The Things LHS Do

[raganblink 82]

bad wordplay there for me -

but based on what he said happened, to me it sounds like there is more to the story.

[Axxion89 32]

Oh I just remembered this gem while I was taping my hockey stick! I was at a Pure Hockey and was in line at the register. The mom buys her son a stick and asks if they could tape it. After it takes these 2 teens a few minutes to tape the thing, they spend about 2 minutes trying to cut the tape with a pair of scissors by using the very tip. Me and this mom look at each other like is this really happening and the best part is they are genuinely getting confused and frustrated that they cant cut this piece of tape. Finally the mom felt bad and said to used the back of the scissor to get a better cut and presto no problem. When I went to pay for my item, their faces were beet red and I tried with all my might to not bust out laughing. Good times

[interpathway 9]

Based on what you have said it sounds to me like you didn't give him a fair chance to help you.

If he was courteous to the request of stepping off the ladder, and took that time to ask the employee for help, that is far and away more than enough regarding what a customer should do in order to be properly helped by an employee.

Customer service is a service employees offer (read: are paid for) the store's customers.

[wrangler 157]

To be completely honest, if there was some puck on the tube, and the customer I was helping was trying stuff on and I couldn't help them b/c it might be considered "weird" like pants, a jock, or warmups [we typically have people go into bathroom with that stuff, then come back to us to see how they look] I'd hang with buds and talk a bit or something. Granted when you came out I would go talk to you, but maybe he didn't see you, or you didn't talk to him? Other factors too, like how long did you take to decide that you didn't like any of the pants? Was it busy in the shop?

Based on what you have said it sounds to me like you didn't give him a fair chance to help you. But I wasn't there, so can't comment on it.

Business isn't about the kid's needs, talking to friends or watching TV. It's also not about the customer being required to meet some standard of giving the business a "fair chance". It's about doing the work he's paid to do. It's his job to make himself available to the customers, and to stand by to meet their needs. You work in a business, you help people, you'll make sales. You ignore them, you won't make enough sales, you're out of business. And, guess what, kid? There went your job.

[jimmy 194]

I think in this case, the kid should have got down all the large pants and instructed the customer to try them on and then to find him when he's narrowed down his choices. If they were not up out of the way, the scenario would be different. Customers should be able to try on various models without needing a clerk at their side the entire time. The only exception would be a new hockey player whose buying for the first time and needs added attention.

I'm curious to know what most think about how long a clerk should spend with each customer?

[wrangler 157]

I think in this case, the kid should have got down all the large pants and instructed the customer to try them on and then to find him when he's narrowed down his choices. If they were not up out of the way, the scenario would be different. Customers should be able to try on various models without needing a clerk at their side the entire time. The only exception would be a new hockey player whose buying for the first time and needs added attention.

I'm curious to know what most think about how long a clerk should spend with each customer?

I agree. There didn't seem to be a business reason for the kid to limit the number of pants he checked for size, and handed down for the customer.

Time varies based on customer and demand. If it's the only customer, whatever it takes. If there are several customers needing attention, it's a balancing act, and a judgment call. One guy may need a specific roll of tape, another may have a quick (yes, sometimes they actually are quick) question, one may want to try on 6 pairs of skates in different sizes, then actually buy a pair and want them heated.

[Axxion89 32]

I'm curious to know what most think about how long a clerk should spend with each customer?

As long as needed basically. You need to exercise judgement on a case by case basis but you usually ask the standard do you need help questions then go from there. If they don't need you, simply say ok if you need me i'll be at the desk, back etc. Also, if you work in any store, you should not be doing something like watching tv or having a group talk session when there are customers present in the store, it makes the customer feel unwanted, ignored, and unappreciated. Fact of the matter is the kid was lazy and that was evident by him saying "there are no larges pants up there" when in fact there was.

[interpathway 9]

I'm curious to know what most think about how long a clerk should spend with each customer?

Until the customer states that they are OK by themselves.

You approach, you ask, you help, and when you think that they are all taken care of, you ask if they need anything else.

Any other technique is half-assed, if you ask me.

