mdbohuntr:
It appears that we have touched a nerve. Your responses are typical of many who shop nowadays with the big chains/catalogs. It's sad that we always hear across the country about that PRO Shop who could fix anything and suddenly is no longer there. It is sad that new people getting into the sport don't have a clue to what is right and wrong about their equipment because there are usually no experts at the mass merchants. It is sad that some people have to travel or send their equipment hundreds to thousands of miles for PROfessional service. It was both sad and eye-opening to me at a recent seminar to have the number of people in attendance who wanted to learn more about the archery store profession. I applaud those who attended and hope that they learned enough to make them more PROfessional in their communities. I applaud them for wanting to deal with a lot of potential customers who want them to scrape and claw to make a decent living in this industry. I hope that they are all successful in spite of the odds. Why do I say "in spite of the odds"? Because we are loosing the PRO Shops steadily like we have lost a lot of the compassionate professions.
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WHO says it's part of doing business?
As a paying customer, I do.
Then you as "a paying customer" are willing to accept the worth of your purchase. I respect that.
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IF it were part of doing business the catalog places would deliver and install
Not possible, that is why thay are called mail order .
Yes, we know that's not possible; however, we (PRO Shops) are expected to be competitive on price AND suck up the labor. I won't/can't afford to work for less per hour than a catalog clerk. That's like asking me to work at the same labor rate as my 16 year old daughter! Sorry, the rest of my family can't accept that - daughter included, since I subsidize her income.
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your oil changes would be free and every service on that BMW would also be free
A lot of places they are free, you pay for the oil and the filter, the trick here is once your in the shop you might buy something else.And BTW, I don't own a BMW, that's a yuppie car isnt it?
I've been talking about those who ONLY come in for that specialty item/service and I never see them again. That is unless I walk into the local mass merchant or when they come in with all new equipment that they bought elsewhere that won't perform. I'm not saying that you should buy everything from your local PRO Shop. Heck, I've stopped selling things like clothing, boots, blinds, and other items where price is the only factor. I have taught and settled into the fact that my PRO status should be kept in the market where PRO service is needed. When I see a bow bought at the basement price that is too long a draw length, the wrong bow for the purpose intended/needed, and totally set up and tuned incorrectly, then I have a problem with not being able to make a decent living doing the job of correcting all the problems.
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[I can point out 3 closed bow shops within 15 minutes of my house that TRIED to be everyone's "Friend" and work for free/quote]
No one said try to be a friend, more so if you sell it include installation, suggested retail will allow that in most cases, if not charge a few $ but be up front with it.
You'd be surprised at how many 'customers' think that they can get a better price if a 'friendship' is conveyed. We had a local taxidermist who placed a big sign in his shop that friendships were not allowed between September 15th to January 31st (our hunting season). Davidmil came in as a customer and is now my friend and I choose to give him breaks. He hates me for it and I won't change. Why do I cherish his friendship whenever I can? There are many reasons; but, here are a few. He has been there when all the chips are down. He understands business and gives constructive advise on it and other things. He guts and drags my deer.
Couldn't resist, Dave. I couldn't handle all of my customers being my 'friend'.
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You buy a TV at Walmart they don't install it and hook it up to your cable etc etc. They may at some fancy Big Screen store... but the price is built in.
In this senario I would call WalMart the catalog store because of price and the fancy big screen store as the pro shop, you said what I said above, the price is built in.
The problem here is that many don't distinguish between the 'catalog store' and the 'big screen store'. They've come to expect the same charges from each. That's really the dilemma.
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I would expect a "union guy" to know such things.Nyuck Nyuck Nyuck.
You calling me a union guy ? Never happen
Then this may explain a lot.
Now some quotes from Len:
Now I'll address your concerns about me directly.
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I tried the 'friend' form of persuasion with a lot of customers when I first opened my business. It DOESN'T work if you want to stay in business.
No one said be my friend unless I missed it. I for one do not ask for a proprietor to be my friend, I ask him for customer service. If I go to him and purchase an item that is priced $30 or so higher then wherever I expect it to be installed. I buy a bowling ball at a pro shop and they drill it for no charge, it's included in the price of the ball, buy the ball on line and it is much cheaper. By the way I do not bowl .
