I didn’t use PX for a few years and tried them again last year. I bought a few things, but the website was a PITA and things that were shown in stock weren’t and it always seemed to get messy. Eg. ordering bits for a bike build and getting everything minus the seat post then having to order that elsewhere. Life’s too short, just sticking to CRC / Merlin / Rose etc.

Picked up my new Pro carbon X yesterday. My experience is you ring- the phone is answered promptly- friendly convo (Dave and Phil), answered gained.

I don’t see any pain on myside. Then again I dont tend to order too much from the website- its mainly in store.

I ordered a tyre.

They sent the wrong one.

I phoned then spoke to a nice man called Sean.

He sent a new (and correct) one out.

I returned the wrong one at no cost to me (Sean stressed no rush to return) via Collect+.

Shit happens. It’s how the company deals with it when inevitably happens shows the company’s character imho.

Another thread about Planet X / One One. Usual form: OP complaining about poor service, Brant steps in a salvages the situation / reputation as best he can. PX looks good again , but overall nothing really changes. It won’t be too long until another negative thread pops up.

Come on PX it’s time to employ some competent staff in the customer service / fulfilment department. Staff that give a 5h1t about the service and reputation. There’s only so much one man (Brant) can do.

Fix up PX.

Ah, I think we are dealing with the same person then. As a person working on the customer facing side of the business, especially since this person will typically deal with exception cases, the person has to be the best in the team. And this person is not.

I think it has out grown it’s own capabilities to be honest. It has seen sales go up and up, and it’s unable to deal with it correctly. Needs a really good shake up.

I think that this is true, but I also think that they may have recognised it – this is from here but you need to register on the site, text below:

Cycling retailer hits turnover milestone and brings in new CEO and chairman

8th May 2014

YORKSHIRE headquartered cycle retailer Planet X has increased turnover by 50% to £20m and brought in a high profile chairman and chief executive.

The Sheffield-based multi-channel retailer was founded by majority shareholder Dave Loughran in the 1990s and is now the largest builder of high performance bikes in the UK, designing and selling under its own Planet X, On One and Titus brands.

The business, which saw the 50% turnover increase to £20m in the year to March, also recently acquired the respected Holdsworth and Viner brands, and plans are underway to relaunch these, manufacturing the bikes in the UK.

Selling principally online and through a small number of dedicated showrooms, its mission is to provide high specification bikes at unbeatable value, as well as equipping riders with its wide range of clothing, parts and accessories.

In response to its growth the company has recently relocated its warehousing and bike-build operations into a 47,000 square foot building in Aldwarke, Rotherham. It has also opened a new showroom in Edinburgh, to complement its existing Sheffield and Barnsley showrooms.

With excellent prospects for further growth, the company has made two senior appointments. Mark McCance joins as chief executive officer and Ken Beaty joins the company as non-executive chairman

Mark has considerable multichannel retail experience and until 2005 was ecommerce director of PC World. He then went on to hold the position of managing director at the internet-based retailer of cycling equipment Pro Bike Kit until its sale to the Hut Group.

Ken spent 20 years with international investment firm 3i where he was a partner in the European private equity business. During that time he held non-executive board roles in more than 40 companies including South Yorkshire-based AES Engineering, women’s fashion retailer Hobbs and Lancashire-based coach tour operator Shearings Group. Ken brings a wealth of experience of growing and developing businesses and is also a keen cyclist.

Mark McCance, said: “I am excited to be joining a real Yorkshire success story. Planet X has achieved an enviable reputation for building high specification performance bikes at unbeatable prices. The vision and passion of the team to deliver innovative products for the cycling enthusiast backed up with expert support both online and in the showrooms is a fantastic platform for continued growth here at home as well as on the international stage.”

Ken Beaty added: “I am delighted to be joining Mark and the existing team on the board of Planet X at this exciting time for cycling in the UK. Planet X is a fantastic business with a great pedigree in performance cycling and is experiencing rapid growth driven by high market demand. The team at Planet X is full of passionate and talented people and the board’s mission is to build excellence into all aspects of the business: product, brand, operations, management and financial performance.”

Dave Loughran commented: “Mark and Ken join us at an exciting time, as cycling is booming and there is an increasing awareness of the fantastic products which Planet X is delivering to the market. I am really proud of what we have built at Planet X since I started the business and am confident that the skills and experience which Mark and Ken bring will help take the business to the next stage. My vision is that having built excellent products, brand and operations we will take Planet X to an international market using our proven online and showroom platforms. There are exciting times ahead.”

