Gotta Love Customers

Mind if i ask what store you work at?

 

It's unfortunate to hear that. I buy all of my bulk items online, but I also don't use the free services at my LFS. I will ask questions from the locations (website or brick and mortar) where I intend to purchase the items.

You could always try the loyalty card approach- you get 1 free round of tests (when you sign up for the card), then after that, you get 1 free test for every $(determine value) you spend. That way you get repeat customers and inspire loyalty, but at the same time, you will limit the customers who do exactly what you mentioned above. If they are regular customers (aka ones you want to keep) they should have no problem hitting that mark.

 

sounds like you are not cut out for retail work. Business is business.

 

Yes, business is business, but if you spend more money on the expense of testing a "customer's" water than you make in profit from that customer, you're not doing business- you're losing money.

Additionally, you simply can't focus on every single person that walks into your store and you need to allot your time to those who have potential to become heavy buyers. Heavy buyers (aka loyal customers) will make up about 70-80% of your business. They come back to you like clock work and deserve the majority of your time.

Don't get me wrong, it is important to try to transition light buyers to become heavy buyers, but the information that Inwall posted directly points to an uninvolved customer, who is just looking to work the system and will end up resulting in more headaches than profit. You want to treat everyone kindly while they are there, but you shouldn't give free things to customers who don't provide you with any benefit. The loyalty card approach helps cut down on those customers who are just looking for handouts.

 

How much for one rib?

 

I get what you mean but kind of fall into the same group. I have a good lfs that has lots of good experience with reefkeeping and I always go there for advice or to get second opinions and will talk to them for an hour or 2. I almost never buy dry goods there though because their prices are through the roof and they usually dont carry a brand or product I am looking for.
Their livestock is a little pricey but it is the only place I will buy a SW fish from for my tank. Through the years I have gone there I have only seen disease once or twice in their tanks and when it happens they dont sell from that system. Even their FW selection is pricey but disease free and healthy, I can honestly say I have never had a fish die on me from their store and they seem to grow faster and bulkier than when purchased from other stores, cant exactly say that about other stores. They also carry really nice driftwood and texas holey rock for the FW setups that I have dropped a pretty penny on to get the nice pieces.

Now over the last 12 months I have spent way more than $28. I think over the past 4 months I have spent at least $250. They do strip testing for free but charge $2 per liquid test.

 

That is exactly why you would be considered a valuable customer and not just a blood sucking leech (aka you're not in that group);D.

 

This literally kills me every day at work.

 

I deal with the public and more than understand the type of customer the OP referred to. Unfortunately, this is a side effect of operating a public business..

There will always be the crowd of people who feel like they are well within their rights to behave this way and never understand the morals of their behavior...

This is when you take the time to evaluate the reason(s) why you do what you do.. Its not for the people who live life with an attitude that they are owed something for nothing, its the ones that are appreciative that make it worth the hassle...

The morals of our society have long (to say the least) been disappointing and the expectation that this will change is a fairytale.

What I have learned is to lead by example, except the things I cant change, remain true and accountable to my own morals and treat people as I would want to be treated not how that I have been treated...

Just my 2cw...

 

I can't believe you forgot to test for copper!