Author Topic: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday... (Read 12007 times)

DCNetBoy · « **on:** June 04, 2009, 10:13:05 AM »

I had an unfortunate experience in a well known pro shop in my area yesterday.

Let me tell you all about. Then, I would like to get some feedback on what others think.

I brought a ball into the shop to be drilled. After patiently waiting to meet with the most experienced driller in the shop, I greet him, shake his hand and then give him the ball. He takes the ball and then proceeds to walk back to the drilling area. (Keep in mind that I had brought in a ball a few weeks before and had it drilled with no issues.)

As he is walking to the drill, he states that he might have to charge me $10 more than what he charged me for drilling the first ball. When he gets to the drill, he immediately puts the ball on a Determinator. After about 20 seconds or so, I hear him say... "I hope you didn't pay a lot for this ball..."

At that moment, I knew there was going to be a problem. So I gave him a look as if I didn't hear him. He then repeated what he said.

He then goes on to try to say that my brand new Virtual Gravity is not spinning properly and that he can not find the true mass bias area on the ball. (We all know that Storm and every other company marks the mass bias on their asymmetrical balls before they leave the factory.)

So I say, "Oh really? How often does something like this occur?" He does not reply. He then proceeds to pull out one of his VG's that he had in stock and puts that on the machine. Of course, you all know that his ball spun properly.

When he spun my ball again, I noticed how loudly it was spinning because it was "wobbling"! When he spun his, it was quiet. LOL!

Now, before each spin on the machine, he clicks a switch in the back of the machine/table. Can you guess what that switch might have done?!

He goes on to try explain how many Ebonite and RotoGrip balls had the same issue. He then tries to explain how the ball was spinning properly on one axis, but not the other. (Duh! It can't it's wobbling all over the place!) He then says that he might have trouble drilling my ball, but starts to look for another one of his VG's after I told him that my ball was a 14lb ball.

While he is looking for another ball, I pick up my ball and proceed to tell him that "I will ship that ball back" and that he should not worry about drilling my ball. He appeared a little shocked that I didn't want to get anything drilled. From that point on, everything was just as uncomfortable as I have ever felt in a pro shop. I knew he was lying. I didn't want to challenge him on it because his boss, the owner of the shop, was nearby dealing with a supply distributor. It would have looked bad if I called him out on an outright lie right in front of his boss. So, I just walked.

As I am trying to leave, he asked me if I bought the ball from the internet. LOL! I said... "Oh, absolutely!" He asked how much I paid for it and I told him that, too. LOL!

When the owner saw me pick up my ball and put it back in my bag, I felt like everybody was looking at me like I was the bad guy.

Classic! LOL!

I he only knew that I was going to buy two new balls from him. LOL! The Energy and the Fast have not hit the street yet! LOL! Oh well...

The bottom line is this... Why are pro shop owners getting upset with customers who bring in balls to get them drilled? THEY MAKE MONEY EITHER WAY!! They get paid if you buy from them or just get a ball drilled from them!

Saving money is not a crime. Yet, there is no excuse for the act lying to a customer. I understand the point of supporting your local pro shop. However, how do they expect someone to patronize their business when they blatantly try to mislead them.

And no, there is nothing wrong with my ball. LOL!

Any thoughts?...

Peace!

DP3 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 04, 2009, 11:08:12 PM »

quote:
Quick question.....I bring you 50-60 balls per year to drill for me for the past 3-4 years....do you still put me in the back of the line?

If there are others in front of you on the same day, certainly.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
8 years experience Sales Manager
5 years experience Pro Shop Operator
Are you hiring? ....Have skills, will travel

golfnutFL · « **Reply #17 on:** June 04, 2009, 11:30:46 PM »

Wow...how many individual customers do you have that generate $3,000 profit for you per year? (and $10-$12,000 over the past 3-4 years?) Not sales, profit?? I seriously doubt, or at least I'd be really surprised, that you have many, if any at all.

Put my profits over someone that buys a ball every three years from you? Are you sure you'd want to do that? I guess if you're the only shop for miles around you can "stick" it to me for "only" bringing you tons of business. Otherwise, I'd expect top priority...every time I walk in carrying four or five balls to be drilled. Luckily, I have options. Better still, my shop does give me top priority. One previous shop had your state of mind...his loss.

quote:
quote:
Quick question.....I bring you 50-60 balls per year to drill for me for the past 3-4 years....do you still put me in the back of the line?

If there are others in front of you on the same day, certainly.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
8 years experience Sales Manager
5 years experience Pro Shop Operator
Are you hiring? ....Have skills, will travel

Mike Austin · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2009, 11:37:36 PM »

quote:
Quick question.....I bring you 50-60 balls per year to drill for me for the past 3-4 years....do you still put me in the back of the line?

quote:
Everyone wants their pro shop to stay in business, and continue to drill their balls great, yet they don't want to help him stay in business by purchasing through him. You see the irony?

