Mountain Biking - How to be a jackass

So, you wanna be a jackass bike shop customer? Follow these simple suggestions:

- Say to an employee "hey, what kind of deal can you give me on these? i can get them online for (insert low cheap price).
- Ask for a discount or free stuff, just because you are you and by golly, you deserve it!
- Start off with "i work in a shop" and then ask for a discount
- Ask a bunch of questions, take up lots of time, then leave without buying anything, not even a damn GU, and get your stuff elsewhere. Make sure you get part numbers so you can order online!
- Get upset when you don't get a discount and threaten to never come back.
- Act like you are gonna buy stuff, put stuff on the counter, ask to use the bathroom, then come out of the bathroom and say "i'll come back for that stuff" and leave. (haha, suckers! you really just wanted to use the bathroom! even though they would have let you, it's more fun to do it this way)
- Treat the bike shop like your personal pit crew. Why should they charge you to get your bike running? Just ask them to give you some free chain lube and to tighten up your headset and maybe straighten out your derailleur. It's not really work, any monkey (except you) can do it. Besides, you are trying to get your personal best on the trail, don't they know that?


These are just some of the things you can do. Be creative, remember, the bike shop is there for your enjoyment, and the employees are all filthy rich (you know bike shops make tons of money, way more than the oil and gas industry) and they deserve to be screwed and taken advantage of, and they owe you. You are a cyclist! You don't think Mercx or Pantani had to pay for their stuff, you don't think Danny Macaskill or Gee Atherton have to pay for their stuff, why should you?

Hmm, I need practice.

Glad to say I don't think I was too much of a jackass (by your terms) as a first-time bike buyer. :) I did ask a ton of questions, but walked out with a bike. And I did come back to have the derailleur straightened and wasn't charged... but I bought a computer while I was there.

Nothing wrong with asking lots of questions, you should, especially as a first time bike buyer. And lots of questions doesn't mean you HAVE to buy anything. it's the attitude and intent.

I'm guilty of trying on helmets at the bike shop then ordering online. I'm a student on a really limited budget, so I try to save a dollar where I can. In this case I got a helmet for $60 that would have cost about 90 euros ($120) at the bike shop where I went.

I'm guilty of trying on helmets at the bike shop then ordering online. I'm a student on a really limited budget, so I try to save a dollar where I can. In this case I got a helmet for $60 that would have cost about 90 euros ($120) at the bike shop where I went.



Cheapskate. This word originates from cheap and skate, meaning you skated without buying anything from the dealer who now has your Milky Way fingerprints all over his rack of helmets from you "saving a dollar".


BTW . . .I am a student also and would not think of such a tacky tactic.

OTOH, I have a couple of favorite shops and a couple of Oh brother shops I know about. For the good guys who start out giving me more than I am worth, I pick up a bag of bagels and some cream cheese every once in a while and drop it by when I need to pick someones brain. I have also dropped a 6 pack of what I have heard them talk about when I'm picking up something for the house. I have stopped in an filled a camelback or a tire from time to time. I get treated pretty well. I don't buy much "stuff" there, but I get a couple tune ups and other service work, just to keep contact with knowledgeable people. A couple times I have gotten free service on small stuff and they just say they turn it in as warranty work. A good LBS is a valuable thing. Feed the beasts and they won't eat you.

So, you wanna be a jackass bike shop customer? Follow these simple suggestions:

- Say to an employee "hey, what kind of deal can you give me on these? i can get them online for (insert low cheap price).
- Ask for a discount or free stuff, just because you are you and by golly, you deserve it!
- Start off with "i work in a shop" and then ask for a discount
- Ask a bunch of questions, take up lots of time, then leave without buying anything, not even a damn GU, and get your stuff elsewhere. Make sure you get part numbers so you can order online!
- Get upset when you don't get a discount and threaten to never come back.
- Act like you are gonna buy stuff, put stuff on the counter, ask to use the bathroom, then come out of the bathroom and say "i'll come back for that stuff" and leave. (haha, suckers! you really just wanted to use the bathroom! even though they would have let you, it's more fun to do it this way)
- Treat the bike shop like your personal pit crew. Why should they charge you to get your bike running? Just ask them to give you some free chain lube and to tighten up your headset and maybe straighten out your derailleur. It's not really work, any monkey (except you) can do it. Besides, you are trying to get your personal best on the trail, don't they know that?


