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Met two students at DFW gun today for renewals. In addition to charging them the 14 or 15 dollars for the lane, they charged them an additional $25.00 each for an "outside instructor charge"

The way the clerk worded it was sickening...

Student "Whats that charge for?"
Clerk "For not using one of our instructors."

I think I'd find another range if I were you.

Tell them business goes both ways. Tell them your going to take your (however many students you teach per year) and get lanes elsewhere and your also going to quit recommending them as a range.

...wait'll their boss sees how many people found out about it!!!

It’s a free market (well kind of) The business owner is free to charge anything he wants for use of his facilities.. And just as free to hire, train, any manor of CSR regardless of their horrible ability to interact with the customer base.
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Dear DFW GUN: Just exactly how many customers are you prepared to lose?

From a popular Texas Internet shooter forum.
"Met two students at DFW gun today for renewals. In addition to charging them the 14 or 15 dollars for the lane, they charged them an additional $25.00 each for an "outside instructor charge"
The way the clerk worded it was sickening...
Student "Whats that charge for?"
Clerk "For not using one of our instructors."

In today’s economy, with a business that largely depends on disposable cash set aside for entertainment. It seems your willing to turn away, customers though poor business practices and even worse customer service. As such, I’d be happy to assist you with that desire turning as many folks’ away from your company as I can. Fellow shooters, potential shooters, Instructors, LEO’s and of course a few thousand military members I come in contact with monthly.
Should you change your policy of excessive range fees for customers that desire to use an instructor other than one in your pocket.. Feel free to post that on your web site. It would likely encourage your former customers to acknowledge the change in your business practices and be reason for many to stop actively discouraging current and potential customers from using your place of business.

Sincerely
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Unfortunately, the local zoning restrictions make it so difficult to build an indoor range that the existing ones know they have little competition. Low competition is not a good incentive to increase customer service or decrease prices.

With winter weather upon us, more people will be driven to the few indoor ranges to qualify, and we will hear more and more of these stories.

I have not set foot in DFW Range since before they rebuilt after their roof collapse. (How many years ago was that?) I just didn't care for shooting in the dark, much less their general lack of customer service attitude at that time. Sounds like it hasn't changed much.

Will they also charge me extra if I take my daughter or sister or niece and teach them instead of using one of their instructors?

Hot Lead, did they ask to see your instructor license?

I haven't been there and still don't see me going there in the future.

From now on I will be doing ALL of my indoor qualifications at Great Southwest Gun and Archery. Its a bit of a drive, but worth it.

You were not giving them instruction.... You were administering a state mandated licensing exam.

A "SMART" range owner would discount fees for instructors bringing students ... it would increase REVENUE otherwise foregone/lost to another range ...

Discounts might induce driving further to a particular range over choosing one closer.

Further Discounts could be offered for anyone who used "their instructor"
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In the 1980s, I, as a Real Estate Broker managing a Property Management firm, offered "Rent discounts" to almost a thousand tenants who rented houses from my clients. They'd get a discount on rent if they 1) mailed in the payment 2) early/before it was due
I provided 12 stamped envelopes to each tenant
EVERYWHERE ELSE charged "late fee penalties" ... I never had to charge a late fee, people were all induced to pay early by mail to get their discount ... saving me time driving and expense of collecting rents "on time" and charging/collecting "late fees"

(Every lease included an "option to buy or first right of refusal should owner decide to sell" too ... Renters took better care of the properties since they "might" own it some day)

"My properties" ended up being full of longer term tenants who took care of the houses, where other management companies had lots of vacancies/evictions and repairs to do.... My mom taught me to work smarter, not harder.

Discounts/Coupons obviously work to increase business, as evidenced by junk mail ... penalties ... not so much.
"Behavior modification m3ethods" in business used to "train" customers can help or hurt.... sounds like they don't want increased revenue through more customers ... I'd accommodate their wishes for me to take x number of students money elsewhere, and advise them of such, so they know it's working.

That is outrageous -- but then The Bullet Trap doesn't allow outside instructors at all.

I recently participated in my first indoor Glock match at DFW Gun Range. This is a three round match usually held about a month apart each. You pay the full range fee each time, to shoot 50 total rounds at two targets. Takes maybe 15 minutes each.

They advertised that the match was from 8:00am to 12:00. Got there at 8:00am only to discover they don't even open until 10:00. So I made the first trip across town for nothing. (I couldn't find anything to fill two hours in that wonderful part of town).

The results are supposed to be posted on the Glock site, but never was. So, after spending some $30 to participate (only shot two of the three times), I was never able to find out the results. In the end, I was left wondering why I participated in the first place.

They had another match scheduled this winter -- but I decided to decline.

And although they advertise as DFW's "Premiere" gun range -- the place is something of a dump. And rather small.

Not arguing this one either way...as I see both sides of the issue. As an aside, I see the same thing at golf ranges.

PUCKER wrote:Not arguing this one either way...as I see both sides of the issue. As an aside, I see the same thing at golf ranges.

To each his own.. BTW, what is your side?... Errr, Make that the other side, as i don't know if it's yours or not.

I might consider a one time fee to an outside instructor, call it an Admin fee.. $10-25 MAX, where you come in, fill out a POC card, scan your instructional certs and call it a day. If you shoot someone, or one of your students does, I can tell the police and the insurance company you held your self out there to be a qualified instructor and provided documents to show the same..


That and what is above is "my Side" what is the other side you see?

bronco78 wrote:

PUCKER wrote:Not arguing this one either way...as I see both sides of the issue. As an aside, I see the same thing at golf ranges.

To each his own.. BTW, what is your side?... Errr, Make that the other side, as i don't know if it's yours or not.

I might consider a one time fee to an outside instructor, call it an Admin fee.. $10-25 MAX, where you come in, fill out a POC card, scan your instructional certs and call it a day. If you shoot someone, or one of your students does, I can tell the police and the insurance company you held your self out there to be a qualified instructor and provided documents to show the same..

That and what is above is "my Side" what is the other side you see?

bronco - I see it from the both customer's side and the range owner's side, I think both are right - at least for their opinions. Doesn't matter either way to me. Not really trying to play devil's advocate but....after all, the range owner makes an investment (sizable, I'm sure) in the facility, the employees (apparently that includes instructors, who are there to serve/instruct), etc....just throwing that out there. In the end, it's the customers who decides what is "right" or "wrong" for them, they vote with their wallet (or the 'net, in this case). It appears that most on this thread are against DFW Gun's policies regarding outside instructors. I guess you could somewhat compare it to a "corkage" fee that some restaurants charge (ie - in states where you can do this) customers that choose to bring their own bottle of wine versus paying for a bottle of wine that the restaurant sells. In other words, they are trying to recoup some of the $ that they could get.

Crossfire wrote:I just didn't care for shooting in the dark, much less their general lack of customer service attitude at that time. Sounds like it hasn't changed much.

I mentioned "not caring for shooting in the dark" (not a fan of it myself) at DFW Gun range to a gun buddy of mine awhile back but his answer made me change my view on it - to sum it up he equated practicing in less than ideal light situations to preparing for "the real thing" ie - having to use your firearm at night.

I've only shot at two local indoor ranges: Bass Pro (literally minutes from my house, not the biggest fan of that place) and DFW Gun Range. What I like about DFW is that full-auto is A-OK. I believe that one or two of the newer ranges indoor ranges are OK with this (Shoot Smart and Great Southwest Gun from what I recall, but I'm not 100% sure of that). I don't shoot full-auto frequently, but I like to be able to do so every now and then...it's about time to warm the barrel up again!