[TheMontashu]

By bangin her?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that will NEVER HAPPEN

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> then she asks me, "Are you going to tell me this bike?"

I respond, "Yes, it's ready to go right now"

She then asks, "O so you aren't going to build me a new one"

I say, "We do not have any in back, if you really don't want that one we can get it in in a week but that is brand new and ready to go"

She replies, "No this is old"

I tell her, "This thing is brand new, we have had it less than a month"

She tells me "Look at the tires, see its old" (There was a little grey discoloration on the tires from sitting) and walked out.

You do realize that you lost the shop a sale, right? Advice: next time it happens, say you'll build up a brand new one when you get it in and don't try to quibble over the details of a floor model.

 

[benno]

number 2:

So the shop I work at doesn't not have appointments or a set schedule, it keeps costumers from having there bike be late getting done and it allows us to start another repair if one didn't take as long as we would have thought or if something took longer.

About 4 days ago we have a costumer come in and go "were is my bike, it's ready." Another guy I work with asks for his name and proceeds to look through the done stacker and couldn't find it. He then asks the costumer if he received a call saying it was done.

The guy says, "Well no I was told a week and I am back exactly a week later for it."

The guys I work with has by this time found his tag on the stacker and seen that it was about 8 or 9 repairs back (We were SWAMPED with repairs I mean like 30 repairs to do and couldn't get them done due to costumers) He tells him that it isn't done yet and it will be another few days or even up to a week because we are so swamped with repair es, and that we do not tell people a week on repairs we always say about a week and NEVER exactly a week and how we don't have a schedule, and that if he needed it ASAP that we had offered him next day service for 40$ more (It's a new policy so we don't always mention it but the owner does and he NEVER forgets to tell them about the next day service and he had filled out the tag)

The guy screams and yells for a while and then left all pissed off.

Is your clientele required to wear costumes in the shop?

That story wasn't remotely funny. Your customers bike wasnt ready on time, and he probably wasted a bunch of time driving in to your shop to go home empty handed. At least have the courtesy to call and let them know. Gee, I'm laughing.

And people wonder why LBSs suck.

 

[jdcamb]

Answered the phone today. Guy asks if we have bike computers. I say yes and tell him all the models we have and all the features of each one.

He then tells me he doesn't like cateye computers. Then I proceed to tell him all the remaining models and all the features of each one again.

He then asks me for the prices of 2 cateye models as they are highly rated on the web. I give him the prices and features of each one again. The only difference between the 2 models is $10 and the cadence feature.

He can't seem to figure out if he needed the cadence feature or not. So I simply explain to him the advantage of knowing what your cadence is.

He decides to get the computer without the cadence feature and he will be right down.

What does he buy when he gets down to the shop?? The cadence model. So we install it for him as he gets lunch next door.

He comes back, notices how it is wired, and hates it. He wants a computer that goes on the fork? So we take it of and put on the computer he originally decided to buy.

We were slamming busy.

 

[sanjuro]

You do realize that you lost the shop a sale, right? Advice: next time it happens, say you'll build up a brand new one when you get it in and don't try to quibble over the details of a floor model.

Frankly, I didn't get over there to close the deal.

I know what she is thinking: it is like trying on shoes that doesn't have a ball of paper inside them: means someone else has tried them on. But I would have convinced her the bike is in perfect working condition, and I might been able to sell her on switching tires from another bike.

Frankly, and I can say this because I am Asian, I find that the Asian women are the most difficult negotiatiors. They will ask for anything they think they can get for free. I have had protracted discussions about getting a waterbottle cage for a 20 inch kid's bike, 50% discounts on bikes, etc. Really ridiculous items, but I think they think "What hurt does it to ask?"

I find it unpleasant to haggle on every point, but it does not mean we cannot do business. I have been successful making sales to the difficult customers, but you can't bend over backwards when they ask you to touch your ass with the back of your neck.

P.S. This person was looking for a bike a week before Xmas for their daughter. Do you think we should promised a new bike to arrive by Dec 24th? Promise anything to get the sale?

EDIT: TheMontashu is a good salesman, but I am the senior person at the shop. He did everything right, but it is my job to close the deals.

 

[sanjuro]

Is your clientele required to wear costumes in the shop?

That story wasn't remotely funny. Your customers bike wasnt ready on time, and he probably wasted a bunch of time driving in to your shop to go home empty handed. At least have the courtesy to call and let them know. Gee, I'm laughing.

And people wonder why LBSs suck.

Our shop does not promise when a bike will be repaired, so how can we miss a repair date, or call them to let them know their bike is not ready? The only promise we make is to call when it is ready.

Frankly, I think it is a bad policy, because it is reasonable to ask when your repair will be finished. When someone asks me when a bike will be done, I point to the repair queue, and comment if there is a few repairs or a hundred.

However, communication can be a problem. It is hard to not promise a date but still give customers a reasonable expectation when their bike will be repaired.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Our shop does not promise when a bike will be repaired, so how can we miss a repair date, or call them to let them know their bike is not ready? The only promise we make is to call when it is ready.

