How do I choose my driller?

[ZRock]

In my area there are 3 fairly respected pro shops (locally of course, not nationally known). I seem to be having issues determining which one to make "mine". They are all in bowling alleys, and the one in my home alley is great. He knows his stuff, does great research, is a sponsored bowler himself, and is a decent friend of mine. My issue with him is his grip selection. The fingertip inserts he has are (to me) slippery, and wear down quickly. The two times I have suggested just bringing in some of my own, he has kind of acted offended. (I wonder if he still uses these grips because he doesn't use fingertip grips himself). The second pro shop has a GREAT pair of people who could do the drilling, they use grips that I like, but I was told if I bring a ball in for them to drill and don't buy it from them, they will refuse to work with me on what layout I want on it, and I would just have to tell them exactly how to have it drilled. This kind of attitude seems ridiculous when they are going to be charging me $50 for the drill, and its all labor costs... The last pro shop falls short solely because the pro shop owner is older and hasn't kept up as well as the other 2 have.

TL:DR - 3 pro shops, all with issues, how to choose?

[bowl1820]

Sounds like you like the first guy best. The customer is always right, tell him what grips you want and have him put them in.

If he can't get them, you bring them in and have him put them in or You can always put them in yourself too.

He shouldn't force you to take something you don't want.


Just curious What brand grips does he sell and what kind is it that you want?

[Greenday]

The second pro shop has a GREAT pair of people who could do the drilling, they use grips that I like, but I was told if I bring a ball in for them to drill and don't buy it from them, they will refuse to work with me on what layout I want on it, and I would just have to tell them exactly how to have it drilled.

I've never heard of a pro shop doing this and it's absolutely absurd. I just paid $28 to have my ball redrilled the way I want it at a pro shop I didn't buy the ball at. Do you know for a fact they won't work with you on the layout or is this just what someone else has told you? I'd go to them and ask if you haven't actually talked to them personally. Sounds like a ridiculous thing to do to throw away money like that.

[ZRock]

I've never heard of a pro shop doing this and it's absolutely absurd. I just paid $28 to have my ball redrilled the way I want it at a pro shop I didn't buy the ball at. Do you know for a fact they won't work with you on the layout or is this just what someone else has told you? I'd go to them and ask if you haven't actually talked to them personally. Sounds like a ridiculous thing to do to throw away money like that.

No, it wasn't told to me from someone else. That pro shop is co-owned by Jeremy Sonnenfeld, Mr. 900, and one other guy. The other guy is the one that told me this, right after asking me to bowl with them on friday nights.... Crazy right?

[Zothen]

I suggest the 1st guy! Your a paying customer and have every right to have the grips you want put in. If he won't,tell him you'll bring your own in and if he still won't put them in,then find another pro shop.

Zothen

[crimsoneyes]

Id just ask him to leave them empty and put your own in.

[75lockwood]

The Second and third shops sound sad, not willing to work on a ball because you didn't buy it from them? sounds like an awesome way to get new customers.....

Go with the first guy and see if he would be willing to order the grips you want, i can see why he may take offense to you wanting to use your own grips but not willing to order the grips would be kind of sucky

[billf]

Devil's advocate here; would you bring your own hamburger to McDonald's and ask them to cook it? Companies are in business to turn a profit (no matter how small). So even if they only make $10 on a ball sale, that's $10 you're taking off their kitchen table. Let's make it what is probably closer to the truth for a small pro shop: $40 profit from each ball sold X 50 balls sold a year= $2,000 in profit they lose. On top of that, all the internet buyers expect great service and all their questions answered about anything bowling for just the cost of drilling. Take the cost away of the slugs, grips, etc. and how many balls do you have to drill to pay off the $7,000 drill press or replace any of the $250+ drill bits?
That all being said, I also believe that there was/is a better way for shop #2 to handle these situations. Given that they have asked you to bowl with them, they feel comfortable enough with you to be brutally honest and not sugar coat it.

