WRV - - a service / retail biz that is lost

Solid post, couldn't agree more, and although i've never visited the shop up in VB, I personally own one of their boards and i'm disapointed to hear this is how they treat customers. You aren't the 1st i've heard this from, and certainly won't be the last. This is another prime example of a local shop "not getting it" when it comes to running a business.

Obviously they've done some things right over the years or else they wouldn't be where they are today. However, most great businesses eventually fail and close up shop when they lose touch with customers or potential customers. When these local shops take on the "big business" philosophies (which is kind of ironic in the surfing industry), they are changing what made them great in the 1st place. Nothing wrong with these businesses being successful and making big money, but when you lose touch with what it was like trying to build your name, and build a business, you lose sight of what it was all about to begin with. Sure, profit is nice, and #1 priority of being in business, but #2 should always be taking care of your customers, and it's guys like "Shane" who take years and years of hard work and sacrifice by the people who started that company from the ground up and basically sh*t all over them and their dream.

 

My dad has been surfing on WRV boards since about a year after they opened. I learned on an old 1968 WRV funboard and loved going to their VA beach store and the OBX store as I was growing up. 4 years ago I ordered 6 customs from them some for me, some for friends. The custom ordering experience was decent, but we hit a lot of bumps in the road along the way primarily having to do with the Kitty Hawk store manager Micki and the fact that it's next to impossible to talk to the shapers. WRV won't give you contact information. If the shaper feels they want to talk to you, they will call you. Luckily on my forms I had asked them to call me so I could actually talk to the shaper!

2 years later I was ready for 2 more boards. I got in touch with the guys down at the Kitty Hawk store since that's where I ordered my stuff from and sent them the order sheets over. I called to verify they got them and they were going to get the quotes and call me back in a few days. After a few days, I never heard from them. I called them back, and they were "still working on the pricing." I waited another month and called again. Still nothing. This time they lost the sheets I faxed to them. They asked that I fax them again, so...I did.

After another month of waiting, nothing. No prices still. I called and they said they still didn't have the prices. To this day, I'm still waiting on prices. That was 2 years ago. I gave up on them.

Since then I have gone to the Bing shaping facility in Encinitas, CA and met with Matt Calvani and Margaret there. They were MORE then happy to talk to me, take me all around the facility, show me blanks and talk boards. I have since bought 4 Bing's and will have more to come. While I was there I also stopped next door and talked to Todd Bahne at Fins Unlimited and took a tour of their factory. It was a great experience and one that helped me realize how terrible WRV is with customer service.

The weekend before labor day I had stopped in at the Kitty Hawk WRV on my way through town just to see what they had these days...As I was there the store manager, Micki (who has been there forever and ALWAYS has the I'm better then you attitude) was there. Someone was applying for a job in the shop. As Micki read through the guys application on the sales floor all he did was belittle and berate the guy saying he wasn't worth the $10.00 he was asking because life guarding doesn't help him sell boards and clothes. I feel doing that is extremely unprofessional and turned me away once again from doing business with them. It's been 4 years since I bought anything from any of the WRV shops.

 

you are dealing with surfers for God's sake! Do you expect us to act like real business people! if you do, you have absolutely no freakin clue and need to find another activity to do.

 

Surprising to hear from a guy with an Ayn Rand quote as his signature.

I think that as a customer, you have a right to expect good service from the businesses you patronize, and if you don't get it, you take your money elsewhere. I've seen a few points on this thread about how businesses that put profit above the customer deserve to fail or something along those lines. I disagree. You can be in business solely for profit, but if you fail to understand that every cent of profit you earn comes from the hard work of your customers and the fact that they are willing to trade that hard work for your product/service, then you don't understand your business.

 

we are talking about surfers here....The guy was probably pissed off that he was stuck in the shop while it was firing. not to say his attitude was right but I can understand it and have seen it a billion times over the years. some shops are like that (to be fair, i have no clue how WRV operates). They serve locals and do ok with that. If they don't know you, then they tend to be standoffish. If that is the way this shop works then go somewhere else.

 

@roos3342 So you fill out an order form and that's how you get a 'custom' board? That sux if that's how it is done with these big name shapers nowadays.

I've never really had any luck with custom board anyways. All of my boards are locally shaped, but the ones I use all the time are stock boards, not customized.

 

no it has not been firing all summer except for this past swell. the shop and its people just suck period. i actually have a ding on my wrv board and will take it to freedom as akward as it may be lol.

 

You're suggesting that surfers can't act professional, learn how to do a job, or even be friendly to their fellow surfers? I'm pretty sure you have no freakin' clue, or maybe you're just 15 and feel like you're entitled to be a kook on land because you think you can shred.

 

oh boy here we go....what does experience tell you? surfers put surfing above all else most of the time. we live near beaches with crap job prospects, take off work at the drop of a hat for surfing. Many can act professional but there still the love of surfing that trumps all. In addition, the op ONLY gave his side of the story and there are usually two. was he rude first? possibly, but even if the shop employee real was a complete douche why whine about it on here, in fact why even buy the stuff there? just walk out and hit up another shop.

 

You Yankees are always in such a damn hurry. Look sometimes if you slow the f*ck down for 5 minutes when you come through my town you won't run over as many cats. That 5 minutes at the register is the price your benny a55 pays to visit these sacred lands. And WTF man do you expect some southern hospitality? Some mother f**king sweet tea? I shine yo shoes? Get over it. Some tourist rolls into a surf shop and throws around his hundred dollars like it means something, get the f*ck out of here. I bet you stunk the whole place up with the stinch of pepperoni pizza and hair gel. Look around at who really surfs in this town, and what they are riding (almost exclusively WRV). Get over yourself, NOBODY OWES YOU ANYTHING.


How was first street?

 

That's how it was when I did it in 2008 and tried again in 2010. It was not always like that back in the day when my dad was getting stuff done. Then again, it's a completely different time and I understand that. I guess, as to be expected, the owners were more involved in the companies day to day operations then they seem to be now. The owner is a good guy, if you can talk to him.

Yankee - I have never worked with Rusty, but I have talked to and worked w/ Austin and he has been great to work with. I have also worked w/ Bryan Wynn in NJ and he was always helpful and kept you in the loop as was Scott Busby @ Natural Art Surfshop in Buxton, NC...

 

njsurfer42 recommened scott busby...i think ill give him a whirl next time. wrv owes me a free longboard just to shred 1st st to....shreds.

 

Awesome, dude. Completely awesome. Thank you!

 

You are the definition of a kook.

You are a kook, you don't surf that much no one knows you and you are mad grrrrrrrrrr, dumas with little man syndrome . Go sit on your board in another state kook. Talking all that s*** about Shane over "thats it for you" you need help bro. I don't know where you shop at but you must be dumb or blind and all of a sudden woke up at WRV. WRV is the S*** you are a kook that thinks he is to cool to wait, when the staff are helping better customers and you obviously see that. Wait your turn like your daddy told you b****.












you are

 

NOYA!! Baby!

 

Die hard local bra' only place true locals go. The other shops are a joke. Mahalo kook.