Taking over the bike shop...

[classic33]

Boss came. They're extending the contract on the basis that I take over the bike department.

Is that good or bad?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is that good or bad?

Well, it means I still have a job in a few months, and I get to work on bikes and help people, and they're open to at least some of the ideas on here.

So yeah, pretty good overall...

 

[Jenkins]

Boss came. They're extending the contract on the basis that I take over the bike department.

Congratulations

 

[Reynard]

Way to go, @Andy in Germany

 

[Oldhippy]

Boss came. They're extending the contract on the basis that I take over the bike department.

Wonderful news and jealous! Emmaus type job and a bike shop in the mix. Dream job for me.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

So yeah, pretty good overall...

Maybe it's just me but I'm not terribly convinced

Best of luck to you.

I wonder if

They're extending the contract on the basis that I take over the bike department.

means that success or otherwise will influence your future contract(s)?

I hate to be negative but I'd suggest having a good think about what you commit to achieving. Better to set expectations low and exceed them than vice versa.

Also, the cooperation you receive from others (clients, mechanics other departments in the store) could be critical.

Sorry. I can't come up with a way of raising these points without coming across as negative.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Maybe it's just me but I'm not terribly convinced

Best of luck to you.

I wonder if

means that success or otherwise will influence your future contract(s)?

I hate to be negative but I'd suggest having a good think about what you commit to achieving. Better to set expectations low and exceed them than vice versa.

Also, the cooperation you receive from others (clients, mechanics other departments in the store) could be critical.

Sorry. I can't come up with a way of raising these points without coming across as negative.

Hi, thanks for the thoughts; most of them had already crossed my mind, but it's good to know I'm thinking in the right way.

The current mechanic is a brilliant wrench and a great guy but extremely eccentric and very laid back; he'll let clients stop for a smoke after twenty minutes and coffee fifteen minutes after that.

All the bikes are stored at a different centre a few kilometres north. He's supposed to go there every two weeks to look at bikes and decide what should be taken to the workshop, but he tends to forget or be too busy. I'd been working at that centre for a few months before I saw him once.

Thankfully this mechanic is wanting to retire fairly soon so he's happy for me to take over; my main focus in the first year will be to get things organised and working smoothly with the clients, and get to grips with things like ordering and sales, (and actually go and pick up the bikes...)

I'm also supposed to make sure we have an individual training programme for every client with the goal of getting them into work or a "normal" apprenticeship. This is what I'm trained to do and I'm doing this in the current shop.

Other departments are important too. Apart from anything else the people who strip the bikes down in the other centre need to know their work is appreciated; they don't have a focus at the moment because no-one is telling them what to keep and what to throw away so I've seen good bikes thrown in a skip.

I've also been working in different departments and shops and I've been careful to build relationships with people there, because as you say, their cooperation will be critical.

 

[Oldhippy]

Hi, thanks for the thoughts; most of them had already crossed my mind, but it's good to know I'm thinking in the right way.

The current mechanic is a brilliant wrench and a great guy but extremely eccentric and very laid back; he'll let clients stop for a smoke after twenty minutes and coffee fifteen minutes after that.

All the bikes are stored at a different centre a few kilometres north. He's supposed to go there every two weeks to look at bikes and decide what should be taken to the workshop, but he tends to forget or be too busy. I'd been working at that centre for a few months before I saw him once.

Thankfully this mechanic is wanting to retire fairly soon so he's happy for me to take over; my main focus in the first year will be to get things organised and working smoothly with the clients, and get to grips with things like ordering and sales, (and actually go and pick up the bikes...)

I'm also supposed to make sure we have an individual training programme for every client with the goal of getting them into work or a "normal" apprenticeship. This is what I'm trained to do and I'm doing this in the current shop.

Other departments are important too. Apart from anything else the people who strip the bikes down in the other centre need to know their work is appreciated; they don't have a focus at the moment because no-one is telling them what to keep and what to throw away so I've seen good bikes thrown in a skip.

I've also been working in different departments and shops and I've been careful to build relationships with people there, because as you say, their cooperation will be critical.

You've the makings of a superb and worthwhile project Andy. Update us as you go.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

As a youngster, my son used to go to Munster for German lessons. The local council had a similar scheme: a shop and a workplace where socially disadvantaged people (not refugees) would do up and sell bikes. It was apparently very successful. Junior rang one evening and asked if we could send him €25 to buy a bike.

Going back to his digs one evening with a fellow student sitting on the bike rack (perfectly normal in Holland), a police car tried to pull him over. Unaware that he was doing anything wrong he ignored it and carried on pedalling. The car gave chase all the way back to his landlady's. Taking passengers on a bike is seemingly illegal in Germany. The same night he rang us and asked if we could send €35 to cover the fine.

