Any advice on how to handle a newbie to cue repair that thinks he has a better way of doing business and was putting on mooris and kamuis for $20 at his booth??? Second, after a customer left his booth twice without buying anything, I sold that person a cue nd a case and he says I stole his customer??? I think a good punch in the nose might be the solution.
Rogue cue technician
- Thread starter bob_bushka
- Start date
I don't think there is anything to do, first the guy can charge anything he wants to for he is selling, and second if he is acting that way to other dealers he will not be around very long, in fact it may the last time you see him, at least we can hope so.
JIMO
Just one of those things you'll have to fade....he wont be around long by the sound of it
dave sutton
Banned
They beat me to it. On one hand people like that tend to work themselves out. And second he'll see he is doing the work too cheap and raise his price. Never underestimate greed. Why do 10 tips for 200$ when you can do 5 tips for 200$. He'll wise up soon.
Steal a customer?
I would like to know how you "steal" a customer. Gunpoint? Tazer?
I would laugh and ask him just how you make a customer spend money if they did'nt want to. I just think its kinda funny the mentality of this dude. He's desperate to recover the money he's losing on tips. LOL
I would like to know how you "steal" a customer. Gunpoint? Tazer?
I would laugh and ask him just how you make a customer spend money if they did'nt want to. I just think its kinda funny the mentality of this dude. He's desperate to recover the money he's losing on tips. LOL
I was at the BCA's in Vegas years ago and a similar thing happened. A new guy set up and tried to undercut Joe Blackburn and the others on tips. Joe, Guido and the others just lowered their prices to match his. He sat there for 2 days with zero business and then packed up.
There will always be a new cheap tip guy. You generally get what you pay for. The experienced tip guy can put a tip on and know it will stay. He has experience. He can also help you sort out the 500 medium tips. . .again, he has experience. The old guy won't ding your shaft or scratch your ferrue. . why??
So, for $20, what do you get? Customers know.
So, for $20, what do you get? Customers know.
Thanks for the advice everyone. My blood pressure is almost back to normal. I got a tourney in his backyard so I could just go in and do tips for nothing and really cramp his style but what good does that do? I can't believe after 2 fairly decent and fair cue repair people have addressed the issue with him, he thinks he has a better way so that all 3 of us don't make money. When I started out I was a well known player in my area and immediately captured about 40% of market share. I never used pricing as a catalyst of my business. I always figured that if someone has been charging what they have for the last 5 years, he has pricing and expenses figured out better than I did as a newcomer. He is a sad excuse to be in the business since this is "just his winter job".
Hi,
Everybody has the right to sell their service for the price they want.
He could have bought a gross of Mooris for 8.00 each. If he wants to charge 12.00 for his services and a little glue it's his choice. He paid for the booth and if he loses money he will up his cost point next time.
Capitalism is a great thing and everyone can do it in their own way!
Rick
Everybody has the right to sell their service for the price they want.
He could have bought a gross of Mooris for 8.00 each. If he wants to charge 12.00 for his services and a little glue it's his choice. He paid for the booth and if he loses money he will up his cost point next time.
Capitalism is a great thing and everyone can do it in their own way!
Rick
I agree. He can charge what ever he desires. Why do some mechanics feel it is their right to charge 30 to 50 dollars for 3 minutes of work just installing a tip and polishing the ferrule and get upset because all don't feel they need to do the same.
Dick
I always feel people can charge what they want to. I will charge what I feel is fair and if that keeps me from getting the work I am fine with that. Time is a very valuable thing and it can not be replaced.
I have a shop in the town I live and they charge $8.00 to do a standard tip. I myself charge $10.00 for the same tip and have never considered lowering the price. I have also had customers come straight from the other shop where they spent $8.00 to my shop to have the tip redone. By them trying to save $2.00 they ended up spending $18.00
I have a shop in the town I live and they charge $8.00 to do a standard tip. I myself charge $10.00 for the same tip and have never considered lowering the price. I have also had customers come straight from the other shop where they spent $8.00 to my shop to have the tip redone. By them trying to save $2.00 they ended up spending $18.00
I charge a tad more for an install than the other guy in town and the billiard shop. My fee also includes a shaft clean and wax so an extra $3 is worth it in my eyes. I can't stand to see a blue shaft go out of my shop and I want people to know they get a bit of extra service when they come to me.
The guys at the billiard shop are actually my best customers. They try to do things that they have no knowledge of and the equipment to do it with and
many times I end up with their sloppy repair jobs. Not trying to say I'm the Super Mario of cue repair, I know what I'm capable of and not.
The other repair guy in town is my friend, I know what his prices are and he knows mine. It goes back and forth but for the most part, we are reading from the same Bible. I don't try and lure his customers with cheaper prices, mine are what they are and if in some cases cheaper, then thats the way it is. I do refer a bit of business to him as well if its something that I know he is better at than me.
The guys at the billiard shop are actually my best customers. They try to do things that they have no knowledge of and the equipment to do it with and
many times I end up with their sloppy repair jobs. Not trying to say I'm the Super Mario of cue repair, I know what I'm capable of and not.
The other repair guy in town is my friend, I know what his prices are and he knows mine. It goes back and forth but for the most part, we are reading from the same Bible. I don't try and lure his customers with cheaper prices, mine are what they are and if in some cases cheaper, then thats the way it is. I do refer a bit of business to him as well if its something that I know he is better at than me.
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I was also wondering at the price of $20 to install a Moori? I mean I know that way back when they were like $40 to put on but I thought those days were long gone.
