Hireko Forum

hlohman@gmail.com · Joined: Jan 24, 2009 Messages: 34 Offline

Hey all. I was hoping to get your advice on labor charging to assemble clubs. Before I get into price talk, I want to talk about my thoughts on the process.

I think we would all agree that to assemble clubs which are bought as components is by far the easiest thing to do. Then we would probably agree that if a client would like for us to re-shaft his current club; meaning use the same grip/head; it is the most labor intensive.

To me, it makes sense to charge a bit more labor whenever the process is going to require removal of their grip and/or head. If I am simply putting them together, it takes half the time and half the effort.

Doing some price shopping, one of my local retailers charges $3 to grip a club and $18 to put the shaft on the head!! That seems excessive when it just takes 10 minutes or so to do it myself.

I'm starting to think I am in the wrong line of work!

Jeff Summitt · Joined: Jan 13, 2006 Messages: 2238 Offline

One quick thing to remember about the labor. You are factoring in the time it takes to do just the assembly. This is fine if you have a contract with someone to build a lot of clubs with a predetermined shaft, grip, length, etc. But part of the labor can also be expressed in the time and even demo clubs that have to be amortized in order to determine what you are to build. That is why some clubmakers may have a separate fitting charge rather than trying to lump it into the assembly as well. That local retailer will have some face time (sometimes too much) with the customer.

Jeff Summitt

GaryJ · Joined: Feb 3, 2006 Messages: 94 Offline

Somehow, this subject always gets me going. Whenever people start questioning the dollar amount for services rendered, it makes me cringe. For the past year, I have used the services of a litigation attorney who charged me $200 per hour. I knew what his rate was before entering the agreement so there were no surprises (except for the 4 times that he double billed me for his time and I had to go back and go through ALL of his records). But every time I called with a question, his meter was running!

So when someone questions my labor charge, I politely show the him/her the door. However, I always give my customers 110% of myself, because that is the way I want to be treated. I have been in the golf business for 37 years and I feel that my time and expertise are worth something for that amount of time. Part of learning how to build or repair golf clubs is learning to do the job as efficiently as possible. So if a job takes a short period of time, it is usually because I have learned how to do the job more efficiently than someone who is just starting in the golf business. I have seen many people who charge $1 or $2 to put on grip and $10 to re-shaft a club. And invariably when they were finished, the customer would bring the club to me to re-do because mistakes were done. Sorry to get on my soapbox, but this subject gets me going.

Jeff Summitt · Joined: Jan 13, 2006 Messages: 2238 Offline

Gary:

Well said! When I finally get my monogrammed soap box I will gladly give you the name a phone number to get yours as well.