Job at the LHS

[Cupooterluvr]

So I was thinking of getting my first job behind the RC counter at my LHS. I just have some questions to ask beforehand.

• What kind of experience would you recommend I have before taking the job? I want to be able to help customers without being wrong or biased.
• For any of the people who have previously worked at an LHS, what kinds of things do people routinely ask of you? I need to know more than parts for cars and trucks.
• Would you recommend taking the job even if I have NO experience in either planes, boats, or helis? Even if I don't know this someone else will right?
• With only about a year's experience in the hobby (I'll take the job this summer, so I'll really have about 1.5) do you think I have the knowledge to do it? After all I don't want to get asked to fix a tuning problem and blow up the engine.

I just want to make the right decision in getting my first job. Both to support my hobby and to buy my first car! I also want to know what it's like since I've never had a job.

 

[hvymetalalchmst]

+1 on that.
i want a first job in the hobby too.

 

[olds97_lss]

Well... considering about 98% of the advice I've received at my 4 LHS's has all been bad, there's a good chance you could show up, punch a kid in the face and he runs screaming from the store. That would have been better than half the crap I've received as "advice"...

Sorry... <end rant>.

All I can say is try to get familiar with as much as you can for that particular store. Figure out what the LHS sells primarily and scour the forums/internet for info to try and educate yourself on it in your off time. Until you feel relatively confident about your knowledge, don't give a customer the impression that you know everything. Face it, nobody really does anyway. Admitting it will let the customer know your honest.

I made the mistake when I first got into the hobby that the guy working behind the counter new his stuff... didn't take me long to figure out he was flinging so much BS around, it should have been a cattle ranch, not a LHS. Then I stopped going there. They lost business.

Granted, I'm just one customer, but if I got that impression, chances are anyone else that stays in the hobby will get the same impression.

Ok... now I'm really <ending rant>...

Just help people how you would want to be helped. If you don't know the answer, ask your fellow workers if they do. If you get the feeling that your fellow workers don't, tell your customer that you will check on the issue, then hit the net and find your answers as best as you can. Giving no advice or help and promising you will try your best to help is better than giving wrong advice and bad help.

Just my .

 

[Cupooterluvr]

My LHS (Hobbytown USA) seems to sell alot of trucks and buggys. The entire upper shelf is filled with Revo's, Savages, and Losi's. (though the guy behind the counter said he'd never buy a Losi...) They also have a fairly large plane and heli department. I haven't seen too many touring cars or onroad, but they have a couple tc3's down in the glass box. From what I've seen in going there the few times I've been, they don't do much, just hand out parts and I saw them breaking in a TMaxx once.

To tell you the truth it would help if the parts shelf wasn't cordoned off and labeled staff only. I can find my own parts. :green-grin:

 

[olds97_lss]

They do that because a lot of RC parts are small and expensive... they tend to grow legs. I asked the question to the owners of my two LHS's when they started putting their things behind the counter... the guy knows me now and if he's there, he helps me until I'm done, but if their busy, he'll motion me behind the counter to help myself discretely.

None of the 4 stores I go to sell any 1/8 buggy stuff. Only one actually has a buggy on display. One sells mostly on-road and the flavor of the month RC's. The two I normally go to stock a lot of Associated, losi, traxxas and HPI but not much else for land vehicles. One is a private shop, the other is a hobby town. The hobby town one carries the entire traxxas and losi line.

The first one I went to for parts was a hobby town and that's where I got all the great advice... but at the hobby town I go to now (an hour away), the guy that runs the place is a plane/heli guy, but he has a couple younger guys for land vehicles and if they don't know, they tell you they don't know. That kind of honesty keeps me driving an hour to buy parts.

 

[Lessen]

Just the fact that you're on this forum is more experience than I've seen at my local LHS's. Go ahead and apply. That's sort of a learn as you go type of job anyways.

 

[Racer 1966]

I would take it, just don't lie and act like you know things you don't. You'll learn the rest. The only bad part is you will probably be pressured by management to SELL SELL SELL by what ever means it takes.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

I suppose that it would be a learning experience as well then since they also repair trucks and buggys. Every time I go in there there's a pile of parts on the big black table that means they're tinkering with someone's rig. Yesterday I saw a Losi LST and a Revo on the table.

So you guys think it would be a good first job then?

 

[olds97_lss]

I think it would be a great first or second job... If I had a LHS in my town, I'd work there on weekends if they'd let me.

