AMF get it right..... no realy!!!

[fizz]

"who has the most thanksless job in a bowling centre? Who is the forgotten link in the chain that keeps the lanes in tip top condition, oiling the lanes, fixing recalcitrant parts and returning our balls when they get stuck down the back often becouse we don't clean our balls enough?

Yes it's the technician, nobody notices them when things are going well but we soon complain about them if we think the lanes aren't perfect. it's never our fault for poor bowling or not reading lanes correctly.

we should remember that no matter how great the front counter staff are, it's the techs who keep things running smoothly. so don't keep pressing the trouble button if things go wrong, once is enough, they are probably fixing a problem elsewhere and will get to you as soon as they can."

form AMF's "what's the score?" issue #28, page 3

could not have said it better myself and i would like to thank all techs that work at the centers i bowl at and all those who dont.

 

[lenny marsden]

thanks fizz, from a fellow techie. Unfortunately 99.9per cent of bowlers don't know about what actually happens in a centre. For instance, on saturday we had a tourny at the centre and we had 2 techs on duty,we both started at 7am and got the lanes and machines ready. During the comp we had 1 machine stop, 3 balls stuck and 2 pinstands. Not bad for old 82-30s over 310 games. And during the finals both techs were standing behind the 2 pair of machines to make sure all went smoothly. I bet that most of the long term techs have at least once in their time spent hours sitting on 1 "broken" machine keeping it going so that the bowlers did not get interrupted, but bowlers don't get to hear of this.With my old rattlers it sometimes happens each week!!!!
And don't think it's just the "good" bowlers who are impatient, my mother did it (pressed the trouble button several times) to me last week while I was replacing a broken uni-joint.Thanks mum!!!!!

 

[Feral]

A Techs job is a thankless one. I always thank the Techs on duty for their great contribution whether I bowl well or not. Thanks to all the techs out there - you ALWAYS do a mighty job. =D>

 

[Cam S]

thanks fizz, from a fellow techie. Unfortunately 99.9per cent of bowlers don't know about what actually happens in a centre. For instance, on saturday we had a tourny at the centre and we had 2 techs on duty,we both started at 7am and got the lanes and machines ready. During the comp we had 1 machine stop, 3 balls stuck and 2 pinstands. Not bad for old 82-30s over 310 games. And during the finals both techs were standing behind the 2 pair of machines to make sure all went smoothly. I bet that most of the long term techs have at least once in their time spent hours sitting on 1 "broken" machine keeping it going so that the bowlers did not get interrupted, but bowlers don't get to hear of this.With my old rattlers it sometimes happens each week!!!!
And don't think it's just the "good" bowlers who are impatient, my mother did it (pressed the trouble button several times) to me last week while I was replacing a broken uni-joint.Thanks mum!!!!!

for machines that are so old and as much as i dont like giving you credit Mr Len , its a credit to you and your boys that it is very very rare for a breakdown in that centre that causes a major delay at any time.

all you need to do now is find some more oil to put on your lanes mate

 

[fizz]

I bet that most of the long term techs have at least once in their time spent hours sitting on 1 "broken" machine keeping it going so that the bowlers did not get interrupted, but bowlers don't get to hear of this.

oh yea i'v done that before my m/c anit as old as yours (82/90s) but i can remember quite a few times were i have had to sit on 1 machine to pushed balls back or distrubite pins or to make sure that it dont do all kinda of wried and wonderful things, as my boss always says you can have the best counter staff, best cafe staff, best manger, ect ect but if you dont have good techs people will walk out the center will go bust.

i would like to thank all every one who lets thire techs know thay are doing a good job it's people like you who keep people like me in the job

on a darker note i would just like to go on a rant here after about a week and 250+ views of this post thire is only 3 replys do people not belive that techs have the most thankless job do people think we just sit down the back on our ass and lough at the people who complan about us, do people think we damage balls/machines on perpose? or is it people just dont care? please if you have somthing to say about techs say it here good or bad i want to hear it

 

[Lemmings]

Yes it's the technician, nobody notices them when things are going well but we soon complain about them if we think the lanes aren't perfect. it's never our fault for poor bowling or not reading lanes correctly.

I lol'd when I saw that in 'whats the score'...

And yes thanks to the Techs... I remember when I had a dodgy ball return that needed constant fixing in practice many moons ago... so one Mech stayed down kept me company... There humans to you know.. lol..

Lemmings

 

[Resurrection]

This is just typical of the attitude within this industry. Very few replies to a topic that means the most to this industry. Bowlers are the first to winge and whine when things don't go their way but this go right there is no thanks whatsever. I would like to see the time when all the techs just cracked the ****s and walked out and let everything to fend for themselves. But the thing is we as techs wouldn't do that because we have too much pride in the industry and for the sport as mmost of us are bowlers ourselves.

Matthew Lambrick

 

[piequat]

unfortunately that's how it goes... the thing i was most surprised with when i took up a job was that the tech's wage is exactly the same as everyone else's. yet they take the most crap, are supposed to have a vast knowledge base of a complicated machine, harrassed by the front counter staff when anything goes wrong, even if its something major. "but usually when the rake is down like that the tech fixes it in 10 seconds"

 

[PeterB]

unfortunately that's how it goes... the thing i was most surprised with when i took up a job was that the tech's wage is exactly the same as everyone else's. yet they take the most crap, are supposed to have a vast knowledge base of a complicated machine, harrassed by the front counter staff when anything goes wrong, even if its something major. "but usually when the rake is down like that the tech fixes it in 10 seconds"

Fortunately not all centres are this way. Clayfield springs to mind. However, it's been several years now since I worked as a tech. I do remember times when I've been blamed for no oil on the lanes by the 11pm league LMAO! I haven't really had to many problems from disgruntled bowlers. While at Woodville Bowl, one idiot did bowl at my legs while i was standing on the pin deck. Within 30 seconds he was tossed out the door by the counter staff. I'm going all the way back to 1977. But he was just a social bowler.

I've heard it all over the years from league bowlers. The bottom line is "if you haven't got a shot, find one. Learn to read the lane. Understand what your ball is suppose to do. Even if the conditions are crap, adjust." I learnt a long time ago that the best thing for me to do if the conditions weren't to my liking I would simply pick up a hard case and straighten my shot and aim up to the pocket. I always found a shot like this. Just the user is the difference. If you can't make the appropriate adjustments when faced with an adverse lane condition on a regular basis, perhaps you're just not good enough. It's not the techs fault. Stop your whinging and moaning and worry about your own game and not what others have done to conspire to ensure you have a bad night on the lanes.

 

[_pinkgl0w]

Not too long ago l realised that techs do more than we think.

They are very quick to fix a problem - there have been a few times where my ball has been stuck (doesn't come back through the ball return) and the pins aren't coming back up. In less than 1 min, there is always someones hand popping down to fix the pins - hence getting my ball back. It must be a dangerous job too, being very close to that heavy and powerful machinery.

Our head tech at my local centre is also the pro shop guy - he drills the balls, polishes them etc, and he's always willing to drill balls, he'll book you in wherever he can, so you can get it drilled asap.