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What
Kind of Extra Sales Do You Get from Your
Customers?
by
Dana Huval, Huval's Boot and Shoe Repair,
Crowley, LA
If you have a lady who
brings in two pairs of high heels shoes for new tips,
you can offer her a toe tip, shoe shine or even a sole
protector. Thankfully our wholesalers have gone the
extra mile and stocked great products like the M-7 sheet
that works great for toe guards. This sheet comes in
three colors to be able to match the sole color of the
shoe we are working on.
M-7 Sheets
M-7 material on a shoe
before trimming it out
Of course you can use a leather toe tip to replace this
worn area of the toe. But by using rubber, you will be
able to charge a little extra while giving your customer
the confidence that they will probably never wear this
rubber toe out ever again. The sole guard material
available to use also comes in tan, brown, black and
even red (for the Christian Louboutin shoes) for added
protection to any shoe. This will also prevent the
person from easily slipping while wearing their shoes
with this new sole protector.
Soleguard material in tan, black, oak and red.
Shoe shines should be an easy addition to any shoe or
boot repair ticket. My approach to any shoe or boot is
to pick up the shoes in a way that shows the front toe
area to the customer while asking “would you like us to
clean, condition, re-color and protect your shoes?” If
they have work boots, we will also offer a water sealer
for an additional charge. Nine times out of ten, the
customer will have this additional service added to
their repair job. We mainly use Urad which is an all
around great product for any of the softer leather
shoes. If you have Urad, try to stir the mixture at
least once a month. It works best when it is in its
liquid form. It is also better if you can clean or
replace your sponges often. You will be amazed at how
easy it is to use and how well your items will come out.
When a boot customer comes in, do you check over the
boot? Perhaps they have a broken pull strap or a seam
that is unsewing. One important thing would be to see if
they have a re-movable insole. If they are a older pair
of boots, insoles are a easy item that can be replaced.
Our customers will come in with the needed repairs, but
there can always be a thing or two that can be added for
a higher ticket price.
Some repairers in our industry give a free shine with
all repairs. That is great! Some really do give this
service away while others have already included the
extra price with the charge for the repair work. They
just do not let the customer know it. I will give a
complimentary shine with soles and heels; otherwise we
always offer the service for a price. We do have an
extra special price for muddy boots. We will wash them
with LCI/Dyo foam before doing any repairs on them.
I have found even with this uncertain economy, price has
not been a major concern with my customers. They want to
have their favorite footwear look nice and still feel
comfortable. If you do great repair work for a fair
price, your customers will be thrilled with their
repaired items.
The general public has no idea on what type of services
we offer. If we do not take advantage and educate our
customers on these extra services we can do, we are
missing lots of extra income.
“If the shoe fits, repair it.” |
