!! (i don't even have to emphasize that...)


... so got to fly back to the Philippines. went inside local music shops, well..... ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!!

WOW! GREAT SERVICE!

kaya nga dapat buksan na ang economy. the current system babies Philippine businesses. we put up with them and what do we get? crappy cellphone service, crappy customer service, expensive rates, etc etc.

more FDI, more jobs for pinoys, and more money. dahil maraming may pera Pinoys then can venture amongst themselves (or even with the foreigners) and create better Stores or even can go deeply into R&D, lalo na't pag may transfer of technology. pretty sure, most of the peeps here would support and finance local luthiers/technicians with their projects. just look at japan and korea.

bottom line, pinoy ang panalo, hindi yung kuha ng kuha ng pera (stores), hindi naman commensurate yung serbisyo, bastusin ka pa at crap pa yung ibang benta. yung mga gitarang ganun (kinakalawang) dapat sinasale na ng husto.

MISMO!!!

[voldemort]

yung mga gitarang ganun (kinakalawang) dapat sinasale na ng husto.

 ikaw ang kailangan ng bansa natin...

[gandydancer123]

I wonder what happened to xky..bakit umalis...

ok ba magwork for JB, Lyric, Yupanco? Cresecndo? Lazer? or usually family owned yan kaya medyo mahirap makapasok sa upper management unless relative and such..

[ryechua]

my experience in japan's premier guitar stores:

walk in their store and ask where the custom shop guitars are located. they will gladly guide you several floors up until you get there and you'll be endorsed to the one incharge of that section. in my case, i asked if i can look at their entire collection and they showed me around. i tell you how awed am i to see the entire inventory! i asked if i can test a few guitars, a junior staff picked out the guitar, wipe it clean and guided me to their testing area and set up everything for me  while they talk out the guitar's specs. (you can choose any test amp you like). after handing back the guitar to them, again they'll wipe it clean and hang it back on the rack. they allowed me to test several guitars one at a time (mind you these were all custom shop pieces worth several thousand dollars). they asked my opinion on the ones i tested, i said all were fine. then they brought me to another section, this time custom shop of another guitar brand where again they allowed me to audition several. eventually i told them i will have to think it out first and just come back when im decided. they gave me a call card and said that if i decide to go back, they would offer me discount and some freebie. i left the store thinking how f__king great that service was! very impressive! considering there was a language barrier but they did their best to provide their customer with very good service... and much respect. so i came back the next day, got my Custom Shop piece and they gave what they promised. they even advised that before i fly back to the Phillipines i can have it changed in case i didn't like it. i said to myself: Wow! then there were exchanges of handshake in the end! What an experience! In most stores in Japan, you will be treated the same. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!! (i don't even have to emphasize that...)


... so got to fly back to the Philippines. went inside local music shops, well..... ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!!

yeah. i can attest to that.

[analog.matt]

I wonder what happened to xky..bakit umalis...

ok ba magwork for JB, Lyric, Yupanco? Cresecndo? Lazer? or usually family owned yan kaya medyo mahirap makapasok sa upper management unless relative and such..

I heard ganun nga. may invisible ceiling. you think you can go up but boooing! glass pala ang ceiling. and contrata ata sila. iilan lang ata nagiging permanent.

[FollowTheReaper]

I wonder what happened to xky..bakit umalis...

ok ba magwork for JB, Lyric, Yupanco? Cresecndo? Lazer? or usually family owned yan kaya medyo mahirap makapasok sa upper management unless relative and such..

i worked as a product specialist of JB music before. (and yes, may mga nakasagutan ako dito sa forums because of that.. but yeah past is past haha) ok naman ang working environment, it was fun.. but it wasn't really my calling. i left the company after about 8 months.

as far as going up the ladder is concerned, as product specialist you get to talk to the representatives of the international companies so if the said companies get to know you well, there's a chance you can work for them eventually.

if you work as sales staff gagapangin mo talaga paakyat yan hanggang maging branch manager ka and further up kung talagang mahusay ka.

