• This topic has 57 replies, 41 voices, and was last updated 13 years ago by hora.
Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)
  • Am I being unreasonable, or is my LBS taking the mickey??
  • Tomahawk
    Free Member

    what shifter was it… i cant think of one that isn't single bolted and hence unable to come off.

    SRAM X-O and Hope Tech matchmakers were the components in question. 😉

    A dab of loctite was obviously beyond their budget for that minute. It was dangerous apart from anything else. Not that i'm saying this is the typical standard they operate at, it was just disappointing when you have heard good things having transfered from 'another' questionable shop. They're not exactly local either! And another thing…..

    😉

    ojom
    Free Member

    ahh i see. makes sense now.

    robdob
    Free Member

    Having worked in retail for 12 years until recently I always read these sorts of threads. It seems that a lot of bikes shops are very unaware of the value of good customer service.
    I don't mean do things at the drop of a hat, do stuff for free, lend out tools, sit chatting for hours or offer big discounts. I mean simple polite, eager service, honesty and reasonable prices (i.e. not £250 for a deore wheel set fitted!!!!!!). You can sell everything at RRP but if your service is excellent and you appear happy and glad to see your customer your shop will always be full.
    I have heard people give excuses for their LBS's behaviour but I'm sorry, if they can't be bothered then why should you go?
    And good service doesn't mean saying yes to everything, if you can't deliver what the customer wants, tell them you can't and give the honest answer. You'll get way more respect for it. You can offer alternatives which they may still want.
    I'm in the good position of having a new shop open in Hudds last year (Velocity Cycles, Lindley) and I've tried to go there first everytime I need something. When I first went in they didn't have much stock and it looked empty but I was made very welcome so I kept going in. Everytime I go in I feel like its been worthwhile. I now hope Kona/Cube/Merida/Genesis make a bike I like soon so I can do C2W with that shop this year!

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    Tomahawk
    Free Member

    If only they had known that i am a serial spender that can not resist the temptation to splurge repeatedly on the next best thing! If they had maybe then the dab of loctite may have been considered.

    rbrstr
    Free Member

    My LBS, leisure lakes daventry, have looked down their nose at me so many times as i have dared spend less than 20 quid and commented dryly "is that it"? that i refuse to use them now.
    Big mistake as a couple of years down the road i'm totally addicted to mountainbiking,have 4 bikes and spend a LOT of money a month with CRC,ebay,merlin etc

    Scienceofficer
    Free Member

    The stories on this thread show the reasons why I've become my own mechanic over the years.

    AndrewBF
    Free Member

    Looks like there is opportunity a plenty here for some of us to open our own shops. Hmm.. I quite fancy a career change.

    My nearest LBS is 1/2 mile away and I really do wonder how it is still there year after year. It never has anything in stock, never any customers in the shop and is absolutely tiny. The owner is helpful enough, but what value is he adding in ordering stuff for me when I have access to the internet?

    Next shop is perhaps 3 miles away. They seem to know their stuff, but it is a very random place and every job I've sent there will be ready 'today' which becomes the next day and 'today, we promise' which becomes 'bob isn't around right now, call back in an hour and he'll give you an update'

    The next one is 5 miles away and I'm building up a pretty good relationship there – so much so that I know the members of staff on first name terms and I've spent a fair amount there. This is starting to pay off – I went in for a QR skewer for my second bike SS project (which they are aware of) and they gave me the skewer for free from the 2nd hand parts bin at the back of the shop. Star nuts and other small items might get put in the shopping bag for free too. However, the lead time for work is always too long IMHO – days and days and days for the simplest of tasks. I've no issue with getting in the queue behind others, but if there is so much work in the pipeline why not employ another mechanic and get through even more work. I'm sure others have taken my approach previously and taken the work elsewhere when the times quoted are too long.

    And of course there is Halfords. Useful for picking up consumables and kit and I've always found the Halfords staff quite knowledgable (or will admit when they don't know the answer) and you can ask them the most stupid questions and won't be laughed out of the shop for showing your ignorance.

    Right, I'm going to write a business plan for setting up my own bike shop. Back soon…

    Tomahawk
    Free Member

    The stories on this thread show the reasons why I've become my own mechanic over the years.