I just put on a layered tip at my desk in about ten minutes and had it shaped, trimmed and ready to play.
There isn't much mystery to the process anymore so count me as one who sees $20 as high to put on a tip.
I just put on a layered tip at my desk in about ten minutes and had it shaped, trimmed and ready to play.
There isn't much mystery to the process anymore so count me as one who sees $20 as high to put on a tip.
I see there are some believers in $20 Moori's, lol. As far as charging what he wants and free market I am all for it. However, the guys that are blogging that kindred spirit(especially the cue techs and cuemakers) would certainly grimace if they traveled 400 miles, paid a booth fee, 3 nites of motels and meals and got to say, "that will be $20 bucks, thank you very much." And maybe $375 is too high for a pool cue case, especially at my booth?
in no way shape or form would I even think you stole my customer!Id more than likely come to you and say (while shaking your hand) congrats I couldnt sell him anything!!!!been there done that just how I am!!!
But,nothing and nobody could tell me what to charge for a tip and my labor "not even the manufacturer"
--maybe he bought a deal from someone quitting the biz got tips for say $5 each selling for same and is charging his normal labor rate of $15 per
I got scolded for doing triangles cheap once.I was charging $11 out the door! paid $22 for 3 boxes put on 90 in 1 week and the rest in the next 2 weeks!!Who came out in that run??
That's the business you're in. If you can't compete you've got a problem, not the other guy who is willing to do it cheaper.
McDermott routinely services their I shafts with a new moori tip and a 10 point clean and inspect for $21. I've had that service and they did a rewrap on the cue because the tech noticed some small gaps. I wasn't charged for the rewrap.
Faster, better, cheaper are the mantra of the successful entrepaneur.
Like others have said. People will pay for quality service. There will always be those who will go for the lowest price, but you get what you pay for. If this "rogue cue tech" is offering a comparable service with similar quality as you are offering, you have no choice but to compete or stand pat and lose business. It's a question of how much you can fade and how long he will last.
The part about "stealing customers" I'd laugh in his face. People cannot be stolen they will spend their money on who or what they deem to be the best value.
The bottom line is that you get what you pay for. If you are overpriced you'll soon see it in your receipts.
I like your blog and the $21 sounds great and I sell McD's and they have a great warranty. I know their repair form charges $21.95 for inspection, handling and shipping. I thought their services for things like tips and cleaning was extra unless it was warranty work. I had an old D series I picked up cheap at a pawn shop for $50 and was about 95% on the shaft but the butt had a serious problem at the A joint. I had them refinish it including putting in a new handle section to straighten butt, leather wrap, and second shaft with original ringwork and it was $225. Not bad for basically a brand new D23 with 2 shafts!That's the business you're in. If you can't compete you've got a problem, not the other guy who is willing to do it cheaper.
McDermott routinely services their I shafts with a new moori tip and a 10 point clean and inspect for $21. I've had that service and they did a rewrap on the cue because the tech noticed some small gaps. I wasn't charged for the rewrap.
Faster, better, cheaper are the mantra of the successful entrepaneur.
Like others have said. People will pay for quality service. There will always be those who will go for the lowest price, but you get what you pay for. If this "rogue cue tech" is offering a comparable service with similar quality as you are offering, you have no choice but to compete or stand pat and lose business. It's a question of how much you can fade and how long he will last.
The part about "stealing customers" I'd laugh in his face. People cannot be stolen they will spend their money on who or what they deem to be the best value.
The bottom line is that you get what you pay for. If you are overpriced you'll soon see it in your receipts.
Warranty service is what I was referring to. They replace the moori on their I shafts the same as they would an Everest on the G core or the Triangle on the standard maple shaft. All of it for the same $21.95. They deemed the gaps in the wrap to be a "manufacturer defect" and did a rewrap as part of the warranty program. They've also removed dings from a couple of my shafts as part of the maintenance at no extra charge.
If you want to upgrade from the tip the shaft is stock with to a moori they will charge extra for that. If the shaft came with the moori it will get a moori for the life of the cue. You can't ask for a better value than that.
McDermott is a big company that can afford to absorb those costs. I can see how a sole proprietor would have trouble competing with McD. You should be on equal footing when competing with another sole proprietor, so if he's doing it cheaper you need to do it better or find some other way to differentiate yourself from him. Quality is one avenue. "I might not be the cheapest, but I am the best" is not a bad rep to have. Loyal customers will carry you through lean times. You just need to make them feel you deserve their loyalty. That means you have to earn it.
tap.tap.tapWarranty service is what I was referring to. They replace the moori on their I shafts the same as they would an Everest on the G core or the Triangle on the standard maple shaft. All of it for the same $21.95. They deemed the gaps in the wrap to be a "manufacturer defect" and did a rewrap as part of the warranty program. They've also removed dings from a couple of my shafts as part of the maintenance at no extra charge.
If you want to upgrade from the tip the shaft is stock with to a moori they will charge extra for that. If the shaft came with the moori it will get a moori for the life of the cue. You can't ask for a better value than that.
McDermott is a big company that can afford to absorb those costs. I can see how a sole proprietor would have trouble competing with McD. You should be on equal footing when competing with another sole proprietor, so if he's doing it cheaper you need to do it better or find some other way to differentiate yourself from him. Quality is one avenue. "I might not be the cheapest, but I am the best" is not a bad rep to have. Loyal customers will carry you through lean times. You just need to make them feel you deserve their loyalty. That means you have to earn it.