These are just some of the things you can do. Be creative, remember, the bike shop is there for your enjoyment, and the employees are all filthy rich (you know bike shops make tons of money, way more than the oil and gas industry) and they deserve to be screwed and taken advantage of, and they owe you. You are a cyclist! You don't think Mercx or Pantani had to pay for their stuff, you don't think Danny Macaskill or Gee Atherton have to pay for their stuff, why should you?

What shop do you work in? Or just initials if that's too personal.

I've purchased used parts from CF and from ebay and brought them to my #1 shop for installation. Frequently, the installation will involve additional parts such as cable, housing or some other part that I didn't think of. I buy those from the shop that's doing the installation. They've never complained. Hey, I'm still paying their standard labor rate for all the work they perform and I still buy some parts and accessories from them. Also, I never ask for a discount and never complain about their prices, although I do ask for an estimate before they start the work. I can understand what the OP is saying about someone who just abuses the bike shop, but some shops won't work on a bike if you don't buy the parts from them, especially used parts. Others, like the shop I frequent, understand that when a major installation occurs, there will be accessories or associated parts that must be purchased, plus the job pays for salaries.

Usually if I need to window shop at a shop or ask advice I still try to buy something like a tube or a patch kit, but as a rule I won't mail order increddibly small items like brake pads or tubes, but there are a couple of shops that only charge about 10 percent above online. Even as a broke commuter it seems reasonable to pay that margin.

Not gonna lie, trying on helmets just to go & buy them online would probably irk me more than anything else if I worked at a bike shop. Hair has a tendency to hold more grease, grime, & dirt than any other exposed part of the body.

I could go on for days about similar activity from working in general retail for ~2 years now. Once you get past all the flowers & rainbows & optimism, most people are just bastard-coated bastards with bastard filling.

Generally speaking, it's better to help out your local shop (and I don't just mean bike stores) than save a couple dollars and place the order online. If everyone bought stuff online, you wouldn't be able to go to a bike shop and try on helmets...

Im the son of a small business owner, whos major competiton has moved overseas to make a cheaper product, so im all about supporting our local businesses. I havent bought anything online, except for CL in probably 8 years. I do go in sometimes to window shop, but as a 10+ year customer, the owner and i are on a first name basis and he knows that at some point he will make a sale, if not today.

I feel your pain. I work in the "customer service" industry and I hate people now. The general public is a bunch of rude, self-centered s**t heads. My LBS recognizes me and is really friendly and helpful, and I often buy small parts from them when I go in(brake cable, axle, derailer hanger, etc). I don't really go there if I don't need something, though. I can usually figure out the answers to my questions online if it's about something more expensive that I want to buy online. I'm a poor younger person, so I can't afford to buy stuff from a shop that costs nearly twice as much as it does online, which it often does at my local shops. The curse of living in one of "the best biking areas in the country," I suppose.

Cheapskate. This word originates from cheap and skate, meaning you skated without buying anything from the dealer who now has your Milky Way fingerprints all over his rack of helmets from you "saving a dollar".


BTW . . .I am a student also and would not think of such a tacky tactic.

I don't think it is tacky at all personally...cheap I'll agree with that. I am a very clean person, and the helmets already had, OMG, finger prints on them because they were, GASP, set out on a big rack for, WAIT FOR IT, people to try on! I didn't even take any employee's time. You are right though, I should always buy something from that specific store where I try on the helmet..I have to do something to make up for those finger prints I leave everywhere. It is like shoe or clothes shopping, you have to buy some shoes or clothes at the store once you have tried something on, and the employees have spent their time with you, right?

Sounds to me like you have never had to make your money stretch to get by. Or maybe in the big scheme of things $60 is a drop in the bucket compared to the student loans you will have to pay back :thumb:.

You are right though, it is better just to order 10 different helmets online, and send back the ones that don't fit. That is a lot better for the bike store and the environment!

I guess I could get a job, but that might be hard considering I have to do four months of practical experience in a clinic without pay that must done during during my semester breaks I get in the next two and a half years. Oh yea, I had to do that the past two years as well. All those D-bags coming into the clinic getting their finger prints all over everything expecting help, and then just leaving, sometimes without buying anything...the nerve of it...:rolleyes:

I support my mechanics no question, and tip them well because I value what they do. The untrained jackasses at the bike store on the other hand do nothing but try to sell me things I don't need. Maybe if they had well trained employees I could see where double the price may be needed to cover their overhead, and I would also value their expertise more. Maybe much of the time where I live the Jackassery is mutual.