[almack 0]

The shop I work for is in a dual pad facility with 2 bars and a resturant so we get alot of browsers, I use hello sir mam what brings you in today, I am the manager and find myself alone alot on weekend shifts sometimes its hard to prioritize what to do I have a guy looking at skates, another sticks, and 2 pairs of skates that need sharpened for a 6pm game and its 5:45 this scenario happens alot usually I tell the sharpenings to come after the game if possible and its usually on the house yes I could fit them in but rushing skates and repeat customers dont mix. I find the "what brings you in today" starts of a good conversation we pride ourselves in customer service but we are owned by a city corp and they always send in secret shoppers weve never had a complaint.

[Lee-Bro 1]

I'm not stirring the pot, I'm just sayin'...

[Chadd 916]

Let's not play "coulda', woulda', shoulda'" about every situation. There's also no reason to get overly aggressive or defensive about these stories. In fact, this topic as well as the one for shop employees, should serve as an example for the rest of us. If a shop employee can learn from the mistakes that someone else made, they may be able to save a sale or prevent a customer from leaving in a huff. By the same token, customers can learn how to ask better questions that will get answers that help them get the products that will benefit them the most.

[elevation 1]

My story, but it's more about service from the importer. I once bought 2 pairs of CCM VectorPros on season sellout, when they changed the model to the blue ones. They were priced down from about 600.-€ to 240.-€. My second pair stayed in the box, unsharpened, unused, unbaked...after a couple of month, about half a year, I recognized a strange deformation on my second pair...right behind the arch, close to the heel, it looked like a bar or block under the shell bent inside. Made photos and sent them to my friends, how run 'my LHS'. CCM/Reebok wanted the pair sent back to them and returned a credit note over 110.-€. I decided, I would like to get my skates back as 'spare part holders'...but they were gone and wouldn't be sent back...had to take the credit...not even cash.

[Jarick 5]

If I would have abandoned a customer who was shopping and wanted help in order to watch TV in the corner, I would have been fired. Yes you are supposed to bend over backwards for a customer, that's your job as a salesperson. Try and make a sale. If climbing up and down a ladder is too much hassle and you'd rather watch TV, you shouldn't be working, you should be at home.

Frankly I've stopped shopping at the LHS with all the high school kids flirting with the cashier and watching TV up front. Partly because it's annoying, but also because they gave me a really bad skate fitting and their prices are pretty terrible. Maybe they could drop that "clearance" S17 down from $170 if they didn't have to pay six kids to watch TV upstairs.

My LHS took several hours to fit me, gave me clear and accurate recommendations, spent the time to make the sale, gave me a good discount, and always is friendly and takes care of me. Funny too, that not only are their sales clerks much more knowledgeable and responsive, but their sharpenings and fittings are much better and they have better prices as well.

It comes down to management of course, you set your expectations high and meet them and you're going to run a much better business.

[fsuhockeystar97 0]

Took my skates in to get them sharpened at the shop in the rink nearby. Its like the only place around so I had to try it out. I should clarify before I continue with this story that I used to sharpen skates at the arena I worked in. So the sharpener is behind a glass window in its own little area, but I could still hear what the guy was doing, and he ran the blade back and forth on the wheel and never did a final pass or at the very least did not do it properly. When he handed them back to me the blades were burnt and obviously since he did such a bad job they looked like crap. I asked him if they did final passes here and he looked at me confused. I explained to him that he had burnt my blades and they were not polished. He told me they were burnt because of the gusto glide. I told him I had sharpened skates for 5 years and these looked terrible and the gusto glide shouldn't leave burn marks if used properly. He shot back with "well I've been sharpening for 10 years and I don't know what to tell you." He took one of them and tried to "wipe" the burn marks off, since you know it came from the gusto glide. Obviously it didn't work since you can't just wipe burn marks off, even though he tried to hand it back to me like it was alright. The worst part is this guy was the manager of the shop. Absolutely ridiculous. Just because you've been sharpening skates for 10 years doesn't mean you've been doing it right. Needless to say I got in touch with the equipment manager for the local college team and have been having him sharpen my skates since.

