is okay and a good way to do business?

I just came from a shop in Longview. I took in three reels to be repaired and cleaned and bought $56 in lures. I told the guy at the counter that I had a broken trolling motor mounting bracket that I need to replace and he told me to go talk to the guy sitting at a desk in the back, apparently the manager or owner.

I had talked to this guy on the phone last week and briefly described the problem. I was at work and didn't remember the model number on my trolling motor so this morning before I drove over from Tyler I went out and wrote down the model number of my Motor Guide, measured the shaft of the TM, measured the length of the mounting bracket itself, and measured the diameter of the trolling motor shaft.

I went back, handed him the piece of paper with all the information, and told him I would like to buy or order a mount. He looked at it and said, "This doesn't tell me anything." He asked me if I had taken off the door that clamps down to hold the trolling motor on the bracket and I said I hadn't, that I hoped that all the information I had brought him would be enough to look up what I need...and that right now although the mount is broken the clamp/door are holding the trolling motor in place and that I have a tournament I am fishing tomorrow and I didn't want to take it apart beforehand.

He looked at me and said, "You're going to fish with that bracket broken? What are you going to do when your trolling motor falls off in the lake?" I told him that I had kept fishing with it after I broke it, not knowing it was broken, and that I guessed I hope the wire going to the transducer will keep me from losing it. I wondered if he thought I was so stupid I had never considered that possibility and thought it was a rude comment, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and went with it.

At that point I said, "The mount if really just a hinge. As long as we know the diameter of the shaft and it holds the trolling motor in place, and it will raise and lower the trolling motor, isn't that what is mainly important?"

At that point he looked at my cell phone case and said, and I quote, "You got one of them fancy phones, why didn't you take a picture of it." I told him I guess I didn't think about that, and not to worry about it any more because I will take it to the shop next week and have them get me a replacement. He said "fine" and continued to look and sound as grumpy and unfriendly as he had been.

I finally said, "I guess I don't understand why you are acting so irritated with me." I went into his shop and tried to spend my money with him. What about that situation makes him think treating me like I'm some sort of idiot wasting his time is a good way to do business.

I don't understand some merchants, and frankly I don't know how they stay in business. But maybe he treats other people better and I got special treatment.

Was his name Bill Kells??

Seriously, I would take my business someplace else. I think Steve's Props still does trolling motor repair. They are really good and great to deal with.

East Texas Sonar is in Longview, they have repaired a number of trolling motors for me.

Owner is kinda hard of hearing but their work is 1st rate!

Is Bill the guy who used to run Rainswood? If so, my fishing buddy and I have experienced him, too.

I find it pretty hard to believe it would be impossible for a guy who deals in trolling motor parts and accessories to figure out which mount(s) may be compatible when he knows the model number of the trolling motor and the dimensions of it and the mount that came with it. It seemed like since I didn't do things his way he was POed and didn't want to bother with me.

That would be him! Bill would give you the shirt off his back if he liked you. Only problem was, he only liked about 4 people.

He made no effort to help you and I would have taken my reels elsewhere for his attitude!
I also would contact the owner of that business and tell him your experience has probably lost your business and many more in your circle.

I recently called a worm manuafacture and asked them if they had a bulk rate price he said no. I was a little surprised but ok. He said some reason that was dumb to me. So asked if I could buy 500 and just have them all in one bag instead of 50 separate bags he said no. Thought that was odd his shop would've saved 49 bag tags and 50 small bags for 1 big one. So as I'm thinking about he just blurts out and this is his exact words. ( so are you gonna buy some man? ) kind of struck me as unprofessional, was t very customer friendly. Guess he thought I was just tire kicking or what. For now on I'll just buy them from tackle warehouse and just wait the time it takes them. Btw I bought 50 bags. I think he even charged me shipping. Tackle warehouse would've been free shipping

I have a mounting bracket from an 80 lb motorguide tour that you can have. it is in Houston and I will be in Gladewater in the near future.let me know if it will help.

When I first started reading your post I thought this was going to be some dude cussing you and the throwing you out of his shop.

Sounds like his attitude and demeanor was not the best, but if that is all he said and you got your feelings hurt enough to write that long post, maybe you are a tad bit on the sensitive side.

Oh and if you are fishing with a badly broken bracket, your trolling motor can fall in the lake and if you know it's broken and fish anyways, you're a tad bit stupid. Been there done that...

everybody has a bad day now an then if you don't like the way you were treated then go to another place of business that meets your expectation of customer service.

I know him, thats just him. Guess most of his clients just know him and understand him. He has done a lot of work for me and did a dang fine job. Buddy told me and warned me about his personality. Once I got past we got to talking and he is super nice guy. I would probably look at you and say something if you were running g a TM that was broken.

I will tend to agree that there are a lot of marine dealers out there with an attitude issue. Not all of them but they're there.....Just my assessment. I won't spend with the ones that are that way. I don't tell them about it, just don't come back. Hopefully, there can be some positive pulled from this thread.

customer service is one of the new oxymorons ..

what happened to bill kells is he still around or what

I can't stand to deal with a jerk. Take your trolling motor to Jones trolling motor, they are the best.

http://www.jonestrollingmotor.com/