I'm an auto mechanic that works flat-rate. Basically what that means is all I get paid for is wrench on vehicle time. Talking to customers, driving vehicles, putting my stuff away is all for free. This may be why I can understand where these shops are coming from. I've spent over $100,000 on tools to perform my job correctly and people still come in and ask to use my tools to fix something themselves. It's OK, use my $320 ratchet, my family doesn't need food.

[ZRock]

Devil's advocate here; would you bring your own hamburger to McDonald's and ask them to cook it? Companies are in business to turn a profit (no matter how small). So even if they only make $10 on a ball sale, that's $10 you're taking off their kitchen table. Let's make it what is probably closer to the truth for a small pro shop: $40 profit from each ball sold X 50 balls sold a year= $2,000 in profit they lose. On top of that, all the internet buyers expect great service and all their questions answered about anything bowling for just the cost of drilling. Take the cost away of the slugs, grips, etc. and how many balls do you have to drill to pay off the $7,000 drill press or replace any of the $250+ drill bits?
That all being said, I also believe that there was/is a better way for shop #2 to handle these situations. Given that they have asked you to bowl with them, they feel comfortable enough with you to be brutally honest and not sugar coat it.

I'm an auto mechanic that works flat-rate. Basically what that means is all I get paid for is wrench on vehicle time. Talking to customers, driving vehicles, putting my stuff away is all for free. This may be why I can understand where these shops are coming from. I've spent over $100,000 on tools to perform my job correctly and people still come in and ask to use my tools to fix something themselves. It's OK, use my $320 ratchet, my family doesn't need food.

I appreciate your side of things here, the biggest issue for me is that I've started mixing friends with business now. Both the drillers at shop 1 & 2 have been long time friends of mine, but not close friends, and I've never really had to use their services before. My biggest issue with your point is that the drill is still pure profit for them other than wear on their tools. Profit is profit, why be a jerk about it?

[billf]

Because you're looking at $50 profit while they are looking at $90 profit. Small businesses usually have very small profit margins to begin with.
Many shops include drilling with purchase. So the prices they post should assume that a ball not purchased there. I would welcome any ball but set my pricing accordingly. Upsetting customers/potential customers is usually bad for business. There is nothing wrong with being friends with your pro shop, as long as both sides understand when and how to separate the two.

[ZRock]

But $50 is better than the $0 if I take it elsewhere.

[Rdmonster]

I'll play devils advocate too. The closest shop to me didn't give me static about bringing in a ball I bought online. They also weren't enthusiastically helpful. The guy that was twice as far away (a good 40 minute drive vs about 15) was very enthusiastic....friendly....helpful.

Guess who is getting my business. If I can get a ball online for less than the price of the ball in the shop with the free drilling I'm going to do it. I have a bottom line too. My last drilling with grips was 86 bucks....the grips were close to half that...6 apiece for the fingers. 12 for the thumb. When I order online I usually save about 20 bucks.

The new guy has a customer who bought shoes there...grip cream....ball cleaner....tape...towels.They are still making money .

[billf]

$86 for drilling and grips? Wow. My Marauder was $48 out the door including the IT insert.

Yes they still make money. I was just pointing out why that shop said he wouldn't do anything other than drill to the provided specs. I don't blame him but that doesn't mean I agree with them either.

[ZRock]

Well, this brings up another question. How to drill the marauder. I was thinking something pin down...

[scottymoney]

I would go to driller number 1, let him put in the grips and use it for awhile. Then just replace the grips with the ones you want. I will take service over product anyday, as my belief is that 75% of how a ball works is the drilling/layout.

My proshop drilled a ball I brought in, watched me bowl suggested what I should do, and made sure it fit right. Oh and I can't forget when I was done he had me throw a few balls and gave me a couple tips of where to play the lanes depending on if it was league night at the lanes or weekends at the lanes. He gained a customer that day as he even charged me less than what I totaled up from their price list. The guy even made an extra $10 that day as he went above and beyond and I gave him a tip.

I look for service over the product 10 times out of 10.

[ZRock]

Well, I'll probably go to driller 1 and have him to it when the ball comes in. The other option is to just not use grips at all...

[billf]

Well, this brings up another question. How to drill the marauder. I was thinking something pin down...

Do you have a video of you bowling? What conditions?