[rtf_axeman]

malamang, impyerno na buhay ngayon ng ahente na kumups sayo TS. hehe

whenever may complain na ganito, big deal to sa yupangco. i remember may mga ganito din when i was there back in 2003. Kalakasan pa ng yupangco forums, there really are some sales men na hindi maganda ang approach, and sadly may mga tinanggal sa trabaho because of it (and yes, forumers din sila dito).

we all have to understand na hindi nga perfect ang systema dito sa mga music stores, actually lahat ng stores na makikita mo sa mall may mga kups jan, hindi lang music store. Mas sensitive lang tayo siguro kasi may outlet tayo to rant about these things.


i know most of those POC's na minention ni TS, mga dating branch managers sa stores yang mga yan,  at some point, naging ahente din mga 10 years ago.

regarding the investigation, don't expect much kasi sa yupangco, pinaka-parusa na yung ma-assign ka sa head office, close to the president of the company. (dahil violente sya kung magalit at literal, puro pang iinsulto, mura at pag minalas ka, baka matamaan ka ng lumilipad na ashtray kung pumalpak ka).

Kung taga head office na yung nireklamo ni TS, (hindi under rehab) wala naman masyadong gagawin jan. Papapasukin lang ng maaga at papauwiin ng late sa gabi.

[analog.matt]

ayun na nga.

kaya hindi talaga nagbabago.  again, im not the most experienced in the block but sa akin, halos walang pinagbago mula 90s. so there. they can get away with it pala.

talagang hindi dapat ipatronize.

imho better pa siguro for juan dela cruz to save up for a trip to HK/SG and buy there na lang, at the very least of the possible options.

what i did in the 90s was when i learned we were going to the US, i saved up. yung mga binebenta nilang 30-40k noon na american standard, 499 lang sa US. at 27$ lang palitan noon.

***

eto nga hindi ko makakalimutan.

may magandang strap noon sa Perfect Pitch. brown leather na washburn strap. now, bibilin ko na. aba ayaw ibigay. pinagpipilitan ba naman yung fender nylon strap nila na puro alikabok.
yes. i repeat puro alikabok.

then i told them na gusto ko talaga yung washburn. aba pinagpilitan ba naman yung strap na yun. i was only 16 then. nung nakita ng tatay ko na binabastos na ako, siya mismo pumasok at nag demand nung strap na iyun. e di nilabas na din nila. tatay ko pa nag bayad. (i was able to save my allowance. lol) branch was SM North EDSA.

sinabi na nga na bibilin, nambastos pa.

***

ngayon balikbayan na ako, nang dumaan ako ng pinas, mga 2011. nagtanong ako ng isang fender product. sabi ng babae wala raw silang ganun. sabi ko im pretty sure you have. palibhasa nagulo ko ang flirting nila, humirit naman sila lalake na co-worker in a firm voice na wala raw talaga. medyo nakakairita siya kausap. nagulo lang advances niya.

he didnt bother checking the computer. so i pointed at the glass display sa kanan ko and said, "eh ano yan?!"

hindi mo masisisi iba diyan nasunog na sa mga rotten tomatoes from the consumer side. pero kaya nga dapat maging professional.

experience ko sa music stores sa australia (to my limited exposure), yes naiirita din sila sa customers, makikita mo sa facial reaction, but they'd just pause for a split second to calm down and regain their professionalism.


***

nako dami pa pwedeng ikwento. it just shows that the organization has not grown that much. they don't give value to the consumers.

[rtf_axeman]

naisip ko lang, hindi din kasi maayos ang trato madalas ng kumpanya sa empleyado, kaya sa customers napapasa ang frutration.

Example, laging DELAYED and incentives. MABABA ang sahod at KUPS ang big bosses. pero syempre, wala padin excuse. Siguro first step si aminin nila sa sarili nila na mali sila, then moving forward ayusin na nila ang mali.

Totoo nga na tinigilan na nila ang pag hire ng mga musikero as salesmen dahil nga sa attitude problem at rockstar attitude madalas ng mga ito, kaso kinulang naman sa product knowledge.

