Will your LHBS crack outside grain?

I never asked and never would. Just seems like the wrong thing to do.

 

Yes, charge $.50 a pound.

 

Would you ask McDonalds to put extra pickles on your Whopper?
I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask, but it lacks a bit of class, IMO.

 

I'd offer to tip for labor

 

If it were my shop ... I'd try to provide whatever service a customer needed with the understanding the customer should be prepared to pay for whatever service they need but also be willing to bend a bit to get new business.

Scenario #1
Customer: I have 20# of whole grain. Can you mill it for me?
You: We don't mill outside grain.
Customer: Fuck you.
Outcome: ain't coming back.

Scenario #2
Customer: I have 20# of whole grain. Can you mill it for me?
You: We're willing to mill outside grain; however ... since you didn't buy it from us ... it will cost you <money> per pound.
Customer: Fuck you.
Outcome: probably ain't coming back.

Scenario #3
Customer: I have 20# of whole grain. Can you mill it for me?
You: Ordinarily ... we don't mill outside grains; however ... we'd like to see you shop here for your supplies so we're happy to help you out this time.
Customer: Fuckin'A. You guys are great. Thanks!
Outcome: probably coming back.

You may have missed an opportunity to get a new customer.

 

If the opportunity still exists, you might want to feel out the customer a bit. Why did he get the grain from somewhere else? Does your shop lack variety? Are your prices too high? Did his circumstances change (for example, used to have a mill of his own, doesn't anymore, but still has unmilled grain. If there is still a way to be nice to this guy, you might gain a customer.

 

I would point out the nice mills for sale.

That is why I don't deal with the general public.

 

I voted "Yes" because mine has done it before. But, it sounds like my situation was much different than what others have described above. Here's how it went down:

First of all, my brewing partner and I have an awesome relationship with the workers at our LHBS. Often times, after work, we'll bring in a 6-pack from the liquor store next door, get our ingredients and whatnot, then shoot the shit while having a beer or two with the workers for an hour or so.

So anyway, the brewing partner and I happened to win a home brew competition that allowed us to brew at New Belgium. They scaled up our recipe from a 5 gallon recipe to something like a 200 hectoliter recipe for an oatmeal stout. We used a ton of specialty grains and ended up with a bunch of partial bags of 50 lb/25 kg sacks of grain leftover while brewing at NB. Thinking what the hell, we asked if we could maybe take the partial sacks, and the guys at New Belgium enthusiastically agreed to let us take them because it would make taking inventory much easier for them (not having to weigh partial bags). So, in essence, we got over 100 lbs of specialty grain for free.*

Problem was, it was uncrushed, and we didn't have a grain mill yet. So, we explained the situation to the guys at our LHBS, and they had no problem with us bringing in a pound or two of specialty grains at a time to mill. BUT, we were buying all our base grains (and hops and yeast) for that particular brew from them when we did that. Someone who just brings in outside grains and expects you to mill them without buying anything else, especially if they've never been there before, is a dick, in my humble opinion.

*another problem was, having over 100 lbs of specialty grains when you only brew 5 gallons at a time is that we ended up with a LOT of staled grains, but hey, it was free soooo...

 

Someone who just brings in outside grains and expects you to mill them without buying anything else ... especially if they've NEVER been there before is not a dick.

Someone who just brings in outside grains and expects you to mill them without buying anything else ... especially if THEY'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE is a dick.

The successful small business recognizes someone who just brings in outside grains and expects you to mill them without buying anything else ... ** ESPECIALLY ** if they've never been there before ** IS POTENTIALLY A NEW CUSTOMER ** ... in my not so humble opinion.

Successful small businesses depend not only on keeping established customers but also bringing in new customers.
Small businesses who ****ardly ****le 'nickel and dime' every customer will never ever be successful.

 

I don't disagree with your assessment, but it doesn't make me think any less that a person who just expects a free service without ever buying anything from said location is kind of a dick. But yes, I agree, if I were the business owner, I would still do it in hopes that they would recognize the charity and come back for actual commerce. But, if I'm being completely honest, I would likely still mumble "Dick..." under my breath after they left. But my perception would certainly change if they did indeed come back.

Actually, thinking more about this, I disagree with another point:
"Someone who just brings in outside grains and expects you to mill them without buying anything else ... especially if THEY'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE is a dick."
If a repeat customer comes in and buys stuff all the time, and every once in awhile comes in and asks for a free service without buying anything else...how is that guy a dick? He has a proven track record of giving you business in the past and will likely keep coming back. Check the Beer Talk forums on any given day to see how people feel about store owners doing special favors for loyal customers...

 

This thread motivated me to talk to my LHBS kinda about this topic. I have no intention of bringing grains purchased elsewhere to my LHBS for milling. However, what I have been questioning is bulk grain purchases verse a long payback against purchasing the mill. I asked my LHBS if I purchased bulk from them if they’d be cool with me bringing the grains back for milling. I didn’t know if they were going to be cool with it, as my guess is the per pound markup goes against the overhead of the shop. They were totally cool with bringing the grains back for milling. I also get the impression that they would be willing to let me use the mill even if the grains were purchased elsewhere, which as stated I wouldn’t do always.

 

Yep, mine does. I'm one of their biggest customers and they never cared if I brought in outside grain to mill.

Why would they? I always buy at least $20.00 every visit; most of us time much more than that; spending thousands a year there and I always bring in brew, mead, cider and booze for them to
Drink.

I'm friends with everyone that works there including the owners and board of directors.

I typically buy in bulk from them as well.

They have a flat $5.00 fee for those who bring in grains from elsewhere to mill; but don't really ever charge anyone from what I've seen; and they've never charged me.

In sales you use situations like this to SELL and gain a new customer, not to be a dick or prove some point.

Real easy to turn someone off your business for good by taking a hard line with circumstances like these.

To each his own...

Slainte

 

Board of Directors? Holy crap. Is Microsoft your LHBS?

 

Just a very business minded company with several store fronts around the state. This is Colorado my friend; beer country where we have a huge homebrew culture and tons of shops to support all the foamy goodness!

 

Point taken.

Meant to convey by saying "... especially if THEY'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE is a dick.";
If they've been in the store previously asking for 'free' services ... such as milling grains purchased elsewhere .. w/out ever buying anything and returning again -- and possibly again -- essentially demanding 'free' services w/out ever buying anything; therefore ... not a REPEAT CUSTOMER ... then w/out doubt ... this d-bag has earned a one-way ticket to dick-town.

 

You're right. They're a fucking bum.