The bike gave many years of trouble-free service before Junior outgrew it and we gave it to the asylum centre further up our road. It could still be doing duty today.

Hope everything goes well, @Andy in Germany ! Good luck.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I technically had a day off today but I wanted to go in and say hello to the clients in the bike workshop, as I'm supposed to be in charge from Monday, and my first assignment is basically to pinch all the tools and take them to a training centre for two weeks; it seemed a bit disrespectful not to warn the people I'll be working with.

By a piece of serendipity I happened to turn up at the same time as the boss and the current/former mechanic (FM), who has essentially retired but built the workshop, so we could have a look around together.

It's an interesting situation; it looks like I'm basically going to be left to get on with it; the two clients both know what they're doing, in fact one had a bike shop in his home country before he had to escape. My job will be to learn from them, and help them onto the next step.

The FM wants the clients to get a permanent contract because that's good for the shop, but that's not what we're supposed to do; the clients are paid pocket money and they should be with us just long enough to get back on their feet and then move on to a more secure and better paid job.

the workshops are a mess, which isn't surprising as they have been the semi-private domain of the FM and one of the clients. It's going to be a challenge to build trust with the clients while changing their working environment but that's what I'm supposed to be doing. There is some talk of moving to another location, either in the current building or another building so that may be a good opportunity to get things better organised, and throw out a lot of junk...

 

[Andy in Germany]

First brief visit today; I met my clients; I thought I had two but there's a third now, which is going to be a challenge with only one set of cable cutters.

Some good news; The cycle department will be moving, come what may, probably sooner rather than later, and the plan is for an open plan shop so the work stands will be visible to the public. Hopefully we can get away from being a "workshop" out of the public view, and be more of a "department" like the other departments...

 

[Arrowfoot]

Dear @Andy in Germany, you are such a nice and patient guy. I think some members think you are running a bike shop and not a re-training centre despite your careful attempts at giving context. Also surprised that your FM is not aware of the purpose of the centre. The thing with the previous chap resonates with me. Sad but true of many NGOs around the World.

Anyway your clients and the Centre will now have the right person with the right empathy and focus to get them back on track and fulfil its mission purpose. These endeavours carry such a low profile that kids in school are not aware how such things in the community can do wonders. If possible, organise a day for school kids to come over and see what such centres do. It will seed them with the right social agenda when they leave school and get into the corporate world.

I for one am glad you to agreed to this having watched your take in life across so many posts over the years.

Bless you.

 

[bagpuss]

A very Interesting thread .If I were younger I would be temptred have a go at a bike repair business .Trouble is in the UK high business rates & rents make for high, on costs . Near to me a repair for a wheel is £25 .ie 1 spoke and true up.
I do most repairs myself.

 

[Andy in Germany]

A very Interesting thread .If I were younger I would be temptred have a go at a bike repair business .Trouble is in the UK high business rates & rents make for high, on costs . Near to me a repair for a wheel is £25 .ie 1 spoke and true up.
I do most repairs myself.

I kindof have the best of both worlds because each team leader has a fair amount of independence, but we still have the backing and security of the bigger organisation, and of course the main point is looking after clients so although we do need to have a reasonable turnover there is a bit less pressure to work fast and/or sell lots.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Dear @Andy in Germany, you are such a nice and patient guy. I think some members think you are running a bike shop and not a re-training centre despite your careful attempts at giving context. Also surprised that your FM is not aware of the purpose of the centre. The thing with the previous chap resonates with me. Sad but true of many NGOs around the World.

Anyway your clients and the Centre will now have the right person with the right empathy and focus to get them back on track and fulfil its mission purpose. These endeavours carry such a low profile that kids in school are not aware how such things in the community can do wonders. If possible, organise a day for school kids to come over and see what such centres do. It will seed them with the right social agenda when they leave school and get into the corporate world.

I for one am glad you to agreed to this having watched your take in life across so many posts over the years.

Bless you.

Thanks @Arrowroot for your kind words, although I'm not sure my family would entirely agree with the "patient"...

My predecessor is a great guy, although I would say that because he apparently went and told the boss that I should take over when he retired. He was the right man for the job up until now as he's got the workshop working, which gives me a great foundation to add to, but I also think it's time for someone else to take over. He is such a treehugging hippy he thinks society can get stuffed, which makes it hard for him to prepare people and give them the skills to work within said society.

This of course is the challenge; helping people fit enough to be able to participate, without making them fit a shape that doesn't work for them...