The Things Customers Do

[DarkStar50 679]

"I'm looking for a goalie jock for my grand-son"

Me: "Okay, how old is he?"

"6...7...8...9...somewhere's around there."

:P

Go's hand in hand with the good ol'

"I'm looking for skates for my kid" [Kid is not with parent]

Me: What size shoe does the child wear?

"He's 11 years old"

Thank God, Christmas is over in less than 2 days.

[Krev 86]

I've got one sort of similar to the infamous skate fitting stories. This was about a month ago.

"I'm looking for some gloves for my son." (Son is not here or in the car).

Me: "Do you have his old pair of gloves with you?"

"No. He's 12 years old. His hands are smaller than mine." (The guy was around 6'. Useful).

Me in my head: You are a dumbass, get out.

Me speaking: "Without your son here, I can't sell you a pair of gloves that will fit him correctly and comfortably. If you bring him in with you, I can have you two out of here in 10 minutes."

"Oh, alright, I'll come back next week with him."

Next week rolls around, no sign of the guy.

And the next week, and the next week, and the next week.

Awesome.

[USHLTender 0]

He probably ended up buying 15" NBH 4-Rolls on the net :lol:

[#44wannabe 4]

I had a customer come in the other day who was looking to fit his son out for all new gear for christmas as presents from his rich aunt. He told me straight up that he wasn't looking to buy that day but wanted to know what size equipment his son would need. While i was helping them my manager came along and took me to one side and told me to be as unhelpful as possible because they were going to buy online. I told my manager that i was going to be helpful and give them my advice, if they buy online so be it but as we're not busy im going to help.

The next week they came in and admitted to having thought about buying online but as i was so helpful they wanted to buy from me. I took great pleasure in telling my manager this the next day when they were in :D

Edited December 25, 2008 by #44wannabe

[db88 0]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

[Spreedizzle 1]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

Keep that mentality up......and your "fitting room" won't be there much longer.

Just a touch of food for thought.

[shooter27 116]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

Its attitudes like this that lead to incidents like my LHS owner offering to sell me the store (which included the property) in exchange for paying off his inventory invoices.

[jsmart 0]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

some people never learn...until it's too late...then they whine they don't have a store around so they have to buy online and need fit advice from some forum...

Edited December 25, 2008 by jsmart

[henkka 0]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

i wonder where he gets his paycheck every month...

[interpathway 9]

I had a great experience when I picked up my skates 6 months ago (RBK 5ks). It was my first time buying skates for myself in 6 years.

I live in the DC area and was wondering what LHS you went to.

thanks.

He went to the Garden Ice House "For Sports" in Laurel. 301-604-8200. Mike is a savior around these parts.

[db88 0]

hey now take it easy, i buy all my stuff at my LHS, well that or i drive to one thats farther away to get my stuff if one of them doesnt have what im looking for.

Lucky me i have like 3 peranis within an hour from where i live.

Although there is one store nearby that jacks up the prices real bad, so i dont go to that one.

Edited December 25, 2008 by db88

[DarkStar50 679]

Who cares if people want to buy online, i doubt you own your hockey store so the income doesnt affect you. Maybe your store needs to lower their prices and people will buy shit in the store.

some people never learn...until it's too late...then they whine they don't have a store around so they have to buy online and need fit advice from some forum...

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

[Krev 86]

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

Amen to that. CCM did horrible for us this past year, so we didn't reorder from them. We still have some of their stuff left over, and its annoying when people try them on, go 'ew', and put it back.

[Chadd 916]

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

Amen to that. CCM did horrible for us this past year, so we didn't reorder from them. We still have some of their stuff left over, and its annoying when people try them on, go 'ew', and put it back.

The funny thing is that they finally have some decent sticks and gloves for the first time I can remember.

[DarkStar50 679]

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

Amen to that. CCM did horrible for us this past year, so we didn't reorder from them. We still have some of their stuff left over, and its annoying when people try them on, go 'ew', and put it back.

The funny thing is that they finally have some decent sticks and gloves for the first time I can remember.

CCM/RBK is the next Mission/Itech waiting to happen. The only problem is we have been waiting a long time for it to happen.

[Krev 86]

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

Amen to that. CCM did horrible for us this past year, so we didn't reorder from them. We still have some of their stuff left over, and its annoying when people try them on, go 'ew', and put it back.

The funny thing is that they finally have some decent sticks and gloves for the first time I can remember.

Compared to Bauer and Easton, they come up short. Or at least thats the trend up here.

[Chadd 916]

As Yogi Berra should have said, "It's getting late out early." With the current economy your LHS is going to be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks. The guys that can't pay their invoices from this year will have the decision made for them: lock the doors, it's over. The guys that can stick around will be bringing in a whole lot less inventory in 2009 of new product. If a particular product line or skate or stick didn't sell last year, don't expect to see the new line this year in that LHS.

Amen to that. CCM did horrible for us this past year, so we didn't reorder from them. We still have some of their stuff left over, and its annoying when people try them on, go 'ew', and put it back.

