How to fire a customer in 10 minutes or less

Definitely not a "paulo" #-o

 

First of all, I'd like to apologize if I'm the one that's pissed any of you off. 8-[ I'll post a a negative and positive comment to try and balance things out a bit.

Bad - I had a cracked swingarm on my Fuel. I took it in for warranty replacement. The owner told me it would be a few days to get the new one in, but go ahead and ride it anyway, it would be fine. Telling a customer to ride a cracked carbon frame is pretty stupid and that few days actually turned into 2 and a half months. I found out later that it really did only take a few days, but they never actually even ordered it.

Good - When I was about 16 I went to a shop in Pittsburgh looking to get my wheels trued and get a magazine. I wanted one of those mags that was the typical shiny page/lots of pictures types. I bought one, but he also recommended DirtRag and gave me a free copy. That was cool because I've been a subscriber ever since. It's the best mag out there.

 

Now that's awesome! I always wished we had magazines at my shop.

I personally remember the only customer who I really disappointed. He had talked to me on a few separate occasions and came in to order a project one (custom paint) trek madone. I was told by my manager to get a 50% deposit and that he'd push the paperwork through on monday. I was only working weekends at that point, and when I came in the next week I was told everything was fine. A couple of weeks went by and I was getting anxious to see the bike. But when I asked about it, I was told that I was supposed to get the bike paid in full before the order went through. It had been 4 weeks since the initial order. Long story short, the customer was extremely patient (although not too happy), and he waited for his bike, but I felt pretty bad about the whole ordeal and took all of the blame (as much as I really didn't feel it was my fault).

I'm sure that there have been other mistakes made (accidentally sold a 29er tire for a 26er bike one time because the 29er tire was in the wrong place, oops!), but I like to think that most of my customer service experiences have been favorable. good thread though!!!

Oh and I have to say I hope that not everyone gets really mad when they have to talk to a new guy. I was a new guy at one point and it is extremely tough to get up to speed with everything, even if you already know a good amount of stuff. newbies are kinda like mountain lions, they have the potential to be dangerous, but are likely more scared of you than you of them

 

i sent someone on a test ride on a motolite and forgot to check the stem bolts.#-o

 

I must be a rarity. I have had very few bad dealings with my local LBS.

But before I went with them I bought a bike from another LBS. The salesmanager quoted me a price and when I came to pick up my new bike it was 100's more then he quoted me. I told him, and he said well I told you, you're going to need a new front derailuer, a new headset, a new this and a new that. I said, yes you did, but you quoted me a price after you said that so I assumed that was included. Any how, paid the new price as it was what I still considered a fair price, but it was no longer a bro deal. A couple years later went back and bought another bike and this same guy is helping me out. I buy the bike and pay for it. I then ask a few more questions and the guy is literally ignoring me. I then ask him another question a lot louder and the arsewipe turns to me and says, "I thought we were through" and turns his back to me. I tell him, yep, you are so right we are through. Never been back to the Chino store again, but the one in San Dimas is really a good store.

 

Mike,I've heard that a lot about the Chino store.Kind of like "good cop/bad cop."I know guys who get riled up when that shop and managers name is even mentioned! What I don't care for is having a new(inexperienced) guy work on my bike without somebody who is experienced standing by.This happened to me recently at the San Dimas store when a new(young inexperienced) mechanic went spacer happy and put too many spacers on a new crankset and cassette.The cranks kept loosening up on rides and the chain was rubbing the der.hanger. When I brought it in the third time an older mechanic spotted the problem in less then 2min.,grabbed the younger guy and showed him what he did wrong.The shop did discount a new der.hanger for me.- Lloyd

 

I will call out a specific shop. Bicycle Warehouse(PB location) price matched some stuff using jensonusa's price, and then tried to charge me $10 for "shipping". Because "that's what you would have paid if you had ordered from there". I said not to have the "Price Match" policy if they weren't going to honor it, then told them to f%&k off and started to walk out and the manager said he would "let it slide this time". I told him there wouldn't be a next time so don't worry about it. The other locations however are all good about price matching.

