The Things Customers Do

[Ngo_35 1]

haha no takers.

Just know that I wouldn't want you in my store. Just as you can choose who you want to give your business to, we can choose who we want to provide our business to.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Honestly, I love going to the store flexing the sticks getting a feel for it and then putting it back exactly where it was. I am that guy and I love it. I also try on skates to see if something feels good on my foot I might buy it or not and I could care less if the store salesman has to walk to the back to put it away. Who cares if you annoy the staff, you are the customer and the staff should treat you as such. I obviously do not work at a hockey retail store but if I was an owner my staff would be a commissioned staff. Who ever sells the most, makes the most money. Then we would see what would be annoying. I give my business to the store that wants my business and is helpful, friendly and provides good service.

Seems to me like flexing sticks and putting them back is not giving them business

Seems to me like having the staff bring you skates from the back and not buying them, so they have to walk them back is not giving the business.

So clearly the store you give your business to is not the local hockey shops, but I'm sure you tear it up at the summers eve store

[TBLfan 25]

In my time as a salesman, I've have practically kicked out douchebags like that. I had no problem dropping them for someone that was actually courteous... or going to the break room to watch tv for 20 mins. I was a "Sales Consultant" not someone's "Personal Bitch."

Douchebag: "... or else I'll take my business somewhere else."

Me: "Good for you, have a nice day."

[DarkStar50 679]

haha no takers.

Just know that I wouldn't want you in my store. Just as you can choose who you want to give your business to, we can choose who we want to provide our business to.

Good call. It is more fun to ignore him! He probably wants to know when he can use the buy/sell page! Uh, never...........

[jimmy 194]

Speaking of flexing sticks. I have a great security video of some douchbag kid overflexing a stick and breaking it. Another customer confronts him, and then getting he gets his mom and shows her what he did. Then mom and kid leave the store without saying anything to a store employee. BTW, nice way mom teaches her kid to be honest.

Anyway, store employee has credit card number of perpetrator's mom, and charges the value of stick to her card. So, when she contests the charge, we can offer to remove it in exchange for not turning the video over to police and filing vandalism charges. I should have it on youtube soon, just have to figure way to crop it to reduce timeframe. Our security system cameras are high resolution and take a lot of gigs.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

Speaking of flexing sticks. I have a great security video of some douchbag kid overflexing a stick and breaking it. Another customer confronts him, and then getting he gets his mom and shows her what he did. Then mom and kid leave the store without saying anything to a store employee. BTW, nice way mom teaches her kid to be honest.

Anyway, store employee has credit card number of perpetrator's mom, and charges the value of stick to her card. So, when she contests the charge, we can offer to remove it in exchange for not turning the video over to police and filing vandalism charges. I should have it on youtube soon, just have to figure way to crop it to reduce timeframe. Our security system cameras are high resolution and take a lot of gigs.

I would think that would be just as illegal....not a lawyer in the US but I would bet if you put that up you could be sued.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

If you break merchandise in a store you are not liable for it. Obviously the honest thing to do is to report it, but agreed with OTG, that will get you in more trouble than anything.

Had a guy last year try on a pair of XXIIs - one of the other employees was fitting him. Baked them, pulled up on the eyelets and tore it clean through. Took them off and walked out.

[DarkStar50 679]

We moved all the Youth 42 flex OPS behind the counter this week. I got tired of all the travel team knuckleheads on the week-ends thinking that flexing a Youth OPS was a cool idea.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

I once had a parent plow through one of those on a tournament weekend.

[ag12 0]

Allow me to go on a bit of a rant here...

People that don't understand the concept of wait times when it comes to skate sharpenings drive me absolutely crazy. I mean, buddy, if you bring in two pairs of skates as I'm working on another pair, don't roll your eyes at me when I tell you that you'll have to wait about 15-20 minutes.

People that don't understand that skate sharpenings work more or less on first-come, first-serve basis...

"Could you squeeze these in quickly for me, my son has to be on the ice in half an hour?"

Why the fuck should I give you preferential treatment? There's other folks in the store waiting for their skates, why the heck should I make them wait even longer? Should've gotten to the store sooner, jackass.

