LBS frustration rant

top_oz_bloke

top_oz_bloke

Likes Dirt
sockman said:
I think we can put your bad experience down to poor timing on your part. Had you gone in a couple of days closer to when they put the order in it would inevitably arrive earlier.
Click to expand...
You are seriously suggesting that I, the customer, should try and time when I feel like buying something with when it is convenient for the shop to get it in for me?

Ok if it's some sort of rare special order they have to bring into the country or something then I agree and I approach the sale with this in mind. But this is not that situation. It's a standard stocked item.

FWIW I think they ordered it today, almost 2 weeks after I put my order in.
 
micko01

micko01

Likes Bikes
Matt H said:
who was it you were dealing with mainly?
Click to expand...
mmm I'd rather not name names in a public forum, but I'm not real happy with the level of service and the complete apathy with regards to customer satisfaction. They were staffers; they're always in there when I've gone in.

And it really irks me because I've spent a heap of money in that shop too, not only with a ~$500 rebuild but also with heaps of other random bits and pieces, and they couldnt give a ratsarse.

They still havent rung back with a quote... Another shop managed to quote me a new axle on the spot, $140, but life seems much more difficult for this mob.
 
Gripo

Gripo

Eats Squid
sockman said:
Yeah, but if the shop is full of people spending their money is it not wiser for them to serve the actual customer, not the potential or hypothetical customer you are?
Click to expand...
No read my first post, I wasn't a potential/hypothetical customer.

I had already done my research even down to talking to the distributor, gained knowledge of which shop had the most orders and who'd recently ordered and was given the shops contact as a prefered seller.

I said I wanted to purchase a pair, if that ain't a paying customer I don't know what is. Cost of the tyres would of been 1/5th of an entry level H/T.

If you can't serve me take down my contact details and call me back, if you can't do that DON'T PICK UP THE PHONE.
 
for those about to rock

for those about to rock

Likes Dirt
I took my bike in on Monday to get a new pivot bolt. Im not a fan at all of my lbs but I didnt have a chance to get to Ballarat for a proper job.

So I went in there and they were like "So you want the bolt and a full service?" to which I replied "Just the bolt please."

They do a terrible service and there was no way I was leaving my beloved DH rig at their disposal.

Anyway I went in and picked it up today.

It cost me $30 and all they did was pull the bolt from the other side of the bike and throw a makeshift one in. Now $30 just to pull out a couple of bolts is pretty stiff.

Also as I proceeded to hop on my bike to ride it home I realised that the seat had been drastically raised. I have nothing wrong with them hopping on it to test that it worked but to raise the seat height and not put it back. Now Im not the tallest dude going around so I had a struggle to get on my bike with the handful of crap I had.

Anyway. Im glad I now have a rideable bike for the weekend at Apollo Bay but Im not happy with how it was done.
 
GOD12A

GOD12A

Likes Dirt
Heya all :)

Quick one...
LBS wanted to charge $85 for spoke nipple swap from alloy to brass. They have done two trues for me thus far and both sucked. They were straight but the spoke tension was very inconsistent. (quite possibly leading to the shearing of the alloy nipples being replaced)
I took the wheel to an old skool shop in Sydney (Peter Bundy Cycles) who has been around since the early 80s knowing his 'wheelsmithing' would be above that of the kids at the LBS. Peter charged me $45 and i picked it up the next arvo, he did a BRILLIANT job with all the spokes tensioned up perfectly, asked to see it after a few rides for a 'tickle' and even had a good old chat about MTBs "back in the day".
I walked out of there with my ass not sore and a big smile on my face.

Theres always another side and im glad i found it this time.

