What's up with these people?  
Say you pay 9 dollars linage for league and you bowl 3 leagues in that house.  That is 972.00 a season that you pay to the bowl.  Now add up all of the beer and food you eat there and you're talking a pretty good chunk of change.

These guys sit behind the counter, watch TV, or act like you are really putting them out if you ask for a pair to practice on.

Most of them dress like bums and wear ballcaps backwards.  They don't go out of their way to help open bowlers who don't know how to use the scoring system and watch them, knowing that the poor people don't know what to do.  Only after someone asked are they willing to show them.  They don't greet people with a smile and they sure don't make you feel welcomed.

Some of them don't even show up to work when they are scheduled and therefore, the lanes don't get run.  No bid deal to them nor does the owner seem to care.

I'm in the travel business and I can assure you that if I asked that way to my clients, I wouldn't be in business very long.  

I would like to manage that center for one month.  I'd make every employee wear a nice shirt with the name of the center on it, No caps allowed.  No sitting on their rear watching TV.  They would be required to great each person who walks in the door and ask if they can help in any way.  If time permits, they would be required to show the people how to enter they're names and a offer a little help if they need it.  They would not be allowed to eat at the front desk or allow anyone behind the counter.  No girlfriends hanging around and limited time for personal calls.  Business first!

Our snack bar used to serve the best burgers in town and many people who didn't bowl would come have lunch at the center because the staff was friendly, clean, and had a nice attitude.  Now you have old ladies who will wipe their noses, handle dirty money and touch everything of yours with their nasty hands.

Is this just my center or does your funtion in the same way?

Maybe it's because we only have one center in town and there isn't any compition, but I'm sick and tired of it.
--------------------
I can't help it, Hot Chicks Dig the Hose

I work in a center and I have to agree however, league bowlers can get unrully.  I can give you an example a league of ladies complain that they dont want to bowl infront of the bowling center b/c of a glare from the road outside.  (Number one the windows are tinted so there is minimal glare) second they dont like to bowl in the lanes with bumper attachments b/c they feel that its a distraction.  Now this is a group of middle aged or retired ladies who just like to complain.  Then we have the mens league who while most are nice and very repecteable there are a few that think they can get away with anything I.E hitting machines as hard as they want, wanting to switch lanes b/c a machine miscores one time.  Or simply asking kids not to bowl six lanes down in order for them to concentrate b/c the kids are a distraction.
We have a great staff many of whom would go out of there way to assit you in anyway.  But you also have to understand the circumstances when you have bowlers who come in and ONE complain about prices in the snack bar.  Two get mad b/c they cant have a pair of lanes during the busiest night of the week.  And three expecting all the lane courtesy in the world from open bowlers.  While two out of the three cant be helped by the person at the desk you have to understand that the person working there is only the employee if you dont like that they cant give you a pair or about price(I am not saying you at all) then talk with the owners or management they would be more then happy to help you

I think honestly its sometimes just the wrong person in the position. But with our center for example everyone must be clean shaved where apporiate attire dress pants and polo shirts.  We have to be on time every week.  But also the one thing that we do diffrently than most centers is the person working the desk is in charge of the bowling center.  You cant just let everyone do what they please.  Sometimes you do have to say no and sometimes you have to be a bit flexiable.  As far as the attitude I think sometimes working the counter alone during a busy spell is rough on anyone who hasnt been through it before.  But you just cant take it personally sometimes people are totally diffrent when they are away from that desk.  If you get into a work mode where you have your mind somewhere else and doing other things when someone asks you a question or for something do you have the same response as they what do you want look?  Its just one of those things. Granted they need to be a bit more nicer but its just boils down the the indvidual person.

Hose, move to Edmond OK. We have great centers here in Blvd. Lanes and Herritage Bowl. Things in these two houses is the complete opposite of what you have in Muskogee. Hasn't always been that way, but has been at Heritage the last 2 1/2 years and Blvd. for the past year.

PS: The only drawback here is I'm not sure if there are as many CPL's as you have or not. Then again, at 67 years old, I don't notice any more.
--------------------
Lane 1 - The Bowlers Company

Nothing hits as hard as an Uranium

Part of the reason you see those kinds of employees are just because alot of the corporate centers won't pay for good help.  I am a heavy believer in you get what you pay for.  Thus, is the reason for the high turnover rate in bowling centers.  The centers you see that are able to retain a good amount of the staff either have one of 2 things in common:

1) The staff members are bowlers themself who enjoy the job, and love being around the bowlers.  

or

2) They pay respectively well


I have been with Brunswick for over 2 years and worked at AMF for approx. 3, and the biggest problem I see is the lack of training.  Without proper training, you give an employees and easy cop out of not doing there job, and with the current generation of kids unfortunately, they don't have a solid work ethic and personal pride installed in them.  I'm only 22, but fortunately my dad drove this into me to work as hard as you want to be paid.  Think about the abuse a counter person will take on an average Saturday night, especially once these people get drunk.  A majority of these people make 6-8 dollars an hour.  The benefits of working would be free bowling, but now at AMF employees have an employee rate, and Brunswick has a limit on the number of games, so unless you get in with a generous manager, the benefits aren't appeasing.

I have stayed where I am at because I work with not only one of the best mechanics in the company, but also because I enjoy working for him.  If he wasn't there, I probably wouldn't be either, since I don't think highly of my manager.  Our backend staff feels like one big family, and thus I arrive early for work, even help out before I clock in, because I enjoy it.  UNfortunately, with alot of micromanagement, or independent owners who look to cut corners on cost, salaries and benefits, you don't develop environment.  

You hire kids, you get kids.  Pay like garbage, you get garbage. IF your fortunate, you can find a few people who just loves the bowling environment, then you got a making of a good staff.

One thing I totally agree with is the complete lack of training of the young employees at the bowling centers. They hire very young kids and expect them to just automatically learn what and how to do things. I especially notice that when they are called upon to get a pin out of the gutter, they will sometimes walk in the gutter, and then step on the lanes to retreive the pin. Then when walking back they will walk right down the middle of the approach with their oily shoes. I called out one young lady on this one night and she just looked at me like I was crazy. I am sure she did not even know what I was talking about.

However, the overall attitude is dictated by the local management and company policies. If they don't care, then the employees don't care either. And ...... customers can be a huge pain!  
--------------------
What's with the Braille on a drive-up-ATM?
Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

I hate the arguement that you only do a good job if you get paid well.  I was always taught and teach my children that you do your absolute dead level best no matter the pay.  If you think you deserve to be making more than they pay you prove it.  Why is it acceptable to do a bad job cause you think you are worth more?
--------------------
I don't really play cards and I am not 79, but it fits together somehow.

Card, I am with you and support your statements above, all the way. That's how I was taught and also the way my wife and myself taught our kids.

--------------------
Lane 1 - The Bowlers Company

Nothing hits as hard as an Uranium

Hey Jimensminger, you didn't mention Beer and CPL's for Hose. We have to have those. Especially if it is going to be a club.
--------------------
Lane 1 - The Bowlers Company

Nothing hits as hard as an Uranium