People that stare at me while I'm sharpening their skates also drive me fuckin' bananas. Kids, I can understand, as they think it's cool to see sparks fly. But parents? Come on. Walk around, do something. Don't just stand there with your arms crossed, glaring at me, judging my every move.

I swear I could have written this exact post two weeks ago. Vakar has been to my building and pro shop when its busy. We have 4 rinks under 1 roof. That means every 90 minutes or so, 8 new teams(15 skaters/team) roll into the rink. Doing the math, that's 120 players. If only 10% need their skates sharpened, that's 12 pair right there. I want to get one of those clocks that we could set up the hands up to say "if you drop your skates off now, they will be ready at ..."

I got railed on two weeks ago by a travel dad at 12 noon on Sunday when I said the wait was 40 minutes for sharpening. "You're never helpful. Can't you move my skates up." I said sorry. He went out into the lobby with a scowl. After a few minutes I went out to say Look I am sorry if I offended you but there are skates ahead of you. He wasn't buying it so I had to say how would you like it if I let somebody jump ahead of you in line? Would that be fair? He still didn't care and I moved on.

The other day: A guy I know comes in for a sharpening. "How long?" "About 20 minutes." "10 minutes." "20 minutes." "10 minutes." "No, 20 minutes." In the end it took 25 minutes because he had rolled over his edges from stoning his blades so much. The next time I'll offer the 10 minute sharpening and leave it at that.

"Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on our part."

That's a great quote!

Working retail isn't the most gratifying experience at times. Unfortunately we have become a society of instant gratification (nothing new there) and as a result a country with lots of self absorbed people who think they are the gift to the universe and should be treated as so. I think the 'currently in progress' (soon to maybe become worse) downtown in the economy will change a few attitudes....

[Chadd 916]

If people are waiting 40 minutes for sharpenings on a regular basis, it's time for another machine.

[DarkStar50 679]

Do the math. The second machine costs X, sharpenings cost Y. Shop has to sharpen Z total number of skates BEFORE shop begins to turn a profit on second machine. Shop is also paying employees to sharpen to Z total number of skates as an expense before turning a profit. A possible 40 minute wait is 2 out of 7 days, Saturday and Sunday. Sharpenings bring $6 per pair. We had both our 2 head machines ready during USA Nationals in April. It was never absolutely necessary even with 48 teams here during the first three days non-stop.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Yeah, that's the only problem - is it enough of a demand to warrant having two machines. A portable, however, isn't out of the question. At RDV we had a portable that we would break out for tournaments. Didn't cost us anything as it was the Solar Bears' travel one.

[Chadd 916]

Do the math. The second machine costs X, sharpenings cost Y. Shop has to sharpen Z total number of skates BEFORE shop begins to turn a profit on second machine. Shop is also paying employees to sharpen to Z total number of skates as an expense before turning a profit. A possible 40 minute wait is 2 out of 7 days, Saturday and Sunday. Sharpenings bring $6 per pair. We had both our 2 head machines ready during USA Nationals in April. It was never absolutely necessary even with 48 teams here during the first three days non-stop.

If people have to wait 40 minutes for a sharpening, they will get it done somewhere else more often than not. I see it all the time. You don't need another double or triple head, even a standalone single head would be fine. As for the cost, it's part of doing business and you would recoup that money in fairly short order if you're that busy.

[theWB 2]

I once had a parent plow through one of those on a tournament weekend.

Had a high schooler do that to a jr woody. Full on Kovalev up on one foot snapper pose then crack. Didn't even make him pay for it as the faceplant into our stick rack was so hilarious.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

I don't think there's enough demand in most US markets for a rink shop to have two machines full-time. Some standalone stores may benefit however.

[DarkStar50 679]

Do the math. The second machine costs X, sharpenings cost Y. Shop has to sharpen Z total number of skates BEFORE shop begins to turn a profit on second machine. Shop is also paying employees to sharpen to Z total number of skates as an expense before turning a profit. A possible 40 minute wait is 2 out of 7 days, Saturday and Sunday. Sharpenings bring $6 per pair. We had both our 2 head machines ready during USA Nationals in April. It was never absolutely necessary even with 48 teams here during the first three days non-stop.

