The Things Customers Do

[gerbe3:16 19]

If you think we have it tough, Imagine how it would be working in a Walmart?

Been there done that... Sporting goods section... lots of small fishing lures to put back at the end of every night, a whole stinking aisle of fishing stuff ... I'm having bad flashbacks here, someone make it stop.

But as Chadd points out, it was interesting to see the folks that walked in there. Of course my department also sold rifles/shotguns so I got to meet a lot of crazy hillbillies up close and personal. Plus it was a great way to meet chicks, especially the other teenage girls that worked there.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I used to work at a clothing outlet store. Hell on earth. At least Walmarts have cleanup crews.

I used to work retail as well. It sucked because I easily spent 75% of my day facing shelves because people are too lazy to put things back. It's why I really go out of my way to leave items the way I found them after taking them off a shelf. I also have this almost obessive compulsive thing that doesn't allow me to leave the glove wall out of order if I've been trying some on.

Edited July 26, 2012 by hunt3rsean

[jimmy 194]

I used to work retail as well. It sucked because I easily spent 75% of my day facing shelves because people are too lazy to put things back.

And people complain that retail prices are higher than online. The store owner has to pay someone like you just to reorganize the showroom almost constantly. These extra costs have to be reflected in the product pricing. Online stores who don't have a showroom, don't have these extra costs which really do add up. If you spent 75% of your day fixing shleves, at say $10 per hour/8hr day that'd be a cost to the owner of about $22,000 just to rearrange shelves! Edited July 26, 2012 by jimmy

[IPv6Freely 2092]

It's why I really go out of my way to leave items the way I found them after taking them off a shelf. I also have this almost obessive compulsive thing that doesn't allow me to leave the glove wall out of order if I've been trying some on.

Same reason I don't go to a restaurant 30 mins before they close. Sure, they're technically still open, but I know they're trying to clean and prep to go home. I almost miss my fast food job... no responsibility. Didn't have to give a damn about anything the second my shift ended... but then I remember how broke I was ;)

[jimmy 194]

Same reason I don't go to a restaurant 30 mins before they close. Sure, they're technically still open, but I know they're trying to clean and prep to go home. I almost miss my fast food job... no responsibility. Didn't have to give a damn about anything the second my shift ended... but then I remember how broke I was ;)

Man, I wish everyone was like you. Can't tell you how many people show up 1 minute before closing. IMO this is the most rude thing a customer can do, unless it's a quick sale and they know what they want and can be out quickly. Then there are the ones who show up 15min after closing, see the lights on and start banging on the door because they know you are in there. Don't get me wrong, we love the business, but we have a life too and have to cash out, clean, do paperwork, calibrate machines, etc before we can go home. Store hrs are store hrs for a reason, it always boggles me why people think they don't apply to them. I'd love to go to their work and right before they are to go home and have there boss make them stay an extra hour. So what if they miss taking their kid to their dance lesson, or to baseball game, or.... Edited July 26, 2012 by jimmy

[Chadd 916]

If someone called ahead and asked me to stay open so they could pick something up, I would usually do it. If they were hanging out at the rink all night doing other things and then wanted me to stay open late, it probably wasn't going to happen.

[DarkStar50 679]

The only way to maybe get a late last minute sharpening is to offer the sharpener a generous tip immediately. Notice I said maybe. The guys that start whining don't stand a chance of getting a late sharpening.

[Law Goalie 147]

Ah, bribery--- the grease of the world's wheels.

I once had someone throw a twenty at a sharpener to cut the line while I was waiting; I would have been angrier if he HADN'T taken it.

[jimmy 194]

We often stay open late during season. We try to accomodate when we can, but when we have something planned for immediatly after work, we got to close on time. That person who comes in 1 minute prior to closing and wants something that's not quick, well, they are just rude. One guy came in minutes before closing and wanted us to size his kid for skates. We told him we were closing in 5 minutes and we can't stay late because of previous plans, and asked if he could come back tomorrow. He got all upset, "What do you mean, you won't sell me skates, blah, blah.." I explained, that what he wanted could take 45 minutes and that we had somewhere to be. At this point he bacame an a$$h0le, so I not so kindly showed him the door and told him never to set foot in our store again. Do you go to your bank and demand they stay open past closing?

