I
was about to get to your point eventually. I agree 100%. I've had it happen to
me only a little differently. I've had guys listen to conversations between me
and a customer as to how to do this or that. He'd then go buy components
somewhere else, assemble them, and bring them to me for corrective action.
Also, I've had guys listening in on conversations with another
clubmaker who followed the clubmaker out of the store to get him to build
stuff rather than pay me. Unconscionable to be
sure.
Unethical? Well I must say that ethics stop with customers. They're
looking for the best deal. Businessmen are fair game. Dickering, shopping
around, lying about who's offering the best deal . . . you name it, I've had
it happen. Perhaps the prime example of this occurred when I was working
part-time for a high volume shop. The guy sold OEM equipment only, no custom
stuff at all, and he did a tremendous repair business. This company grossed
nearly a million a year in sales - no exaggeration! Nearly every
customer, from buyers of OEM new or used to the guy who wanted a club
regripped, shopped, dickered, lied about who sold what for less, argued about
prices, returned merchadise they bought because they couldn't hit it, and on
and on and on. The owner was a nervous wreck. Customers drove the guy
absolutely nuts with their demands for "deals." I didn't have the problem. I
just quoted the retail price and let the customer argue with the boss. I'd say
fully half of the "regulars" were as crooked as hell. That ration wasn't as
great in my shop simply because I absolutely refused to dicker.
TFlan
Hi TFlan,
Here's a different spin,
Let's say you have a stick
n glue guy walk in your shop and buy iron heads for $55.60 and steel shaft's
for $22.00 and grips at a buck ea. while watching you sell the same set for
$300.00 and he tells your customer he can do the same thing for $199.00, but
you offered the place of business and the demo's to see what he hit the best
as well, as a selection of heads and shafts to pick from, this guy would be
considered a snake and thrown out of the store and limited to mail order,
I
believe as some have said that the line is drawn where it either benefits your
business or detracts from it.
If your actions at the range detract from
their business than they are UN ethical and if they don't then they are
not.
David
