Why won't they educate the B&N Associates??

jhempel24 · 11-24-2011, 12:35 AM

So I was on the fence about buying a Nook Tablet and selling my Color...after the reviews of the Nook Tablet, I doubt I'll get one, it's more like the Color and a Tablet, and seems harder to root when things happen on that front. Before I went online and saw them I went into the store...WHY WHY WHY did I do this?

I asked the associate (I was directed to him because according to someone else, he knew everything and then some about them), I've got a question on the stock reader on the Nook Tablet. His response was "What do you mean stock reader?"

Ugh...okay, it's the reader, the software that reads the books on the Tablet.

I continue on...does it support Multi-level TOC's on the ePubs? What's a Multi-Level TOC?

Okay, nevermind...Is the Android Market open? Well all you have to do is touch the Apps and it will open.

Ugh...okay. And I just left....I'm sorry, these aren't very technical questions...he should have been able to understand and answer them at even the most BASIC level.

SCION · 11-24-2011, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

...
Okay, nevermind...Is the Android Market open? Well all you have to do is touch the Apps and it will open...

*eyes watering*

HarleyB · 11-24-2011, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

Well all you have to do is touch the Apps and it will open.

Agreed - the funniest thing I have read all day!

Chikwako · 11-25-2011, 01:04 PM

Everytime I go to a B&N (there are a few close by, so I never go to the same one all the time), I get amusing answers.
Last time I was in one, I asked the girl directly and to the point: "Can you root the Nook Touch?" First she says "I can't neither affirm nor deny that statement" (which I think is their standard answer about rooting), and after we got friendlier she tells me it is not possible to root it due to the slow speed of the e-ink to refresh the image, making it impossible to play games and use other apps that require fast refreshing speed.

Although not totally off, I still referred her to Mobileread.com.

temetka · 11-26-2011, 07:35 AM

The girl at my B&N has not only rooted her NC, she showed it to me!

We discussed the XDA forums, locked bootloaders and all kinds of stuff. Very cool.

Your guys reps just aren't geeks. They are employees. Oh noes.

jhempel24 · 11-29-2011, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temetka

The girl at my B&N has not only rooted her NC, she showed it to me!

We discussed the XDA forums, locked bootloaders and all kinds of stuff. Very cool.

Your guys reps just aren't geeks. They are employees. Oh noes.

The thing that got me was..."This guy knows everything about the Nook Tablet"...obviously not LOL

It's awesome that yours does, its good to have a rep to go to that knows their stuff.

jocampo · 11-30-2011, 03:15 PM

When I bought mine (which I will return today or tomorrow by the way) the associate said...

"Trust me, this is a nice tablet. I know what I am saying because I'm almost done with my Computer Science degree"

I mean, I understand he wanted to give more credibility to his comment saying that, but I am not expecting an Engineer as a sales representative.

By the way, most of the stuff he said was wrong, but I did not argued. Bought it in order to see myself and later decide.

Maybe is better buy it from Best Buy, although finding a kid who knows his stuff there is also a lottery. But I've found really smart kids in Best Buy, and they look like enjoy talking about it.

tecweston · 11-30-2011, 04:18 PM

I had a problem with my SD card and went into B&N to ask someone about it. Our exchange went something like this:

Me: None of the books that are on my SD card are showing up in the library.
Associate: Are all the books on the SD card purchased through BN.com?
Me: No, most of them are from Project Gutenberg, but there are some from Kobobooks.com and one from Amazon.
Associate: What was that first one?
Me: Project Gutenberg?
Associate: What is that?
Me: It's a website with public domain ebooks.
Associate: So they're all free?
Me: Yeah.
Associate: Then what's the big deal? Just download them again.

robertc88 · 11-30-2011, 04:28 PM

I'd be happy if the Wi-Fi would work in my nearest store allowing internet access. Doesn't seem like they give a darn so why educate the associates?

nicabod · 12-10-2011, 09:51 PM

Try reading Charlie Pierce's book "Idiot America".

jhempel24 · 12-13-2011, 06:28 AM

I'll have to check that out!

peitsao · 12-13-2011, 07:14 AM

Give the poor sales clerks a break--at minimum wages with part-time hours, B&N isn't going to invest in any real training program to educate them, and most of them will be laid off after Christmas anyway.

jocampo · 12-13-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peitsao

Give the poor sales clerks a break--at minimum wages with part-time hours, B&N isn't going to invest in any real training program to educate them, and most of them will be laid off after Christmas anyway.

Well, you are partially right. I guess people are no expecting "engineers" working as sales guys there. But at least, put people who know good enough about ebooks and basic computer literacy. The few stores that I've visited, they are not even close to that.

I think that better knowledge about the product and ebook formats shows a little respect for those who work hard to got the money and pay 200 bucks for a device like that.

Nook Color and Nook Tablet are affordable, but not cheap for most of USA workers or families.

dkperez · 12-14-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jocampo

Maybe is better buy it from Best Buy, although finding a kid who knows his stuff there is also a lottery. But I've found really smart kids in Best Buy, and they look like enjoy talking about it.