So, how long before the first moans that they aren’t the friendly, approachable but slightly chaotic bunch of enthusiasts that we knew and loved, and have gone “all corporate”??

edlong – Member

So, how long before the first moans that they aren’t the friendly, approachable but slightly chaotic bunch of enthusiasts that we knew and loved,

Many years ago…

So, how long before the first moans that they aren’t the friendly, approachable but slightly chaotic bunch of enthusiasts that we knew and loved, and have gone “all corporate”??

Do we love chaos when we’re buying things online? Sorry, I didn’t get the memo

Just like to add my px twopenneth. Ordered my 105 cx bike through cyclescheme a few weeks ago. Px customer service was great, didn’t make me feel like an idiot when I had various dumb questions! Bike was due to be built on the 19th and arrived in one piece by a very cheerful yodel driver on the 20th. My only minor gripe was the lack of cable end caps-4 in total cos mech disc brakes so the bike arrived with frayed cable ends. For a £1k bike I think a 10% admin fee is a tad steep-surely the admin fee is the same for a £300 bike?? And that extra £100 didn’t even get me any free stuff, bah humbug 😉
Great bike though, can’t fault it!

So in essence this drills down to

“Customer wants in-store levels of personal service and everything being 100%, but at rock bottom online prices. Customer is also not prepared to accept the statistical inevitability of errors occurring in a high volume environment”.

Jesus wept, there’s too much moaning on this site at the moment. Cheer up. It’s just bike riding and bike bits, which you are getting cheap. Things go wrong sometimes, suck it up and move on, there’s genuine things worth getting upset and crying on the net about – this isn’t one of them.

there’s genuine things worth getting upset and crying on the net about – this isn’t one of them.

But getting upset and crying about people getting upset and crying IS one of them? 🙄

Andyrm – many other companies do the same thing but don’t have the same issues. There seems to be a problem wit the expanded business in terms of inventory accuracy, the picking process but the most crucial thing is that problems occur but some of the customer service people just don’t seem to be up to sorting them out.

People just want things delivered in a timely manner when ordered, and are willing to accept problems may occur sometimes as long as the company sorts things out quickly and efficiently. That isn’t happening at the moment in a few cases.

I think a lot of people like Planet X/On One and have a lot of goodwill towards them but this isn’t going to last forever if the processes there aren’t improved.

there’s genuine things worth getting upset and crying on the net about – this isn’t one of them.

But getting upset and crying about people getting upset and crying IS one of them? [/quote]

You seem to be annoyed at someone being annoyed about people getting annoyed? I find that a bit annoying.

I’m confused. And annoyed.

The issue I have is the emotionally loaded “woe is me” thread launches.

Send a POLITE email to the relevant department, being friendly and asking for help, not some rantathon. Wait your turn for a response (by law a company has 5 working days but 2 working days is recognised in the online sales industry as optimal), job done.

Follow the process, wait your turn.

Follow the process, wait your turn.

Isn’t the general gist of these threads, is that that method doesn’t always work. I am sure most would rather not have to write a ‘woe is me’ post on STW in the first place.

That “admin fee” is what Cyclescheme charge PX/OO and all others shops so they are only passing it on to you.

Isn’t the general gist of these threads, is that that method doesn’t always work. [/quote]Indeed.

promised my new whippet frame on the 20th then the 22nd now …. ??
odd given they’ve taken my cash … phone call coming up me thinks !

Problem is people know if they post on here it gets dealt with, typically by Brant. If I were him rather than deal with all the sh*t personally I’d go and kick the relevant people and get something sorted in terms of stock control, QC, training for packers etc. However, the fact that thsi hasn’t happened and Plant-X have been a shambles for at least 5 if not more months now, would indicate some major internal issues that they are failing to get a grip on.

Update, still not received the goods or any more updates from Planet X but did receive a refund into my account.

I take it this means I will have to order elsewhere. Shame as I really liked their fat bike!

Edit: not relevant

Edit: eat more cheese deleted his comment

Problem is people know if they post on here it gets dealt with, typically by Brant.

TBH, it’s an STW classifieds ploy too (not Brant but the flaming torches and pitchforks). I had someone DEMAND an explanation for why something wasn’t working as expected, quickly before they posted on the forum about it (note: try charging electronic items up before being an arse).

Edit: scotsroutes deleted his comment quoting eat_more_cheese’s comment

Any customer who uses the words “demand”, “unacceptable” or “not fit for purpose” (that old internet Google lawyer gem) should be chained to a radiator by Boy George…..

andyrm in “Just put up with shit customer service” shocker.

All those who think Andy works in retail, possibly the cycle sector, raise your hand.

*raises hand*

Is this a good time to suggest that andyrm is in fact fruit from superstar?

I don’t really think that but he does go on a bit.

