I'm glad things seemed to have been sorted. This sounds like the classic AI response.
Now, that being said, I wanted to say that I've been on both sides of this situation. Working a booth/table is a tough job. Well, it is if you're good at it.
Both in the firearms industry as well as the defense industry, I have worked more trade shows than I care to remember. Everything from SHOT Show to SOFIC, to DSEI, they all can be challenging for the booth workers and SME's that staff them. I can tell you, after 10-12 hrs (often times without time to eat or drink anything of substance), it becomes brutal...all while having to maintain soft skills on a keen edge. Sometimes, people slip. It happens.
I remember one year, when the company I was consulting for, had released a new cartridge. The first two days of SHOT were a friggin mad house. But, we did attempt to talk to everyone that came by, regardless if they were a distributor there to make a large order, or just John Q Public, wanting to chat about their favorite ammunition, recommendations (usually based on their personal preferences) or desires in new products. Listening well can be utterly draining, leaving your brain feeling like Jell-O by the end of the day. But it part of the job, and is expected after you have done a couple.
This is not to say your experience was excusable; it wasn't. But, just remember, that there are always two sides to the engagement.
If there was an an issue (which it sounds like there was), it is best to address it, (privately) to the management so that they are aware of the problem. I think that was what one member here was trying to imply. "Praise in public, critique in private" is a good rule to follow whenever possible.
On the other side of this, I had something similar happen to me. I was looking at a BMW X-5 on a lot, after the Mini Cooper Manager pointed me over when I commented I was interested in an X-3 or X-5 over the little Countryman Mini offered. My wife and I walked over, and I was dressed in cargo pants, a pair of Lowa boots, and a t-shirt. When the salesman came out and asked what we were looking for (and we told him) he promptly pointed us over to the used cars on the lot. I thanked him for his help, and started to walk in that direction, as my wife said "Did he just do, what I think he did?". I said "Yep." and we walked over to the row of vehicles, looked left, and then right, and then exited the lot, crossing the street back to the Mini dealer where my Coupe was being serviced. When the manager there asked if I had found anything, I pulled him to the side and quietly told him. "No, not really. You're sister store's salesman apparently thought we were only in the market for used vehicles, when we told him we were interested in an X-5. So, we just kind of left." <chuckle> You could see the Mini Cooper Manager do a mental facepalm, and he apologized profusely for it happening. I just smiled and said "No problem, we're short on time today anyways." Since I had bought 3 vehicles over the last 5 years from them, all in cash, he knew they had lost an easy sale that day.
It can be frustrating, being treated a certain (poor) way by a salesman, but remember, it isn't you that is losing, save maybe a little pride. It's the overall business that is losing. And if you like the product, and the company, than a politely and quietly worded note to management usually solves the problem, and shows loyalty and expectations of that company.
Hopefully, Alice is getting your sorted.
As another AI owner, I can say, your experience is not the norm. IME, AI usually are the consummate professionals in their booths across all their trade show attendances. It's unfortunate that this event ever occurred. And I'd suspect that AI has already addressed it internally.
