Pat Reehal
Well-Known Member
It has taken me quite a while to recover from my Jessops experiences of blatant indifference and lack of product knowledge, to venture again into the high street camera shop. I have until now, bought off the net and whilst I have saved on the purchase price I have lost count of the times that delivery has been delayed or missed.
After much deliberation and in an attempt to see and handle a Fuji XT-1, I visited Camera Solutions in Chester and was met by a highly professional and, important to me, customer orientated gentleman called Mark Tilling. How refreshing to be welcomed by 'Good Afternoon Sir,' rather than 'Allright Mate, Squire, Hi Guys!' or the great wall of deafening silence.
Mark provided excellent and enthusiastic advice, suggested alternative camera bodies and lenses in my price range to consider and displayed an inordinate knowledge of his products. Price wise there was not a ha'porth of difference with other shop and net based retailers but my part exchange price was more than fair and the personal service and attention made the all important difference.
As you probably know, XT-1's are as rare as rocking horse droppings in the UK and demand has meant a real shortage in the supply chain. Nevertheless I ordered the camera and fully expected to have to wait a while but Mark managed to prise one out of Fuji UK within the week. Excellent.
Enough has been written about the XT-1 and most of it is true. I am smitten. But what has tickled me more has been the realisation once again that the purchase of a camera doesn't have to begin with the press of a 'buy now' button and end with a disinterested courier driver. There are professional and highly communicative camera shops out there and I am delighted to have found one.
I am reluctant to recommend goods and services as each of us have our own interpretation of what we expect but suffice to say that I am more than happy to recommend Mark and Camera Solutions. They clearly have customer service and satisfaction at the top of their agenda and they made my purchase a real pleasure.
(Usual disclaimers, never been in there before and those that have had the misfortune to have met me know that accepting poor customer service and taking prisoners are not my strongest attributes.)
After much deliberation and in an attempt to see and handle a Fuji XT-1, I visited Camera Solutions in Chester and was met by a highly professional and, important to me, customer orientated gentleman called Mark Tilling. How refreshing to be welcomed by 'Good Afternoon Sir,' rather than 'Allright Mate, Squire, Hi Guys!' or the great wall of deafening silence.
Mark provided excellent and enthusiastic advice, suggested alternative camera bodies and lenses in my price range to consider and displayed an inordinate knowledge of his products. Price wise there was not a ha'porth of difference with other shop and net based retailers but my part exchange price was more than fair and the personal service and attention made the all important difference.
As you probably know, XT-1's are as rare as rocking horse droppings in the UK and demand has meant a real shortage in the supply chain. Nevertheless I ordered the camera and fully expected to have to wait a while but Mark managed to prise one out of Fuji UK within the week. Excellent.
Enough has been written about the XT-1 and most of it is true. I am smitten. But what has tickled me more has been the realisation once again that the purchase of a camera doesn't have to begin with the press of a 'buy now' button and end with a disinterested courier driver. There are professional and highly communicative camera shops out there and I am delighted to have found one.
I am reluctant to recommend goods and services as each of us have our own interpretation of what we expect but suffice to say that I am more than happy to recommend Mark and Camera Solutions. They clearly have customer service and satisfaction at the top of their agenda and they made my purchase a real pleasure.
(Usual disclaimers, never been in there before and those that have had the misfortune to have met me know that accepting poor customer service and taking prisoners are not my strongest attributes.)
