How to fire a customer in 10 minutes or less

[elywoody]

There are definitely two sides to some of these stories... And then there are some shops that really are as bad as they sound. As far as price matching and msrp goes, there is a lot of grey area and bull that goes down. Especially with the advent of mailorder. A lot of mailorder companies can sell stuff dirt cheap because they have no overhead and have the capability to purchase in much larger quantities than your LBS does. This is unbelievably frustrating to me who has to install the part you bought from mailorder and now want it put on right away for next to nothing! And if I, as a shop employee quote you on a part and it sounds high, call me on it! You've been researching this one part and know the range of prices you can find it for while I deal with hundreds of parts each day, have signed dealer agreements to sell them for a certain price, and rarely have the time to check what the competition is quoting that second. I can't speak for all shop managers or owner but I'm just trying to make a living and I'm far from wealthy. As for the rudeness, arrogance, etc.... There is no excuse for that. That goes for YOU as well. It's hard to be nice all the time when it seems like everyone who walks in is thinking that I'm ripping them off because they saw the same things I have in stock for less in some magazine ad. And if have a crappy selection of high end parts it's probably because if I did stock them they'd be outdated before they sold anywhere near mrsp! Anyways, I could go on for days with this, but suffice to say that those of you who are loyal to your good LBS and have the balls to speak up are greatly appreciated!

[boboso]

1) Walk into a store, and sales people have no idea of what your talking about. I think we know that particular place...

2) Watch a person who works at a store tell a customer they are too busy to fix or look at something simple (think a brake check, or chain noise) and that prevents them from going on a ride with their kids... and then go back to the counter to BS with the other workers who have nothing to do.

In #2 above, I have not gone back to that shop in two years. The fathers breaks were dragging and he had Avid BB that were easily adjusted by me in the parking lot, all of two minutes. A bit of explaining on the brakes and adjustments, and he was able to take his kids out that day and now those boys ride on a regular basis.

[rdcjuanb]

1. Talking down to me because I am overweight and you assume I have never ridden or know anything about bikes.

2. Dropping a bike off at the LBS it was bought from for the free tune-up service and it develops a bent chain and a flat tire while in there?(after wife rode it 3 times) $75 later

3. Dont lie, if you did not or forgot to order the part dont say you are having trouble getting it in or give me the wrong part on accident. I have no problem waiting until it comes in.

[moment8]

#1.
You introduced one of your closest friend to MTB. He's hooked and spends a lot of money on a highend frame. This bike shop (noticed he was a noob) won't admit to him that the frame was built up and then stripped to sell, but tells him that it's straight from the factory and that all the marks inside the headtube is because "Ellsworths are handmade custom frames". FORGET THE DISCOUNT! AT LEAST BE HONEST AND TELL THE GUY!!!!!!

#2.
Called a shop, can you work on I9 wheels? I asked. The mechanic there says " dude, we do it all the time". I drive 40 minutes to drop it off. The "mech." was'nt there but the owner says... "uhhh, we never did I9's before, we could try but I need 6 days, and if I break a spoke it could take 3-4 months to get..blah,blah,blah

[younior]

Hey, I've got one. How about quoting a customer $30 for BB facing and charging $60 in the end.. as in $30 per side, you know. I can't even be angry at that one, it's just too funny. NOT!!!!!!

[b-40]

me: hey you guys have any "blablabla" ?
lbs monkey: nope!
me: ok thanks i'll just brouse(turn the corner well what do you know here is the "blablabla")
me: hey you carry any "yadayada"?
lbs monkey: uh......no i don't think so(as he sits behind the counter fliping the pages of mtb action not even atempting to actualy see if they carry any "yadayada")
me: brousing some more well looky here the "yadayada"
go to pay for the stuff
lbs monkey: oh i thought you were talking about something ellse (yeah when what i asked for is clearly the name on the package)

know your products you sell

[donkey]

Originally Posted by moment8

#1.
You introduced one of your closest friend to MTB. He's hooked and spends a lot of money on a highend frame. This bike shop (noticed he was a noob) won't admit to him that the frame was built up and then stripped to sell, but tells him that it's straight from the factory and that all the marks inside the headtube is because "Ellsworths are handmade custom frames". FORGET THE DISCOUNT! AT LEAST BE HONEST AND TELL THE GUY!!!!!!

Brian Blair here from The Path Bike Shop.....I feel compelled to address this particular complaint. We don't mislead our customers and take great pride in being honest and straight-forward

There have been alot of good issues raised in this thread. There are countless times that bike shops fail their customers.....but there are also a number of incidents in this thread where all of the facts aren't being presented or the information is 2nd hand.