I really don't see the relevance of your response. I specifically said that I tried it "when I first opened my business". It didn't work and I really hope that I didn't imply anything specifically towards you.
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I've had customers come into the store to get those 'specialty' items that the big chains/catalogs don't carry; or to get service that surely doesn't appear in the big chains/catalogs. After they get what they want and complain about the prices charged, they cater to the big chains/catalogs for all their other needs.
But you got his bussissnes if not only for one sale. That's one more sale you otherwise would not have gotten.
The business that I was referring to was that which basically HAS to come to me. Believe it or not, there are cases where this happens. For instance, I had one guy call me recently about a crossbow problem. My price on the part was $22 where he could get it at the mass merchant for $20. He then had a 'friend' replace the part for FREE. The bow got totally screwed up. Yes, he could have sent it back to the manufacturer and waited weeks for to/from transport and waiting for the manufacturer to get to it; but, I could have it done in hours. He came into the shop with broken bow in hand. The part he paid $2 less for was destroyed. Other parts were destroyed because part one had been put on incorrectly. He had to buy part one from me to replace part one damaged in the installation and then had to buy several other parts damaged by the faulty installation. To sum it up, the job cost him $66 in parts and labor. If the $20 he originally spend were added along with the time wasted and embarrassment, I'd say he realizes the worth of a good PRO Shop. Then again, maybe not.
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I'm expected to give the best service possible when a problem arises, only charge a nominal fee
I assume you are talking "after the sale and the customer returns at a later date with a problem. If my assumption is right there should be a fee unless it's warrented. There should be no problem at the onset
No, I don't mean "after the sale....". As I tell many customers, my service never stops. It continues through the sale and way beyond. My advice is given on all forms archery. It doesn't just stop with the equipment and will be given to anyone who is willing to listen. When I do provide a specific PROfessional service that I believe merits a fee, I expect the fee to be paid without question. If you really knew how I operated, you'd know how much free advice and service that I give. I'm just asking to be compensated for what I feel is fair.
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and not allowed to make more than the big chains/catalogs on other items like bow cases, sights, rests, etc. If I am competitive with the big chains/catalogs, then I CAN'T charge for proper installation. GIVE ME A BREAK!
You are makeing more by charging suggested retail or in some cases more. You will have people that walk out with the purchase and those that carry their bow into the shop and want it installed, pretty much an even wash I would think, but then I'm not in the bussisness. Mind you Len I am not baggering you, just stating my opinions or debating if you will .
There it is, you're assuming that I'm "charging suggested retail or in some cases more". Man, are you FAR from the truth. The "more" really takes the cake! If you care to stop by I'd be glad to show you time and time again where I have to be way below "suggested retail". I belong to a buying group and have to relinquish some of those savings by buying through them to be competitive. The statement "but then I'm not in the bussisness" is surreal. No disrespect, but you wouldn't survive in this business if you tried to charge "suggested retail" or "more".
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If I have a good customer whose budget can manage for me to make a buck, I will service that customer like a 'preferred' customer. If I have a customer who only contacts me when he/she can't get the part or proper service anywhere else, then I will charge a little extra. After all, no matter what I charge won't be cheap enough; so, why worry about it
In other words cater to the rich and stick it to the not so rich
There you go, as Bill O'Rielly would say, and 'the spin stops here". I didn't say any such thing. I merely want to get properly paid for my services. If I elect to charge a good customer less for a specific service performed, that's my call. Did I charge the other customer more? No, I charged that customer the going rate, but some would falsely thing that I charged him more. Is the glass half full or half emty??? Maybe I didn't word it such that it couldn't be misunderstood. For that I may be negligent; but, I want it understood that I take care of my good customers royally.
Mind you Len I am not baggering you, just stating my opinions or debating if you will.
I don't consider what you've posted as badgering. And please don't take any offense to my responses. They are just that, my opinions based on my tenure. It actually enlightens me as to how what I post can be interpreted. As I always say, communication is our best and worst enemy. Badgering is something that a few on this and other forums think they have a license to conduct. You're definitely not considered in this category.
Have a great day.