Cycle shop experience - your thoughts?

[Windle]

Even basic human decency let alone good customer skills would have meant a loan of a tool for a couple of minutes, . I would have felt like a right (expletive deleted) doing that, knowing that the bloke would be walking home. But some people are like that, as we see in everyday life occasionally. Definitely the sort who shouldn't be working in retail. Stuff like that damages businesses.

 

[wiggydiggy]

He'll never go back there for anything. Imagine if you were on the road and needed a small tool for a few minutes, someone stops and offers to sell you the tool instead of just lending you theirs.

I know what I'd call that person!

 

[rogerzilla]

I was expecting them to say, "no, but we'll fix it for you for a tenner", which would have been annoying but reasonably fair. At least the cyclist gets something out of the deal, viz. a new tube, no effort, and no dirty hands.

 

[Slick]

Obviously, he should have lent him the Allen key, as we will have all been in need of some assistance at one time or another and conversely, been in a position to offer help to a fellow cyclist who needed it.

That said, I am a bit conflicted, as if it were me in my area, I would have pushed my bike to my local leisure centre where they have a tool station beside the cycle rack, but I already know my LBS is run by an erse.

There is another specialist shop my brother and I frequent, and my brother loves it because its like an Alladdins cave, with constant coffee and biscuits available that attracts cyclists from all over just to pop in for a chat. I hate it, because my order has never been right first time, I have to step over all sorts of junk just so I can speak to the guy, and I can't get my order completed because someone else has arrived for a chat and a coffee, and I just want my job doing so I can get out of there.

Funny how two brothers can have the polar opposite opinion on the same scenario.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I was expecting them to say, "no, but we'll fix it for you for a tenner", which would have been annoying but reasonably fair. At least the cyclist gets something out of the deal, viz. a new tube, no effort, and no dirty hands.

I'd be happy with that though, pay for a small repair I'd not prepared for.

That said, I am a bit conflicted, as if it were me in my area, I would have pushed my bike to my local leisure centre where they have a tool station beside the cycle rack, but I already know my LBS is run by an erse.

Is that a solution for LBSs? Put a small toolstation outside, I'd bet some of the people that stop would go in and buy something.

 

[Cycleops]

I think the shop assistant should have the same punishment meted out to him as Clarkson wished on Le Markle, paraded through the streets naked while cyclists throw excrement at him.

 

[Alex321]

That said, I am a bit conflicted, as if it were me in my area, I would have pushed my bike to my local leisure centre where they have a tool station beside the cycle rack, but I already know my LBS is run by an erse.

There are quite a few such tool stations around the Vale of Glamorgan
https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/...tations-are-open-for-use-across-the-Vale.aspx
There are actually more than just those 10 and the two referred to as being worked on, I know of at least one more.

 

[oldwheels]

Not bike related but a guy here had a make of car which required a very specific jack [cannot remember the make].
A tourist parked opposite his house with the same make and model of car returned to the car and discovered a flat tyre but on searching the boot could not find his jack. The local noticed this and offered to lend his jack. Offer accepted and when the tourist had changed wheels he put the jack into his boot and drove off nevr to be seen or heard from again.
Perhaps the LBS had been bitten before and loaned tolls which were never returned.

 

[Sallar55]

Il

Obviously, he should have lent him the Allen key, as we will have all been in need of some assistance at one time or another and conversely, been in a position to offer help to a fellow cyclist who needed it.

That said, I am a bit conflicted, as if it were me in my area, I would have pushed my bike to my local leisure centre where they have a tool station beside the cycle rack, but I already know my LBS is run by an erse.

There is another specialist shop my brother and I frequent, and my brother loves it because its like an Alladdins cave, with constant coffee and biscuits available that attracts cyclists from all over just to pop in for a chat. I hate it, because my order has never been right first time, I have to step over all sorts of junk just so I can speak to the guy, and I can't get my order completed because someone else has arrived for a chat and a coffee, and I just want my job doing so I can get out of there.

