1.) Top Engineering Speed Shop
Location: 7280 Hawkinsville Rd.
Macon, GA 31216

2.) Reson for Not Reccomending
a.) I live a good ways from this shop and went there to discuss about a service for my bike and was told before the cost of this service was one price and then this time he jumped the price up, when I expressed my concerns about the cost of the service he blew up at me and told me to go to anotherr shop to purchase this service there and to buy my parts there too. . I would not reccomend this place of business to my worst enemy.

When it comes to the cost vs. parts+services, did you sign and authorize a work order?

It's a big deal. I'm in the service industry, myself. Lots of times potential customers ask for pricing. However, I depend on a realistic depiction on the work required. If they say that they have six knives that just require a "touch up," but arrive with ten knives that have been abused I don't 'honor' my questimate. They get finite pricing for the work they actually deliver.

My next question is when did the service writer first actually see your bike? Did you say you wanted an oil change but arrive with a bike in a basket?

Shops are a funny animal, one guy can swear by it and the next swear at it. It all depends on the relationship the customer has, walk ins as apposed to old customers and friends.
I do my own work so far cause I know me and I can't take the outsider treatment when spending my hard earned dough.

I agree. But there are clearly two sides.

I'm in the service industy. I tossed out a client, and told him I'd never sharpen another knife for him again. As a guy who demands 'perfection,' I informed him that now everyone ellse in Dane County will have superior knives, but he never will.

Sounds harsh, doesn't it? The guy had it coming. Several years ago I set up at an area in the old east-side Gander Mountain. The clown was miffed that I didn't work there 24/7 and sleep in the back room. He chewed out a co-work and demanded his favorite knife be placed ahead in that day's work. It was his favorite knife, and it needed "perfection." It also had an unusual handle. On the telephone I refused to sharpen it due to his conduct, and told him to pick it up. It was gone the next morning.

A few weeks later as I walked in past the service desk, a department manager told me a client was waiting--and there he was, a guy with a knife and an "unusual handle." I asked if he was the same guy, and he admitted that he was.

So I returned the favor. I chewed him out royally and publically for abusing one of our employees. The manager was not aware of his previous conduct and agreed with the decision. My final word to him was that his perfect knife would never be perfect again.

I'm sure he berates me behind my back quite often. No doubt he tells people never to take a knife to me. I'm also sure he uses the back of a can-opener on his knife while I service the good guys...

I am also self employed in the service business. A rather niche part of the car business actually.

No, the customer is not always right. And some customers you really do not want, and being self employed I am free to make those decisions.

Like tourist said though, on both sides of the counter there will be love and hate for the same person. Also most problems come about from mis or bad communication on one side or the other. I will also say in my particular part of the business often the shops or owners that are a little tough to get along with at first are often just the guy you want to be doing business with. The big smiley face, yes sir, no sir type, sucking up for business usually really needs to because that is his only talent.

I can't agree with that across the board, IF you are truly a professional you take responsibility for all your actions.
I also am self employed, I'm a General Contractor/Real Estate Evaluator, any mis-understandings from either side have to addressed by the one getting the money. I do this everyday, my customers don't. If they don't understand then I didn't explain it correctly - period. If they get a bug up their azz, I have to remove it. I work solely by reputation, any bad/negative pr (deserved or not) could be catastrophic for my company.

I also come from a school, the "old school" where I smile and say "Yes Sir and Ma'am" and I have yet to meet another human being that can match my abilities and talents, (no brag even though it sounds like it).

As for Picking and choosing customers, I can see Tourists point about the customer that got banned. He had it coming. But IF I didn't accept any jobs from whiners I'd be on the homeless forum right now.
Almost every one of my clients/customers at one time or another wanted to kill me, someone tracked paint on the carpet, or a window got broken, or there's dust everywhere!! At the end of every job with a 100% record everyone of them loved me and wanted me back. As self employed business owners we have to set the bar high, if not we're not going to survive.

I'm not flaming you, so if you read this and get upset in any way you read it wrong. I'm just dis agreeing with you and showing my point.

With one proviso. We still have to make a profit.

I believe that there are some toxic clients who are never going to be satisfied. They will keep pestering you as long as you expend resources. You can actually make more money (and sink your compettition) if you just suggest they go elsewhere.

Now, my position is different than yours. Mine is a retirement business. I get to pick and choose clients, and I do not have to really work at all. My business income is a nice adjunct to our resources. A little more gas, a little more chrome. The common denominator is unreasonable clients.