Anyways, IF the store where I live was worth spending money in, and IF I had that money to spend I would support them. Big, unrealistic IFs.

My head is protected, my rent is paid, and there is healthy food on table.

^ I agree with you to an extent, but also not. Going to a bike shop isn't like going to Kohls to try on some jeans where no one gives a **** about trying on one of the thousands of articles of clothing there and there are basically just employees to keep things looking clean and keep the racks stocked and you can ask them a question if you can track one down. It's a much smaller shop where the employees are supposed to be knowledgeable, and helpful to each customer, and in a much smaller place with what is supposed to be better personal service. It's kinda like you walking into the smaller shop of a clothes tailor and trying on some of their display coats that they use for fitting measurements just so that you can get your sleeve length and then walking out and going online to buy a knock off suit from China online. You should at least pick up some dress socks while you're there. "My head is protected, my rent is paid, and there is healthy food on [my] table [but screw the bike shop and their time/money]" is soaked with the self-focused attitude that has become "the American way."

The part I understand about what you're saying is the "screw it" attitude if your local shop is that bad. But along with not feeling bad about using them for your fitting needs, maybe you should write the owner an intelligently worded letter letting them know how you feel about it, or ask to speak to the manager and intelligently explain to him/her why you don't spend your money there.

It is mainly the way the shops in my specific area are set up. My local bike store has a decently large inventory of bike stuff, but are usually absolutely terrible with any specific mechanical or in depth knowledge issues. It would cost them more money to hire better employees than they would gain. I understand this, but it doesn't make me want to spend my money there.

The mechanics on the other hand know what they are talking about (35 years experience), and when I am in doubt can tell me the parts that would work best, and order me the parts. They mainly make their money from repairing/refurbishing bikes, and have always been fair with their prices with both labor and things ordered out of the catalog. However, they don't stock much else other than tires, tubes, patches, screws, oil, brake pads, chains, and a some other nick nacks. They don't try to convince me that I need the best of something, when a lower priced version will do the job right. They will be getting about 70 euros from me later today when I pick up my bike.

Once you get past all the flowers & rainbows & optimism, most people that I interact with are just bastard-coated bastards with bastard filling.

ftfy

The bike rides and races i go to have LBS support. They service bikes during the rides and help sponsor the events. I think it is also good to help those who make local events enjoyable.

Hammer Nutrition seems to send out a ton of goo and drink mixes as well. I have bought some of their stuff just as a thank you for helping out local rides.

It is a team effort.

Jeesh Scyclops, you sound like my dad @ the belt thing. NOthing worse than mom whispering to dad and then here the sound of that leather belt dragging through his belt loops. SHEESH, makes me shudder to this day.

Ive got a great relationship with my LBS. I buy things from them on occasion, but do most of my shopping online. I love these threads where the poor retailer is always the victim. You lump all customers into one mold. Everytime I go to a shop to look around. I always buy something, wether I need it or not. Yet more often then not I'm met with the " Oh great, another customer. I guess Ill either ignore you or try to show you how smart I am" attitude.
Im also in customer service (auto repair). I have the same issues with people trying to price shop. Guess what? The economy sucks. People, myself included are becoming more savvy shoppers. We have to modify the way we serve them. If you dont your competition might.
Rant Over

I hope someone with more energy will point out everything wrong with that rant :lol:

Jeesh Scyclops, you sound like my dad @ the belt thing. NOthing worse than mom whispering to dad and then here the sound of that leather belt dragging through his belt loops. SHEESH, makes me shudder to this day.

My use of it is purely metaphorical (and hopefully somewhat humorous), though I'm sorry it conjures up bad vibes for you. :(

I hope someone with more energy will point out everything wrong with that rant :lol:

Which rant? But I don't have the energy either way - I just want to know which shops to avoid so I won't be anyone's version of a jackass.

Ive got a great relationship with my LBS. I buy things from them on occasion, but do most of my shopping online.


I buy things from them on occasion, but do most of my shopping online.


I do most of my shopping online.


Online.


Ive got a great relationship with my LBS.

yeah. sure you do.

Which rant? But I don't have the energy either way - I just want to know which shops to avoid so I won't be anyone's version of a jackass.

The one directly above my last post (getting defensive & victimizing himself about the OP while simultaneously saying he doesn't do anything Pablo was complaining about, & then throwing in a few behaviors that no one has even complained about as if he's some sort of saint for tolerating them).