[raganblink 82]

Part of the issue with society nowadays is that very few have a concept of politeness & common courtesy to fellow man. I personally will not go to a business within a half hour of close unless its an emergency & I know I'll be in and out within 2 minutes.

When people come in late at the shop, very few of them realize that our hours state that we're closed. These people always ask if it was okay, and most of them offer to leave and come back tomorrow but I insist it isn't a big deal (When I do need to leave though, yes, I kindly ask if they could come back). There is one father in particular who ALWAYS comes in 10 minutes before closing to get a sharpening. Honestly it is the most annoying thing. He realizes that often I am busy and can't get to him right away, and that extra 5 minutes I sharpen his skates is an extra 5 minutes I am here. What's ironic is, he KNOWS what time we close, and always apologizes for keeping me late. I also know he gets off work at 4pm, and it doesn't matter what time we'll close at that night, he comes in 10 minutes before close.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Part of the issue with society nowadays is that very few have a concept of politeness & common courtesy to fellow man. I personally will not go to a business within a half hour of close unless its an emergency & I know I'll be in and out within 2 minutes.

When people come in late at the shop, very few of them realize that our hours state that we're closed. These people always ask if it was okay, and most of them offer to leave and come back tomorrow but I insist it isn't a big deal (When I do need to leave though, yes, I kindly ask if they could come back). There is one father in particular who ALWAYS comes in 10 minutes before closing to get a sharpening. Honestly it is the most annoying thing. He realizes that often I am busy and can't get to him right away, and that extra 5 minutes I sharpen his skates is an extra 5 minutes I am here. What's ironic is, he KNOWS what time we close, and always apologizes for keeping me late. I also know he gets off work at 4pm, and it doesn't matter what time we'll close at that night, he comes in 10 minutes before close.

I'd say "sure, when do you want to pick them up tomorrow?" :)

[danno25nh 3]

I guess I don't understand the concept of not wanting customers just before closing.

If you close at 6:00 you close at 6:00 not 5:30.

This doesn't mean come in at 5:59 and shop for an hour but if you come in at 5:50 walk over to the stick rack and pick one out in time to get rung up by closing there is no problem. I've worked in bars/restaurants with folks that thought closing time meant walk out the door time. This isn't true. Closing means shut the doors and finish cleaning up.

The workday doesn't end the moment you shut the door.

Simply put if I know a shop is open until 6:00 that means I know I must conclude my business and walk out the door by 6:00. If that means staff is there until 6:05 then they should be there until 6:05.

[Law Goalie 147]

The post you were responding to was a guy complaining because a particular customer would consistently show up moments before closing with jobs that would take longer than the store would remain open. What's he supposed to do, sharpen one skate, hand them back, charge half a sharpening, and kick the guy out? And, generally speaking, customers grossly underestimate the time it takes to do anything. I once saw a father and son some in to get fitted for skates with 20 minutes to close. The staff told them they didn't have time; the guy started to whine; eventually the owner told the staff to close up, and stayed late himself to take care of them. That's one privilege of being a genuine family-owned business, but it's still very thoughtless of the customer. If the shop says they can't fit someone in 20min, they're not being lazy.

Your point about employees mistakenly thinking the workday ends when the sign flips is well taken. But what you're suggesting about customers coming in at the last minute is the equivalent of showing up at a shop before opening and demanding entry because the staff are inside, and you can see them working. The presence of active staff does not mean a store can serve you -- particularly not with respect to something as laborious as a good sharpening. Most of the really good sharpeners here in Toronto start their days with about an hour's backlog from overnight drop-offs (and, to the point, late arrivals the prior day), so showing up in the first 90 minutes of opening means you're going to wait for your sharpening. That's not bad service, it's just a reality of business.

[danno25nh 3]

Law Goalie- I completely agree and understand that demanding sharpening or fitting 10 minutes before closing isn't OK. I'd never consider such a thing nor would I expect to walk in the door early.

I have been on the receiving end of staff busily trying to close while I stand at the counter waiting to pay for socks or tape or stick, 10 minutes before closing and hearing them complain about late customers interfering with their plans that start the moment the sign flips.

