The Things Customers Do

[VakarLajos 5]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

[VakarLajos 5]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

I had two things yesterday that I thought were worth mentioning (might have been mentioned before on this thread).

A woman comes in and picks up skates for her daughter that were stretched and baked. She starts to pay, then walks away before signing the receipt. That in itself is aggravating. She goes to the back of the store with her daughter and toddler. I'm in the middle of something and the other worker is helping another customer at the counter. After a minute or two she calls for somebody to come back and help her. I go back and she says she wants to make sure the stretching is adequate, but her infant is being fussy and she needs help putting the skates on the daughter. I say, "sure, no problem".

I lean over to tie the girl's skates. I turn my head to remind the woman to sign the receipt and lo-and-behold, she's breasfeeding. I'm pretty much in shock here as that was the last thing I expected. After about 10 seconds she finished and left. I had to remind her again as she left to sign the receipt.

Second, a guy came in and kept asking for different models in different sizes for his mother. They were all women's figure skates so I figured he was buying them for someone who was not there. Then I see his mother trying them on. After the third pair I asked him, "Sir, would you like me to measure her?" No, it's not necessary, just bring me pairs between 7 and 10.

[BantamHockey13 0]

As far as the sharpening goes as a customer you know you are in trouble when you give the person your skates, tell them you want a 1/2" hollow, and they look at you like you just spoke alien. Then they go ask the other guy something and then he comes up to you and says " When you say 1/2", what exactly does that mean?" Oy vay!!

Or even better, another shop said they couldn't sharpen skates because the stone wasn't the right size for my hollow. They had the diamond tip sitting right there and had no idea that was used to re-shape the stone with.

True stories both of them.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

Technically, this is true, however, we pay the taxes at the time, and file for a return with the IRS

[mgoblue 0]

Not sure if anyone else has said this (or even shares this perception), but I find that a player's talent is inversely proportional to how particular they are about their skates.

For example, I've had numerous pros respond, "Whatever is standard" when asked what ROH they'd like, and countless ankle-benders try to give me a sharpening lesson.

[DarkStar50 679]

Very true about some pros not even worrying about their ROH. I sharpened skates this past spring for a guy who played at Denver U on their NCAA championship team and is now in the ECHL. I asked what ROH he wanted and he just said, "whatever is standard."

[li7039 0]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

im on my way, i want custom sticks lol

[VakarLajos 5]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

Technically, this is true, however, we pay the taxes at the time, and file for a return with the IRS

yes, but you still pay at the store in the US. I understand the concept, but that doesn't get them out of paying the tax at the counter.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Very true about some pros not even worrying about their ROH. I sharpened skates this past spring for a guy who played at Denver U on their NCAA championship team and is now in the ECHL. I asked what ROH he wanted and he just said, "whatever is standard."

Has more to do with equipment managers than anything else.

[msander 0]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

I had two things yesterday that I thought were worth mentioning (might have been mentioned before on this thread).

A woman comes in and picks up skates for her daughter that were stretched and baked. She starts to pay, then walks away before signing the receipt. That in itself is aggravating. She goes to the back of the store with her daughter and toddler. I'm in the middle of something and the other worker is helping another customer at the counter. After a minute or two she calls for somebody to come back and help her. I go back and she says she wants to make sure the stretching is adequate, but her infant is being fussy and she needs help putting the skates on the daughter. I say, "sure, no problem".

I lean over to tie the girl's skates. I turn my head to remind the woman to sign the receipt and lo-and-behold, she's breasfeeding. I'm pretty much in shock here as that was the last thing I expected. After about 10 seconds she finished and left. I had to remind her again as she left to sign the receipt.

Second, a guy came in and kept asking for different models in different sizes for his mother. They were all women's figure skates so I figured he was buying them for someone who was not there. Then I see his mother trying them on. After the third pair I asked him, "Sir, would you like me to measure her?" No, it's not necessary, just bring me pairs between 7 and 10.

I get the second story, but what's the big deal with the first one? A woman forget to sign a receipt and was breastfeeding her baby...what am I missing?

[Rustpot 1]

I get the second story, but what's the big deal with the first one? A woman forget to sign a receipt and was breastfeeding her baby...what am I missing?

While there's nothing "wrong" with breastfeeding in public, it's a little creepy to just bust a boob in the middle of a hockey shop. You'd think she'd at least ask for privacy or turn away or something.

I've seen some mothers that flat out undress to the waist to breastfeed, then get huffy that their baby was hungry "should I let my baby starve!?" (I'm not exagerating).

It's not like men just reach for the junk and itch/adjust anytime we get the notion. One must be discreet about such matters.

[VakarLajos 5]

We just have the little hockey equipment elves in our basement make the equipment on the spot.

lol

that's my line to my employees once they leave. Albeit a bit more agitated because they've also tried to convince me that they don't pay taxes because their from Europe.

I had two things yesterday that I thought were worth mentioning (might have been mentioned before on this thread).

A woman comes in and picks up skates for her daughter that were stretched and baked. She starts to pay, then walks away before signing the receipt. That in itself is aggravating. She goes to the back of the store with her daughter and toddler. I'm in the middle of something and the other worker is helping another customer at the counter. After a minute or two she calls for somebody to come back and help her. I go back and she says she wants to make sure the stretching is adequate, but her infant is being fussy and she needs help putting the skates on the daughter. I say, "sure, no problem".

