new X5 bridge camera discontionued already

I went this afternoon into a Jessops store in the centre of Bristol [camera chain store for non UK readers] and there were the usual weekend reps there from all the big names and for once a Pentax man in a white Pentax shirt with a k30 hanging round his neck.

I asked him if there were any of the new X5 bridge camera in to look at and he looked confused then said no that one has been discontinued .

I queried that since it is a new model abut he insisted it is discontinued, thats funny I said because Bristol Cameras [a opposition store 2 blocks away has had them for 3 weeks] has them in stock and he said that's just old stock.

So either he knows something we don't or he is the worst salesman Pentax UK have ever had.

oops soory don't know how I typed nex instead of new in the title apologies

He probably thought you meant K-5, which has of course been replaced by the new models.

No John, there was no doubt or ambiguity about either my question or his answer and I never mentioned the K5 or either of the new K5 versions.

go back to said store. slap said employee.

From my dealings with Jessops I would imagine they employed him because he fitted the shirt they had and he had previous experience on the Pick'n Mix counter in Woolies (near enough for them)

I went into a Jessops last weekend and also meet a pentax shirted employee with a K30 round the neck. I played around with the K30 and was looking at live view to see the focus peaking, which wasn't switched on. When I asked about the feature, the pentax rep had no idea what it was or where to switch it on. In the end being familiar with the K7 menus, I found the setting and switched it on and proceeded to demonstrate the feature to the pentax rep! I would have thought this was a feature that would help differentiate between models and pentax reps should be pushing it.

That is a bit silly. Surely you would expect a good level of product knowledge.

In my time in photographic retailing in the late Seventies we took trade exams which required a photoshoot from sealed rolls of films and a two part written examination on a) product (and there were a lot of makes and models back then) b) photographic theory to show understanding of depth of field, metering etc. I'm pleased to say I passed.

I wonder what training is given nowadays. I read Jessops were boasting of new centres of xcellence recently. Our tiny branch in Chsterfield is a place to go print snaps and little more now.They have little Pentax and no second hand any more.

I personally fnd my local LCE staff the best, shame they have such a rag tag of stock. They have the X5 in the window this week. No DSLR's or new lenses though. They tell me they had a Pentax rep in recently for the first time in years!

Product knowledge relies less on training and more on the curiosity and willingness to learn of the individual. My local Jessops centre of Excellence did not know the K-01 was available in yellow. The sales person clearly did not read any photo magazines or explore the web once he went home. It was a job, however many hours per week and pay me please, off to the pub....

How much do these Pentax 'Reps' get paid?

Seriously... I could use a job right now...

(If Mr. Pentax needs it then CV available upon request)

i mostly agree John, however some of these sales reps have me convinced it is "off to the pub first, then to the job, does not read anything ever"

I don't blame him either.

It's not up to Jessops and other employee to rely upon the employee's out of hours enthusiasm. It's the employers responsibility to make sure their staff are trained properly in the products they are selling.

Ah, but some of us don't live like that. We live and breath what we do and there's for me no real difference bwteeen in and out of hours. Except that these days I please myself what jobs I take on.

Of course, it's also my downfall, because I never switch off and am available, theoretically at least, all the time. Try phoning me at 3am and I'll answer, but give me a moment or two to wake up.....

But going back to Jessops, and any camera shop, wouldn't it be better if everyone there was really interested? If they were then reading up at home, chatting photography in the pub, doing a free talk for a local camera club, would not be a chore, but a pleasure.

Do you have to prove an interest in or any prior knowledge of photography to get a job in a chain camera shop I wonder?

I don't think you have to prove you have the mental capacity to tie your own shoes to get a job in retail.
case in point:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/sticky-note-bandit-sticking-st-johns-area-businesses-15...