If people have to wait 40 minutes for a sharpening, they will get it done somewhere else more often than not. I see it all the time. You don't need another double or triple head, even a standalone single head would be fine. As for the cost, it's part of doing business and you would recoup that money in fairly short order if you're that busy.

I think you are mssing the point about investment versus return on a 7 day cycle. Besides, after being here for 7 years I don't think we are losing too much business for sharpening given our competition. On the weekends, the first thing we do is check all out-of-town players skate levels before starting the sharpening. The other sharpenings we see are not very good. As for losing other business, sure to be someone's next point, the travel player is really just here for the sharpening. They already have their gear for the season. It's ok to disagree. Every shop situation is different and not what it may appear to be to others.

[jimmy 194]

If you break merchandise in a store you are not liable for it. Obviously the honest thing to do is to report it, but agreed with OTG, that will get you in more trouble than anything.

Had a guy last year try on a pair of XXIIs - one of the other employees was fitting him. Baked them, pulled up on the eyelets and tore it clean through. Took them off and walked out.

Vandalism is vandalism, regardless where it is done. It is certainly in our discretion to file a small claims against the damage. As for the charges, all the customer has to do is dispute them, no big deal and certainly not illegal.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

like a year ago, I was waiting for my skates to be sharpened. In the back this shop had a bunch of old woodies. Since I haven't even held a woodie in a while I wanted to see the flex on the woodie. I flexed it a bit and bam the thing just snapped.

No one saw it and for a second I thought just to drop it and walk away, then I figured I may want to come to the shop. So I told the guy and he started laughing. He said those sticks were so old they snap with no problem. He then went on to snap a woodie over his head (that was crazy).

[Chadd 916]

Do the math. The second machine costs X, sharpenings cost Y. Shop has to sharpen Z total number of skates BEFORE shop begins to turn a profit on second machine. Shop is also paying employees to sharpen to Z total number of skates as an expense before turning a profit. A possible 40 minute wait is 2 out of 7 days, Saturday and Sunday. Sharpenings bring $6 per pair. We had both our 2 head machines ready during USA Nationals in April. It was never absolutely necessary even with 48 teams here during the first three days non-stop.

If people have to wait 40 minutes for a sharpening, they will get it done somewhere else more often than not. I see it all the time. You don't need another double or triple head, even a standalone single head would be fine. As for the cost, it's part of doing business and you would recoup that money in fairly short order if you're that busy.

I think you are mssing the point about investment versus return on a 7 day cycle. Besides, after being here for 7 years I don't think we are losing too much business for sharpening given our competition. On the weekends, the first thing we do is check all out-of-town players skate levels before starting the sharpening. The other sharpenings we see are not very good. As for losing other business, sure to be someone's next point, the travel player is really just here for the sharpening. They already have their gear for the season. It's ok to disagree. Every shop situation is different and not what it may appear to be to others.

I get the point that you aren't going to use it all seven days of the week. We just disagree on the importance of service levels versus cost. It was just a simple observation and opinion on my part.

[DarkStar50 679]

Chadd,

No problem, numbers are also a big part of a business. There are lots of different angles to consider. :)

[Chadd 916]

Chadd,

No problem, numbers are also a big part of a business. There are lots of different angles to consider. :)

Been there, and I understand. Even when running a shop I tended to look at things from a customer's point of view more than most.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

If people are waiting 40 minutes for sharpenings on a regular basis, it's time for another machine.

What if you have 2 Man operated and a Cag One and still have a 40 min wait.....???

[Chadd 916]

If people are waiting 40 minutes for sharpenings on a regular basis, it's time for another machine.

What if you have 2 Man operated and a Cag One and still have a 40 min wait.....???

Then you're in Canada ;)

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

If people are waiting 40 minutes for sharpenings on a regular basis, it's time for another machine.

What if you have 2 Man operated and a Cag One and still have a 40 min wait.....???

Then you're in Canada ;)

Thats the best answer ever...LOL

Someone should make that into a joke....I know you could and I am sure it would be funny......like what do you call 3 eskimos standing behind a counter in a hockey store.... Skate Sharpeners that are busy......OK so that wasnt really funny.... but hey I was asked one time living in GA. "Hey so how do you get to Canada?" I replied we drive to the border and get on our snowmobiles then drive to our igloos!.......they actually bought it.......it was way to funny....