Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 183, Issue 5 - TheThinkTank

17 Jan 2022 · _we take roughly 85-90% of what a 'normal' workshop would make_

      If it's helpful....here's how our gift economy model has evolved

Idea #1 [there was no external support or funding at this stage -
just me running an experiment on my weekends]
  o This was literally a large mason jar where people could donate
    after having received a bike service or a lesson in bike
    maintenance (originally, there were four courses; intro, basic,
    intermediate, advanced)
  o   I didn't differentiate between parts (many new) or labour
  o Results
      + Takings after 8months (weekends only) came to around £2000,
        once parts were factored in, this more than halved
      + Only those well versed with cycling (and some mechanical
        knowledge) knew the value of servicing.  The perceived value
        of maintenance training varied even more widely
      + Some people HATED the donation jar and idea of 'pay what you
        feel', some loved it.  Most people who hated it appeared
        time poor and cash rich [I felt they wanted a simple
        transaction]
Idea #2 [now with some funding]
  o parts had to be paid for, even used parts [these have been fully
    cleaned, inspected, lubed/etc and where necessary - fitted, test
    ridden and removed - i.e not just a box of random parts that
    have been stripped and left]
  o there was now a bank account [people were given details and left
    to pay as and when they felt like it and how much they felt]
  o Results
      + A glass jar gave pressure for people for give then and
        there, also some people don't use cash (others only use
        cash) - for those who use cash, this has and will always be
        acceptable too
      + I refused to ask people to tick boxes on what disability
        they had or what ethnic group or sexual orientation or age
        they were...for same reasons previously given
      + Gifting roughly doubled
Idea #3 [how it's been running for the last couple years]
  o We have a 'value list' for servicing and training clearly laid
    out on the door of the workshop and (less clearly!) on the website
  o People pay what and when they feel called to.  There are no
    demands for payment.  If people ask why we operate this way, I
    explain about 'gift economics' and sharing economies (the
    workshop is adjacent to some of the most expensive bits of real
    estate in London - yet also within 15minutes walk of some of the
    poorest with 2nd highest rate of homelessness and child
    deprivation in the whole country)
  o If people haven't gifted anything and said they would, I will
    sometimes send them an email or call a few weeks later.
    Sometimes they've forgotten, sometimes they just won't want to
    gift anything...in almost five years of trading, a only a few
    people have done this.  We're known as the highest quality bike
    servicing enterprise in the area (we've serviced bikes for
    Olympic Medal winners) and our training is also second to none
  o We also have Paypal (linked to our account) and Coupay.  We are
    considering adding a crypto account for Etherium and Bitcoin
    when the business scales up
  o Results
      +  From servicing, _we take roughly 85-90% of what a 'normal'
        workshop would make_.  We gift bikes to victims of crime
        whenever we can (building up bikes from scratch is good
        practice for volunteers) and our community knows and likes
        what we do with many high earners 'overpaying' for the value
        of services and many people gifting parts and offering to
        gift skills and services (which often, we can gift on by
        bridging community connections)
      + We're the ONLY workshop that has not yet been broken into in
        the area.
      + Funding largely comes from revenue, not grants/donations,
        but this is good as it doesn't require intensive form
        filling....we are looking at digitising impact measurement
        and added value though

In service,
*Lawrence Mohammed*
CEO and Founder
Pro Bike Service C.I.C.
*+44 (0)77 222 58587*
*probikeservice.co.uk https://probikeservice.co.uk*
/::Olympic Park Site::
Pro Bike Service C.I.C.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Canalside, Hackney Bridge
London E15 2SJ
*map location https://what3words.com/cuts.porch.logic*
/
On 14/01/2022 21:03, thethinktank-request@lists.bikecollectives.org wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Earn-a-Bike Programs (Nicole Muratore)
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2. Re: Budget Bikes (cyclista@inventati.org)

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