The All Sports Blog

If you're a bicycling enthusiast who has just been hired to work at a bicycle shop, you'll likely be excited about going to work each day in an environment about which you're passionate. To really succeed in your new role, there are several areas on which you'll want to focus. General job-success tips, such as being cheerful and helpful to your customers certainly apply, but in this field, there are some ways that you can get ahead and hopefully develop a reputation as a standout employee. Here are some different things that you can do.

Try Out As Many Bikes As Possible

You'll be able to give your customers an informed opinion about many of the products that you sell by testing out the bikes yourself. Now, you won't likely be able to ride them outside, but consider at least getting on some different bikes and pedaling them a short distance around the store when it's closed. This will give you firsthand knowledge of how certain bikes feel and perform. It's ideal for customers to encounter a salesperson who can actually speak from experience, rather than simply restate the product's description off its website. By evaluating the bikes in this manner, you'll quickly develop a good reputation at work.

Practice Some Simple Maintenance Tasks

Whether a customer is buying a bike from you or has simply visited the store to pick up a bike part, he or she may consult you with some maintenance questions. You'll be of greater value if you've done some of this work on your own. On your break or lunch hour, practice some simple maintenance tasks on bikes in the store — ideally under the guidance of the repairs department. Simple things such as knowing how to change a wheel, adjust the brakes and other such tasks can then be added to your knowledge base so that you can help customers with these queries.

Ask Questions To Other Bicyclists

Your base of knowledge will grow — thus making you a better employee — if you also make a point of asking questions to other cyclists. If you have friends with the same hobby, ask them questions about their favorite brands, for example. Don't be afraid to ask similar questions to customers in the shop, too. With each answer, you'll grow to know more about this industry and its products, which will make you a valuable, informed employee to a shop like Sarasota Cyclery Inc.