I lean over to tie the girl's skates. I turn my head to remind the woman to sign the receipt and lo-and-behold, she's breasfeeding. I'm pretty much in shock here as that was the last thing I expected. After about 10 seconds she finished and left. I had to remind her again as she left to sign the receipt.

Second, a guy came in and kept asking for different models in different sizes for his mother. They were all women's figure skates so I figured he was buying them for someone who was not there. Then I see his mother trying them on. After the third pair I asked him, "Sir, would you like me to measure her?" No, it's not necessary, just bring me pairs between 7 and 10.

I get the second story, but what's the big deal with the first one? A woman forget to sign a receipt and was breastfeeding her baby...what am I missing?

No signature = no sale.

It was a bit jarring to have her whip her breast out a few inches from my head. In NY most women will cover up especially in public. Personally, I don't really care. But there were many children around whose parents might have been offended. Just not something I needed to be yelled at about.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

Not sure if anyone else has said this (or even shares this perception), but I find that a player's talent is inversely proportional to how particular they are about their skates.

For example, I've had numerous pros respond, "Whatever is standard" when asked what ROH they'd like, and countless ankle-benders try to give me a sharpening lesson.

I'm no pro, but I still don't know what ROH I like. I have a great place to sharpen skates and I always say alittle deeper than 1/2 and since they know me, they tell me every time and I never remember. I like dull skates anyway.

I hate it when people who can harldy skate tell me their exact ROH they like and they MUST have their skates sharpened exactly every two weeks even though they play open like once a week. I'm too nice to tell them that not only do they suck but they're stupid on top of it.

[ironic_chef 0]

It's not like men just reach for the junk and itch/adjust anytime we get the notion.

HA!

Well, if not, it certainly does seem like it.

I think it's safe to say that the lifetime viewing ratio of a breastfeeding mother - vs - male genitalia-itching is decidedly skewed.

[Chadd 916]

I hate it when people who can harldy skate tell me their exact ROH they like and they MUST have their skates sharpened exactly every two weeks even though they play open like once a week. I'm too nice to tell them that not only do they suck but they're stupid on top of it.

It's a lot easier for people to learn and/or improve if their edges are predictable. When I was in the shop on a daily basis I used to sharpen my skates before every beer league game. Did I need it? Not even close but I did like the consistency of having them perfect every time I got on the ice.

The whole kid in the shop acting like they know everything is something of a turnoff to most customers as well.

[ktang 34]

Very true about some pros not even worrying about their ROH. I sharpened skates this past spring for a guy who played at Denver U on their NCAA championship team and is now in the ECHL. I asked what ROH he wanted and he just said, "whatever is standard."

Has more to do with equipment managers than anything else.

I have seen what JR is talking about; the high-level players have high-level equipment managers that know what the players on their teams need and can give it to them consistently, and so the high-level players never know what ROH they are using. They just know that they get them sharpened for the practice and game-day skate, and then the blades are perfect for the game.

[WhiskeyTango19 0]

I'm no pro, but I still don't know what ROH I like. I have a great place to sharpen skates and I always say alittle deeper than 1/2 and since they know me, they tell me every time and I never remember. I like dull skates anyway.

Well, which is it? Do you like deeper than 1/2", or dull skates? You are contradicting yourself.

[LkptTiger 1]

3/8"? Not exactly "dull."

[mgoblue 0]

I'm no pro, but I still don't know what ROH I like. I have a great place to sharpen skates and I always say alittle deeper than 1/2 and since they know me, they tell me every time and I never remember. I like dull skates anyway.

Well, which is it? Do you like deeper than 1/2", or dull skates? You are contradicting yourself.

Either he's contradicting himself, or he knows more about sharpening than 90% of guys out there:

Sharpness and ROH are two very different qualities. A deep cut and dull edges (and vice versa) are not mutually exclusive.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Hahahaha smart boy!

I'm impressed...

Sharpness and ROH are two very different qualities. A deep cut and dull edges (and vice versa) are not mutually exclusive.

[jrgretzky99 1]

Not sure if anyone else has said this (or even shares this perception), but I find that a player's talent is inversely proportional to how particular they are about their skates.

For example, I've had numerous pros respond, "Whatever is standard" when asked what ROH they'd like, and countless ankle-benders try to give me a sharpening lesson.

I'm no pro, but I still don't know what ROH I like. I have a great place to sharpen skates and I always say alittle deeper than 1/2 and since they know me, they tell me every time and I never remember. I like dull skates anyway.

I hate it when people who can harldy skate tell me their exact ROH they like and they MUST have their skates sharpened exactly every two weeks even though they play open like once a week. I'm too nice to tell them that not only do they suck but they're stupid on top of it.

This is precisely the attitude (shit) I'm talking about. In NY you get it alot. Everyone thinks it's the customer but here you go. Because you like your skates sharp you suck and you're Stupid.

Nice!

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Um...he doesn't work in a store. Read his first sentence.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Sharpness and ROH are two very different qualities. A deep cut and dull edges (and vice versa) are not mutually exclusive.

Im confused, can you achieve one without the other? How is that done? Im interested as I just started to learn how to sharpen here.

[dalebert 8]

Sharpness and ROH are two very different qualities. A deep cut and dull edges (and vice versa) are not mutually exclusive.

Im confused, can you achieve one without the other? How is that done? Im interested as I just started to learn how to sharpen here.

The edges can still be sharp but the hollow can be shallow. As stated above people think a sharp skate is a deep cut.

[Aussie Joe 0]

I get what you mean now, I assumed it was something different.