 

When I entered into a LBS to buy my first FS bike and the sales people tell you that I need to double my budget at a minimum to get a decent bike. But when i purchase the bike that i knew was in my budget they all tell me what a "great" bike i'm getting...

Long live the internet...!!! researching major purchases on websites like STR and other places will definately serve the buyer more in the long run! :bang:

 

Worst experience to date was on a ride from Pasadena to San Diego. We rode along the 5 through Camp Pendleton. Truck kicked up a rock and blew a rear spoke. Wheel was badly out of true but rideable with the rear brake opened all the way. I rode prolly 5 miles before finding a shop on the south end of Oceanside. Go inside and the guy in the shop tells me he can't get to it until Monday. It was Friday and I was like 80 miles from home and still had at least another 60 miles left. Ended up riding to Encinitas before finding another shop. Gave the guy a $15 dollar tip.

To a lesser extent, ask a guy about ordering 22 and 32 rings at a shop in Burbank. Guy tells me I should just buy a new set of cranks. Yeah late dude.

 

I've only got 2:

1. charging me 17 bucks to adjust the cones on my hub because i don't know what's wrong (i was a newb admittedly, but its still not very nice). I kinda forgot about it, since i made friends with the guys later on and they let me use tools for free :beer:

2. Dragging their feet on a warranty repair:

I got a crack in the seatstay of my bike, and had to take it in for warranty. This was a known problem for the frame, so I figured it would be no big deal. Take it in, fill out paperwork, and leave the bike. THey said they needed to contact the bike company the next day and verify that it was indeed a warranty replacement, then they would notify me. I also made it very clear that this was my only ridable bike, and that I wished to keep riding as much as possible

2 days go by, so i call and ask. Apparently they havn't heard back from the guy they called . wait a few more days, same thing. Odd, considering they called the guy, and that its a known problem to the company.

After a week or so, I call up another shop which I have friends at, and ask them how long it should take for said warranty claim. They called around, and apparently no claim had been filed yet. My friend at the other shop made a few calls and got back to me in about a half hour and got the part I needed sent out finally. Had the bike back in two days.


I do sympathize with the shops though. People are greedy and overestimate the service they think they should receive. I know I do to some point, as well as probably everyone else. It's tricky dealing with people, and it's impossible to make everyone happy. I know that doing PR for my dad's company is a pain, because even if you do everything right, there will still be people that feel they've been wronged, and others who will feel wronged and try to extort everything they can from you for your good business.

also, an off the wall comment for the shop guys, make sure a customer (especially new ones) can tell who actually works at the shop. I know my first time at the Path was pretty confusing, because everyone, from Tani, to the other employees, to the customers, to the random people walking around outside look exactly the same. There's no way of distinguishing employees from customers, which makes it hard to find help, especially in a place as chaotic as the path on a sale day. I've finally figured out who a few of you guys are though :wave:

 

Spend 3 grand on a new bike and custom build. Go in a week later to pick it up and get informed for the first time about their $100 assembly fee. Take it back a week later to fix 2 things that weren't installed right.

 

This is why, years ago, I started to call the manufacturer/distributor or look up on their site (if they had that option) before I would order an after market part. If you can walk in, tell the sales guy that "insert company" said they have said part in stock then they tend to order it right away (same day in most cases).
Yes some shops do consolidate orders so it may be a few days or a week but it will get ordered and show up on time.

Yeah some riders will say that is the shops responsibility but I have found it easier for me to get part numbers and availability info since I tend to always, well 95% of the time, order parts that are not in stock (even The Path does not carry what I order and they have a shyte load of stuff ).

