cottonfarmer

When I bought all my stuff he put a tru-peep on it. I could not make it work so I had a shurz a peep put on. I got charged for both of them. Now that made him about 4 dollars, but if I were him, I would not have charged for either. The guy does wonderful work. He tuned my bow for me and it is perfect. I am around a whole lot of hunters, thats about all I hang around, I wish that I could refer them there, and I might, I would just have to tell them how they are.

zak123

Yea, I agree but when he charged me for the paper tuning, cutting arrows, installing peep site, and fixing my rest some customers came in. They were waiting 20+ minutes. I think he charged me because if he didn't charge me then the customers would be like you held me up for nothing.

davidmil

YOu can tell those who have run a business and those who haven't. They can't sell you everything(at a below list I believe on that sight) and then spend 30-45 minutes mounting and tuning it for free. They have to find spacers, and longer screws etc etc all the time. It takes time. I would expect that he would charge for his time... even if it's only a few bucks. If I owned the business I would expect a customer to ask if he has a question about services. I'm sure he appreciates you business. I'm sure you're getting your moneys worth in most cases, but he can't afford to become such "FRIENDS" with every customer that he works for free 10-12 hours a day. As the man says.... "do you want a bow in a box or do you want it ready to shoot bullseyes? They're two different bows and prices."

Rickmur

Why not? It's part of doing bussisness and building a clinentel. If the shop doesn't think so I"ll elect to spend my money elsewhere. Sell it at suggested retail and install the accessory at no charge. Personaly I don't have that problem, I can work on my own bow.

davidmil

Spoken like a true customer. WHO says it's part of doing business? The world is litered with businesses that went under by not getting paid for their work or what they delivered. IF it were part of doing business the catalog places would deliver and install, your oil changes would be free and every service on that BMW would also be free. 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. 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. One way or another you have to get paid for your work. I would expect a "union guy" to know such things.Nyuck Nyuck Nyuck.

Len in Maryland

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.

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.[:@]

I'm expected to give the best service possible when a problem arises, only charge a nominal fee, 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![:@][:@]

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.

After many years in this business, you learn who is a truly good customer and who is a 'user' of PROfessional talents. I treat my good customers with respect and give them extra service at 'no charge'. I treat others as they treat me.

drstalker

Len I agree.There is a shop here in my town that is a bait store/archery dealer and service shop.The archery "tech"is only there one or two nights a week,and the service is terrible[:@]I do drive to a couple other shops 10-20 miles away for proffessional service.Now in my town there is a Gander Mountain"super store"that has a archery service department and a small range.The tech's seem a bit unlearned compared to the two smaller shops, and they can't answer the questions and give good service like the two smaller shops,so If I don't do the work myself, I travel the 10-20 miles.I have learned much from you Len,and these two shops,the net,and books from guy's like Larry wise,and various videos.I still like patronizing the proshops.Although Lancasters&and Keystone have got alot of money from me in the pastDave I'm a union guy and know what your saying,Pay me for the work that I do!Many of us are not doing this nessessarly to make friends, were doing it to make a living, the friends are a bonusBill D>

Len in Maryland

Quote:

"......the friends are a bonus Bill D> "

Very well put!

c903

Any business has to make a profit to stay in business. As long as the business is not "jacking" prices because it is difficult for you to go elsewhere, charging for certain services regardless that you purchased the item at the business is not only fair, doing so is commonly mandatory in order to stay in business.

However, if I detected or discovered that a business was penalizing me for being an infrequent customer or buying cheaper elsewhere by charging me more than is charged others, or I felt that the owner was charging me more because he or she perceived that I was not being as kind to them as they required, I would expedite finding another like business to shop at. If I did not know how to perform the services I was being overcharged for, I would be learning very fast.

royak

I dont know if it is me or nearly everyone that is missing the point here cottonfarmer stated that he had bought all his eqipment there even the rest for 90. In my opinion I know that the small opwner need to make a profit to stay in business but if I pay 90.00 for a rest and then they charge 15.00 to put it on and I had bought my bow there yes I am gone. As for charging for peeps or silencers yes they should but if you boought yoour other equipment there 95% of them will install for free. I am pretty fortunate as I have 3 pro shops within a few miles of where I live and for years I was loyal to only one I bought all of mine and my wife's and also my grandsons equipment there. For everso long they were very nice to me then one day I was there shooting ontheir indoor range and needed a nockset he cahrged me a dollar for it I thought he was kidding but I paid it a few weeks later I wanted to trade my grandsons bow as he had outgrown it for a new one now I had bought the old one from him it was a high country a nice little bow I had paid over 200.00 for I was trading for a new Darton as he is now 14 he said he could only give me 10.00 trade in and nothing off the Darton anyway I found the Darton at another place in another state for 75.00 less and sold the bow on ebay for 175. and changed to another shop. Yes a small shop need's to watch every penny to make it work and needs loyal customers but some things are unheard of. In most cases you get what you give many times I passed up deals at Walmart or Kmart to buy from him I can say now there is a much happier proshop in the area he was tickeled to death to see my business.