Uncollected board, how long would you keep it

General Discussion
21

Thanks guys

lots of good advise and a few laughs too.

I’ve asked myself the same question many times, making boards is a hobby but the ding repair is a business but only so for the last year and ahalf.

I try to run it as proffessionally as possible, with receipts, note books and spread sheets, business cards etc.

I’m as upfront and honest at the outset as possible, I believe its better to under promise and over deliver, especially with time frames, If you tell someone it will take 2 weeks and then I get it done in in one they’ll be happier than if you said 2 and took 3.

Every one’s been real stoked with my work and I get a buzz handing a repaired board back to the owner.

Last repair was a glass on, the owner looked the board over and said I’d done a great job - then I pointed out that I’d done the other fin and the one he was looking at was the orriginal, said my repair made the other fins look crap.

Ambros,- well put, sounds like you got some nice boards to look after, every now and again I get to work on a gem and think it would be cool it was never claimed, but the reality of it is the board would never truely be mine and I really enjoy working on a well built board.

I will draw something for people to sign to cover myself for the future. But I guess ultimately the relatioship between the customer and you is one of trust.

I hate extra paper work but I guess its a sign of the times. Makes me laugth when I buy peanuts and the packet has a lable “Caution the prduct may contain nuts” Maybe I should add a lable saying "caution repair may be stronger than the rest of the board, board may require further repiars in the future "

I’ve decided to stick it in the loft, out of site out of mind, I’ll let you guys know what happens. from now on I set thinks out at the start about how long I’m willing to keep them.

BTW great example of the body shop, if he ever shows I think I will put that to him and pretend I chucked it to see the look on his face, then tell him its in the loft.

22
Quote:

I will draw something for people to sign to cover myself for the future. But I guess ultimately the relatioship between the customer and you is one of trust. -woodywaverider

The realtionship between the customer and you is one of trust…but the realtionship between the customer and the business goes a bit beyond that.

Quote:

If I had a real business I would act different. ( Like what Pete C says)

I now have a note book on my work bench and I keep track of every board. Every phone number. And every board gets a price and completion date before I start. I always complete my work on time.

You guys do have real businesses…if you don’t think so, ask the people who give you money and trust you to perform. And I can tell you there are a couple of things good businesses do. One is to communicate…and that’s probably as important as the actual work you do. Effective communication in this case would include everything Ray mentions here. If there is a problem with either the work or the schedule, just call the people in advance and let them know. People hate surprises.

What I’m talking about isn’t some anal practices, it’s a glorified form of basic manners. As the world “Westernizes” the the nut-crushing social and economic pressures will spread. People get angry and mistrustful. The whole concept of manners seems to be going out the window in populated North American locations, and since people are people anywhere you go I can’t imagine that the same circumstances won’t bring forth some sort of same results. When everybody is on edge, any glitch triggers anger and mistrust. I’m not saying anybody has “bad manners” here. It’s just that “manners” provide a basis for dealing with potentially sticky situations in a rational, genteel way.

By making the effort to incorporate the basic structure to streamline communication you will not only makes things run easier, you will make things run simpler for both you and your customer. And that’s always good for business.

And I think a tour of Ambrose’s shed would be interesting…

Nels

23

yea i bet there are a lot rather interesting things in their.

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Standard disclaimer typically seen in repair shops:

Neither Woody_Waverider nor his technicians will be held liable for equipment left over 30 days. All items left over 30 days will become the property of Woody_Waverider and sold at market value for the cost incurred from repair.

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I would rather template, shape and glass a new board than do any type of ding repair.

I hate doing repair work!

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Howzit Ambrose, Wasn't Fat Bob the guy who died from a heart attack while surfing Poli Hale, don't think he'll be picking the board up anytime soon. Aloha,Kokua
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Nels a real tour of my shed is an all day affair.

fat bob died at Majors bay.

it still has yet to have the foam inserts

put into the routed out dead foam,

another project started and not yet complete…

I some times leave slow to collect surfboard repairs undone

to retaliate for past sins on the part of ‘fix my board’ guys.

…ambrose…

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Quote:

I’d keep it indefinitely. He’ll be back some day and will be stoked to have it back. Act REAL mad, call him a few choice names and mention that you should be charging him a storage fee. Then you can both laugh it off and have a beer.

Sell it out from under him and it could… complicate the friendship.

Thought I’d give you all an update.

Put it in the loft forgot about it, the guy called me last night, he was really worried I’d sold it and was very apploogetic, gave some excuse about losing my number and the new girl in the shop not having it? sounded like BS but thats in the past.

Anway I messed with him a bit before telling him I’ve still got it, hes picking the thing up tonight glad to get shot of it and the money will pay for my trip this weekend.

I’ve started making a note of how long people are away till and telling them I’ll only hold a board for 30 days after that. As we also had a breaking (nothing was taken apart from a bike) I thought I’d see where I stand on insurance. so now I tell people that boards arn’t covered in the event of fire, flood or thieft, no one seems to mind.

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allswelldatentsswell. and he will love his bort.

high ho kimosabe

and away

there wiilll be another burr

for your saddle blanket

dont consider this too great a loss

we always feel completed

when there is somthin to anxt about

slow guys on a long trip

that dont pull over to let ya pass

woman with large Hats at the theatre

cellophane wrappers in the dark

just when Ingrid bergman is

revealing the name of the real spy

the guy next door starting his mower

at 4 am on sunday…

the guy bringing the board back

the day after with a broken…

…ambrose…

th board’s destiny may be closely wrapped up with your life yoga…