WWMD? Shop rat rant.

[Plakespear]

Okay, here's the deal. As many of you know, I work at a ski shop. However, there are a lot of business practices that go on that I feel are just plain wrong. And I think our techs don't do a very good job servicing the skis.

Examples:
All the skis are waxed using one of those belt things. The service guys are convinced that "you don't need to hotwax. Just use Zardoz" There are no brushes, and the scrapers all suck and need to be replaced.

When I put a big thick coat of wax on my skis last April, the techs didn't understand whyI was doing this.

They fill in p-tex gaps by lighting the stuff on fire and letting it drip.

They charge extra for binding release checks. (The shop I learned how to tune at provided this service for free)

The manager doesn't ski, and the head tech guy thinks Windham is a great mountain.

The rental fleet is over ten years old. The boots are all gross, rear entries, and the newest skis are Elan SCX's. Yet we raised the prices of our shitty gear this season.

And this one really irks me- the manager had me put price tags on some gloves that were $20 over suggested retail- than put on a "Sale" tag, even though the "sale" price was only a penny under suggested retail.

How should I confront the manager and tell him that I think this is a poor way to run a business? He's worked at the shop over 25 years, but has only managed it for about two or three.

[ScottG]

Are you aware that you are not working at a ski shop?

If possible, get a job with a real shop so you can sleep at night.

If you really want to get even, report the fraudulent "sale" pricing to your state attorney general so these bums can be sent to jail.

[Free Range Lobster]

better business beureau.
report him.

places that are run like that need to be shut down sadly.

[Stikki]

Start your own shop, do it right, put him out of business.

[Laps]

Light the place on fire and then run. If the cops ask any questions, tell them you were fixing skis with a lit p-tex candle.

[Spats]

How should I confront the manager and tell him that I think this is a poor way to run a business? He's worked at the shop over 25 years, but has only managed it for about two or three.

You shouldn't.

Here are a few things that might happen:
1) Nothing. He ignores you and things continue as before.
2) He gets angry at you for undermining his authority and you lose all chances at a raise or a promotion.
3) He makes a couple of changes once some time has passed and he convinces himself they're his own ideas, not yours. He will take credit for them and you are still a peon. See 2).

2) is most likely because the manager draws his salary no matter what the shop is making or losing.

Note that none of these things are good. Don't bother with the manager. Trust me on this. It's true in any workplace. A business is a dictatorship, and he's the dictator, so he has no incentive to do anything you say. Especially when you basically tell him "I know you've been working here for 25 years and I'm only the new guy, but I know how to do this better than you."

The only thing you can do that might make a difference is talk to the owner, because the owner actually makes or loses money depending on how well the shop does. But this is also risky, because you have to make a convincing presentation of how your changes will make them more money, and most of your changes involve them spending more money.

I recommend you get a job at a different shop. When people ask why you want to leave, you have to tell them why without directly insulting or disparaging the other shop, because if you do, they'll assume you'll trash them too once you leave.

A couple facts like you outlined above should be sufficient, and you can sum it up by saying "I feel that my abilities as a ski tuner/bootfitter/whatever aren't being used there, and I'd like to work at a shop which has the tools and the work ethic to do the job I'm capable of." They'll eat that s#!t up and you'll have a better job.

[CUBUCK]

Plake, this isn't Langhorne ski shop is it??

I remember being in there last year around christmas and they wanted $75 for a binding mount

[Plakespear]

No. I'm not going to say what shop I do work at, but it's not Langhorne. I heard Langhorne sells skis at retail that they bought using the employee purchase forms.

It's hard for me to be a jerk, because the shop treats me well, and was very flexible with me when I was sick last year. I guess I'm trying to figure out how to make some changes for the better.

The former hardgoods manager, who had worked at the shop nearly a decade, told me he gave up trying to suggest things to the Gen Mgr, because he doesn't listen (Spats, #1 is most likely). And he has no clue about the business of skiing.

I think I simply need to get out of PA. Seems like all the shops suck here.