Look what you made me do. You made me poke holes in his rant. Well at least now it's been done.

yeah. sure you do.

It's one thing for my LBS to take exception if I avail myself of their expertise and then buy online. That's uncool. But if I don't need my LBS's expertise, tools, service, or anything else, then exactly what is the problem with buying online?

I buy lots of stuff online, and I buy different kinds of stuff at my LBS. I buy things like pedals online, because I know what I want and it is cheaper and more convenient to purchase online than to shlep over to the LBS to put the part on order, then shlep back again a week later to pick it up. But if I need help with a spoke length calculation for a wheel build, I buy the parts at the LBS.

Somehow I still have a great relationship with my LBS. (Perhaps the custom Ti rig I picked up a few years ago bought me a little slack...)

Any LBS that hates you for ever buying online isn't a retail establishment, they're a stalker girlfriend.

Nothing wrong with asking lots of questions, you should, especially as a first time bike buyer. And lots of questions doesn't mean you HAVE to buy anything. it's the attitude and intent.

How does everyone keep missing this post?:rolleyes:

What shop do you work in? Or just initials if that's too personal.

I don't think there are that many shops in Fruita. And if he works at the shop I'm guessing he does, the initials are the name for all intents and purposes.

It's one thing for my LBS to take exception if I avail myself of their expertise and then buy online. That's uncool. But if I don't need my LBS's expertise, tools, service, or anything else, then exactly what is the problem with buying online?

I buy lots of stuff online, and I buy different kinds of stuff at my LBS. I buy things like pedals online, because I know what I want and it is cheaper and more convenient to purchase online than to shlep over to the LBS to put the part on order, then shlep back again a week later to pick it up. But if I need help with a spoke length calculation for a wheel build, I buy the parts at the LBS.

Somehow I still have a great relationship with my LBS. (Perhaps the custom Ti rig I picked up a few years ago bought me a little slack...)

Any LBS that hates you for ever buying online isn't a retail establishment, they're a stalker girlfriend.

the ti rig probably helps. it just really sucks when people bring in stuff they get off the internet and tell you how great a deal they got, and then gripe when you charge them $5 or $10 to put it on. they EXPECT you to put it on for free. it's that attitude that sucks.

I don't think there are that many shops in Fruita. And if he works at the shop I'm guessing he does, the initials are the name for all intents and purposes.

yuuuuuuuuuuup.

my post seriously was not meant to be an online vs local shop arguement. i have no problems with people getting stuff online to save cash. frankly, there are some customers i would prefer they shop online and not in a store where they have to interact with humans.

i have problems with people wasting time when i could help other actual customers, when their only intent is to use the shop like their personal library and pit crew, (and it's not like we don't know what they are doing, we do) or trying to bully the shop into giving them a discount, as if they deserve it for just being there, or just being a jackass customer in general. i will say it again. attitude and intent. i will answer questions happily all day and you aren't obligated to spend one cent. just don't be dooosh about it.

for example...the guy who comes in all "hey, i work in a shop, hook me up with a discount." he clearly doesn't, or perhaps he did briefly. anyone who really actually does (and we get a whole lot) never asks for a discount and will usually at least buy some small somethings, because they know what it's like.

thing is...the jackass customers....they are generally jackass humans in every aspect of their life, not just in a bike shop.

really, it's like, 1 out of every 100 is a jackass. it's just fun (and cathartic) to mock them.

ftfy

It's quite possible that it's just the area in which I work, as well as most people in most other areas I've visited/frequented, but we learn from our experiences & my experiences have taught me exactly what I posted.

Let me know what area of the southeast you live in so I can move there & get away from everywhere in GA south of Canton, which apparently holds the majority of the bastards in the world.

Attitude and intent is all to often no more than presumption on the part of the beholder. That is particularly true in the retail world, when one's impression of "attitude and intent" is derived from a few seconds of observation.

Just curious, what exactly is your experience in retail? If you come from a recent background of retail employment (ie since big business took over the world & taking advantage of a company's desire to avoid bad press from abusive customers by caving in to their ridiculous demands became the norm) & have still managed to keep a positive attitude about retail customers, more power to you. But it's hard to take criticism from someone who compares working in an auto shop to working in actual retail just because you happen to deal with customers. Again, kudos of you actually know what it's like, that's just not the impression I'm getting.