Just don't spend your paycheck at work! That will be the hardest thing to not do.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

Lol. Employee discount! Hehe. Once I get enough money I'm gonna buy a touring car. (or maybe even a baja--heard they came down to like 600 or something)

 

[HeartBreak]

Edited inline, of course.

So I was thinking of getting my first job behind the RC counter at my LHS. I just have some questions to ask beforehand.

Having worked in a local hobby shop, here is some advice that is KEY.

*What kind of experience would you recommend I have before taking the job? I want to be able to help customers without being wrong or biased.

First and foremost, people skills. The better you can read people, and communicate with them, the better off you will be. Learn to recognize when a person is acting shifty; this will often save your bacon in the case of shoplifting.

Next, any experience you have in sales is key as well. Part of the hobby shop job is to be able to suggest to a person that they will need items A through X for a kit, even though it says "Ready to run" on the package. In other words, you need "tact".

Lastly in this area; CONFIDENCE. Don't be c*cky, but don't shy away from the customer. Learn to be relaxed, and treat the customer as a person. You'll be amazed how fast that wallet will fly open when the customer feels like you are his friend.

*For any of the people who have previously worked at an LHS, what kinds of things do people routinely ask of you? I need to know more than parts for cars and trucks.

When I was working at the LHS, one of the key things, beyond replacement parts and repairs, that people asked was for hopups, and for advice on parts that would fit.

You will obviously need to know which parts will and won't fit, but don't worry about memorizing the exact part numbers; that's what the catalogs are for. Almost every LHS has a binder full of the popular kit manuals; learn the structure of that binder. It will most likely contain exploded diagrams as well. Just focus on which brand is distributed by which distributer. That will take all of about a minute, lol.

Also, learn the location and inventory of all of your tools in the repair area. You will be amazed how often a tool will go missing, so watch them like a hawk.

*Would you recommend taking the job even if I have NO experience in either planes, boats, or helis? Even if I don't know this someone else will right?

Yes. However, and this is HIGHLY recommended; if your LHS sells even a scrap of balsa, to try to learn as much about RC planes as you can. Become friends with some of the plane modelers; pick their brains. Don't be afraid to talk to them and learn. Most of them will gladly impart their knowledge on you, as long as you are willing to learn.

Most of the time, when an aircraft person comes into the shop, they'll know what will and won't work. In fact, they'll know where the supplies are 99% of the time. The only time that you'll ever have to assist them is perhaps matching the fuel to the engine on a trainer/first time plane.

Now, the heli guys; typically the same as the airplane guys, but they'll know 100% right away.

Boat guys.... Some are sharp, and some aren't (kind of like the car guys). They'll sometimes know, and sometimes not.

Aside from that, take a slow day when you'll have nothing to do, and read a Car Action, or the relevant boat and plane mags. After a couple issues of either, you'll have a lot of answers. For the remaining questions, jot them down and ask a pro-level modeler when they come in.

*With only about a year's experience in the hobby (I'll take the job this summer, so I'll really have about 1.5) do you think I have the knowledge to do it? After all I don't want to get asked to fix a tuning problem and blow up the engine.

I've seen people with no experience in the hobby work in the LHS I worked in. Of course, they didn't last very long. As long as you are willing to learn and ask questions, you'll be alright.

There are a few other key elements as well. One being that you have to remember; shoot rolls down hill. That means any menial task, like cleaning the employee "office" will fall on you. Answering the phones, on you. Stocking the shelves, on you.

Next, keep in mind that you will most likely be co-employed with a less-than-enthusiastic employee. If you've ever watched the show "Spongebob Squarepants", you'll know exactly what I mean. If not, take a day or two and watch a few episodes; the dynamics there are pretty much spot on.

I just want to make the right decision in getting my first job. Both to support my hobby and to buy my first car! I also want to know what it's like since I've never had a job.

I think you'll enjoy the job. Just remember; leave the attitude at the car door, and treat people with respect. You'll be amazed at how fun it is.

 

[Rolex]

NEVER let a customer go ignored. ALWAYS ask if he needs any help, and if you are busy with someone else, tell him you'll be with him in a minute.
Say nothing, and they feel that you don't think they are important enough to waste your time on. YOU are the diplomat there.
At my LHS I once wandered around picking out things I needed while the only guy behind the car counter ignored about a dozen people while he sat there gluing a cheap heli body he had damaged. I knew him from a track I used to run at, and he has a rich daddy, and really doesn't want to work. With his attitude, he won't be there long.
End of story, when I finally put my stuff on the counter, I had to TELL him to check me out so I could go. The other customers had already walked out.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

*applause* Thanks guys! That really helped alot. Once I get enough money I'll get started on that RC Car Action sub. I've already read a couple issues and they are indeed very informative.

