New LFS advice

[fishstixs05]

Hey out there, I am an employee at a fish store. Kent Aquatics. it opened up the day after thanksgiving, and i started working there in mid december. My question is, how should i make this the best dang fish store? Stocking advice, equipment to carry or not to carry, ways to act and other advice would be greaatly appreciated.
Ben

 

[Edmonton Eskimo]

The best advice I can give is always be completely honest with people. If you don't know the answer to something don't make something up tell them you don't know or look at a book with the customer. I really appreciate it when an employee will take the time and look at some literature with me so we can both become educated. A fair and honest lfs will keep me coming back!

 

[lando]

Customer service and employee education!

 

[fishfirst]

Get the facts straight about minimum stocking, 20 gallons per goldfish, 100 gallons per tang etc.

 

[first-timer89]

i think the stocking that fishfirst suggestedis a bit redictouls. I dont mind a little over stocking as long as the fish,coral,shrimp,ect... are healthy. I would much rather see 50 healthy tangs in a 50 gallon tank than 4 sick ones in a 400 gallon tank. Making special orders is the #2 thing that would keep me coming back. HTH

 

[klam]

It really bumms me out when I see a coral I like but cant have a piece of it because the LFS hordes all the cherry pieces. Maybe fragging a piece off for a customer would be nice

 

[MT79]

Making special orders is the thing that would keep me coming back

I agree w/ that.

 

[X the Outsider]

Honesty is the best policy. Do as much research as possible about your fish, and equipment. Ask questions, and get to know your customers needs.

 

[wahoo_drew]

This is all good stuff and would be great in a perfect world but just is'nt realalistic.

Hes not the owner and the first person he turned away because he wanted a yellow tang for his 35gal would probably be his last. The store is in it to make money and move product not care about how healthy the fish is once it leaves the store.

 

[Edmonton Eskimo]

hey if he gets fired for giving good advice then it's probably not a good place to work anyway!

 

[fishstixs05]

First i want you guys to know that my boos is a very good guy who wants good advice to be given. oh and wahoo, i just got through telling a person that they shouldnt put a tang into there 55 gallonn. My goal is trying to keep enough fish varieties that i can reccomend a person not to keep one type o0f fish, but have another fish on hand they can get. Also, we are planning on selling both coral colonies and frags, so it is affordable and we can sell parts of our very nice coral. We are also doing special ordering for people, and having a large binder with pictures of equipment that our suppliers have.
We also are setting up a parts department, board for pictures of customer's tanks, and other things. I have a cool idea and wondering if you guys think it would be cool. I want to set up some different nano tanks, and have them randomly in the equipment shelves. so when people are looking through the filters, there is a nano reef in your face
Thanks for advice