Post by: HamPster on July 23, 2003, 10:28:09 PM
This happens a lot, and we've even had people bring in a ball to be drilled and then they just leave it there, and we're stuck with a drilled ball that they never paid for, and most of the time it's nothing popular enough that we're able to end up reselling. We have since gone to making sure that people pay up front. And the same day drilling fee is 5 bucks, and usually we only charge it when there is just one of us at the shop. I have to leave to go to the little house of horrors now (pro shop, of course), so I'll post more about this later. Opinions? Input?
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Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!
The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine. They're more entertaining anyway.
Post by: michelle on July 24, 2003, 01:37:00 PM
The only way I could see paying a premium is if I know they are swamped but I absolutely have to have it that day. If I go in and they say they can get it done while I wait, then I don't expect to pay a premium.
Post by: Urethane Game on July 24, 2003, 01:47:45 PM
Post by: jkiser01 on July 24, 2003, 01:51:52 PM
If I went into a place that charged me $5 to drill the ball the same day, I would walk out and find somewhere else to go..
Just me 2 cents..
Jim..
Post by: komike on July 24, 2003, 02:00:31 PM
Post by: charlest on July 24, 2003, 02:04:37 PM
I have brought balls or bought balls from other places, but not very often. One place won't drill your ball now or today, no matter how busy they are. This can be very annoying, especially if there's no one in the shop. Anothe rplace will alway sask if they can do it tomorrow; since I live 90 minutes away, I ask them to do it then.
Charging extra for today's service seems ... not right, BUT the customer should undersatnd that other customers may interrupt. However, once started, that ball should be the driller's priority, not gabbing with with friends or starting to service a new customer when one is already being serviced.
Have you ever been to a place for some kind of service, (not necessariy a pro shop) and they answer every darned phone call spending any and all time needed to take care of them, when you were already there first and in the middle of being taken care of? I think that is very rude.
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"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."
Post by: Pinbuster on July 24, 2003, 02:08:07 PM
First come first serve.
Besides you can generally be talking to the walk in customer about their needs while you are drilling the ball.
We can layout and drill a ball in 15 minutes or less, if they can't wait that long then to bad.
Post by: channel surfer on July 24, 2003, 02:41:09 PM
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My Bowling Clinic Site: http://channelsurfers.vze.com
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Bowl.. Grab life by the balls.
Money is no object to me because I dont have any...
Post by: MrH on July 24, 2003, 02:49:58 PM
Post by: channel surfer on July 24, 2003, 03:04:13 PM
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My Bowling Clinic Site: http://channelsurfers.vze.com
ASK A PRO:http://channelsurfers.vze.com/atp.shtml
Bowl.. Grab life by the balls.
Money is no object to me because I dont have any...
Post by: ecajberry on July 24, 2003, 03:38:53 PM
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Ed
Icon300
Hyde
Ebonite Maxim
First time throwing a hooker...this is truely a test of confiction.
Post by: HamPster on July 24, 2003, 04:55:02 PM
We do a fair amount of business, but hardly ever have lines. If we do, it's at popular times like Saturday afternoons or a little while before nightly leagues. Both of us aren't here at the same time very often unless we're busy. People don't want to wait a day to have their ball drilled, that's the problem. If we say it'll be a day, we can do most of the drilling at the end of the day after we close so that most of the work isn't interrupted. People are just so impatient that it handcuffs us a lot. We have to make sure we don't slip and tell somebody that's ordered a ball "Oh, they usually get here in about two days" because if it takes three days, they just up and don't want the ball anymore. We had a used Sponge Bob ball that we sold, and after plugging the thumb and redrilling it, the person that assured they were coming back for it never did. So now there's plug in the ball, and it decreases the value, and we just got stuck with it.
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Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!
The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine. They're more entertaining anyway.
Post by: charlest on July 24, 2003, 07:27:16 PM
Uou keep reiterating "the Topeka people are very impatient" idea. Well, I can certainly understand how that can interfere and make life miserable. I do not want anyone to talk to my driller while he's working on my ball. It only takes a micro-secomd to screw up $200 worth of ball, time, effort and money. If they are that pushy, $5 extra, surcharge to do it today is within reason.
Jersey people are more impatient than most but most people who into my driller's shop have learned to have patience with him; he's quite a talker; can't shut him up.
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"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."
Post by: JOE FALCO on July 24, 2003, 10:23:10 PM
I've had a complaint about BALL DRILLING CHARGES for a long time .. you can tell from this post the variation in charges and it BLOWS MY MIND! I can find NO JUSTIFICATION for the HIGH COST other then GREED. If a bowler is having a ball drilled for the first time .. perhaps a slightly higher cost would be acceptable .. but once a driller has your specs .. HIGH PRICE DRILLING IS RIDICULOUS!
Getting back to your original post .. I'd say if the drilling is $35 or less and he wants $5 for same day drilling .. I think I'd pay it .. but if he charges over $35 .. I'D WANT THE BALL DRILLED RIGHT AWAY!!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
J O E - F A L C O
Post by: SrKegler on July 24, 2003, 10:31:24 PM
Bought the wife a new Hammer Blade. Ball, finger grips, drilling $103 including tax.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel
Post by: HamPster on July 24, 2003, 11:12:59 PM
Take last night for example. The day was pretty decent for us, nothing special, but being that it's still summer, it was alright. It got really quiet around 6. The boss went to see a movie and said I could close 10 or 15 minutes early if nobody was around. So at 10 til 7, I get ready to finish things up, and a 30-ish couple almost runs through the door. A league had started at the high end of the house (we're situated right behind 7 and 8) at about 6:30 that night, and these people were bowling it. So I started talking to them, and this guy's wife had to have a ball RIGHT NOW. They start looking for it, and she's one of these whiny people that has no clue about bowling period. Her husband was fairly knowledgable, which made it a lot easier because he was agreeing with nearly everything I said, just tailoring my reponses to her style. But before they get a ball picked out, they're up way down on lane 29, so they leave and say they'll be right back.
5 minutes later, they return and finally pick out a ball. She's only used house balls before, so I have to fit her. So as soon as she takes forever picking out her finger sizes, guess what? Yep, time to bowl again. Another 5 minutes. She comes back, and picks the thumb out. We get the span about halfway adjusted, and of course, it's time to bowl some more. She comes back and I finally get the measurements. I say it'll be about 15 minutes, and that's working moderately fast to layout and drill a conventional grip. So of course she's back in 10 wondering where her ball is. Luckily, I was done with everything but beveling.
Of course the fingers are a little snug, so she's upset. I'm EXTREMELY glad her husband was there to remind her that we all agreed on drilling them a little snug because of it being summertime as well as not wanting to get the holes too big. So I finally got it done, and they were out of my hair. I stayed 45 minutes past closing time, and did it very nicely I might add. I closed the door at 7 just so nobody else would come in, and that received a question from her (this was just before I started fitting her), to which I answered that we closed at 7. So she says "Oh. Well I came in here before 7, and I want the ball drilled now." Very cordially I said I had planned on drilling it, I just said it would go quicker if I had no interruptions from people that didn't know we were closed. Her husband was more than appreciative when he was in there, so that helped, but she was being evil. And by the way, I didn't charge her any extra for staying late to drill it.
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Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!
The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine. They're more entertaining anyway.