Revision as of 22:41, 5 December 2012

For our open hours, please follow these steps for opening and closing the shop.

Opening

1. Turn on the main lights and lights in the Wild West (inside the doorway to the WW, on the left).
2. Set up the BK signs at either end of the courtyard on the posts (instructions on back of signs); don't block the entryway or walkway.
3. Put on an apron and name tag.
4. Check to see that all workbenches are stocked with their color coded tools and a tub of grease. See that each stand has a spray-bottle of diluted Simple Green and a bottle of chain lube. Chain lube can be replenished from the "consumable back stock" milk crate in the office. Simple Green can be refilled from the jugs in the office (three fingers in the bottle, then top up with water). Refilling these is a great volunteer task.
5. Check rag supply and put out fresh rags if necessary (also a good volunteer task if short on time).
6. Put stools near/around the truing stands.
7. Take random parts and components (which shouldn't still be out, but you know) off the benches and work areas; put in the WW for sorting.
8. Take the register keys (black and grey) from the office key box (just inside the doorway on the right) and turn the register from OFF to REG.
9. Log into Freehub.
10. Open the roll-up door near the back (make sure it's unlatched first) and wheel the rickshaw outside. Park it just outside the door. Bring the door back down to about waist-height if you're worried about people coming in and out.
11. Open the roll-up door near the greeter desk (make sure it's unlatched) and ask people to line up to be checked in.
12. If patrons show up before you're ready to open, please ask them either to wait outside or to volunteer to do a task on this list.
13. If you have the time and the need, set up the tables and work stands outside. Make sure that the stands are not overflowing from our parking spaces into the middle communal driveway.

During Open Hours

1. Introduce people to the shop.
   1. If someone shows up and looks confused, ask them if they need help or have a question.
   2. Be welcoming into the space, because it can be very intimidating.
   3. If they haven't checked in, ask them to please see the greeter (or check them in if you're free and no one is behind the desk). If the shop is full, ask if they'd like to be on the wait list for a stand.
   4. Explain our policies and encourage them to put away tools.
   5. Explain that we are volunteer-run. Greeter and Volunteers can help immensely with this.
2. Try to maximize the bike stands and truing stands. Don't be afraid to ask someone to get off a stand if they've been on it for a long time or they aren't really using it. For example, you can ask someone who is just truing wheels to lock their bike up outside if you need/want to use the stand for someone else.
3. Walk around and make sure that everything is running smoothly. ASK people if they need help even if it looks like they know what they are doing. Frequently people are too shy to speak up.
4. Keep an eye on the courtyard. We should not fill it with bikes. We have to leave space in the center for vehicles to move through, we cannot have bikes in the "lanes" right next to the building (this is a fire-code violation) and we cannot have bikes blocking the gated entrances to the courtyard, around the yellow pads. People should not work on bikes on the benches. You will probably have to call out for someone to move a bike, ask someone to get off a bench and so on at least once a shift.
5. Do some maintenance and cleaning. Put tools away, ask customers to put tools away if they aren't using them. Encourage people to clean up after themselves and help us clean at the end of the shift. Encourage people to keep tidy and out of others' way.
6. Parts are for sale. Use your judgment on how much to charge. Take into account the following when pricing a part:
   1. Consider the price list on the wall in the Wild West; you can also find it here under "Parts Prices."
   2. What the parts will be used for (If you know that someone builds and sells bikes, charge them more than someone who is building a bike for themselves.)
   3. Charge less for really common parts.
   4. Charge more for nice-quality parts.
   5. Try to take into account what the person can afford. We don't make real money off of parts sales; our goal is to charge a nominal price so that people don't hoard parts but not keep someone from using a part that might lie around otherwise.
   6. Day-use patrons pay more for parts than members, usually about $3/part (though you might scale that down for a cheaper part).
   7. People with digging rights do not pay for the parts for their bike unless they want something extra special--something underneath the greeter desk, for example.

Closing

1. At 40 minutes to close, tell people that we will be closing in 40 minutes and that they should not start any new projects but instead wrap up what they're working on.
2. Repeat that warning at 30 minutes and 20 minutes to close.
3. At 15 minutes to close, tell people to start cleaning up.
4. Put away all tools and parts left out on the shop floor. Bring the stands and tables in from outside.
5. Check to see that all workbenches are stocked with their color coded tools, grease, cleaner, etc. If a tool is missing, check that it wasn't put in the wooden cabinet by mistake. If it's still missing, color-code a new one. Take a similar tool from the wooden cabinet first; if there is no extra in that cabinet, replace it from the back-up tools milk crate in the yellow cabinet.
6. Put especially filthy rags into the hamper (a good volunteer task if short on time).
7. Bring in the signs from Florida St. and Alabama St.
8. Sweep the courtyard.
9. Lower and latch the doors.
10. Empty the shop trash into dumpster in the trash room. Key is in the office key box (just inside the doorway, on the wall).
11. Sweep the shop floor.
12. Turn off the stereo.
13. Close out the register. Scroll down to Closing the Register under Specific Protocols.
14. Turn off all of the lights.
15. Lock the doors when you leave.