Not sure what to think here...

Tommy-D

Tommy-D

World's best B player...
Silver Member
About an hour ago,I went to the pool room to deliver a shaft I worked on for a new customer. I showed it to him,made sure he was pleased,got paid and left in just a few min.

I'm walking back to my vehicle,and the owner follows me outside.

He tells me he'd appreciate it if I didn't come back for the weekly tournament because I don't spend any money,or at least not enough to suit him,claiming I haven't spent a nickel for a month :confused:. He's also half-ass agitated as he delivers the message :speechless:.

I've played there 5 times in the last month. 4 of those times I was there for a tournament,and bought what I needed,no more than 2 canned drinks in a couple hours. The one other time I played for 45 min while waiting for a cue work customer,and paid before I left.

This is why I don't spend a lot in this place.

I'm not the type to just randomly buy people a beer. Anyone that asks me for a beer typically gets denied on personal principle,unless we're tight. There were 3 people there that fell into this category. None of them drink beer,and none of them would ask because they pay for their own.

They don't serve food,and typically any workplace vending machine has a much better selection of candy,chips,etc. I don't eat stuff like that much at all,and when I do I'd like to have something other than product that has visible dust on it :o.

They don't have my preferred beverage,I don't like water,and I've been trying to reduce my soft drink intake because my sugar has been out of whack lately. I've never even tried to carry in a drink from outside,out of respect.

I've only won this tournament once recently,and 3 times since Jan. His complaint was never brought up when I was winning it more often than not.

I was so stunned by this I just silently stood there until he walked away muttering to himself,like he had something to say but not the stones to say it.

What do you think? Tommy D.
 
Tommy-D said:
About an hour ago,I went to the pool room to deliver a shaft I worked on for a new customer. I showed it to him,made sure he was pleased,got paid and left in just a few min.

I'm walking back to my vehicle,and the owner follows me outside.

He tells me he'd appreciate it if I didn't come back for the weekly tournament because I don't spend any money,or at least not enough to suit him,claiming I haven't spent a nickel for a month :confused:. He's also half-ass agitated as he delivers the message :speechless:.

I've played there 5 times in the last month. 4 of those times I was there for a tournament,and bought what I needed,no more than 2 canned drinks in a couple hours. The one other time I played for 45 min while waiting for a cue work customer,and paid before I left.

This is why I don't spend a lot in this place.

I'm not the type to just randomly buy people a beer. Anyone that asks me for a beer typically gets denied on personal principle,unless we're tight. There were 3 people there that fell into this category. None of them drink beer,and none of them would ask because they pay for their own.

They don't serve food,and typically any workplace vending machine has a much better selection of candy,chips,etc. I don't eat stuff like that much at all,and when I do I'd like to have something other than product that has visible dust on it :o.

They don't have my preferred beverage,I don't like water,and I've been trying to reduce my soft drink intake because my sugar has been out of whack lately. I've never even tried to carry in a drink from outside,out of respect.

I've only won this tournament once recently,and 3 times since Jan. His complaint was never brought up when I was winning it more often than not.

I was so stunned by this I just silently stood there until he walked away muttering to himself,like he had something to say but not the stones to say it.

What do you think? Tommy D.
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Tommy

I think he's got an issue he didn't express and I think we can both be glad we are we, and not he.

Kevin
 
he has his own perspective....

Obviously, he has his own view of you and maybe it's that he sees you doing business with his customers, and he doesn't like it.....

I would suggest if you care about playing in his room, that you might somehow
mend some fences with him, maybe buy him a beer and have a man to man talk;
otherwise, just don't go back there, as he wishes.
 
I think I would be pissed but inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was irritated by something else and at that moment he saw you coming and going pretty quick and made you the target.

That said there is NO REASON to lay into a customer for the amount of money he spends. I owned a pool room and any time people were in my place spending money or not was good for me. If I had a guy who came in and only drank coffee I'd be happy about it.

As a customer though I do try to buy something to drink or otherwise patronize the place when I come in.

I think you should stop by and have a chat and see if he doesn't come around. I bet you he says he is sorry and was irritated about something else.
 
I would bet it's a combination of you not spending a lot of money while doing your business within the walls of his business.

I'd probably be pretty bent too... especially if I was having money troubles (which no one knows if he is or not.)
 
krupa said:
I would bet it's a combination of you not spending a lot of money while doing your business within the walls of his business.

I'd probably be pretty bent too... especially if I was having money troubles (which no one knows if he is or not.)
Click to expand...