I was the employee that helped your friend when he picked up his frame. It was brand new, never built. We received the frame from Ellsworth a day or two before your friend picked it up. I pointed out to your friend that there were no impressions in the dropouts from a quick release which would have been there had the frame been built up. The frame had marks in the headtube left there by a reaming tool. I offered to ream the headset again for him in order to get rid of the marks but he declined.

We also offered to give him a different frame but it was not the color that he preferred.

Hopefully this helps you to better understand what happened with your friend's frame.

Best,

Brian

[moment8]

Originally Posted by donkey

Brian Blair here from The Path Bike Shop.....I feel compelled to address this particular complaint. We don't mislead our customers and take great pride in being honest and straight-forward

There have been alot of good issues raised in this thread. There are countless times that bike shops fail their customers.....but there are also a number of incidents in this thread where all of the facts aren't being presented or the information is 2nd hand.

I was the employee that helped your friend when he picked up his frame. It was brand new, never built. We received the frame from Ellsworth a day or two before your friend picked it up. I pointed out to your friend that there were no impressions in the dropouts from a quick release which would have been there had the frame been built up. The frame had marks in the headtube left there by a reaming tool. I offered to ream the headset again for him in order to get rid of the marks but he declined.

We also offered to give him a different frame but it was not the color that he preferred.

Hopefully this helps you to better understand what happened with your friend's frame.

Best,

Brian

The bottom line is, is the customer happy? Satisfied? He's not. He was originally going to buy everything from the Path and have you guys build it up. But he's having it done somewhere else now.

1.He originally went in to get a blue one/ large size... but ended up somehow with a black one/ medium.

2.Where was the Ellsworth box and the packaging stuff, if it only came in a day before?

3.There was a thin layer of dust on the frame, like it's been hanging on a wall for a while.

4.The frame was built up.

5. He should have gotten a (at least a little) discount.

In a previous thread I asked for input from STR members, overall consensus... the frame is still considered new. My buddy and I agree and said yeah, it's okay. Just wish he was told that the frame was built, that's all. Maybe a better explanation of the selling process of a frame ( how it gets built, parted, and sold sometimes.) Or a little discount from the MSRP price would have made him a satisfied customer.



Regards,
David

[Pho'dUp]

Is it the condition of the frame or is it b/c he bought the wrong size? Confused? B/c if it's the wrong size I'd recommend he not build it up at all and exchange it. Maybe then he can get the exact color and etc he truly wants. May have to wait a bit though if it's not in stock in the store.

[duke777]

Originally Posted by moment8

The bottom line is, is the customer happy? Satisfied? He's not. He was originally going to buy everything from the Path and have you guys build it up. But he's having it done somewhere else now.

From what I recall your friend was quite satisfied until you pointed out something that's questionable. Your word vs. brian's.

Originally Posted by moment8

1.He originally went in to get a blue one/ large size... but ended up somehow with a black one/ medium.

Color and size is completely your friends choice. Maybe he changed his mind on color and size choice. This is a free country and your friend is free to choose.

Originally Posted by moment8

2.Where was the Ellsworth box and the packaging stuff, if it only came in a day before?

If you go around the corner of the building there tons of boxes.....and I took a few to ship bike and frames. Maybe I took your friend's box, sorry!
BTW path is not a costco warehouse.....how da hell do they keep all the boxes? Not a single bike shop keep their boxes.

Originally Posted by moment8

3.There was a thin layer of dust on the frame, like it's been hanging on a wall for a while.

4.The frame was built up.(again questionable)

5. He should have gotten a (at least a little) discount.

In a previous thread I asked for input from STR members, overall consensus... the frame is still considered new. My buddy and I agree and said yeah, it's okay. Just wish he was told that the frame was built, that's all. Maybe a better explanation of the selling process of a frame ( how it gets built, parted, and sold sometimes.) Or a little discount from the MSRP price would have made him a satisfied customer.

Your friend can go back and return the frame for a different one to his(and yours) satisfaction as long as it's in original condition.

Dude get over it, you are just bitter that your friend didn't get any additional discount.

[donkey]

Originally Posted by moment8

The bottom line is, is the customer happy? Satisfied? He's not. He was originally going to buy everything from the Path and have you guys build it up. But he's having it done somewhere else now.

1.He originally went in to get a blue one/ large size... but ended up somehow with a black one/ medium.

2.Where was the Ellsworth box and the packaging stuff, if it only came in a day before?

3.There was a thin layer of dust on the frame, like it's been hanging on a wall for a while.

4.The frame was built up.

