[BC] Radio Shack HD Sale digital radio

[Thomas G. Osenkowsky]

Persons who have technical knowledge want higher
paying jobs than RS can offer. Most RS stores like
it when a customer comes in and I can answer a
question and even point out a product in the store
that meets their needs. I should get a commission.

There is the point. Assuming a RS store hired me at
a compensation package that meets my needs, they
could not make their money back. Yes, there may be
more satisfied customers, but the few signal splitters,
VCR cables and other small ticket items would not
generate the profit they need to stay in business. Not
many electronics school grads are taught consumer
electronics. It's mostly an IT based world.

My sympathy to a manager who has to hire, train and
keep an employee. That is the hard part of the job. There
is one local RS where the manager is a ham and DX'er,
so he has technical knowledge. The same can't be said for
many others. Locally, we have a Best Buy and Circuit City
so RS has to compete with them over big ticket items.
It's not easy. As for parts, we've discussed this at length
in the past. How many consumers are going to buy 5532's,
2N3053's and the like? For RS to stock such parts they must
first buy them in quantity, put them in blister packs, enter
the data in the computer, ship them, have room for them in
stores, etc. That IS a lot to ask! Now, of course, we are
blessed with surface mount components...

Tom Osenkowsky, CPBE


> But, they don't know  their customers, aren't properly trained to assist,
> suggest, sell to those prospects. And most are poor hires by managers
> who know little or nothing about their business. Add to that the
> frustration of trying to hire, train and keep associates in a world where
> many people expect to get a job and be rewarded for apathy and
> slothfulness........it's no wonder they haven't dryed up an blown away.