RK, if you had to provide so much (unreasonable) customer service that it tied up your other jobs, burned up all of your profits and never really fixed the problem then you would go bankrupt.

I get requests all of the time to make "tactical" knives (there is no such thing) and camp axes shaving sharp because some clown saw one in Soldier of Fiction. Oh, it can be done, no question--I have stones used on Japanese kitchen knives that will do it, no sweat. However, the edge won't last and I have to grind off so much metal thinnning the edge it will take years off of the useful life of the tool.

And in doing so it will create another customer service issue. And I have a SOG dagger-style mercenary 'whatever' on my stand right now from a client with that exact request.

https://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb23 ... 01-113.jpg

Well this aint my first rodeo, My father before me was a builder and taught me the biz from the ground up. He was a WW2 Vet, trained boys to be men as a DI, did the same way with his kids. I make a detailed (stand up in court) contract, explain every detail to my customer *before* they sign anything. My customers have a one year wait some times for me (larger planned projects). My old man, taught me it was never about the money when building anything, it was building more than the customer paid for, it was to build them a "home". I've past my first hundred grand of not getting paid, but that was time I gave to people that just couldn't pay and still needed a roof. Sometimes you do it just to feel good and sleep well at night.

Getting a car fixed or a custom coolest in the world knife isn't what I do. I keep people from the cold and the rain. I can make a place where you can bring your grandchildren without a worry, safe and clean and new. AS for the total pain in the ass you cant make them happy even with a new rope customers, I like their money the best. You see, they pay the most, they bitch the loudest and they also have rich friends that hire me to do the same work at the same prices, cause they all talk.

I used to live next to a little old lady that lost her husband in WWI, this was back in 82, I last saw here in 94 and offered her a ride on the bike, she declined but not without thinking it over first. Anyway she lived alone on a small retirement, no money. The sweetest person, walked everywhere pulling a little cart. Would never take a ride from me even when she was pulling groceries... She needed so much work on her house, couldn't pay anything and wouldn't let me just fix it. I made $20 to paint her house, it took me a week of sundays but I got it done. Elizabeth, was more than a customer she was my neighbor, but its not about the money always. I make it were I can but giving back is my business, I mentor under privileged kids and have an apprentice that I teach the trades to.
My business is also repairs and remodels, I don't turn jobs down cause the house it dirty. I make up an estimate, figure in any extra cleaning supplies that we need, and present a bid. If accepted, I go for a contract signing meeting - usually an hour or more of kitchen table talks and once they say they understand what I have to explain, we sign. IF there are any misunderstandings I take full responsibility. I didn't do my job correctly. I explain to them what is in the contract remind them they signed the part that says they completely understand and have no more questions and I do what I'm contracted to do. Easy breezy. Been to court because Lesbians don't honor the contracts and try to cheat me out of payments. 3 different sets failed to pay rent in my apartment house. 2 different sets failed to make final payments on projects. I won all cases, but just shows how 10 different women all with the same affliction have the same character flaw... go figure. and yes I loved spending their money!!

Tourist, you explained to me perfectly just now why you would advise against the razor sharp camping axe. I have one and understand completly, and if you did the same for your customer and he still wanted it, the end result would be - it puts a bigger tank on spinner, than why not do it. Its not like his house will slide down a hill... the edge lasts as long as you stated, hey this isn't for chopping wood any more its for cutting tomatoes... And spinner goes 50+miles farther per tank...

RK, you're right. It's the client's knife, or axe, or letter opener...

I do try to be an "honest sharpener," and yes, that's an oxymoron. Like 'quiet riot' or 'logical redhead' or in my family, "employed cousin." If I can provide some answers or suggestions on how an edged tool can be made to function better then I take the time. There's too much misinformation out there, too many war stories.

Many of my knives wind up in the pockets of EMTs, firefighters (one went to Katrina), cops (many seatbelt cuts and saves) and many vets. One recently returned female soldier told me that she liked the knife I gave her, adding, "We all used it." Hey, it warmed my heart to imagine an entire rifle company eating with the same little Spyderco Native III!

Having said that, I've plastered a false grin on my face and re-sharpened a perfectly polished edge for a 'client' clearly trying to rig the system. The work is guaranteed anyway, you don't have to be Richard A. Cranium.

Pride.
When all the dust settles and the cleaners have left.
A true Craftsman sleeps well at night.