[skyscrape 5]

I watched a guy purchase a blade and shaft combo at the lhs near me. The service was great but the knowledge was terrible. He recommended a one55 shaft(standard shaft) and a se16 blade(Tapered). I did not want to upset the worker so when the customer walked away I told the employee that he was putting a standard shaft with a tapered blade and that it would not work. He also put the blade in so the green stripe on the bottom of the shaft was up. He blew me off laughed and said good thing the customer didn't notice. Later in the locker room the customer came in with the stick exactly the way it was when I walked out. He paid 130.00 for a shaft and blade that do not match up. The Employee never informed the customer that it was wrong. He put tape around the hosel and his explanation to me was that the did not have the curve he wanted in a standard hosel blade. This is why I drive 120 miles to a different hockey shop for gear or I order it online.

To whomever asked earlier "How do you try stuff on when ordering online?"

Easy, Icewarehouse will send a free return label with everything. If it doesn't fit send it back and get a different one. I have ordered the same item in three sizes before in order to find the right one and it has never been a hassle.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

I watched a guy purchase a blade and shaft combo at the lhs near me. The service was great but the knowledge was terrible. He recommended a one55 shaft(standard shaft) and a se16 blade(Tapered). I did not want to upset the worker so when the customer walked away I told the employee that he was putting a standard shaft with a tapered blade and that it would not work. He also put the blade in so the green stripe on the bottom of the shaft was up. He blew me off laughed and said good thing the customer didn't notice. Later in the locker room the customer came in with the stick exactly the way it was when I walked out. He paid 130.00 for a shaft and blade that do not match up. The Employee never informed the customer that it was wrong. He put tape around the hosel and his explanation to me was that the did not have the curve he wanted in a standard hosel blade. This is why I drive 120 miles to a different hockey shop for gear or I order it online.

To whomever asked earlier "How do you try stuff on when ordering online?"

Easy, Icewarehouse will send a free return label with everything. If it doesn't fit send it back and get a different one. I have ordered the same item in three sizes before in order to find the right one and it has never been a hassle.

I thought the free return was only for skates? If not, that's great because my lhs doesn't carry everything

[wrangler 157]

I thought the free return was only for skates? If not, that's great because my lhs doesn't carry everything

I think he was just talking about skates. What I've seen on IW mentioned free returns for skates; not a word about other products.

[fawn111 0]

Regarding the used pants...

There is nothing more to the story than what was already said. The kid put a pretty bad taste in my mouth from the moment he started talking to me. I don;t expect the red carpet rolled out, nor do I expect to be catered to beyond a simple request being filled. I tried on the two pairs the kid gave me and I knew that there were more in there but the kid was at the other side of the store, separated by several aisles where he could not even see me come in or out. I suppose I could have approached him and said very nicely, that I just wanted to see if there was anything else in the bin but I just didn't feel like walking over to the group and "interrupt" them from their TV viewing to assist me in the process of helping to pay their paychecks.

I am not bitter. I worked in ski shops and have friends that own surf shops and it seems like the kids are all more or less similar. These are good kids that just have not learned some life lessons yet.

It really does fall on management. They are the ones that are doing the hiring and training. But they also have a hard time and I can;t begrudge them hiring kids that are not the most customer-centric employees. In the end it comes down to what you are willing top put up with. I am willing t put up with a lot just to keep the money in the community....

To finish the story.... I went back during the week where they have less employees and bought a new girdle and a shell. I could take from the racks as much as I want and was not bothered by anyone helping me or trying to help me. I guess in the end a decent pair of used pants would have been fine, but I decided that maybe this was a catalyst to actually buy something new for a change. Which i did, and when I was checked out by an assistant manager I did relate the earlier story to him and he just said that it's always tough to find good kids. When pressed for who it was that "helped" me, I told him that I'd rather not say and that maybe just keep the stuff on a lower level so you wouldn't need assistance to get things from a guy on a ladder. He agreed with me on that point and said he would mention it to the owner.

In a perfect world, you could walk into any store and get perfect service. But the world aint perfect. As I said before, it just comes down to what you as a customer are willing to put up with when you shop. I don;t want to buy online. I like going to this store as usually I can try on pretty much anything myself except for skates. I will continue to go there and just hope that if I raise a concern, then maybe someone actually might listen to it.

thanks

[jimmy 194]

There is one issue that many don't want to discuss, and that is they want perfect service, but also want online prices. Many are not willing to pay for the service. A LHS can't make money by hiring experienced hard working salespeople, and at the same time sell items at online prices. This is why you get the kids, watching TV, etc.