    What training organization did you use? I have been looking at CYTECH recently but the costs for 'non employees' are more than i would like to spend at the moment. I think that i will do their home mechanic for a start (although i am confident i can do the vast majority of the elements to a good standard) to give me a idea if i want to take on the level 1 and justify the cost also.

    woffle
    Free Member

    My nearest LBS to home is useless, especially for service – I only go there as last resort when something breaks and I need a replacement / tool asap. Their service is of the "if you're not a mate of the owner / rad enough" then you'll get ignored ie. went in to get a s/s tensioner – "why do you want to bother with that mate? s/s and fixed is a waste of time". Workshop is stupidly expensive and given the amount of dicking about you can see when in the shop, I wouldn't trust my bike with the loons messing about.

    In London (city) area I was forced to use Evans for a cycle-to-work purchase. I'd upgraded a heap of bits on the bike – pedals, shifters etc (all paid in full, no discount on top of the voucher). Went to collect it – mechanic was v.friendly – "yes mate, we've fitted your new pedals etc". Fantastic I thought. Off to the till to pay. Bike wheeled out, paperwork, guarantee etc all provided. I wait expectantly for the oem bits that had been taken off…. Shop guy looks at me like I'm mad. I pointedly ask for the bits. Big sigh and I watch him slope off to the workshop to get them from their bits box. He was then distinctly sh1tty with me.

    I could blather on about issues I've had with Cyclesurgery's workshop too but can't be bothered. Basically lazy, get-it-out-the-door service, not sure whether it's because they're a 'city' branch with a preponderance of 40 year old traders riding Cervelos who don't know one end of the bike from the other, they can treat the majority of their customers like idiots with more money than sense.

    14bikes in EC1 are great though. Great service – work's done when they say it will be, phone-calls to let you know what's going on. Couldn't be more helpful. The only problem is they're getting busier and busier as more people catch on…

    psychle
    Free Member

    I wait expectantly for the oem bits that had been taken off…. Shop guy looks at me like I'm mad. I pointedly ask for the bits. Big sigh and I watch him slope off to the workshop to get them from their bits box. He was then distinctly sh1tty with me.

    I've had that happen as well! Do the shops expect to be able to keep the bits or something?? Could understand it if they'd given you a discount or something?

    hora
    Free Member

    They dented your frame and you let it slide?

    If my bike was damaged whilst in the care of a bikeshop I'd expect them to put things right without me even having to ask.

    If Toyota dented my wing I'd expect it to be returned to its before state.

    psychle
    Free Member

    They dented your frame and you let it slide?

    They did offer to replace the front half, but as I said, the frame was already 3+ years old and I just didn't think it was worth doing, particularly as it didn't affect the 'rideability' of the bike (still riding it now in fact, 2 years on!). The cost would've been around £350 or so apparently, so we came to an informal agreement that they'd 'look after me' in the future (if I decided to buy a bike through them, or through an ongoing discount etc…) Should've got something formally set up though, as in practice I've received bog all!

    hora
    Free Member

    Well its called customer service to 'look after' a customer. i.e basic customer service of any business……. Unless you've been going in there to hang out and they've become overfamiliar with you offering you a 30p cup of coffee everytime-bollox that some shop do to make customers feel special when spending thousands a year with them 😆

    ctk
    Free Member

    No suprise that they take the piss if you let them get away with denting a top end frame!

    EDIT: Yep you should have come to a formal agreement. Maybe take the Yeti in with you next time and say you owe me!

    joe@brookscycles
    Free Member

    I'm now hugely insecure about the standard of work and customer service we provide in my shop. We very rarely have complaints/negative comments (from which we can learn, and improve), but are my beloved customers talking about me like this behind my back…?

    hora
    Free Member

    joe depends how you treat problems.

    I was taught that you only see good customer service when there is a problem.

    Some bike shops expect customers to buy something when they walk into the store.

    Its almost a pressure sales environment dressed up as 'bikey-friendly-community'.
    I've looked at a bike before and been jumped on and told the 'features and benefits' of the bike without even asking. Only in car showrooms have I experienced similar pressure.

    br
    Free Member

    My LBS is great, and run as a business. They sell at retail and their workshop is run as a separate entity/location, all booked.

    I buy about 50% from them, 25% UK online and 25% ebay. If I'm buying something expensive I'll look online first and as long as the LBS is within 10% of CRC/Merlin I'll get it local.

    Clothes/shoes I buy either local or at another shop, never online.

    Only problem I have with them is that Hope stuff is either in or must be ordered, and they only order weekly – so if you miss the order, its up to 2 weeks. Just not good enough for basic spares, e.g. headset bearings, when the online boys can do 2-3 days delivery.

    hora
    Free Member

    b r that pretty much describes what I do as well.

Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)

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