The funny thing is that they finally have some decent sticks and gloves for the first time I can remember.

Compared to Bauer and Easton, they come up short. Or at least thats the trend up here.

They were terrible for a long time, the 2009 stuff is far better than anything they have put out in recent memory. If you put a Bauer or Easton logo on some of their stuff it would sell better too. Those companies have done a much better job of positioning themselves than has CCM/RBK. Most of the Easton gloves have been just as bad, or worse, than the the CCM/RBK stuff over the last few years.

[althoma1 574]

I've worn mostly Nike or Nike Bauer protective for the past several years, but I must say I was impressed by the new Reebok 10K gloves at the MSH skate and VERY impressed by the new 10K shoulders. The shoulders were light, mobile and also seemed quite protective. I felt the mobility was better than the Supreme 70 shoulders I wear now and similar to the Nike V10s I used to wear, but more protective. They do have some good product on the way, but whether people will buy it is another story.

[DarkStar50 679]

"Are these figure skates made of leather? I'm vegatarian and won't wear them if they are leather."

"100% synthetic."

[AHF 1]

Some douchebag ticked me off today...

Buddy wanted his skates sharpened, and he was in a bit of a hurry. The skates had been on the outdoor rink and were extremely rough, so crossgrinding them was a must. After doing so, I do a few passes, buddy leans in close to the machine and says:

"Alright. That should be good."

<_<

Knowing the skate still had the markings of the crossgrind, I looked up without saying a word, gave him a rather angry look, and proceeded to finish the skate properly.

Had I been a real ass though, I would've stopped when he told me to do so and handed him the skates right then and there. Have fun trying to skate with those, jackass. :lol:

[minwookie 0]

I had a great experience when I picked up my skates 6 months ago (RBK 5ks). It was my first time buying skates for myself in 6 years.

I walked into the my LHS and told the guy working this exactly. "I have no idea what I'm looking for, but something in the $250-$400 range. I am definitely going to buy from you today, so please bare with me as I want to make sure I get the right skate for my foot."

He sizes me up and then goes into the back. Comes back with about 6 different skates stacked up. He says "try these on while I get some more". End up trying on maybe 15 different boots. When another customer would walk in he'd help them out while I'd be lacing up and then he'd come back and check on the fit. I end up buying my 5ks and picking up another hundred dollars worth of compression gear.

Cool dude, smoked a cig with him while the skates were in the oven. He tossed in a few rolls of tape and extra laces. I wonder if he would have been as patient if he didn't know if he was gonna get a sale.

From the other perspective, I have been in the service industry (both management and waitstaff) for the past 5 years while attending school on and off and worked retail management before that. For the last year I've worked at a higher end restaurant (about $70 a person check average). Wine sales was how you'd make your money, as "most" people in DC are tipping 20% for good service. The whole "how much are you looking to spend?" or "what price range were you looking at?" question does not come off as rude when it comes to helping them pick out a bottle of wine. It helps you classify whether your table is looking to buy the cheapest bottle of South African grape juice shiraz they can find or if they are willing to spend $160 for that elegant Chateauneuf.

Some guests will find it uncomfortable when their server suggests a bottle of wine that is way out of their price range, or if their server suggests a bottle that is too cheap. I found that customer service is knowing your product but making your guest feel comfortable with their decision. Its tough not to come off as snobby when talking about wine (especially if you are a wine freak as I am) but it is necessary to let your guest know that you know what you're talking about, even if they don't.

Reading some of these "horror" stories that you guys have working at your LHS I can relate to some of the crazy stuff I've had to do or go through while waiting tables.

Ok this post is longer than I wanted, but I actually read/skimmed through all 70+ pages of this thread, haha (go 2 hour lectures that are boring as sin).

I live in the DC area and was wondering what LHS you went to.

thanks.

Went to the Gardens Ice house in Laurel. But the LHS i call my home is in Ashburn VA.

[fatwabbit 93]

Had I been a real ass though, I would've stopped when he told me to do so and handed him the skates right then and there. Have fun trying to skate with those, jackass. :lol:

Good on ya for finishing up the job though.... rather than have a customer that is ticked off and never returns for your services.

[PIASMurph 0]

I'm fine with customers coming in and telling me that they're going to be buying online. Talking with them about equipment is much better than sitting on my ass or doing actual "work"

I do love

customer "I need to get new skates for my son."

me "What shoe size does he wear?"

customer "Um, I don't know, he's 12 years old"

my thoughts....thanks for answering the question I didnt ask you haha.

I love working at a job where I constantly interact with people. They amaze me in both positive and negative ways.

[DarkStar50 679]

Overheard outside the pro shop in the lobby, "We can go skating once the machine is done Zambonifying the ice."

[RadioGaGa 162]

Overheard outside the pro shop in the lobby, "We can go skating once the machine is done Zambonifying the ice."

I blame Dubya (or more importantly people who parody/imitate Dubya) for that.