[pby 0]

There is one issue that many don't want to discuss, and that is they want perfect service, but also want online prices. Many are not willing to pay for the service. A LHS can't make money by hiring experienced hard working salespeople, and at the same time sell items at online prices. This is why you get the kids, watching TV, etc.

I disagree with you, LHS makes money by making sales. Hiring bad staff just means cutting corners but doesn't mean you make more money. Having experienced staff is going to help close more deals.

In the end who wants to have poor service AND pay higher price? I think the problem is finding the right person for the job.

[skyscrape 5]

I think he was just talking about skates. What I've seen on IW mentioned free returns for skates; not a word about other products.

I am sorry I should have looked it up. My experience with returns and icewarehouse has only involved skates. The guys are really helpful and just a phone call away. I have gotten better service over the phone with them than I have with quite a few lhs.

There is one issue that many don't want to discuss, and that is they want perfect service, but also want online prices. Many are not willing to pay for the service. A LHS can't make money by hiring experienced hard working salespeople, and at the same time sell items at online prices. This is why you get the kids, watching TV, etc.

I am willing to pay for service.

The shop I drive to deal with in Oakland, Hockey x-sport will always match online regular price the few times they haven't matched is when skates are on blowout. But, then they basically are only over the sale price by the shipping cost. The justify this in many ways, sharpening, baking, fitting, stretching, and anything else you need.

[shooter27 116]

sorry, i might be one of those guys. im pretty good friends with alot of the staff so wether if its tape sometime ill be allowed to take it or sometime i drop off my skates and the guy does them right away bypassing the line.

If i was in your position I would turn down the free stuff and wait your turn with the sharpening line (unless you were in massive hurry). Just be fair to everyone else!

No you wouldn't, nobody would. Now I believe you wouldn't ask your friend to help you jump in front of people, but if he grabs your skates and does them you're not going to tell him, "You know, do those other skates first, its not fair." No person is going to turn down a favor like that and to claim differently just insults everyone's intelligence.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Just a little something to hiring rather careless teen lhs workers. Now this is a great store, but I think they went a little off with this hiring.

Me: "Hi, I just had a question about some skates. Out of the One100 and CCM U+CL, which has the better tongue in terms of blocking shots and slashes?"

Teen guy: "Well, I'd go with the CCM U+CL, it's the newer model and in my experience, it tends to look a lot better than Bauer skates".

I dunno, perhaps I could've known that by myself but really? You could at least say it's fair game or some other stuff than answering completely indirectly....oh well. Good thing there's MSH.

[bigdmac 12]

Just a little something to hiring rather careless teen lhs workers. Now this is a great store, but I think they went a little off with this hiring.

Me: "Hi, I just had a question about some skates. Out of the One100 and CCM U+CL, which has the better tongue in terms of blocking shots and slashes?"

Teen guy: "Well, I'd go with the CCM U+CL, it's the newer model and in my experience, it tends to look a lot better than Bauer skates".

I dunno, perhaps I could've known that by myself but really? You could at least say it's fair game or some other stuff than answering completely indirectly....oh well. Good thing there's MSH.

Haha that made me laugh! Common sense would say that one of the lightest skates on the market would NOT have the best protection, but whatever. I guess it was 50/50 and he happened to pick the wrong one lol

[DarkStar50 679]

The final responsibility for the staff in the LHS rests with management. If the manager is willing to settle for second rate help and second rate service, he is going to have a second rate shop. It doesn't matter if the staff is teenagers or adults. If the manager cares enough and why wouldn't he, he can train any teenager the right way to sell skates, gear, help customers, and take care of business in the service room. The teens that want to work, soak up the knowledge and truly help customers will become valued employees. The manager will give them more responsibility. The teens that want to watch TV, text all day, and ignore the customers should be let go once it is obvious they really will not be worth keeping on the payroll. This isn't a fantasy. It is the way we have been doing it for a long time. I'm sorry to hear so many shops have these problems these days with jobs few and far to come by for people that really need them.