I rotate 3 sets of steel for the sole purpose of never worrying about a sharpening at the last minute.

During my days behind the bar or in the kitchen I dealt with late comers daily, I wouldn't take an order for something that took 20 minutes to cook 5 minutes before closing but I would offer something that was fast enough to conclude business by closing.

Small business like LHS won't survive in todays world of small margins, superstores, and online shopping without excellent customer service.

[ibeck 38]

I agree stores wont survive with out quality customer service but the other end of the spectrum is the customer. There are tons of customers who don't put themselves in the shoes of people who work at the store. More often than not I bet it happens to the customer at their job that someone comes in the last few minutes and upsets them yet they don't think of flipping the situation when it's them needing something.

I myself work in a pro shop and hate the fact people come in at 9:58 (close at 10) when they're on the ice at 10:15 and complain when there are 2 pairs of skates ahead of them, and I turn them away. It's not me wanting to leave right at 10 because I understand when my sign says we close at 10 doesn't always mean I leave at 10, it's me trying to teach the customer some responsibility.

[raganblink 82]

I guess I don't understand the concept of not wanting customers just before closing.

If you close at 6:00 you close at 6:00 not 5:30.

This doesn't mean come in at 5:59 and shop for an hour but if you come in at 5:50 walk over to the stick rack and pick one out in time to get rung up by closing there is no problem. I've worked in bars/restaurants with folks that thought closing time meant walk out the door time. This isn't true. Closing means shut the doors and finish cleaning up.

The workday doesn't end the moment you shut the door.

Simply put if I know a shop is open until 6:00 that means I know I must conclude my business and walk out the door by 6:00. If that means staff is there until 6:05 then they should be there until 6:05.

I have zero issue with people coming and having a reasonable amount of time for us to get things done before close time. Why would I? 30 minutes before close is a completely different scenario then 10 minutes before close, 5 minutes before close, or past close. 30 minutes is a reasonable amount of time to do everything except getting skates. Even with 5 minutes before close, if you KNOW what you want, that is very reasonable. Even if its past close, and you just want to buy something and you know exactly what you are getting I have zero complaints, even welcome it, Id stay an extra minute if that, and I'd make more money for that day. For sharpenings ideally you come in at the latest with about 20 minutes before close, just encase we are busy.

The point I was getting at this gentlemen constantly shows up right before close, typically right around 10 minutes before close- more often then not I don't even start working on his skates well after closing time. I stay past close ALL the time to help with customers, I have to. We're a small LHS and if we piss off our base of customers, we will have a going out of business sale. In a typical week I close my shop 5 times. During the summer I leave within 5 minutes of closing time once or twice. The other 3 or 4 times its anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes past close, sometimes even longer if I have nothing going on and I'm suiting up someone. During the season I almost never leave within 5 minutes of close, its usually 15 to 30 minutes after close.

It is a rude thing to do to constantly come in THAT close to a businesses closing time. Hypothetically lets say there are two people who decide its not rude to come into a business so close to closing in order to conduct business, which Law mentioned, they generally grossly underestimate the time it will take to do it. My normal guy who comes in right before close, and a random person). Instead of leaving by 6:05, having those final 20 minutes of the day cleaning up the store, I now spend 5:40 until 6:10 helping a customer fit a couple of items, and then between 6:10 to 6:15 I am sharpening skates (of which, I often ask if he can leave them and pick them up tomorrow, he always just stays saying "he doesn't mind". There was actually one time he came in about 20 minutes AFTER close, it got brought up in conversation with a customer, and he still asks if he can get them done. I asked if he could drop them off and pick them up tomorrow and exact quote: "Well he has practice in a half hour next door and he really needs them done."). I won't be able to leave the store until 6:30 because I have to finish up stuff inside. Even if I lock the door to keep people out so I can pick up things, I will get knocks on the door asking if they can come in. I only let them come in if its something quick. If its sharpenings then no way I do them. People think our hours are "If they are in the store then they are open". We've had nights where we come in really late to move stuff around, and people will knock on the door at ridiculous hours to see if they can come in and buy stuff. One time we were redoing shelves at 11 at night, apparently their practice had just ended & they needed to buy a stick, they didn't want to come in the next day before practice because "they'd have to leave our house way early before practice to get the stick from you". Basically laziness, they came in the next day at 8:30 (close time on the button) since that was kind of close to practice..

