Australia's HOPE distributor, horrible customer service? Would you deal with them?

hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

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The difference is that JD actually made a decision change, based on the situation.

Choppy just goes along with the arse-tearing & has a post-coital whinge.
 
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g-fish

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As an "industry guy" and one that tries to only work places that offer good customer service/a new school attitude to sales/service it's so frustrating to read these threads. Bike sportz suck, no doubt. They've always sucked from a service and pricing point of view. But there are many shops out there that are slowly trying to turn the industry around - the slow moving, old school shops and distros are being weeded out.

Mountain bikes direct, pushys and cell bikes offer (apparently) awesome online service and pricing locally. And I could rattle off a dozen shops in Sydney I know are worth going to. While economies of scale and the cost of frontage means shops won't ever beat crc on everything. There are brands and distros that are bringing proper price competition and quality service.
As for why bike sportz still has hope? They're fucking massive and have an extensive dealer network. There are only a few distros that have that sort of dealer network and provide better service - most of these guys already have a jam packed portfolio. And the smaller distros wouldn't be able to replicate the sales bike sportz get simply because they're huge.
 
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Michae1

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Another vote for just dealing with Hope UK, specifically Johnny, but the first person who got in touch was pretty good too.

I purchased a second hand wheel set built on Hope Pro 2 Evos, not too long back the free hub body cracked around a pawl.

I emailed Hope UK about parts, they said to send it in and they'll swap the bearings into a new free hub body and return it.

When I told them I was in Australia, they just posted the freehub body with some extra pawls and I changed out the bearings myself.

No questions were asked regarding age, new/used, proof of purchase, just no nonsense customer service.
 
tomacropod

tomacropod

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My experience with Hope Australia people is that they hold good stock of small parts, compared to others, and of hubs and headsets. Not sure about their tech knowledge, usually just order with part numbers. It's a shame that their consumer customer relations seem to be a bit... frustrated. It's the little things that people remember.

- Joel
 
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g-fish

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tomacropod said:
You have your wires crossed. Groupe Sportif is not being discussed here, they're not affiliated with Hope. Best not bring them into it.

- Joel
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Truth, totally blanked bike sportz distros hope. Don't know what I was writing.. Original post is edited.
 
moorey

moorey

call me Mia
rearviewmirror said:
Hope is one of my favorite bike companies, they always seem to get it right. Did everyone catch the factory tour video on Pinkbike? After watching and reading I like Hope even more.

http://m.pinkbike.com/news/hope-factory-tour-video-2014.html
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Hope. Huge big ups. The biggest ups.
Hope aus distro. Not so much.
It will be a cold day in hell before I ride anything other than hoops....but it will be a colder day that I bother trying to go local after my last experience.
 
mint355

mint355

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markgab said:
So guys i sent an email to HOPE Australia, to clarify part no. (#) i would need to upgrade a 135x10 bolt-on to a 142x12 thru axle.
Parts i listed: 12mm axle (HUB 229) and x12 (HUB 242) end caps.

Reply from bikesportz.au Australia Hope distributor... Just go visit a shop. You can get a list of hope dealers on the hope website, or here: http://www.bikesportz.com.au/dealer-locator/Hope.

Im like... wtf? Why would i waste my time traveling to a bikeshop and asking them to call and search the part no, they would still have to clarify with them.
Can't they just do it by email and i order online?
I already listed the part numbers and just needed them to verify.

Instead the reply assisted in nothing.
Yet alone, their website lists wrong descriptions on their part numbers.

So feeling the WTF mode, i contacted Hope Tech and they directed me to ukbikestore who helped me verify parts i needed.
:D very pleased with their customer service and ended up spending $300 in parts/bearings.
Australia Hope, I would never spend my $ locally, after experiencing such stuck-up replies.

*rant
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That is funny I did the same thing about 18 months ago I even gave them the part number that I needed them to order (hub229).they just kept telling me that the evo hub is fully convertible between axle sizes. It is but not if you have the bolt up axle.In the end I purchased the end caps from CRC and got a local fitter and turner to machine out the threaded axle to 12mm (works a treat). Actually made me wonder if bikesportz actually really do know about products they sell.....
 
GDonehue

GDonehue

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Even though I have limited time off, I am going to send in an application from my wife's favourite pot plant... I will let you all know if it gets an interview
 
placebo

placebo

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Hope distributors in Australia have always been terrible. I can directly credit my first internet shopping experience in 1999 to Hope, purchasing from Wheelpro in the UK instead. I've purchased many Hope products since, never even thought about buying from Australia. Good to see absolutely nothing has managed to change for the better in fifteen years.
 
oriion

oriion

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placebo said:
Hope distributors in Australia have always been terrible. I can directly credit my first internet shopping experience in 1999 to Hope, purchasing from Wheelpro in the UK instead. I've purchased many Hope products since, never even thought about buying from Australia. Good to see absolutely nothing has managed to change for the better in fifteen years.
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Spot on.

Replacing service reps is not the problem, it's the shit management that has probably been there 20 years. Shit management = shit employees - you will only ever be as good as your management.

I had a horrible experience from them a few years back, and would never ever buy from them again.
 
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markgab

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Pastavore said:
Your first email was fine. Their response poor. You then stopped being polite and started being a dick, and they responded badly.
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Why would i be polite when i was told 'Just go visit a shop - such CBF attitude' CBF = can't be fucked

Followed by his 2nd statement 'You just need the end caps'
Really? are you serious? a 10x135 BOLT-ON needs endcaps to fit a 12x142 QR?

I was stating facts that the AU site info was misleading and missing details.

I wouldn't be polite to anyone who portrays a CBF attitude and gives wrong info (what if i were a noob and bought the endcaps and found out it wouldn't fit? - would you go on and say i should have done my research?).
I wounder would anyone be polite when faced with such attitude?
Would you speak out or just be a bystander?
I would speak out, be it shitty customer service/racism/sexist/treated unfairly.

Anyways to stop ranting :X
Glad to know i wasn't the only person who felt Hope-AU division has unacceptable service :)))) (www.hope-less.com.au)
Sent a complaint to Hope head office, just for shits and gizzles.

LOL @ Hopeless comments
 
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