Work in the online retail sector. Not bikes or cycle industry. See the shit that our CS girls have to put up with every day and its downright embarrassing – grown men throwing hissy fits a 3 year old would be embarrassed at because the thing they ordered is a day late. Anger, abuse and demands for “compensation” – a bit undignified really.

Funnily enough as a consumer even when something goes wrong, I have always found the “mate can you help me” approach works everytime. Try it.

Of course, there is no excuse to be a complete nob to some poor CS rep on the end of the phone. I think we all can agree on that. Although, it could well be there actions that have made issues worse.

I do not doubt there are customers who kick off over nothing, but, you are essentially giving all companies a free pass on giving a shitty service, and shifting the blame onto the customer for not being polite and patient while they are being dicked about.

Also, getting back to the case in hand, say a disgruntled customer has tried the matey approach, taken the CS rep out for dinner and tickled his/her magic bits, yet still hasn’t got their tyres, then what? Continue to try the friendly approach while seeing no results, or know that they can air dirty laundry on STW and Brant will come to the rescue?

If anything, PX/On-One have made a rod for Brant’s their own back, as it is now established knowledge that if you actually want results from P-X, IF* you are having issues, then getting his attention on here is the way to do it.

The bottom line is, look at the major bike retailers, and who seems to get the most flack? Wiggle/CRC/Halfords/Evans/Ribble etc all come in for a bashing now and again, but nothing as much as PX/On-One. I am in no doubt some of this is because of Brant’s involvement in the forums**, as I mentioned previously, but it can’t all be because of that.

I know it is quite hard to make changes to your business on the fly, when it is growing so fast, but it does seem if they could just find the time to iron out some of the issues that seem to be consistently raised, then they are going to just fine.

*I imagine most of transactions are silky smooth.
**Which is to be commended.

According to the head of one particular Yorkshire-based bicycle company, I was being two-faced because I wasn’t kicking off to the CS rep on the phone. Given it’s unlikely that the poor sod was responsible for the ongoing cock-up, I couldn’t really see how that was going to help.

I was going to say what Jamie said, only way more eloquently, but then I decided I couldn’t be bothered.

Sent me a wrong size tyre, I returned it on their cost via collect + at my local spar.
got a refund no problem.
Will probably use them again if they are competitive price wise.

Meanwhile, I ordered some kit on Tuesday 13th which I needed or would have liked to have for a ride on Friday night. It didn’t arrive, so on Monday afternoon (19th) I rang and received a very nice apology. Apparently my order was sent to the warehouse on Tuesday morning, but hadn’t been processed, picked, packed or posted. He promised he would ensure it was sent the very next day. It still hasn’t arrived. I suppose tomorrow it MIGHT arrive, but if I was aware a customer had been waiting a week for a delivery, I might have insisted it was sent first class to make up for the lost time. I does absolutely nothing to restore faith in PX or O-O, another opportunity missed. Boris Pikman at Hi-Bike might spam me out of existence since I ordered some tyres there, but, guess what? It only takes three days for them to get them all the way to Huddersfield from the Vaterland, whereas PX can’t get me some gloves and a pump the twenty or so miles from Rotherham.

Bookwise, I can also report that NOTHING has happended after my rant on this forum. 71 days after placing my order, 38 days after raising the issue with support, 2 days after Brant raised my issue with various highly placed people, and nothing!

And I am not talking about a spanner that has gone missing; a whole bike with extra goodies are gone! The courier informed me directly that they have not even received that piece of the consignment yet (note: they could be wrong).

They are still busy escalating the issue with the courier (this has been going on for 38 days now!), with no commitment to remedy the situation.

I fear the brand we looked up to is no longer what it used to be. RIP Planet-X

Still waiting.

I guess the problem with all these kinds of threads is you mostly only hear the problems – you don’t hear boring tales like how I ordered about £1500-worth of parts from them in the last month or so, and all arrived next day.

@bencooper. Over the last five or six years I have bought thousands of pounds worth of items from mail order companies , building and maintaining five MTBs and a road bike for the family. In all that time I have been disappointed once with delivery times, and that was a light from China. I ordered a pair of gloves, a CO2 inflator and a rear light from PX on the 13 th of this month. On Monday afternoon I was told my order was ” in shipping” and they promised it would be sorted out and sent the next day. It hasn’t arrived with today’s post so I’ve rung them again. They tell me its still in shipping. Make of that what you will, but if PX expect any further custom or recommendation from me, then they should have recovered the situation when I rang them at the start of the week, not made a promise and then failed a second time. I’m awaiting a phone call with an update.

For comparison purposes I ordered my lad some whey protein from Myprotein on Monday night and it was delivered on weds morning.

Update – picked new wheels up from Barnsley store today. Thanks very much to Brant and the PX head of customer service for sorting things out.