Point I am getting at it is rude in my opinion to come in close to close, and if you do it, be apologetic about it. If you come in right at close or past, be thankful as well. They definitely don't want to stay late into the night. The hours for a store are there because those are the hours that they want to conduct business in, not around. People generally think of themselves and not others and the time schedule that others set, they only take into account their time schedule. I for one adjust my schedule to better accommodate other people's schedule and it is really frustrating when people only think of themselves. Do you enjoy it when you're trying to get stuff done for the day & people want to do something with you right before you're ready to leave?

Random story about customers and closing time -

This happened during last season sometime in November. It was a Friday night, there was a USHL game going on across the street, so between 5:30 and close we have a lot of people who don't play hockey who just want to come in and look. On nights that there are games, I pretty much expect not being able to close up until 6:15-6:25, I'm okay with this. Well as I am getting ready to leave at 6:10,I had someone come in and buy a roll of tape. Just as he walks out the door this family came in with this little kid (maybe 3 or 4) who thought hockey was the coolest thing on Earth. He's been to a couple of Bucs games, this was the first time they've ever been in the store and just wanted to check it out. Typically this kind of person is out within 5 minutes, I figure no biggie I can clean a little bit more, I also didn't want to kick them out because a)it was a little kid and b)if he did decide to get into hockey, this is a potential customer for the next 10-15 years, IE something I kind of would like to have. I did a couple things that make it obvious we're closed, like turn of the air, turned off open sign, turned TV off even (I had to be somewhere at 7 and wanted to shower). Well like 10 minutes into their visit ANOTHER person came in. The family was still there so I figure I can help this kid out real quick. Turns out he wanted to buy top-end skates. I ask him if he could come back tomorrow as we were technically closed and I had plans later. Apparently he couldn't, and this was the only time he could get them from us, otherwise he would get them on the weekend in a different city.

So I figure, why not? Might as well get the business even if it effects my night, because 600 bucks definitely helps. So I size him up - we spent probably 15-20 minutes deciding which model is more comfortable, etc. By this time it is 6:45. We had decided on One100s as the best fit for him. He asks if we can bake the skates, and I figure why not, what's an extra 10 minutes of my life? Well I start the oven and he asks if he can get help on a helmet. I fit him for a helmet and he settles on the 11K. By this time it was 6:50ish and I went to put the skates in the oven, as I do this, the F@#%^!* walks out. He used us as a sizing shop, almost an hour past close, on a Friday. Needless to say I was pissed. (Yes DS50 and others, I know about the sizing fee program - it won't work here). The family that had came in about a half hour earlier saw this, and felt sorry for me. They were a sweet couple with an awesome kid. During that time they had acquired quite a bit of gear to buy, and set it on the counter. I ask if this fits well & if they want me to size him. Apparently the Dad used to play minor hockey & he was fine with how everything fit. His bill was only like $150 because it was just Youth gear, but, that helped offset some of the time wasted on that previous guy.

I went out the next night and that couple saw me at the bars, the husband came up to me and felt sorry for the crap that happened to me the previous day, realized that we were closed and apologized for keeping me late (even though he didn't, because he was waiting to checkout apparently for a while while I was helping the other guy), and bought me drinks the entire night. Definitely made up for the jerk from Friday. I love karma.

[AIREAYE 248]

Man I feel for you raganblink, I'm glad you got at least something back for it though. Now if the other guy got what was coming to him too...

[ibeck 38]

I'm getting mad just reading your post

[superhakan 2]

Wow Ragan, that is a terrible story.

I have no problem doing a guys skates if they come in with a reasonable amount of time left in the day, but coming in with 2 pairs of skates with 10 minutes left in the day saying you have a game in 20 minutes just isn't gonna fly. And this happens waaay too often.

