The Things LHS Do

[hyprlte 0]

Great story to read about. I had something similar happen to me at one point when I played junior and the result was me going back to this guy for the next 4 years if I needed anything at all.

[wrangler 157]

Building relationships would seem to follow naturally from being a nice guy, and being interested in hockey. Some of these owners and their employees don't seem to care about people or the sport.

[theGhost 0]

My dad has been in golf sales his entire life, he always says "Your not selling products, your selling yourself. If people like you and trust you, they will buy from you..." sounds like this guy gets that and has earned your business!

[natbat 0]

I would like to ask a question. Say you own a LHS and a guy comes into your shop. Do you ask his experience? And if you do, do you then suggest a skate for him? I ask because of accountability. If they chose the skate, the fitter could say, "I don’t recommend that skate" and then later if the guy comes back and complains the seller would have leverage... Meaning, shouldn’t a qualified skate fitter/ seller choose a skate for someone then go from there as far as fit. what do you guys think?

[AIREAYE 248]

I would like to ask a question. Say you are a skate fitter and a guy comes into your shop. Do you ask his experience? And if you do, do you then suggest a skate for him? I ask because of accountability. If they chose the skate, the fitter could say, "I don’t recommend that skate" and then later if the guy comes back and complains the seller would have leverage... Meaning, shouldn’t a qualified skate fitter/ seller choose a skate for someone then go from there as far as fit. what do you guys think?

I ask about previous experiences because I want to both make a connection to the person and I want to know a little background story. It never hurts. But then again if the person has always worn 'x' skate and you notice that their foot shape is unsuited for that boot, you shouldn't go back to 'x' just because they've always worn them. Basically, one shouldn't rely too much on previous experience is what I'm saying.

[natbat 0]

I ask about previous experiences because I want to both make a connection to the person and I want to know a little background story. It never hurts. But then again if the person has always worn 'x' skate and you notice that their foot shape is unsuited for that boot, you shouldn't go back to 'x' just because they've always worn them. Basically, one shouldn't rely too much on previous experience is what I'm saying.

Ok, so that is where your experience kicks in. Makes perfect sense.

[AIREAYE 248]

Question for shop workers/owners : Say you have two customers in skates and you know that one of them has the intent to purchase online. Would you consciously offer them less of your service/attention? It seems like an obvious answer but I know that there are intricacies in that the online shopper might take your attitude as subpar and decide to not shop in your store for future purchases.

[hehatemefrisbee 0]

I would like to ask a question. Say you own a LHS and a guy comes into your shop. Do you ask his experience? And if you do, do you then suggest a skate for him? I ask because of accountability. If they chose the skate, the fitter could say, "I don’t recommend that skate" and then later if the guy comes back and complains the seller would have leverage... Meaning, shouldn’t a qualified skate fitter/ seller choose a skate for someone then go from there as far as fit. what do you guys think?

You ask their experience, but you also ask what they are looking for in general. Then you go from there based on what they tell you. After that, the salesman's job is to present relevant options that the customer may agree with. If you have done your homework, and know what the customer might like, there is a good chance that you will have presented the customer with an option that works for him/her. A sale can become difficult when the salesman hasnt done his/her homework, and doesnt anticipate what the customer wants. Or, the customer isnt sure what they want.

Question for shop workers/owners : Say you have two customers in skates and you know that one of them has the intent to purchase online. Would you consciously offer them less of your service/attention? It seems like an obvious answer but I know that there are intricacies in that the online shopper might take your attitude as subpar and decide to not shop in your store for future purchases.

The correct answer is that you should give each customer the same level of service. However, I think a more real answer is that if you know one customer is going to take their money elsewhere, then you probably arent going to try as hard. The inherent problem with that is that if you had tried harder, maybe that customer would reconsider shopping elsewhere.

[Sliwka 0]

I work PT, get paid regardless, and have nothing personally invested in the store. It is also large enough that the odd online purchase will not really hurt sales.

If they guy is upfront with me, I will help him, though slightly less than the other guy who at least is pretending like he wants to buy them in the store. I will constantly tell online guy that (being in Canada) most "deals" come from the US, with shipping and duties because most skates are made in IndoChina and therefore NAFTA need not apply and the skates will likely end up costing more (unless like 60% off), but will not offer reccomendations for a better fit. I'll basically do what he asks: "Get this size, get that size, etc."

If it is just him and I, no other customers or duties, I would likely give him pretty good service regardless because then when he buys the skates and they cost him more, he will trust me as a guy who does not BS.

Now is the guy who is pretending like he wants to buy in the store ends up saying "thanks, now I can buy them online", next time he is in (if I remember) he gets "worse service" than upfront guy who comes in with new skates and I offer to bake them free of charge (like I would do regardless of where he got them). (I still bake not upfront guy's too, also for nothing cause---what do I really care?)...But then again, I joine dthis forum simply so I could be better trained because our training blows.

