Golf. A great game of man versus nature. The ultimate challenge of a man's absolute control over his body. A game that can never be mastered nor beaten. Golf is what I do for a living.
I don't play golf for a living, I wish I did, but I don't have the mental or financial means to play golf competitively. Golf is what I do for a living because I run a golf course. This is my trade.
You don't run a golf course. You don't understand what it takes to run a golf course and you don't have a clue what costs are involved in keeping 185 acres or grass mowed to less than an inch 365 days a year. This is our difference. You pay me to play golf, and I get paid for creating the environment for you to play.
Bargain Golf.
As of this year everyone has started to think that golf is this free thing that we get money for and that everyone working at a golf course is rich. It is far from the truth. Most employees of any golf course across the nation make between $12,000-$40,000 a year. We are poor on the scale of qualified managers.
Golf is free.... for people who steal it. Our employees aren't even allowed to play golf for free. Our management team must pay $5 to play golf as well as our hourly staff.
This week I have been asked by customers to let them play free golf. Discount the golf 50% since we aren't busy, or just let them play for a small cash fee. I scratch my head in confusion at these questions. Here is the best hypothetical conversation I can produce to explain why golf is not free.
Mr. L :Welcome. How may I help you?
John: Can you get a single out?
Mr. L: Sure. What is your last name?
John: Doe.
Mr. L: First Name?
John: John.
Mr. L: I can get you out at 10:37. will that be okay
John: Sure... Any chance you can let me go out for free since it isn't busy today?
Mr. L: The best I can do is $27.07
John: What about charging me for only the front 9? That would be half price, right?
Mr. L: Sorry, we don't have a 9 hole rate. It will be $27.07
John: Can I just to walk a few holes since no one is on them and not pay?
Mr. L: No Sir. The rate is the rate.
John: Is there anything we can work out here?
Mr. L: John, What do you do for a living?
John: I sell airline tickets.
Mr. L: Can I get some free tickets to Hawaii?
John: Of course not.
Mr. L: Why not? The plane has 4 empty seats still. No one is sitting in them. Can't I just sit in one of them for free?
John: No. You can't just fly to Hawaii because there is one open seat on the plane. You have to pay for a ticket.
Mr. L: Just like you have to pay to play golf. We wouldn't come to your work and ask you for a bargain on your product so please don't ask us for a bargain on ours. ... It's going to be $27.07 today for your round of golf.
John: Ok. Can I have a bag of tees for free then?
And this is how 1 out of every 10 customers goes. Everyone thinks that golf should be free or should have a friend/family/NFL/neighborhood resident/fireman/waitress/brother-in-laws-uncle discount and that just isn't the case. Golf courses costs millions of dollars a year to maintain, so golf isn't cheap unless you sink a coffee can in the lot next door.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Winter Craigslist
I have recently decided that I would love to be unemployed. My life would consist of this: Craigslist.
I have been a supporter of craigslist for the past 4 years or so. I remember when it was so small that I could read every post for cars each day and it would only take me 30 minutes. This task now would be impossible unless you were continually refreshing the page 24/7.
Craigslist can be a great source of holiday cash. Last year I was able to corner this market with a little thinking ahead. In July I had the great idea of buying things out of season. Specifically I was buying Snowboarding and Skiing Gear. Boards, Boots, Bindings, Ski's, and Poles. It was one of the best ideas I have ever had as an investor.
I spend around $300 that summer buying used gear for quarters on the dollar. I sacrificed one of my walls to become a display case for the boards over the summer. When December came I was ready. Around the 14th I took all of the gear I had accumulated and photographed it. I also compiled pictures of the gear from the factory websites and the original specs on the items. Then I listed everything.
I listed the gear as individual items and as bulk buys. I listed things by size, by type, by key words, by color. I tried to think of all the ways that I would search for snowboarding gear and made sure that those words and more were in my descriptions. I didnt "keyword:" list. I wrote the words and phases into all of my post.
On the 16th everything took of like a fire. School had ended on the 15th and vacations would be stating every day from then till mid January. I had hit the "Jack"pot. The $300 I had initially invested turned into over $1000 in sales. I made a 230% return on my investment in 6 months.
The ideas I used were stolen straight from intro to economics. Buy when things are in low demand making the price fall. Sell when things are in high demand making the price skyrocket. I also spent about an hour a day on craigslist searching for the best buys. You make your money on the purchase, not on the sale. Buy low. Sell high.
I have been a supporter of craigslist for the past 4 years or so. I remember when it was so small that I could read every post for cars each day and it would only take me 30 minutes. This task now would be impossible unless you were continually refreshing the page 24/7.