Mark :)
 
dunndog

dunndog

Eats Squid
I have 2 lbs's within a few hundred meters of my house. 1 is more xc/dh/trails oriented, the other is more road/hubrid/light xc oriented. I used to frequent the first shop, bought a 1000 buck commuter from them and had a few services done on it and my xc. The work was average, and the guy was abrupt and uninterested, albeit friendly.. or not rude but not eager.. So one day decided to poke my head into the other. Wandering around checking out the roadies, laughing at the lycra for sale, ended up talking to a few of the guys for over an hour, turns out e few of them know dh rigs inside out, super keen and helpful, do top quality work reasonably priced and always happy to do those little on the spot tweaks for nothin.. so i swing in with a 6 pack for knock offs.. Bottom line there's a fine line between service and good service, and that's being personable and giving a toss. I'd pay twice as much for something thru these guys cos they've earned my respect and custom. thr relationship point in customer relations can't be overstated.
 
M

Matt C

Likes Dirt
mlsred said:
No I implied that if he was busy there would be people waiting to be served or people asking questions etc, it would be like going to coles to do you shopping and the check out person is on the phone so you have to wait for them to finish on the phone.

again as has been said before sorting through and finding a set of specific tyres can take a fair while, and while he does that to earn say $100 the lady waiting to buy a brand new XC bike just walked out of the shop because of bad service.
Click to expand...
You're not getting it. It's the way the call was handled that is the problem. If he had of kindly taken the customer's details, he could have checked and called back when he was free, even after the doors were closed if the shop was full of people all day. Every customer should be treated as though they will come back and spend a fortune with you. Sometimes you just have to smile through your teeth though.

Here's an example:

A guy called about a month ago asking a shitload of questions about roadbikes and whether he should do his up or buy a new one blah blah blah. He started asking about the differences between this and that and how does this compare with that and so on. It got to a point where i had to say " You have a lot of questions, and honestly, i don't think i can answer most of them for you. My roadbike knowledge is limited and you would be better of speaking to one of the other guys that would be more than happy to call you back and answer any further questions you have. If that is ok i will grab your details and get them to call you when they are free."
This guy was called back, his questions were answered and a week later i was building him a Look 595 with a Red groupset, Mavic Cosmic Carbon SL wheels Deda Zero bars and stem etc ect. Approx $10,000 up because of common courtesy. He also got his other bike serviced. Another $600 with parts.
 
Last edited:
mlsred

mlsred

Likes Dirt
Matt C said:
You're not getting it. It's the way the call was handled that is the problem. If he had of kindly taken the customer's details, he could have checked and called back when he was free, even after the doors were closed if the shop was full of people all day. Every customer should be treated as though they will come back and spend a fortune with you. Sometimes you just have to smile through your teeth though.

Here's an example:

A guy called about a month ago asking a shitload of questions about roadbikes and whether he should do his up or buy a new one blah blah blah. He started asking about the differences between this and that and how does this compare with that and so on. It got to a point where i had to say " You have a lot of questions, and honestly, i don't think i can answer most of them for you. My roadbike knowledge is limited and you would be better of speaking to one of the other guys that would be more than happy to call you back and answer any further questions you have. If that is ok i will grab your details and get them to call you when they are free."
This guy was called back, his questions were answered and a week later i was building him a Look 595 with a Red groupset, Mavic Cosmic Carbon SL wheels Deda Zero bars and stem etc ect. Approx $10,000 up because of common courtesy. He also got his other bike serviced. Another $600 with parts.
Click to expand...
thats fair enough, I just thought the other guy was complaining. sorry to all
 
Riedy

Riedy

Likes Dirt
trt-reece said:
Sorry guys, I just gotta get this off my chest...

So I went into the old LBS today (moved away from town 2 years ago, but return here every few months) because I still like to support them after an almost 10 year relationship. I have a decent list of kit I need(want) to purchase (2 pairs of new grips, new bars, chain guide, pedals) but they just don't stock any parts for DH bikes at all. No chain guides, widest bars were 600mm, one pair of Odyssey JC's (not trailmix, which is what I wanted) and only cheap velo grips...
I guess it doesn't help that the Albury DH scene seems to be MIA.

So now the dilemma is that supporting my ole faithful is a lot of effort for me (pre-organising orders over the phone before I come back, or organising postage to Wollongong) ..... maybe it's time to end the old relationship, and start something up with a saucy little bike shop closer to my current home...
Click to expand...

Which store the full cycle?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top