Funny how two brothers can have the polar opposite opinion on the same scenario.

Is that just below the Crow rd? If so all that junk is wheels waiting to be trued, rebuit or lying waiting for the customer to say OK if beyond repair i need a new wheel. My last wheels were as ordered, don't even go back for the 100 mile true up 😄. You can phone an order in if waiting is out or chill out in the coffee shop next door.😲

 

[Moon bunny]

A certain specialist-not bike-shop in my old town has an assistant who is legendary for her lack of customer skills or even basic politeness Once I was in there and had to wait to be served, while waiting I had a browse through the display boards. Having sent the previous punter on her way the assistant turned to me, "What you looking for?" I told her what I wanted, "Well you won't find it on there!" I got what I wanted and went on my way. A few months later I was in there again, again a wait to be served again the squawk "Wha'cher lookin' fer?" I saw my chance and answered "Some sort of purpose and meaning to life, but I won't find it in here!" and walked out, right past her boss.

 

[steverob]

And yet at the other end of the spectrum...

Out on a ride, many miles from home, made a bad gear change and my chain came off, but somehow it managed to get stuck between the frame and the chainring. And I mean it was truly wedged in there - even after 20 minutes I could not get it out for love nor money with the limited tools I had (and may have actually made the situation worse). Looked up on Google to see if there was an LBS nearby, but came up blank except for a Halfords over 3 miles away. Was not immediately filled with optimism but with little other choice I started walking with the bike.

Got there, explained the situation to one of their guys and he got to work immediately and managed to free it without having to take the whole crankset apart (which was what I thought he was going to have to do), although it still took him a good few minutes, which made me feel a little better about my previous feeble attempts. Asked him how much he'd charge for labour and he said "nothing" - I even offered to pay £10 and he waved me away. All he wanted was for me to fill out a favourable customer survey online and make sure I used his name, as that would go to his boss which helped with his annual review - as soon as I got home I did so.

So if staff at a corporate behemoth like Halfords are willing to give a stranded cyclist free help, even when they're happy to pay, I can only assume that guy at the LBS must have been having a rough day, or a bad experience with a previous customer.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

A few years back I had a stiff link in my chain at llandegla MTB centre causing some issues. The bike shop there refused me a drop of oil for the chain but offered to sell me a bottle.

Told them go go fark themselves.

 

[TheDoctor]

My ex-LBS, the sadly missed Byercycles, were fantastic for that sort of thing. I'd bought a frame from them, wheels, various bits and bobs over the years. I was cycling over that way and got a visitation, and during the fixing I broke a tyre lever. Nipped in to buy some new ones, and they didn't have any.
They gave me some old, used ones. Still got them.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Some time ago I lost some of my tyre levers - I went into the LBS looking for some advise about something totally different - didn;t buy anything - and just asked if they had any tyre levers - intending to buy an extra set

He said "sure we've got some extras in the workshop" went off and came back with 3 shiny metal ones that he just gave me

He also keeps a stock of old tyre inner tubes - used but OK, mostly of bikes he has got for parts and re-furbishing - in a pile and if someone has an emergency he gives them away - may charge a couple of quid to fit it or not even that it the person seems desperate.
OK - I know him and he knows I'll be back to buy something soon - but it is nice to see someone who knows how to keep a customer buy giving away soemthing cheap now to get lots more money later on!

 

[Dag Hammar]

Not cycle related but picking up the customer service aspect of this thread. Many years ago I worked for one of the larger bed retailers in the U.K. This before the days of ( almost compulsory ) customer feedback surveys which seem to be the norm these days.
If head office received a letter of thanks or praise from a customer for the good service they received during the buying process the salesperson was awarded a £20 bonus in their monthly wage. Conversely, if a valid complaint was made against you then a financial penalty could be incurred although I don’t know how much that would be as I never incurred a penalty.
But the point is, good customer service leads to repeat business and from experience I learned that when you see your previous customers come again through your shop door you are already half way to making a sale.