Just curious, what exactly is your experience in retail? If you come from a recent background of retail employment (ie since big business took over the world & taking advantage of a company's desire to avoid bad press from abusive customers by caving in to their ridiculous demands became the norm) & have still managed to keep a positive attitude about retail customers, more power to you. But it's hard to take criticism from someone who compares working in an auto shop to working in actual retail just because you happen to deal with customers. Again, kudos of you actually know what it's like, that's just not the impression I'm getting.

I worked in retail: my family had a business when I was a kid, and my wife and I did for a number of years whilst raising our kids. We had Customers come in and ask tons of questions and even take pictures of our work, so as to go out and make it themselves or buy it elsewhere. We did our best to treat everyone as a valued Customer, even if they were total jerks. But the number of jerks was greatly outweighed by the number of genuinely good folk.

I pretty much buy most everything from my LBS. In some cases, when I don't want to spend the gasoline to drive I will internet shop, but in the end the treatment I get (courtesy, patience, real assistance) has me spending money there. And if I am just shooting the breeze with a worker there, I cut the conversation and step back (I physically step away) so they can turn to the person that just came in. I love cycling, the folks that I like to ride with, and try to carry that attitude to the shop. They give me a 10% discount from being a local club member, and in the end that makes my internet shopping only a small amount better price wise after shipping. And in the mechanic shop, they go WAAAY beyond the call of duty - a bike fit, seat post, stem, front and rear hub rebuild, and derailler adjustment cost me $96.

And there is that other, bigger local shop up the street. I won't spend my money on discounted merchandise there, I'd rather pay full $ at the shop down the street.

As to the Bastard population in Georgia, could it be, El Guapo, that just maybe your Bastard Detector is more a self-fulfilling prophecy kinda thing? And to "take criticism" from someone that only works in an auto shop? The needle is starting to move on the Detector, but I wonder why?

It's quite possible that it's just the area in which I work, as well as most people in most other areas I've visited/frequented, but we learn from our experiences & my experiences have taught me exactly what I posted.

Let me know what area of the southeast you live in so I can move there & get away from everywhere in GA south of Canton, which apparently holds the majority of the bastards in the world.

It's a great big world out there lad, some 7 billion people and counting. The few hundred, or even thousand, people you've personally had contact with notwithstanding, my experience has taught me that if you go around with the attitude that "most people are bastards", chances are your expectations will likely be met. IOW, you get back the same kind of energy you project.


As to the Bastard population in Georgia, could it be, El Guapo, that just maybe your Bastard Detector is more a self-fulfilling prophecy kinda thing?

Damn, you beat me to it - well said.

I worked in retail: my family had a business when I was a kid When exactly was that? I'm admittedly far too young to have any personal experience in the retail world before big business dominated the country, but three of the managers I've worked for have been in retail for 20+ years each & they all claim that the business has changed significantly since they first started working., and my wife and I did for a number of years whilst raising our kids. We had Customers come in and ask tons of questions and even take pictures of our work, so as to go out and make it themselves or buy it elsewhere. We did our best to treat everyone as a valued Customer, even if they were total jerks. But the number of jerks was greatly outweighed by the number of genuinely good folk. I have a tendency to exaggerate..in my area it's probably 1 in every 20 or so that I would label a bastard.

I pretty much buy most everything from my LBS. In some cases, when I don't want to spend the gasoline to drive I will internet shop, but in the end the treatment I get (courtesy, patience, real assistance) has me spending money there. And if I am just shooting the breeze with a worker there, I cut the conversation and step back (I physically step away) so they can turn to the person that just came in. I love cycling, the folks that I like to ride with, and try to carry that attitude to the shop. They give me a 10% discount from being a local club member, and in the end that makes my internet shopping only a small amount better price wise after shipping. And in the mechanic shop, they go WAAAY beyond the call of duty - a bike fit, seat post, stem, front and rear hub rebuild, and derailler adjustment cost me $96. And in your time in the retail business, you never once wondered why it's so hard for other customers to treat their shops with the same decency of simply treating the LBS employees fairly?

And there is that other, bigger local shop up the street. I won't spend my money on discounted merchandise there, I'd rather pay full $ at the shop down the street.Small businesses everywhere thank you for that. Well I assume they do. I work at a 5000+ store multimillion dollar corporation, so I can't exactly speak on their behalf.