We drill plenty of balls bought online, and without a gripe, too. These balls cost us nothing to inventory and warranty. You will get a professional fit and you'll be happy. Just don't expect to have your ball put in the front of the line to get drilled before those purchased through us. Those will always have priority.

I hope you find a satisfactory resolution to your issue, but we here will never know if you were right or the pro shop.

--------------------
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff

www.brunswickbowling.com

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

Hey Nut,
That doesn't happen very often, there aren't many that drill 50-60 a year. I bet I make an exception for someone like that though, if I had such a person. If they paid cash, hmmmm....

--------------------
THIS SPACE FOR RENT

golfnutFL · « **Reply #19 on:** June 04, 2009, 11:45:18 PM »

Hey Mike,

That's a true number that I drill up for my wife and myself (mostly me!!)

The exception IS made, and I ALWAYS pay cash.

I think that my pro shop guy is happy to make the exception, he jokingly refers to me as SW FL's official ball tester.

quote:

Hey Nut,
That doesn't happen very often, there aren't many that drill 50-60 a year. I bet I make an exception for someone like that though, if I had such a person. If they paid cash, hmmmm....

--------------------
THIS SPACE FOR RENT

Atochabsh · « **Reply #20 on:** June 05, 2009, 12:52:26 AM »

Here's what I tell my customers in my other business...band instrument repair when they say they need it right away. (in other words they want to be put at the front of the line).

"That's fine. I'll give you the names of every one ahead of you. You call them and if they all say its OK for you jump inline then I'll do your work first".

Erin

jhutch769 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 05, 2009, 01:57:59 AM »

MoRich, as far as I know, is the only company that factory spins a ball and marks an accurate PSA (MB)

The other companies mark a spot 6 3/4 " from Pin through CG..

hammermike2000 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 05, 2009, 02:10:31 AM »

quote:
MoRich, as far as I know, is the only company that factory spins a ball and marks an accurate PSA (MB)

The other companies mark a spot 6 3/4 " from Pin through CG..

Wow lol. How ignorant could you be? Many....MANY balls from all companies have MB markings that are not in line, or close to being in line, with the pin/cg line.
--------------------

The Right Approach Pro Shop, Charlotte, NC

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #23 on:** June 05, 2009, 02:54:32 AM »

quote:
What if he was not lying??? then you have internet junk which is really funny to me.

Second that. For me it is O.k. for a pro shop to charge a bit more for balls that were bought somewhere else.

To me, the story sounds plausible. Even when the MB is amrked on a ball, it does not mean that the PSA is actually in that place. If a pin is used, it could have been misplaced od moved during production, and AFAIK, Storm just marks the MB with engravings, so this location is even more doubtful. IMO, good that the ball wasa actually spun to make sure if anything is kosher.

If you still have the ball, you might check the PSA at another pro shop, just to be sure, but you might just have a junk ball... Nothing to laugh about so much.
--------------------
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section

sdbowler · « **Reply #24 on:** June 05, 2009, 04:36:38 AM »

quote:
sdbowler, I hear what your saying and I respect your comment but why would a pro shop pay more for a ball than anybody can get it from the internet. Is the reason because the ball is guaranteed? Seems like the ball companies would be able to make more sales with pro shops if the prices were the same as the internet and still guaranteed. This would even out the brick and mortor sales vs internet. Then the pro shops would be able to make more volume sales as well and with drilling, make profit. It seems like a very simple idea, that is why I am sure it doesnt work! LOL. Anyway, just wondering . Thanks.
--------------------

Todd

Todd this happens a lot. As Mike has already stated the ball companies will sell to distributors. Who they then sell to pro shops or online sites. I have seen this happen a lot both when I was managing a center and just watching prices at places I bowl and on the web. If you don't believe me that this happens just watch prices on Buddies or any other site and then check your local shop and see what you notice.

--------------------
Kyle

Neptune66 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 05, 2009, 06:58:44 AM »

I agree with "notclay"

I want my local pro shop to stay in business so they will be there for me when I have an issue with a ball----any ball. That issue could even be a ball bought elsewhere that was not drilled properly or to my liking.

An occasional internet ball purchase makes sense, but if I buy the majority of them over the internet, depriving the pro shop of their income, and everyone else does that too, how long will that pro shop b able to stay viable and in business?

And then....where do I go to get my ball plugged and redrilled, if for example, I want to try a different layout? Do you think I'll want to send my older ball to Buddy's or Bowler's Paradise for that, and wait for it to come back, and MAYBE it will be good and maybe not? ---That's presuming they even offered that service.