[royc]

Not all musicians are good salesmen, and not all salesmen can be good musicians. Would you rather have a good salesman who can't play, or a good musician who do not understand customer service, IMO, music stores should hire good salesmen with basic product knowledge, and one musician per store for product demo. However, we should note that a good salesman will sell you a product even if it is not the better option because they are trained to do that, while a real musician will tell the real score because he is more concerned on the technicalities. Musicians can be rude because they will say what is in their mind straight to your face. Salesmen will find a way to say things nicely, even if they mean the same thing.

Trained salesman: sir, you may test the guitar as long as you like, but please note that you have to buy it pag nagasgas.

Musician: babayaran mo yan pag nagasgas ng buckle.

A non guitarist salesman may not even know na puedeng makagasgas ang buckle kahit maingat ang hawak sa gitara. A guitarist knows na puedeng magasgas sa buckle from experience, but he may not be trained on how to say it without being rude

Years ago, I was testing a guitar with pick in hand. The salesman was kind enough to let me do what I want. I strummed hard and light, and the salesman said nothing. When I'm done I noticed that there was no plastic on the pick guard. Nagasgas ko in short, but the salesman looked hesitant to tell me. I bought the guitar. In my mind, I would have preferred that the salesman warned me even in a rude way.


Sent from

[sQuid]

my experience in japan's premier guitar stores:

walk in their store and ask where the custom shop guitars are located. they will gladly guide you several floors up until you get there and you'll be endorsed to the one incharge of that section. in my case, i asked if i can look at their entire collection and they showed me around. i tell you how awed am i to see the entire inventory! i asked if i can test a few guitars, a junior staff picked out the guitar, wipe it clean and guided me to their testing area and set up everything for me  while they talk out the guitar's specs. (you can choose any test amp you like). after handing back the guitar to them, again they'll wipe it clean and hang it back on the rack. they allowed me to test several guitars one at a time (mind you these were all custom shop pieces worth several thousand dollars). they asked my opinion on the ones i tested, i said all were fine. then they brought me to another section, this time custom shop of another guitar brand where again they allowed me to audition several. eventually i told them i will have to think it out first and just come back when im decided. they gave me a call card and said that if i decide to go back, they would offer me discount and some freebie. i left the store thinking how f__king great that service was! very impressive! considering there was a language barrier but they did their best to provide their customer with very good service... and much respect. so i came back the next day, got my Custom Shop piece and they gave what they promised. they even advised that before i fly back to the Phillipines i can have it changed in case i didn't like it. i said to myself: Wow! then there were exchanges of handshake in the end! What an experience! In most stores in Japan, you will be treated the same. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!! (i don't even have to emphasize that...)

I experienced this first hand when I was in Ochanomizu and I can tell they were musicians too. So you see, a front liner can be a good musician and a salesman too.

Years ago, I was testing a guitar with pick in hand. The salesman was kind enough to let me do what I want. I strummed hard and light, and the salesman said nothing. When I'm done I noticed that there was no plastic on the pick guard. Nagasgas ko in short, but the salesman looked hesitant to tell me. I bought the guitar. In my mind, I would have preferred that the salesman warned me even in a rude way.

When I was still a beginner, I didn't know that belt buckles can scratch the guitar. In fact, I didn't know how to check the intonation. Soon someone told me what is and what should be and a music store's salesman might have been that person. I really just don't see the need for rudeness. In my opinion, this doesn't have to be the norm.

we all have to understand na hindi nga perfect ang systema dito sa mga music stores, actually lahat ng stores na makikita mo sa mall may mga kups jan, hindi lang music store. Mas sensitive lang tayo siguro kasi may outlet tayo to rant about these things.

regarding the investigation, don't expect much kasi sa yupangco, pinaka-parusa na yung ma-assign ka sa head office, close to the president of the company. (dahil violente sya kung magalit at literal, puro pang iinsulto, mura at pag minalas ka, baka matamaan ka ng lumilipad na ashtray kung pumalpak ka).

Kung taga head office na yung nireklamo ni TS, (hindi under rehab) wala naman masyadong gagawin jan. Papapasukin lang ng maaga at papauwiin ng late sa gabi.