As to the Bastard population in Georgia, could it be, El Guapo, that just maybe your Bastard Detector is more a self-fulfilling prophecy kinda thing? And to "take criticism" from someone that only works in an auto shop? The needle is starting to move on the Detector, but I wonder why? Could be, I do have quite an ego. Could also be that the combination of working in a low-income area at an over-priced drug store at which I have virtually no power in merchandise pricing or giving customers discounts, as well as having a piss poor district manager who complains if we don't enforce corporate policies but will still write us up & suspend people from work if the customer files a complaint about it, has temporarily crushed my spirit.


It's a great big world out there lad, some 7 billion people and counting. The few hundred, or even thousand, people you've personally had contact with notwithstanding, my experience has taught me that if you go around with the attitude that "most people are bastards", chances are your expectations will likely be met. IOW, you get back the same kind of energy you project. Quite a bit of truth in that. Still waiting for a chance to travel abroad & restore my faith in humanity, but working a minimum wage job & paying for school while supporting myself doesn't exactly give me a lot of cash to put away for travel. Go figure. I'll go cry myself a river or something.



Damn, you beat me to it - well said.

..

You can't let bastards/a-holes get you down too much.

Working in the clinic there are so many ungrateful people who have no idea how much the team puts in to help them get better and be able to go home, and hopefully keep enjoying life. All they see is that the docs never have enough time to spend 30 minutes with them every day (not realizing the whole station is full of other patients), and that they may have to wait a bit if their problem isn't serious before a nurse can assist them with what they need (also not realizing that maybe two doors down someone with an intestinal tumor is throwing up the backed up fluid out of their intestine, and really needs help).

Most people don't understand what is going on behind the scenes, and therefore don't always have the appreciation they should for what you do. However, the people whose lives you change, or whose day you can make a little better are totally worth it.

Everyone can be a bastard sometimes, and a person who is not satisfied with their own life (or just having a bad day) will be much more prone to this. Some people were simply never educated to understand that they should be appreciative when a person is going out of their way to help them out. While I don't like it when these people let it out on me, I feel really sorry for them, and at first try to make them maybe laugh or smile. If that doesn't work then they receive the best care I can give them, but no personal investment from me (and BS complaints will be ignored).

It sounds to me like you are just working somewhere where you yourself are not happy with the situation. Maybe you should try to take a few hours, and try to find somewhere else to work. If you deal with people it won't get rid of the bastards, but it may give you more patience and understanding to deal with them.

I really respect anyone who works and goes to school at the same time, and I know how hard that can be. I would also really recommend going abroad, but remember everywhere has bastards (though in some places they can be more concentrated). Have you looked into exchange/study abroad programs? Sometimes you can get scholarships, or work part time in the country where you travel to making it quite a bit more realistic than trying to go abroad without any sort of program.

Just curious, what exactly is your experience in retail? ... But it's hard to take criticism from someone who compares working in an auto shop to working in actual retail just because you happen to deal with customers. Again, kudos of you actually know what it's like, that's just not the impression I'm getting..

Overall, maybe around 10-15 years, from working in a family business to management, ranging from cafe to retail stores to computer stores, and own/operating retail businesses (3 times). My main work however has always been computer - programming, integrator, systems engineer etc.

I agree that a lot of people working retail today, especially for big corporations, don't seem to realize what it's really about.

I would also really recommend going abroad, but remember everywhere has bastards (though in some places they can be more concentrated). Have you looked into exchange/study abroad programs? Sometimes you can get scholarships, or work part time in the country where you travel to making it quite a bit more realistic than trying to go abroad without any sort of program.

I'm pretty sure he was being facetious with the whole traveling abroad thing (but maybe you already knew that :thumb:)

You can't let bastards/a-holes get you down too much. For the most part I've learned not to let them, but I happened to respond to the majority of these comment while at work & running the register. Hell, my attitude changed so much just from being at work to getting home last night that scyclops assumed a very legitimate statement was just me being facetious.

Working in the clinic there are so many ungrateful people who have no idea how much the team puts in to help them get better and be able to go home, and hopefully keep enjoying life.Now your experience with a-holes is unquestionable! Clinic doctors put up with more ungrateful people than probably any other profession I'm aware of, & have to go through years & years of school to do it. Much respect!