The owner is pissed because he's not getting his cut.
 
Tommy-D said:
I was so stunned by this I just silently stood there until he walked away muttering to himself,like he had something to say but not the stones to say it.

What do you think? Tommy D.
Click to expand...

I think there are always three sides to every two-story house.

Freddie <~~~ and it's usually the butler that did it
 
Mitchxout said:
The owner is pissed because he's not getting his cut.
Click to expand...

Well... since the OP didn't state whether they had any kind of arrangement, I'm going to assume they don't. In which case, the owner has a valid case for being pissed. He (the owner) is paying rent and utilities and insurance and the OP is using the owner's place to do his (the OP's) business. Wouldn't you be a little pissed?
 
It could be the fact that you are doing business within his business. However, if your work is of high quality then it is a benefit to him that you are there.

Tommy,

What I'm going to say below could be 100% off base for your situation. I've been a manager for many years so I've had to resolve a lot of disagreements. So I'll just offer another theory that you are free to disregard.

Another explanation is there is something he does not like about your behavior. Perhaps it's an unfair perception. You could ask someone else there, that you trust. But people tend not to like to give difficult messages so they will probably say they have no idea. So you will probably need to ask him directly. Maybe he's overreacting about some small incident and you two can talk it out. In that conversation I suggest you don't argue. You hear him out and if its even slightly reasonable you first say you understand how he could feel that way, you could have done things differently, and you will do things differently in the future. That response tends to drain the anger out of the other guy. That gives you the emotional space to then explain your side of the story. Then you move on.



- Jeff in Frisco
 
krupa said:
Well... since the OP didn't state whether they had any kind of arrangement, I'm going to assume they don't. In which case, the owner has a valid case for being pissed. He (the owner) is paying rent and utilities and insurance and the OP is using the owner's place to do his (the OP's) business. Wouldn't you be a little pissed?
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He stopped by to drop something off. It isn't like he grabbed a few chairs and set up his lathe. The owner's got his panties in a bunch because, a) he's bad at running a business, and b) he probably is upset that people hand Tommy more money than they hand him.

He may see if there's some kind of deal they can work out, such as advertising his work through the place while giving them a few bucks of each service.

He pays table time, but the place doesn't offer anything worth buying. They can't just offer a handful of crap for twice the price and expect every Tom, Dick and Harry to buy it up.

Any place that I patronize that's going to try that when I spend my money there is only asking for less business. What he should've done is ask what he could do to encourage more of his business. We need a pool hall version of Bar 911 or Restaurant Impossible.

If Tommy wants, he could just ask his customers to meet him at a pool hall that he does get good service at! :cool:
 
Do they match $$$ for the tourny? If they do the cost of a couple sodas doesn't cover his expense. Not saying I like it but that could be the problem.
 
I feel that there are quite a few pool hall owners that need to watch Bar Rescue. Customer appreciation at some is almost non existent and the way they treat their own employees is awful. It amazes me they are in business at all. I went to one pool hall for years and still go there on ocassion and I am dead sure they have no idea what my name is and could care less. To the OP of the thread I feel your pain and I am getting closer all the time to saying the hell with pool..
 
krupa said:
Well... since the OP didn't state whether they had any kind of arrangement, I'm going to assume they don't. In which case, the owner has a valid case for being pissed. He (the owner) is paying rent and utilities and insurance and the OP is using the owner's place to do his (the OP's) business. Wouldn't you be a little pissed?
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Kinda agree here....You should approach the owner and offer to do work for his customers and offer him a cut. Ask if you can put up a sign with prices for cue repairs. Let the owner get the cues from the customers and call you to pick them up. He benefits and you benefit.
 
Does the poolroom offer repair work? If the poolroom doesn't have a lathe onsite, the owner may have the number or two of someone who can do repair work. If the owner doesn't do repair work, are you on his recommendation list?
 
Quesports said:
I feel that there are quite a few pool hall owners that need to watch Bar Rescue. Customer appreciation at some is almost non existent and the way they treat their own employees is awful. It amazes me they are in business at all. I went to one pool hall for years and still go there on ocassion and I am dead sure they have no idea what my name is and could care less. To the OP of the thread I feel your pain and I am getting closer all the time to saying the hell with pool..
Click to expand...

I walked into a local hall, Classics, a month or two ago. I had hoped to find a game or somebody there to shoot with for a bit at least. Instead, there were 3 people sitting near the door watching a game on TV. I asked where everybody was and nobody acknowledged me from the time I walked in to the time I walked out. If I step foot back into a place with that crappy of service, it'll be to take money OUT.
 