:beer:

 

Yet another one from me, sorry for being longwinded: My favorite LBS of all time had recently been bought out so I take in my '99 Gary Fisher Joshua(this was in 2004) because there is some play in the shock bushing/reducer area. I am a newb at the time and wasn't sure what to do so I told them that if they needed to order new bushings then go ahead. Went to pick it up and they said it was just loose and was good to go. About 2 weeks later I am cleaning up my bike and notice something funny about the shock mount. I go to take it apart and the shock bolt will not come out. I finally get it out and find they had JB Weld'ed the shock bolt and reducers together. Confronted the mechanic and shop manager and the mechanic denied it and the manager started to tell me that my bike was 5 years old and maybe it was time to look for a new one. It took me getting in touch with the district manager for them to fix the situation and just replace the bushings and reducers.

 

Hope Pro II on Mavic 819's

My shop can build Hope Pro II's on 819's for around 500.00. The problem right now though is that 819's are out of stock, DUE TO MAVIC, until June, (1 week or so.)

 

I may have been guilty of this one on rare occasions. I try not to even contradict my coworkers in public, but things happen. I agree, it is uncomfortable for all and unecessary.

 

...

 

My moment came at a shop in Iowa. I was in the market for a FS bike. I was a newb and at the time owned a hardtail GF Wahoo as my "introduction" ride into MTB. I am on a budget and don't want to spend too much on a bike. Being 6'5, it even more difficult to find a XL rig on a budget. After looking around I actually found a brand new '05 Giant NRS sz 22. This was in '07. The LBS wanted $950 for it. Well I started doing my homework on the bike and found out that Giant was no longer making the NRS, so I go back to the LBS to try and work a deal. Well I am haggling with the salesguy, who is actually the guy who got me into riding and hooked up with the local MTB club. So I am thinking I can work a better deal with him. Not happening. He wouldn't budge, even though he admitted that I was the only person to come in and even test ride the bike in MONTHS. This haggling went on for a couple of weeks. During this process some of my buddies told me about another shop that was running a deal on older model bikes. So I check out the other shop, and they have an '06 Giant Anthem sz 22. The owner of the shop found out that I had been in talks with his competitor and asked me what were they asking. I told him $950, right on the spot he told me, "I will sell you the bike that pretty much replaced the NRS for $900". I was sold, and they became my official LBS of choice. Up until the day I left the other guys was still giving me crap about leaving him hanging on the NRS.

 

i'm going to hit on something that if you've been to the shop i'm referring about you'll know exactly where i'm talking about.
Not ackowledging your in-store customers. i can understand that your online end is your bread and butter, but why even open a shop if you have no intention of staffing it?
Also, i agree with everybody who has eluded to employees and owners who aren't willing to talk shop and/or get irritated by non-purchasing perusers. You should be just as big a nerd about bikes as your potential clientele if you are going to make it your livelihood.

 

Wouldn't sell me a bolt

I called Arizona bike manufacturer T----S to purchase a 6mx20m screw that had fallen out of my chain stay making the bike unrideable. I was told to go to a dealer. I told him that I had purchased five bikes direct from them and several years back my company had even sponsored their race team; this didn't work either. I then called the previous owner of this bike company, a personal friend and he told me I could pick up the bolt at Ace Hardware. I went right over to Ace hardware and for 80 cents my bike was rolling again might I say less all the manufacturer stickers spelling T---S.
On a further note I doubt any local dealer would be thrilled about making a special order for one small bolt.:-k

 

Me: What Kind of Basebar is this?

LBS Kid: Um... that's called an aero bar sir....(with snotty attitude)

Me: NO the aero bar is mounted to the base bar, I am specifically asking about the base bar, this one right here (point to base bar)

LBS Kid: I'm pretty sure that's just a handle bar but to answer your question it is an aluminum one.

Me: First of all it says "carbon" right here and secondly I can't see the brand I want to know who makes this HANDLE bar.

LBS Kid: I'm new here let me ask someone.

My thought... if you are new don't start off arguing with a customer acting like you know everything. With the internet and all the nerds that love bikes chances are the customer will know more than you..... even if they ride far far less....