Big Columbia · « **Reply #26 on:** June 05, 2009, 08:01:32 AM »

I know a shop owner that would rather you bring the ball into him to be drilled because he makes more money off of you. He says he doesnt have to stock as much and he can charge more when we walk in with the ball. If he charges 190.00 for a ball from his shelf he would make 50 bucks plus grips and slug. If I bring the ball in he can charge the 60 plus grips and slug. He also mentioned that usually the people that walks into the shop with there on ball pays cash which is a plus because he doesnt have to pay CC fees. Not to mention the IRS not being able to tax you as much......

bowlerdawg · « **Reply #27 on:** June 05, 2009, 08:23:33 AM »

kind of a tough call imo
pro shops do this for a living, and anybody worth their salt wan't to do the best job for you they can, and sometimes when you bring in a ball from an outside source they want to verify it for themselves, BUT in the same vein they might try to TEACH you a lesson, and give you grief for daring to bring in a ball you bought somewhere else.

Most shops have come to grips w/ the internet, and it's not usually an issue, and they just lay it out and punch it for you, but they aren't doing any favors and they make good money doing this.

Some shops still hate the internet customer

you had several options as to how to handle this situation, in retrospect , you did not burn a bridge, because they will always accept your money.

until you get your own drill press and other equipment, then you are at others mercy.

They may have been telling the truth, but you already had it made out in your mind how the transaction was going to go down, and the actual scenario did not meet up to your expectations, therefore you were dissapointed.

--------------------
I'm your huckleberry

rackattack · « **Reply #28 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:06:54 AM »

My questions are for you Pro Shop guys.
1) Can a determinator machine be manulipated to give a true read on one ball and a false read on another?

2) How are these online sellers able to get all these bad and mismarked balls?
Are the manufacures calling them with prices on mismarked balls that will not be marked as blems to be pushed off on the public as first runs?

3) Are online sellers refusing to accept returns on mismarked balls when they sell them as first quality?

4) Are all mismarked balls bad and undrillable?

5) Is a competent driller able to find the correct cg and mb on a mismaked ball?
If so,how much more of his time will this take?
Should not this be part of the drilling process reguardless of the ball's source?

--------------------

It's all about the X

« **Reply #29 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:09:08 AM »

golfnutFL,

To answer your previous question, we try our best to keep turnaround as fast as possible. Sometimes the customer doesn't realize there are 10 balls waiting to be drilled that day BEFORE yours came in. He thinks it takes 5 minutes to put 3 holes in the ball and should cost $20 max.

We have a certain few guys who, like you, drill LOTS of balls. We are happy to take good care of you, but you also need to understand that we have many customers, not just one.

We drill for 3 Storm staffers, 2 Roto Grip staffers, 1 Columbia staffer and me with Brunswick. That's a good amount of balls for these guys, but these guys wait in line just like everyone else.

So, we don't complain if someone buys online, it's part of the business nowadays. Just be realistic from your end, and if we ask you to come pick them up tomorrow, it's not because we're trying to punish you for buying elsewhere, it's that we tend to be extremely busy from September through April.

--------------------
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff

www.brunswickbowling.com

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

Edited on 6/5/2009 9:10 AM

DP3 · « **Reply #30 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:20:51 AM »

quote:
Wow...how many individual customers do you have that generate $3,000 profit for you per year? (and $10-$12,000 over the past 3-4 years?) Not sales, profit?? I seriously doubt, or at least I'd be really surprised, that you have many, if any at all.

Put my profits over someone that buys a ball every three years from you? Are you sure you'd want to do that? I guess if you're the only shop for miles around you can "stick" it to me for "only" bringing you tons of business. Otherwise, I'd expect top priority...every time I walk in carrying four or five balls to be drilled. Luckily, I have options. Better still, my shop does give me top priority. One previous shop had your state of mind...his loss.

Quote
Quote
Quick question.....I bring you 50-60 balls per year to drill for me for the past 3-4 years....do you still put me in the back of the line?

Lets see, in the past 5 years I've been operating a pro shop I've had at least 10 bowlers who have brought in 50+ balls a year in for me to drill. The most I have ever drilled for one person in a 12 month span was 117 blanks, with only about a dozen of those bought from inside of my shop. Out of those ten customers, none of them were as much of a pompous jerk to think that their money and time was more important than the walk ins who spent their hard earned money and time as well to get some equipment done on the same day. If my clients have a big job to do, they will call me in advance to schedule time enough for me to put aside to handle them and one of the other workers can handle the walk ins.

Just because you purchase alot of balls doesn't mean others should be compromised because of you when they were there first. I went to the same starbucks for coffee every morning for 18 months straight of work. On days the line was at the door I didn't expect them to usher me to the front because I felt like my money and business was better than everyone elses. A pro shop should be respected as any other retail/service outlet. First come, first serve, appointments made in advance.
--------------------
-DJ Marshall
8 years experience Sales Manager
5 years experience Pro Shop Operator
Are you hiring? ....Have skills, will travel

Author Topic: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday... (Read 12007 times)

DCNetBoy

Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

DP3

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

golfnutFL

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

Mike Austin

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

golfnutFL

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

Atochabsh

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

jhutch769

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

hammermike2000

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

dizzyfugu

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

sdbowler

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

Neptune66

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

Big Columbia

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

bowlerdawg

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

rackattack

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...

DP3

Re: Untruthful pro shop. They lied to me yesterday...