T,

You and i go back more than a minute and, imo, your one of the least abrasive peeps on GOD's gr8 earth.

i'd also suggest talkin to the "owner" in order to get to the crux of the perceived problem but keep in mind that in some cases differances are irreconcilable

Take care, a
 
I'd meet my customers at a different room. If the customer wants to try out the new tip/ shaft etc., they can pay that guy some table time.

There's always coffeeshops for meeting up, too. Coffeeshops never demand a cut, or even a purchase, when people meet there. Coffeeshops won't stop you in the parking lot to ask, "Well, how much have you spent here lately," either.
 
Tommy-D said:
About an hour ago,I went to the pool room to deliver a shaft I worked on for a new customer. I showed it to him,made sure he was pleased,got paid and left in just a few min.

I'm walking back to my vehicle,and the owner follows me outside.

He tells me he'd appreciate it if I didn't come back for the weekly tournament because I don't spend any money,or at least not enough to suit him,claiming I haven't spent a nickel for a month :confused:. He's also half-ass agitated as he delivers the message :speechless:.

I've played there 5 times in the last month. 4 of those times I was there for a tournament,and bought what I needed,no more than 2 canned drinks in a couple hours. The one other time I played for 45 min while waiting for a cue work customer,and paid before I left.

This is why I don't spend a lot in this place.

I'm not the type to just randomly buy people a beer. Anyone that asks me for a beer typically gets denied on personal principle,unless we're tight. There were 3 people there that fell into this category. None of them drink beer,and none of them would ask because they pay for their own.

They don't serve food,and typically any workplace vending machine has a much better selection of candy,chips,etc. I don't eat stuff like that much at all,and when I do I'd like to have something other than product that has visible dust on it :o.

They don't have my preferred beverage,I don't like water,and I've been trying to reduce my soft drink intake because my sugar has been out of whack lately. I've never even tried to carry in a drink from outside,out of respect.

I've only won this tournament once recently,and 3 times since Jan. His complaint was never brought up when I was winning it more often than not.

I was so stunned by this I just silently stood there until he walked away muttering to himself,like he had something to say but not the stones to say it.

What do you think? Tommy D.
Click to expand...


Tommy, I personally know you're a good guy and a generous soul.

But sometime you have to do a little PR work. All your points are legit, but unless the guy just has a hard on for you (some pool room owners are like that), just spend some time there when the owner is around and spend a few bucks (on anything!) so he feels OK about you being there. Obviously he's not smart enough to figure out on his own that having a guy like you around is to his benefit, so you just have to do what you gotta do to cool his jets. Spend a few bucks, make sure he sees it, and make him semi-happy. With a guy like this you will *never* spend enough but at least you can get him off your case.

Lou Figueroa
 
My two cents.

I brought cue for a guy to look at and buy at the local poolroom. The owner was a little more tactful than this guy and pulled me aside and said he too sold cues and he would never bring cues in to sell it a room without giving the owner a jelly roll or at least ask permission.

I thought about it, and he was right. I never thought of it (honestly), and I understood his point.

Do business in the parking lot, across the street or whatever. But if you are doing business inside his business, ask permission first or give him a tip.

JMO

Ken Strain
 
He may have a right to be pissed

Imagine that you strolled into Wells Fargo in a SMALL town, set up shop on a lawn chair, and offered a product or service to the customers, only the ones you know...now, I'm exaggerating, but ...you'd be hauled off In a hurry.

Fact is, like someone already said, it's HIS business and HIS livelihood, and there is VALUE in clientele, and also VALUE in a clean, air conditioned space, set up with easy access to roll a cue on the table, etc.

Going into his business, spending very little money, and PROFITING from HIS CLIENTELE AND OFFICE SPACE...well...you can see the problem, now imagine that he's paying the bills, and he's going broke, losing money, trying to hang on, and you're making money with NO OVERHEAD...OFF OF HIS CLIENTELE, .........

The answer is simple, he probably had a bad day, but he's probably been feeling this way for a while, and something just set him off.

I always ask myself this...do I want to be right?...or get what I want?
If you want to be right, say screw him, stop going there, u both suffer.
If you want to get what u want, go apologize, buy him a beer, tip him well, buy some nachos here and there, offer him a 20 spot here and there...a little piece of the action, or offer to do some stuff for him personally.

He should get some kind of benefit from offering you easy access to clientele and space to conduct business.

Just my .02

Life is about getting what you want :grin:
 
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