Everyone can be a bastard sometimes, and a person who is not satisfied with their own life (or just having a bad day) will be much more prone to this. Some people were simply never educated to understand that they should be appreciative when a person is going out of their way to help them out. While I don't like it when these people let it out on me, I feel really sorry for them, and at first try to make them maybe laugh or smile. If that doesn't work then they receive the best care I can give them, but no personal investment from me (and BS complaints will be ignored).We were just going over this in psychology, how individualist countries (like the US) have a tendency to take full credit for everything they do & always judge others harshly based on what others do, & never give anyone the benefit of the doubt that they would always expect others to give them. It's sad, really, & I'm more guilty of it then just about anyone I know. But I'm working on it.

It sounds to me like you are just working somewhere where you yourself are not happy with the situation. Maybe you should try to take a few hours, and try to find somewhere else to work.Very much so, & I am. Hoping to get a job working with my sister-in-law down at an insurance call center in Macon that has a good reputation for competent management & (relatively) amazing pay. I was able to deal with the customers a lot more easily before my old boss was transferred across the state & they replaced him with someone whose way of dealing with stress is by blaming everyone around her for everything that goes wrong.

I really respect anyone who works and goes to school at the same time, and I know how hard that can be. I would also really recommend going abroad, but remember everywhere has bastards (though in some places they can be more concentrated). Have you looked into exchange/study abroad programs? Sometimes you can get scholarships, or work part time in the country where you travel to making it quite a bit more realistic than trying to go abroad without any sort of program.I'm still trying to get my credits/GPA up & keeping my eyes open for any such opportunity. I was a screw up in high school & didn't start out my higher education with many colleges jumping at the chance to give me a scholarship. I know, my fault. Such is life.


I'm pretty sure he was being facetious with the whole traveling abroad thing (but maybe you already knew that :thumb:)

Well I wasn't, but if you want to continue doing exactly what you're giving me so much crap for then please, carry on:thumb:

Overall, maybe around 10-15 years, from working in a family business to management, ranging from cafe to retail stores to computer stores, and own/operating retail businesses (3 times). My main work however has always been computer - programming, integrator, systems engineer etc.

I agree that a lot of people working retail today, especially for big corporations, don't seem to realize what it's really about.

I worked in two small business retail stores in an equally low-income areas to the one I work in now. Honestly I never had a problem with people in general until I started working for a big corporation. After a while, it becomes hard to deal with customers as people when your superiors don't grant you the same courtesy. It's a trickle-down effect & I have nothing but respect for people who don't let it get to them, but I'm just not one of those people.

I worked in two small business retail stores in an equally low-income areas to the one I work in now. Honestly I never had a problem with people in general until I started working for a big corporation. After a while, it becomes hard to deal with customers as people when your superiors don't grant you the same courtesy. It's a trickle-down effect & I have nothing but respect for people who don't let it get to them, but I'm just not one of those people.

You speak truly. I strongly believe that the management style you're talking about is the ultimate reason for the imploding store chains. Circuit City for example, some others. Best Buy might be in the beginning of that death spiral, and I see it potentially with JC Penny with their new CEO and changing attitudes. You've got to escape those situations.

I can tell you first-hand that it's happening with..er..I can't use the company's name without express written consent, so we'll refer to it as Wrong Aid. Stores have been closing down left & right for years, you can see in the sale papers that people now regularly have to buy $30+ worth of a single brand of merchandise just to get a $5 store credit coupon or something to that degree, when I first started working here they had just recently realized that there was no difference in responsibility between Asst. Manager & Shift Supervisor except $4+/hour, so they did away with that position & offered a poor severance package for those who wanted to leave because of it, & just cut the pay of those who couldn't afford to. The most thriving companies in the US seem to be the ones that pay & treat their employees with courtesy & respect (Costco, anyone?), & Wrong Aid dug themselves in a hole by trying to cut costs & close stores when the economy tanked, & now the majority of their employees resent the corporation. I mean hell, we have full time pharmacists that have been with the company 10+ years & still have 5 figure salaries!

Granted my only experience in the company is in my district/region, & we are the 3rd lowest district & the absolute lowest region in sales & customer service, so it could just be that the management here sucks.

Well I wasn't, but if you want to continue doing exactly what you're giving me so much crap for then please, carry on:thumb:

I humbly suggest that the next time you make a statement and want to be taken seriously that you not conclude your remarks with "Go figure. I'll go cry myself a river or something."

If your forum posts are any indication of your ftf communication style then it's no wonder you're having trouble interacting with people.