Craigslist can be a great source of holiday cash. Last year I was able to corner this market with a little thinking ahead. In July I had the great idea of buying things out of season. Specifically I was buying Snowboarding and Skiing Gear. Boards, Boots, Bindings, Ski's, and Poles. It was one of the best ideas I have ever had as an investor.
I spend around $300 that summer buying used gear for quarters on the dollar. I sacrificed one of my walls to become a display case for the boards over the summer. When December came I was ready. Around the 14th I took all of the gear I had accumulated and photographed it. I also compiled pictures of the gear from the factory websites and the original specs on the items. Then I listed everything.
I listed the gear as individual items and as bulk buys. I listed things by size, by type, by key words, by color. I tried to think of all the ways that I would search for snowboarding gear and made sure that those words and more were in my descriptions. I didnt "keyword:" list. I wrote the words and phases into all of my post.
On the 16th everything took of like a fire. School had ended on the 15th and vacations would be stating every day from then till mid January. I had hit the "Jack"pot. The $300 I had initially invested turned into over $1000 in sales. I made a 230% return on my investment in 6 months.
The ideas I used were stolen straight from intro to economics. Buy when things are in low demand making the price fall. Sell when things are in high demand making the price skyrocket. I also spent about an hour a day on craigslist searching for the best buys. You make your money on the purchase, not on the sale. Buy low. Sell high.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Used Car Buying Manual. Part II Car Stealerships
I bought a used car. I love my new used car. I dislike the man who sold me my new used car.
I bought my car from what I thought was a respectable car dealership. My father had worked there in years past, and I believe highly in the integrity of his work. Time has passed; things have changed. The used car salesman that I dealt with is named Charles Washington.
A little back ground on Charles Washington. Originally from Shreveport, LA, he attended college at Cameron, and was drafted to the NFL in 1989 in the 7th round by the Indianapolis Colts as a defensive back. That season he road the bench for 16 games. Traded to the KC Chiefs in 1990. Only was on the roster of 6 games where he sat the bench. In 1991 he was on the roster for all 16 games and had 1 start. In that game he put up an interception for 34 yards. In 1992 he was traded to the Falcons where he was on the roster for 36 more games with no starts and retired from the NFL in 1994. Now Charles Washington is an internet used car salesman in Plano, Tx.
With that in perspective I can outline how this process of buying a new used car worked.
I originally looked at the 2009 Honda Accord that is now my car on the 17th of November. I scheduled an appointment to see and test drive the car that night with Charles Washington. He later called me to back to let me know that he would be unavailable to show me the car that night and another sales person would be there in his place. Willie, the friendlier of the two salesmen worked tirelessly to close the deal that night but was unable to because there was a small dent on the hood of the car which was the stumbling block for both my wife and myself. Willie, in all honesty, should get the commission for the sale of this car because he did all the work to convince us that we would be taken care of.
On the 19th I stopped by the dealership a second time to look over the car with my father and mother, both of which are quite knowledgeable cars, to get second opinions. After that short meeting and look over I went home to sleep on the idea of this car one more time.
On the 20th at 8:30am I was back at the dealership to be the first in line to make a car deal that day. Charles Washington was on hand, and hurriedly move us along to make a deal on the car while promising verbally and in writing that he would have the dent in the hood removed from the car. So we bought the car paying full sticker price and financed in house since they beat the rate i was quoted from my bank.
Then the fun began.
After about 5 days of time had passes I tried calling Charles to get our car back into the shop to have the repairs done, but never got a returned call. I email the General Sales Manager next to make sure that I got my point across. The next day, my phone was ringing and we were scheduling a time for the car to be dropped of, a demo car provided and the said repairs made. Monday morning my wife went to drop of the car and we greeted with an uninformed used car sales team. No one was aware that I had been contacted on Saturday to have the car dropped off Monday morning between a 9:00 and 9:30 AM, nor did they have a demo car ready for my wife to drive. I was told everything would be ready for her when she arrived but after over a hour she was placed in a 2009 (red) Ford Escape.
The next day at 6:21 PM I received a phone call from Max, the used car manager, asking if it would be at all possible for me to bring in the Escape because it had been sold. My wife kindly dropped of the car to them and was again met with an unprepared sales team.
Finally, friday morning I get word from Charles Washington that our Honda is out of the body shop and ready for pick up. I let him know I wouldn't be able to make it till that evening but would call when I was on my way. I had tried to contact Charles by phone when I left work to let him know that we were coming to allow him time to inspect the car before we arrived, but I never could get an answer on his line. When we arrived we were greeted with familiar faces in the used car building. Charles was on a call on his cell phone and then excused himself to go get our car in mid conversation.
