Short version: I've been a Precision customer for a number of years now, and not only am I a repeat customer, I recommend them to my friends and family - in fact I won't let them shop elsewhere because the store goes above and beyond for their customers, repeatedly.
Long version:
I've been a customer theirs for a few years now, so I just their service over time, rather than on a specific one time interaction. The 2 things you really need to know and consider when selecting to spend your money with them over someplace like B&H or the like on the Internet is A) Before AND After Service, and B) the value of having people to ask, show, and interact with.
Let me give you 2 specific examples. I bought a Nikon D700 for them (This is an EXPENSIVE camera), certainly the internet guys were a few dollars cheaper (I think $100), but the service and information I got over a period of weekends as I built toward the purchase convinced me that I wanted to support these guys if they were close. At the time I didn't understand the full value of local, that came a month later. Have bought this camera and shot it, over the course of the a couple of week of shooting I established a friendship with Robert the sales person as I'd stop in on the weekends show him the shots I thought didn't meet the bar they should have, and had him work through the why not with me (generally hidden settings you think about). Robert and I were reviewing some 4th of July Shots of fireworks when we noticed at RED pixel in the shot. In fact it was there in every shot. The camera sensor had one permanently on (this occurred, or at least was discovered by me, weeks into shooting it). Anywhere else we have had a problem and drama, as the Camera was shot for over a month, but Robert and Precision said no problem, bring in the packaging we'll exchange it (they had warned me to save the packaging and wait on Registration a bit against this very possibility when I bought it). And they did an hour later at not cost or hassle to me. Amazing this has also occurred on other hardware and accessories as well. While learning I've made some bad purchases of things that didn't meet my needs, discovered it, and had no hassle exchanges. And over time the staff has learned my shooting style, gears, and interest and are able to steer me away or just as importantly toward things to help my shooting. They spent a lot of time educating me, and have changed from sales people to friends.
In fact this weekend, at their annual Photo Expo I discovered a newly released tripod I had an instance bond with, Robert saw me and steered me toward it because he new my travel and shooting habits and he knew it was a better fit than the one I had bought last year from him. He then pointed out that they could take my old on on consignment as well. Lastly Robert also steered me to the seminars I'd get the most out of (he had let me know a weeks before what they were and why I should attend them - once again because he knew me, my equipment, and my shooting.
This is the value of local, value I had never considered when looking just at the price. Cameras and accessories are not one time stand alone purchase. They are an ongoing investment, and I encourage anyone looking at spending money on them to look beyond a simple price sticker and consider the after the sale service. Both the if something breaks, goes wrong, or doesn't meet the needs AND things like education opportunities of being able to drop in and show them what is happening, and asking how to improve it. Also the value of having experts who watch the products emerge and can match you to them.
Precision, and especially Robert, have been very good to me. The extra $100 I spent on my D700 has turned out to be a far better investment than any stock I could have put it into. I've made it back 1000% fold.
~mike
Pros: Precision cares about their customers
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