I'm fairly certain I have the people skills needed to take the job, from what you've suggested. Though I can be a bit shy when I don't know someone, putting me in the semi-power position will probably help.

Right now I either ask on here or go to my neighbor, Brian, whenever I have a question. If I need help working there though there's usually two or three people behind the counter.

Actually, now that I think about it, they sell alot of electric helis. I was there yesterday and I think 2 people walked out the door with new helis and another was flying the flight simulator they have there. I'll do some research on those too. They sell planes, but the parts section for planes is pretty small (unless it is in a different location and those parts are just there for ease)

Again, thanks for the awesome post. Now that I know what to expect I can be confident on my application. I'll also go in there and ask some of the guys that work there what I should know, for that one bit of extra knowledge.

 

[Rolex]

Explain to them what you DO know so they don't think you're clueless. Tell them about the centrifugal clutch, 2 speed transmissions, reverse, 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive and brakes. That's what sold me on my first one. Newbies will ask mostly basic questions, and the ones that are 'in the know' will already know about them, and know what they want. Learn the difference between AM, FM and 2.4 when someone wants a radio.
Not everyone knows everything, but get into the basics first.
Stocking parts and shelves is one of the best learning experiences there is. You know where it is, how much it costs, and something about it if you take the time to look at it.
Most important...learn to be polite to the occasional total idiot.

 

[HeartBreak]

Explain to them what you DO know so they don't think you're clueless. Tell them about the centrifugal clutch, 2 speed transmissions, reverse, 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive and brakes. That's what sold me on my first one. Newbies will ask mostly basic questions, and the ones that are 'in the know' will already know about them, and know what they want. Learn the difference between AM, FM and 2.4 when someone wants a radio.
Not everyone knows everything, but get into the basics first.
Stocking parts and shelves is one of the best learning experiences there is. You know where it is, how much it costs, and something about it if you take the time to look at it.
Most important...learn to be polite to the occasional total idiot.

Exactly. This one right here is the most important. You have to learn patience, so you can deal with the people that basically want to soak up your time. The LHS I worked at had a "game" the other employees would play; it's called "hand off the annoying guy to the new guy". Nothing tempers your attitude better than that. The game stopped, however, when I handed the guy off to the manager who was returning from lunch.

And just like it was mentioned earlier, there's a reasoning behind everything an LHS does. We used to keep all the kits in the back room, as well as the bulk of rarely-sold items (huge rubber bands, epoxy, fuel pumps for flight boxes, fuel, etc).

We also had the parts in filing cabinets behind the counters, with the hopup parts (blue traxxas parts, for example) sitting in plain site above the cabinets. The logic there was that stock parts sell alright, but if a person sees that shiny blue alternative, they might plunk down the coin for the extra.

Radios and engines were in a huge locking case. All static "glue together" models were in the back corner. Supplies for them were behind the counter, to prevent theft. Nothing a glue-huffer would love more than a tube of Testers.

It seems crazy at first, but in the end it makes total sense.

 

[hvymetalalchmst]

Learn the difference between AM, FM and 2.4 when someone wants a radio.

I'm ok with AM, FM, but whats 2.4??, unless you mean 2.4Ghz (in this hobby?).

 

[Rolex]

I'm ok with AM, FM, but whats 2.4??, unless you mean 2.4Ghz (in this hobby?).

Yes, 2.4 Ghz, ground frequency. Not just for aircraft and helis.

 

[HeartBreak]

I'm thinkin what Rolex means is learn your bands. Here's a quick rundown;

27mhz (AM or FM); ground, also used in toys, ala radio shack. Typically on RTR models, USA uses channels A1-A6, Japan uses channels 1-16 (I believe). Usually referred to in colors. I don't remember the color chart off the top of my head.

47mhz (AM); RatShack toys.

50mhz (FM or PCM); aircraft, channels 00-09.

72mhz (FM or PCM); aircraft, channels 11-60

75mhz (AM, FM, PCM); ground, channels 61-90

2.4ghz (DSM/Spektrum); typically used in ground, although Futaba, Airtronics and Hitec all have aircraft-based radios that can use this technology. Does not have a designated channel, as technology is based on a frequency scanning concept.

I may have missed one or two bands, but in general, that's the rundown. I also might be wrong on the 49mhz (might be 47mhz).

Now, keep in mind, this is the USA set; Japan and Europe have bands that are not listed as well.