5. He should have gotten a (at least a little) discount.



In a previous thread I asked for input from STR members, overall consensus... the frame is still considered new. My buddy and I agree and said yeah, it's okay. Just wish he was told that the frame was built, that's all. Maybe a better explanation of the selling process of a frame ( how it gets built, parted, and sold sometimes.) Or a little discount from the MSRP price would have made him a satisfied customer.



Regards,
David

I'll address your concerns here.....but from here on out lets discuss it via phone or email if he's still not satisfied.

1. We sized him on both a medium and a large. All of the staff involved in the transaction agreed that the medium was a better fit. He initially wanted a blue one but we did not have one and neither did Ellsworth....and the $700 off deal only applied to in-stock frames.

2. Our boxxes are taken out and disposed of on a daily basis. On any given day there are roughly 10-20 boxxes piled up next to the shop. We simply cannot hold on to all of them.

3. It's a dusty shop....and I'm sure Ellsworth is a dusty place as well.

4. The frame was new, never built up. I know this for an absolute fact.

5. He received $700 off of MSRP. That basically means that the frame was sold at wholesale cost.

6. I would be more than happy to take the frame back and refund him the purchase price(assuming it's still new, unbuilt).

Once again, I hope that clears the issue up for you and your friend. If he has any concerns or truly isn't satisfied have him give us a call. I haven't heard any complaints from him yet and would appreciate the opportunity to address them before they make it to the internet forums.

brian@thepathbikeshop.com
714-669-0784

Thanks,

Brian

[moment8]

Originally Posted by Pho'dUp

Is it the condition of the frame or is it b/c he bought the wrong size? Confused? B/c if it's the wrong size I'd recommend he not build it up at all and exchange it. Maybe then he can get the exact color and etc he truly wants. May have to wait a bit though if it's not in stock in the store.

He's 6'-0", I thought a large Epiphany would fit better. The condition of the frame...it's okay, still new (but built up previously).

He's done with this purchase, he's just going to build it now and ride.

[moment8]

Originally Posted by duke777

From what I recall your friend was quite satisfied until you pointed out something that's questionable. Your word vs. brian's.




Color and size is completely your friends choice. Maybe he changed his mind on color and size choice. This is a free country and your friend is free to choose.




If you go around the corner of the building there tons of boxes.....and I took a few to ship bike and frames. Maybe I took your friend's box, sorry!
BTW path is not a costco warehouse.....how da hell do they keep all the boxes? Not a single bike shop keep their boxes.




Your friend can go back and return the frame for a different one to his(and yours) satisfaction as long as it's in original condition.

Dude get over it, you are just bitter that your friend didn't get any additional discount.

hey Duke777, your out of line man. Tone it down a little will yah??? Looks to me your more bitter than me.

[duke777]

Originally Posted by moment8

hey Duke777, your out of line man. Tone it down a little will yah??? Looks to me your more bitter than me.

I'm more bitter than you? I need to tone it down and out of line? WOW! I thought I've seen it all.

1. I'm not ragging any shops for not getting additional discount in 2 threads.

2. I'm not telling my friend his or her purchase is not good and not doing anything about it beside BMW on internet.

3. I'm not keeping on insisting the frame is not new when there is no picture proof.

I only pointed out the facts and you asked for opinion on this forum and if you can't take it then don't ask.

You my friend are a bit on the sensitive side there.

[moment8]

Originally Posted by duke777

I'm more bitter than you? I need to tone it down and out of line? WOW! I thought I've seen it all.

1. I'm not ragging any shops for not getting additional discount in 2 threads.

2. I'm not telling my friend his or her purchase is not good and not doing anything about it beside BMW on internet.

3. I'm not keeping on insisting the frame is not new when there is no picture proof.

I only pointed out the facts and you asked for opinion on this forum and if you can't take it then don't ask.

You my friend is a bit on the sensitive side there.

I will be PM'ing you bro.

[Chewyeti]

pass the popcorn please!

[b-40]

Originally Posted by Chewyeti

pass the popcorn please!

yeah i can't refresh my screen fast enough to keep up

Originally Posted by moment8

He's 6'-0", I thought a large Epiphany would fit better.

"my friend" is 6'3", he is all torso he also rides a medium, it's not just based on how tall you are there are other factors in the correct frame size for a person, inseam, arm length etc.

[duke777]

Originally Posted by Chewyeti

pass the popcorn please!

Hey Chewy, how about some SSweet & SSalty NutSS?

[Chewyeti]

herro, prease reflain flom using my name on granora bars!

[joyride153]

so the path should always have some bike boxes in the back? I never been there, is it accessible after hours?

thanks