[DarkStar50 679]

Fitting fee will stop that, pardon me, bullshit every time. Just putting the sign up as a deterrent is enough to stop the tire kickers. Customers that are ready to buy skates are ready to buy skates. Just mentioning you have a $20 fitting fee is enough to stop the showroom shoppers. They are so cheap they won't even part with $20. Raganblink, try a fitting fee sign for one month and if it hurts your skate sales take it down. I'll bet it won't. People who are not going to buy from you already have their mind made up before they walk in to the shop that they are not purchasing skates at your shop. Stop wasting 30 minutes of valuable time where you could be helping people ready to spend money in your shop.

[raganblink 82]

I'll discuss it with the owner. We don't have it happen often though. A couple times a month we'll have someone use us to size them up, but they almost always state their intentions beforehand & usually just help themselves (our skate stock is accessible to anyone since we do not have a backroom). Most of these guys who do this are affiliated with the USHL or a college team where they get skates for free/cheap, we have no issue with it, if their programs went away we'd have to downsize significantly. Once in a while though we have someone interested in skates & they learn their size then leave, but its less then 5 times a year, it rarely happens where we'll size someone up then they say "we'll think about it" where they don't come back.

[donkers 31]

Do you guys get mad when guys come into the shop with already sharp blades but still want to get them sharpened again? Asking because I'm thinking of stopping by my LHS sometime this week to get them sharpened again even though it has been fewer than half a dozen skates. They just don't feel right on the ice.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'll discuss it with the owner. We don't have it happen often though. A couple times a month we'll have someone use us to size them up, but they almost always state their intentions beforehand & usually just help themselves (our skate stock is accessible to anyone since we do not have a backroom). Most of these guys who do this are affiliated with the USHL or a college team where they get skates for free/cheap, we have no issue with it, if their programs went away we'd have to downsize significantly. Once in a while though we have someone interested in skates & they learn their size then leave, but its less then 5 times a year, it rarely happens where we'll size someone up then they say "we'll think about it" where they don't come back.

There's been a few times I've walked into a store, got fitted for skates, and left. But that's only because the stock at the local stores is pretty thin. Try on a couple pairs of skates, ask for brand x in size y, and they dont have it... well that means im going to have to go to another store to try those, then.

I agree with the fitting fee, but I'd like to think that it should be ultimately up to the LHS whether they choose to enforce it. If you don't have what the customer is looking for, you probably shouldnt charge them a fee. It's not THEIR fault they didn't buy anything - they may well have had cash in hand!

While I agree with deterring tire kickers, at the same time, you can't blame somebody for doing lots of homework before a purchase of a high ticket item like skates. It goes both ways though. Just don't be a douche about it, and be up front about not being ready to purchase yet.

Do you guys get mad when guys come into the shop with already sharp blades but still want to get them sharpened again? Asking because I'm thinking of stopping by my LHS sometime this week to get them sharpened again even though it has been fewer than half a dozen skates. They just don't feel right on the ice.

If they don't feel right, get them done. If you're really worried about it (and you shouldnt be), simply tell them that they just dont quite feel right. I doubt they'd care.

Edited July 30, 2012 by OptimusReim

[Law Goalie 147]

Why not treat the 'fitting fee' as a blanket credit? That is, if someone balks at the fee, you just explain that while it's meant to be put toward skates, you can use it on any product - laces, tape, etc. - just not services like sharpening and baking, so he can't give you $20, buy them online, them come back and use his deposit on services that an online store can't provide. Hell, if you're feeling generous, let him put it toward sharpening and baking. So, in essence, a 'fitting fee' becomes a service deposit: if they use you as a fitter, a small part of their budget becomes tied to your store.

[hunt3rsean 44]

If they don't feel right, get them done. If you're really worried about it (and you shouldnt be), simply tell them that they just dont quite feel right. I doubt they'd care.

I've actually had to do this very recently. The LHS here has two locations. The guy who works where our team normally plays does a great sharpening job and I'm happy with it every time. I went to the alternate location as I'm now playing on a 2nd team there and had them sharpened before a game. While the guy there did a fine enough job....I could tell a difference and I've been trying to compensate for it since. Not that it was a bad job, but it was different and it was bugging me. So I went to where I normally play and had him re-sharpen them for me. I explained it to the guy, gave him my money, and he sharpened to them to what I'm used to. He was happy to help.