Thanks for your comment, chief. I hope the admin has changed its policies regarding this matter. Fast food chain service crews also work for minimum wage and in a busy environment. I seldom find them being rude to their customers. Now I don't know about that terror president of theirs but in our company, we also have one. Rule of thumb is don't mess up your job then you will be okay.

[Freak]

It all boils down to good product trainings and company orientation of its mission and vision. Dapat may evaluation din sa mga employees in a given period (quarterly or semi-annual)or mag undergo ng probationary period pero dapat may immediate superior na nakatutok sa kanila. Remember, typical Pilipinong manggagawa rin sila... kung ano nadatnan na behavior ng mga kasama or kung ano yung nakagawian e malamang matutulad din sila

[analog.matt]

kaya sana mabuksan na mga kababayan natin.

sandali na lang 2016 na.

Foreign companies will pay more. just imagine them coming into Pinas. higher pay will attract quality employees. better service.

unti such thing happens, the "sino ba ang may kailangan?" game will continue.

[gandydancer123]

kaya sana mabuksan na mga kababayan natin.

sandali na lang 2016 na.

Foreign companies will pay more. just imagine them coming into Pinas. higher pay will attract quality employees. better service.

unti such thing happens, the "sino ba ang may kailangan?" game will continue.

I have a feeling, malabo pa yang "mamulat" or "mabuksan kamalayan ng tao" ...I accepted change wont happen in the near future ..not in our life time,..... best is just go with the flow, make as much money as we can..enjoy the positive things nalang..try to stay out of government dealings as much as possible..

thinking about social and political change will suck the life out of you...just change ourselves and family and close people around us. hanggat kaya....

[analog.matt]

I have a feeling, malabo pa yang "mamulat" or "mabuksan kamalayan ng tao" ...I accepted change wont happen in the near future ..not in our life time,..... best is just go with the flow, make as much money as we can..enjoy the positive things nalang..try to stay out of government dealings as much as possible..

thinking about social and political change will suck the life out of you...just change ourselves and family and close people around us. hanggat kaya....

tama naman bro. yun lang naman ang ideal. it would take 20-30 years of continuous positive growth to achieve first world status. one generation ika nga.

but the good thing is we can talk about it professionally here in the forums. no bias etc even some of us are sellers too in their own right or way. that's the good thing.

[Al_Librero]

Totoo nga na tinigilan na nila ang pag hire ng mga musikero as salesmen dahil nga sa attitude problem at rockstar attitude madalas ng mga ito, kaso kinulang naman sa product knowledge.

I've encountered aloof musicians cum salesmen, as well as clueless ones nervously reciting what they haphazardly memorized from the product brochures. I believe that there has to be some sort of middle ground. But if I were forced to pick an extreme side, I'd go with the latter. With proper training, they can be competent enough in time. On the other hand, there's little to be done with those who think they're rock stars.

[sQuid]

I've encountered aloof musicians cum salesmen, as well as clueless ones nervously reciting what they haphazardly memorized from the product brochures. I believe that there has to be some sort of middle ground. But if I were forced to pick an extreme side, I'd go with the latter. With proper training, they can be competent enough in time. On the other hand, there's little to be done with those who think they're rock stars.

My take on this: Musicians belong to the music scene, salesmen belong to businesses. You don't want to put a fish where it couldn't swim. It's just a plus if a store finds someone who is both, but not necessary.

[Rmansh]

I've encountered aloof musicians cum salesmen, as well as clueless ones nervously reciting what they haphazardly memorized from the product brochures. I believe that there has to be some sort of middle ground. But if I were forced to pick an extreme side, I'd go with the latter. With proper training, they can be competent enough in time. On the other hand, there's little to be done with those who think they're rock stars.

HA!  somebody should bring the same stuff they have and offer better service. competition will change all of this.

[voldemort]

HA!  somebody should bring the same stuff they have and offer better service. competition will change all of this.

imagine road shows and demos

plus

by then we can see ( and feel in our pockets ) the true meaning of inventory sale.