[Chadd 916]

I absolutely did not offer the same level of service to people who wasted my time and then bought online when they came back into the shop. Especially the guy that I spent more than two hours getting fitted and then he ordered online because buying online saved $2.13. Of course, he still expected free baking and first time sharpening too when he brought in his new skates.

[wrangler 157]

Why would he expect that?

[ArrogantOwl 7]

Probably because being fitted and buying after being fitted are the same things.

[natbat 0]

I absolutely did not offer the same level of service to people who wasted my time and then bought online when they came back into the shop. Especially the guy that I spent more than two hours getting fitted and then he ordered online because buying online saved $2.13. Of course, he still expected free baking and first time sharpening too when he brought in his new skates.

To bad you could not know that ahead of time and charge him for your time. I would understand if you did not have the skate he needed ASAP, but you need to get paid for your time and experience. Maybe provide that as a service for a unique situation??

[Chadd 916]

To bad you could not know that ahead of time and charge him for your time. I would understand if you did not have the skate he needed ASAP, but you need to get paid for your time and experience. Maybe provide that as a service for a unique situation??

In this area there are a lot of people that are proud of being cheap. My philosophy is that everyone deserves great service, until you burn me. Once that happens, I have a very long memory.

[natbat 0]

In this area there are a lot of people that are proud of being cheap. My philosophy is that everyone deserves great service, until you burn me. Once that happens, I have a very long memory.

Good philosophy for sure. Its just to bad that some people take advantage of that.

[raganblink 82]

In this area there are a lot of people that are proud of being cheap. My philosophy is that everyone deserves great service, until you burn me. Once that happens, I have a very long memory.

+1

Until you burn me, you'll be treated like a god. Afterward you burn me, you're not my priority. Why would I spend another hour on you talking about something if after previously, 6 hours later talking about gear etc trying it on, you went to a competitor or online and got the same gear, probably for the same price or $3 less? Message for consumers; treat business/sales associate/etc well, get treated well. Screw them over, don't expect the same treatment.

[icewalker_bg 126]

Message for lhs employees, greet your customers and at least pretend to try to help them when theres noone in the store instead of chatting with your coworker at the front cash.

[HockeySavants 5]

In this area there are a lot of people that are proud of being cheap. My philosophy is that everyone deserves great service, until you burn me. Once that happens, I have a very long memory.

'customer' came in asking if we had APX skates in...wanted to try some skates out while another customer behind them waited...guy leaves after blatantly checking prices online and telling the customer behind him about the web site.

hour and half I won't ever get back

[DarkStar50 679]

The $20 skate fitting fee has separated the prospects from the suspects in our shop. When a customer questions it, I explain it is because of online shoppers in the shop using our time and inventory as a fitting service. If that customer is who they are, I have no problem explaining the fee. They know who they are anyway. Have we lost any sales with this fee? No. Have we saved ourselves a lot of time and trouble helping previous "customers" who used us as a fitting service? Yes.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Guys, this stuff is starting to become "The Things Customers Do."

This is the LHS thread.

[vf-x 0]

Good story.

Daughter started hockey this year, and was lucky to be chosen by our association to receive some new equipment courtesy of NHLPA. Unfortunately, the gear took ages to arrive, and quite of few items were either too large or too small. I called the PA asking for their assistance. NHLPA knew it would take time to ship back the old equipment and requisition new, so they suggested talking to a local shop to see if they could help. I provided them with the phone number of our local LHS. A few phone calls later, I find out LHS agreed to take the pieces of equipment that didn't fit as new stock, in exchange for similar equipment that did; and to head down to the shop as soon as we could.

We arrive at the shop, and the manager was more than helpful. Not only did he help us size my daughter properly for skates and other gear, I'm sure they actually provided us with upgrades for most of the equipment. For instance, we originally received a wood junior stick; he exchanged it for a youth OPS.

LHS is now our preferred hockey equipment supplier. I've gone and picked up a pair of X7.0 skates, and TotalONE gloves from the same LHS after our adventure.

[goblue9280 33]

LHS is now our preferred hockey equipment supplier. I've gone and picked up a pair of X7.0 skates, and TotalONE gloves from the same LHS after our adventure.

Very smart manager... sounds like he just got a couple of lifetime customers.

I imagine gearing up a kid brand new to the sport is probably one of the most rewarding experiences for a shop owner/worker.

[hehatemefrisbee 0]

Very smart manager... sounds like he just got a couple of lifetime customers.

I imagine gearing up a kid brand new to the sport is probably one of the most rewarding experiences for a shop owner/worker.

It can be for sure...but it can also be a nightmare

[interpathway 9]

Brand new to the sport probably means parents brand new to the sport too, haha.

[AIREAYE 248]

Brand new to the sport probably means parents brand new to the sport too, haha.

My experience with parents new to the sport asking me to fit their kid has been nothing but excellent, very fulfilling as goblue mentioned!