Wow, you must have a far better Best Buy than I've seen in Minnesota... Last year, looking at e-readers at Best Buy... Question to sales kid: Of the several units you have (Sony, Nook, Kindle, Pandigital), which is the easiest to use for an extended period? Him: "Uh, I don't really know, I don't do much reading."

This was the person to whom I was referred because "He's our resident expert and knows EVERYTHING about our e-readers." Oh.

BTW: Had their e-readers actually been functional I'd have skipped asking the question, but since the only one that was actually working was the Pandigital...

jocampo · 12-14-2011, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkperez

Wow, you must have a far better Best Buy than I've seen in Minnesota... Last year, looking at e-readers at Best Buy... Question to sales kid: Of the several units you have (Sony, Nook, Kindle, Pandigital), which is the easiest to use for an extended period? Him: "Uh, I don't really know, I don't do much reading."

This was the person to whom I was referred because "He's our resident expert and knows EVERYTHING about our e-readers." Oh.

BTW: Had their e-readers actually been functional I'd have skipped asking the question, but since the only one that was actually working was the Pandigital...

BB is a hit and miss but I think you're right. As a matter fact, those two kids are not on main floor anymore. Saw them as supervisors the other day although , I still approach to them if needed.

11-24-2011, 12:35 AM	#1
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	Why won't they educate the B&N Associates?? So I was on the fence about buying a Nook Tablet and selling my Color...after the reviews of the Nook Tablet, I doubt I'll get one, it's more like the Color and a Tablet, and seems harder to root when things happen on that front. Before I went online and saw them I went into the store...WHY WHY WHY did I do this? I asked the associate (I was directed to him because according to someone else, he knew everything and then some about them), I've got a question on the stock reader on the Nook Tablet. His response was "What do you mean stock reader?" Ugh...okay, it's the reader, the software that reads the books on the Tablet. I continue on...does it support Multi-level TOC's on the ePubs? What's a Multi-Level TOC? Okay, nevermind...Is the Android Market open? Well all you have to do is touch the Apps and it will open. Ugh...okay. And I just left....I'm sorry, these aren't very technical questions...he should have been able to understand and answer them at even the most BASIC level.

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11-25-2011, 01:04 PM	#4
Chikwako Reader EZ Posts: 49 Karma: 274 Join Date: May 2010 Device: √NC, √NST, Sero Pro	Everytime I go to a B&N (there are a few close by, so I never go to the same one all the time), I get amusing answers. Last time I was in one, I asked the girl directly and to the point: "Can you root the Nook Touch?" First she says "I can't neither affirm nor deny that statement" (which I think is their standard answer about rooting), and after we got friendlier she tells me it is not possible to root it due to the slow speed of the e-ink to refresh the image, making it impossible to play games and use other apps that require fast refreshing speed. Although not totally off, I still referred her to Mobileread.com.

11-26-2011, 07:35 AM	#5
temetka Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 3436 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: California Device: Kindle Paperwhite 1st Gen.	The girl at my B&N has not only rooted her NC, she showed it to me! We discussed the XDA forums, locked bootloaders and all kinds of stuff. Very cool. Your guys reps just aren't geeks. They are employees. Oh noes.

11-30-2011, 03:15 PM	#7
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	When I bought mine (which I will return today or tomorrow by the way) the associate said... "Trust me, this is a nice tablet. I know what I am saying because I'm almost done with my Computer Science degree" I mean, I understand he wanted to give more credibility to his comment saying that, but I am not expecting an Engineer as a sales representative. By the way, most of the stuff he said was wrong, but I did not argued. Bought it in order to see myself and later decide. Maybe is better buy it from Best Buy, although finding a kid who knows his stuff there is also a lottery. But I've found really smart kids in Best Buy, and they look like enjoy talking about it.

11-30-2011, 04:18 PM	#8
tecweston Comic book artist Posts: 553 Karma: 1760679 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Detroit Device: Nook Glowlight, iPad, iPhone	I had a problem with my SD card and went into B&N to ask someone about it. Our exchange went something like this: Me: None of the books that are on my SD card are showing up in the library. Associate: Are all the books on the SD card purchased through BN.com? Me: No, most of them are from Project Gutenberg, but there are some from Kobobooks.com and one from Amazon. Associate: What was that first one? Me: Project Gutenberg? Associate: What is that? Me: It's a website with public domain ebooks. Associate: So they're all free? Me: Yeah. Associate: Then what's the big deal? Just download them again.

11-30-2011, 04:28 PM	#9
robertc88 Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 1579999 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: none	I'd be happy if the Wi-Fi would work in my nearest store allowing internet access. Doesn't seem like they give a darn so why educate the associates?

12-10-2011, 09:51 PM	#10
nicabod Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: B&N Nook, refurbed	Try reading Charlie Pierce's book "Idiot America".

12-13-2011, 06:28 AM	#11
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	I'll have to check that out!

12-13-2011, 07:14 AM	#12
peitsao Addict Posts: 211 Karma: 32760 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Allegheny Mountains Device: Kobo mini, PW3,NookST	Give the poor sales clerks a break--at minimum wages with part-time hours, B&N isn't going to invest in any real training program to educate them, and most of them will be laid off after Christmas anyway.