I finally got to see my car and this is what I found
My car was covered in Snow, dust and flakes of dried rubbing compound that had been thrown all over my car as the paint was buffed after the repair was made. So I tried to have my car cleaned that night, but no one was there to help with the situation. Angered, upset and irritated I went home to fight this battle another day. Monday morning I head back to the dealership with my car, covered in snow, missing pieces from under the hood and the clips that hold the grill in place. They have my car for another two days, and then I eventually get my car back.
I now have my new used car; the dent is fixed. I love my new car. I hate this dealership. No. I hate Charles Washington. Each and every time I have called the dealership since I purchased the car he has been nothing but useless. He makes me feel like I am inconveniencing him, and I am not a priority to him since he has already received his commission for the sale.
This reckless waste of my time is why I have now deemed this location as a Car Stealership.
I bought my car from what I thought was a respectable car dealership. My father had worked there in years past, and I believe highly in the integrity of his work. Time has passed; things have changed. The used car salesman that I dealt with is named Charles Washington.
A little back ground on Charles Washington. Originally from Shreveport, LA, he attended college at Cameron, and was drafted to the NFL in 1989 in the 7th round by the Indianapolis Colts as a defensive back. That season he road the bench for 16 games. Traded to the KC Chiefs in 1990. Only was on the roster of 6 games where he sat the bench. In 1991 he was on the roster for all 16 games and had 1 start. In that game he put up an interception for 34 yards. In 1992 he was traded to the Falcons where he was on the roster for 36 more games with no starts and retired from the NFL in 1994. Now Charles Washington is an internet used car salesman in Plano, Tx.
With that in perspective I can outline how this process of buying a new used car worked.
I originally looked at the 2009 Honda Accord that is now my car on the 17th of November. I scheduled an appointment to see and test drive the car that night with Charles Washington. He later called me to back to let me know that he would be unavailable to show me the car that night and another sales person would be there in his place. Willie, the friendlier of the two salesmen worked tirelessly to close the deal that night but was unable to because there was a small dent on the hood of the car which was the stumbling block for both my wife and myself. Willie, in all honesty, should get the commission for the sale of this car because he did all the work to convince us that we would be taken care of.
On the 19th I stopped by the dealership a second time to look over the car with my father and mother, both of which are quite knowledgeable cars, to get second opinions. After that short meeting and look over I went home to sleep on the idea of this car one more time.
On the 20th at 8:30am I was back at the dealership to be the first in line to make a car deal that day. Charles Washington was on hand, and hurriedly move us along to make a deal on the car while promising verbally and in writing that he would have the dent in the hood removed from the car. So we bought the car paying full sticker price and financed in house since they beat the rate i was quoted from my bank.
Then the fun began.
After about 5 days of time had passes I tried calling Charles to get our car back into the shop to have the repairs done, but never got a returned call. I email the General Sales Manager next to make sure that I got my point across. The next day, my phone was ringing and we were scheduling a time for the car to be dropped of, a demo car provided and the said repairs made. Monday morning my wife went to drop of the car and we greeted with an uninformed used car sales team. No one was aware that I had been contacted on Saturday to have the car dropped off Monday morning between a 9:00 and 9:30 AM, nor did they have a demo car ready for my wife to drive. I was told everything would be ready for her when she arrived but after over a hour she was placed in a 2009 (red) Ford Escape.
The next day at 6:21 PM I received a phone call from Max, the used car manager, asking if it would be at all possible for me to bring in the Escape because it had been sold. My wife kindly dropped of the car to them and was again met with an unprepared sales team.
Finally, friday morning I get word from Charles Washington that our Honda is out of the body shop and ready for pick up. I let him know I wouldn't be able to make it till that evening but would call when I was on my way. I had tried to contact Charles by phone when I left work to let him know that we were coming to allow him time to inspect the car before we arrived, but I never could get an answer on his line. When we arrived we were greeted with familiar faces in the used car building. Charles was on a call on his cell phone and then excused himself to go get our car in mid conversation.
I finally got to see my car and this is what I found
My car was covered in Snow, dust and flakes of dried rubbing compound that had been thrown all over my car as the paint was buffed after the repair was made. So I tried to have my car cleaned that night, but no one was there to help with the situation. Angered, upset and irritated I went home to fight this battle another day. Monday morning I head back to the dealership with my car, covered in snow, missing pieces from under the hood and the clips that hold the grill in place. They have my car for another two days, and then I eventually get my car back.
I now have my new used car; the dent is fixed. I love my new car. I hate this dealership. No. I hate Charles Washington. Each and every time I have called the dealership since I purchased the car he has been nothing but useless. He makes me feel like I am inconveniencing him, and I am not a priority to him since he has already received his commission for the sale.
This reckless waste of my time is why I have now deemed this location as a Car Stealership.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)