There are some people on this forum who are actually trying to help you, but you can't see that because you filter everything through your negative lens that says everyone is just being mean, and none of it is in response to your attitude. Trust me, I know of which I speak, when I was young I was a cynical, self-absorbed little punk who never took any responsibility for other people's reactions to my poor demeanor.

You seem like a basically nice guy, but you're so focused on defending your righteousness that there's no room to even consider that you in fact have immense power to shape your interactions with people - for better or worse.

By remaining locked into your current mindset you're only really hurting yourself. And I hope you take my remarks in the spirit in which they are intended - but whether you do or not ultimately won't matter to me.

I've purchased used parts from CF and from ebay and brought them to my #1 shop for installation. Frequently, the installation will involve additional parts such as cable, housing or some other part that I didn't think of. I buy those from the shop that's doing the installation. They've never complained. Hey, I'm still paying their standard labor rate for all the work they perform and I still buy some parts and accessories from them. Also, I never ask for a discount and never complain about their prices, although I do ask for an estimate before they start the work. I can understand what the OP is saying about someone who just abuses the bike shop, but some shops won't work on a bike if you don't buy the parts from them, especially used parts. Others, like the shop I frequent, understand that when a major installation occurs, there will be accessories or associated parts that must be purchased, plus the job pays for salaries.

Of course not all shops are the same and not all of them deserve your business just because they sell bikes. I would support the ones that support your needs. It is a market after all.

Now for those of you that will jump on my next comment based on my statement above that it is a market after all I'd like to point out one thing to keep in mind, yes it is a market, but you may not like the results by going exclusively on-line. To those that think they are saving X number of dollars by getting things mail-order/on-line you are not saving as much as you think. What I'm referring to is brick-and-morter stores (e.g., your LBS) vs. internet mail order businesses. I'll just touch on it, but the general point will be made. Local sales taxes, property taxes, building improvements, employee wages, shop profits (my gosh, they make a profit? - how dare they!) and more help to support your town in so many ways. Your money spent locally will return to your town (and partially to you through lowered residential taxes, fees, etc.) many-fold. Send that same $$ out of your town to X-internet house and you just don't see it again (or any return) locally.

Also, next time you need something fast to get out and ride that day you can buzz on over to your LBS - - - - and it might be gone because you didn't support it. However, you can order overnight instead or wait for shipping a few days later to save costs - that will get you going out that day won't it?

The "I'll go cry myself a river ir something" was meant to indicate that I fully realize that not being able to afford to travel abroad is a pretty stupid thing to whine about whilst living comfortably in a first world country.

There are a lot of people here trying to help me, and if you haven't noticed, I take what they say to heart & respond appropriately. What causes me to respond so differently to you is that it doesn't feel like you're trying to help because you offer so much criticism & so little advise. When people do that, I tend to assume they're just hate-mongering. So I apologize for misinterpretting your intent.

What causes me to respond so differently to you is that it doesn't feel like you're trying to help because you offer so much criticism & so little advise.

Fair enough, so here's me trying to offer some helpful advice -

Read this: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/01/understanding-human-relationships/

Duly bookmarked :thumb: I'll start keeping a list & see what I can work on.

Generally speaking, it's better to help out your local shop (and I don't just mean bike stores) than save a couple dollars and place the order online.

I found this out when 2 LBSs near me closed last year. :(

Wow that's a lot of reading. I only made it through about 1/2 because I have to get ready for work, in "customer service." Samburger, you are 100% correct about most people being bastards. Granted I live in the midwest, and what I feel is a hot spot for self centered bastardism, but I'm pretty sure it's nearly as bad everywhere. People in the US are concerned with themselves and money. That's the American way. I'd say 1 in 20 is a decently good ratio for judging how many are self centered, rude, pricks. But probably only 1 in 20 is actually nice and friendly either. And 1/2 are struggling mentally and seem like they must come from inbred stock or something. Those numbers don't leave you with a lot of hope or a good mood when you deal with it every day for hours.

And as for the comments about it being self fulfilling, totally not the case. I used to be a really positive person. This job has made me less in general and made me hate our population in general. Yet I still have fantastic customer service and have been in line for a shift manager position for 2 years now as soon as one of our current ones leave. It's not that people are giving back what they're getting from me. I'm very friendly and helpful to them. It's just that they're d-bags.

Guys, let's check the guns at the door and cool off. If you want to do some analysis of each others mental and business states, perhaps take this to foo. The OP has a good thread. Take the review of humanity elsewhere.

And also, do remember, personal attacks don't belong here.