Helping a stranger...is it overstepping?

[CichlidFan]

There are times when it is appropriate to speak up and there are times when it is not. Knowing of your experience with fish as I do, I believe you are more than qualified to offer your opinions to those who seem to be seeking assistance.

Although it is wise these days to be aware of your enviroment at all times, I feel you were in a good position to actually help the store clerk and the customer in this case.

I also like Jespers' idea to offer an HFB card in cases like that....

CF

[newb]

I would have definately spoken up...I feel I should. I know I would have liked it if people would have helped in my first attempts of keeping fish. I have done it before..and like my brother said, the employee gets all mad, but then again if you dont know fish...why are you selling fish. I can think of numerous LFS employees that would lie and give false info to customers without thinking twice about it.

[newb]

I point people here all of the time. I am so glad that I found this resource, and I want to share it with everyone. The people on this site have made the hobby much more enjoyable for me. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!

heck yeah man, I remember when you were a brand new customer to HAW. you came in with your wife and your friend and his wife. Yall bought angels and corys and he bought some large red hooks. Now you got a really cool tank and are a regular here on the box! I used to love my job at HAW for the simple fact I got to not only learn from one of the local greats...but I also got to help many newcomers. It was even better when I tried offering help, but got snubbed cause I didnt have that asian influence and then two weeks later they were back in the store telling Dan about the exact problems I told them they would run into. Me and Dna used to laugh about it all the time!!! Some people just dont want to listen.

[cichlidchic]

i would put it like this. depending on how serious it sounds, you are not butting in, you are saving the lives of fish from someone who is naive about resolution to their problem. i wish to GOD anyone would have known what recently knocked out a massive number of my african fish, but after trying literally ALL suggestions, nothing worked. i finally tried pimafix and dropped the temp to 74 degrees. miraculously they healed. but that was after i now lost most of my fish. my point? i genuinely hope someone dind't hear me pleading for help at pet stores and could have saved those fish, and didn't say anything. if the person is new, they may not care, but if they genuinely love fish, all advice, inmy opinion, at least deserves a listen. lets face it, it's not like you were going to go shove melafix down the guys throat. i know i've always appreciated the help from boxers and yourself. just my two cents.

[billansor]

I know I am not a regular as much on here..... but I have to say this about the Owner(s) / Administrator(s) and Moderators of this site.... You guys are some of the most proactive people with help..... advice..... suggestions and above all such a proactive sense of responsibilities to others.

Imagirlgeek, to share with others in a store, elsewhere, LFS the wide wealth of your experiences and knowledge is a quality that is far from apathetic that occurs in most situations.. I would always encourage such sharing...

That proactive quality that all leaders of this forum has, from Geoff needing help in moving and others that are moving now, to the group buy and recently I just read about the group buy that Geoff and others were involved in 2007..... I think Geoff was one of the most patient people that I have run into........ Someone must have opened him up and poured literally a thousand pounds of patience.........fshfrk and his DIY encouragement that make so much sense.. Myjohnson and his ways of bringing about a patient teaching with humor and the list goes on. All of you have such a wonderful set of experiences that are really not found anywhere else to the quanity that is here.

But again.. To share..... Its always a good and positive trait of humanity that we sadly lack today... Of course that is to be taken with the wisdom to know when someone will not receive that wealth of information...

My thoughts... But

Thank you guys for being such positve role models!!

Bill

[Nickintex]

Sometimes it is so tempting to step in. In the mid 90's, at the 610 and Fournace Petsmart, I saw someone get a fancy goldfish, an angelfish, and a channel catfish all in the same bag!
It does feel good when in the past I have gone into an LFS, purchased multiple types of fish, and was asked if I was gonna keep them in the same tank since they were not compatible.
Does not happen much now, since the workers at the same LFS now know me. :)

[fshfrk]

Let's get the buisness cards going!

[Kittysnax]

I run grey on this situation. If it is a plant question, I steer far away cause I have no idea what I'm doing (why I basically LIVE on The planted tank's forums LOL!) But fish, yea, thats another story. I dont know how many people I have "let go" when working in the fish industry for giving bad info over and over again. Our LFS is notorious for giving not only wrong info, but bad stock, hence why I did somthing usually against my morals and now buy all my local pet supplies (and sometimes plants/bettas/cull fish) 100% from the new petco that opened across the street from them...I just try to do my research before walkin into petco, for plants, so as to advoid frustration.

"Yea you can have neons with goldfish!" Basically the whole "You can have anything with goldfish!" line that most places blurt out just really grinds my gears. Or when they suggest that a oscar or two will be fine in a 20G long aquarium. If it is a common-marketplace fish, then I know about it. If it is a more rare marketplace fish (a specialty fish such as discus etc), then I might watch my step, because frankly I have no idea how to keep discus LOL!

Bottom line is, I will help out if I KNOW that I know about it. That person wont get my number, and if I just happen to run into them again, I'd answer anything else that I may know about. But I DO always suggest the internet nowadays that majority of everyone HAS it. And now that I've found a good LOCAL forum for fish, this will be my 1st net suggestion.

And like an above poster said, if I make the employee mad, o well. They will either
a.)learn from it
b.)keep doing it
c.)keep doing it and have angry customer w/a complaint card or word-of-mouth
d.)loose his job (worth about roughly 8$ a hour)
Probably C, but either way, no sweat off my back. It just makes the said employee look like a total fool, which I do get a chuckle out of if its a repeat-offense.

[imagirlgeek]

Let's get the buisness cards going!

I've printed some out and usually have a hand full of them in my purse. I should get some glossy ones printed up though. I'll do that and give them to whoever wants them as I see you guys at meetings and LFSs. :)

[Gene D]

I would have to say step in and help where you can. This actually goes against my general belief of "You can't fix stupid" but you can sometimes step in and slow the spread of stupid. I.E. if you know the information being passed on is ignorant.

As long as you stay within your area of knowledge and with a little tact I think we can all help when the chance presents itself

[TROPHS4LIFE]

I would have to say step in and help where you can. This actually goes against my general belief of "You can't fix stupid" but you can sometimes step in and slow the spread of stupid. I.E. if you know the information being passed on is ignorant.

As long as you stay within your area of knowledge and with a little tact I think we can all help when the chance presents itself

well put ............stick with what you know.........

[wesleydnunder]

It depends whose store I'm in, but I often offer what I can to help, especially if the clerk has no idea what to do. During the course of the conversation I always point the person to The Box.

Mark

[jarrodaden]

As soon as the store clerk is out of ear shot I quickly steer the customer in the right direction. This happens all too often in big box pet store unfortunately.

I have to confess that I have never thought of steering them here. That is a great idea.

[jarrodaden]

I've printed some out and usually have a hand full of them in my purse. I should get some glossy ones printed up though. I'll do that and give them to whoever wants them as I see you guys at meetings and LFSs. :)

Can we get a generic business card file on the site so that we can all print them out and keep them handy?

[PhishPhreek]

I keep bettas, I breed bettas, I show bettas and most of all I like to talk bettas. I can hear the word betta wispered from across the pet store and like the cartoons ............................... zip I'm standing there.

I usually shop in LFS that have great people and I never want to step on their toes bucause I'll be back and they'll still be there.

I hate to answer questions about disease because most of the time even the most expensive meds won't save them.... you have to catch it early and have the meds in your first aid kit.

I agree that other that a short answer to clear up a misunderstanding, the best thing you can do is send them to the Box. I have tried leaving BettaHabari Business Cards at the Betta Bowels in many LFS but they usually get cleaned away in a week or two.