Frankly, I think it is a bad policy, because it is reasonable to ask when your repair will be finished. When someone asks me when a bike will be done, I point to the repair queue, and comment if there is a few repairs or a hundred.

However, communication can be a problem. It is hard to not promise a date but still give customers a reasonable expectation when their bike will be repaired.

This is usually the case, I think, with bike shops. I wonder why it is that other industries dont seem to have similar problems.
Usually when I take my car to a mechanic, or my dirtbike in for something, they tell me when I should expect it to be done, and they call me if they are behind. Pretty simple really...

 

[HRDTLBRO]

A girl called the shop a few weeks ago...asked if we did piercings.

 

[def]

Call the new guy at the shop and ask if they do rim jobs. While an easy prank call to screw up, if done properly, can be the most entertaining part of your day.

 

[blue]

Frankly, I think it is a bad policy, because it is reasonable to ask when your repair will be finished. When someone asks me when a bike will be done, I point to the repair queue, and comment if there is a few repairs or a hundred.

I'd have to agree...I wouldn't bring you my bike if I had no idea as to when it would be finished.

 

[binary visions]

They will ask for anything they think they can get for free. I have had protracted discussions about getting a waterbottle cage for a 20 inch kid's bike, 50% discounts on bikes, etc. Really ridiculous items, but I think they think "What hurt does it to ask?"

Well, I agree that there are a lot of things that can be ridiculous, but I also agree that it never hurts to ask, and there should never be protracted discussions about waterbottle cages. If they're spending over $50, I don't see where there's a problem throwing in a $3 or $5 waterbottle cage.

I had a shop argue about throwing a $5 kickstand onto a sale of a $250 Schwinn. I walked out without the bike OR the kickstand, they can go f**k themselves if they can't throw in a kickstand that amounts to 2% of the overall sale. Not to mention that I was going to buy a helmet, gloves, and whatever future purchases I'd need to make.

 

[TheMontashu]

Is your clientele required to wear costumes in the shop?

That story wasn't remotely funny. Your customers bike wasnt ready on time, and he probably wasted a bunch of time driving in to your shop to go home empty handed. At least have the courtesy to call and let them know. Gee, I'm laughing.

And people wonder why LBSs suck.

We do call when the bike is done, the repair is not finished untill that hapens. Shop polacy is to give no date therefore it being impossable for it to be finished on time.

 

[TheMontashu]

I'd have to agree...I wouldn't bring you my bike if I had no idea as to when it would be finished.

This is the situation at our shop, You can have your bike in abou a week sometimes as late as 2 and not get any defanite date, pay 40$ and have it done tomaro, or go next door were you will get a defanite date in 3 or 4 weeks

 

[-dustin]

Ms. Attitude got annoyed at me today when i told her changing her kid's tubes might take longer because of the pegs. of course, the bitches were seized. i felt no guilt when she had to pay $22 plus tax.

 

[-dustin]

Our shop does not promise when a bike will be repaired, so how can we miss a repair date, or call them to let them know their bike is not ready? The only promise we make is to call when it is ready.

wow, that's crazy. i don't think i'd go to that shop. we tell the customer when the bike will be done. if it gets to the point that we're behind, we'll either stay late or come in early. or both.

and it's really annoying when people call asking if their bike is finished, when we a) give them a page showing when the bike will be ready, and b) tell them we will call.

guy came in today and insisted on taking his bike back. $200 in repairs and he was expecting it to get done 3 days early. but of course, to get his money, we saved a spot for him to bring it back tomorrow after his ride.

 

[blue]

This is the situation at our shop, You can have your bike in abou a week sometimes as late as 2 and not get any defanite date, pay 40$ and have it done tomaro, or go next door were you will get a defanite date in 3 or 4 weeks

When I need something done at the semi-not-so-great LBS down the street that I can't do in-house, average 3 day turnaround time. Not too shabby, and they're pretty busy. The shop I ride for would take longer, but I wrench in the shop on my bike. They're just far away, so it's a pain to do so.

Anything longer than a week on most repair jobs for ANY bike shop is longer than neccessary. If you don't have enough time to finish the majority of repairs in a week, you either need more people working, or better people working. It's not that hard, especially if you're that popular, which in turn would diminish if you're holding onto my bike for 2 solid weeks.

 

[aggrorider]

I had a lady come into the shop one time that I quote, "Have you ever heard of Broke Back Mountain?" ...silence...."Well this is broke back bike!"
....turns around and get back to what I was doing.

 

[noname]

wow.
As far as turn around time, when I was monkeying with bikes it rarely took us even a week and that was if we needed to get a special order part. staying late to get the work done was never a problem because we had plenty of shop flys that would come around at closing time with beer and food to hang out and b.s. :love:
The craziest thing that ever happened to me personally was this:
It's a bright, warm saturday afternoon in july. Our shop was down at the beach so the scenery was choice to say the least. I'm sitting up in the elevated work area chewing the fat with a few of the local boys in blue as we collectively admire the bikini clad honeys strolling by on their beach cruisers. The cops get a call and have to bail out, something about a girl on rollerblades hit in traffic on Atlantic ave.
A little while later a truly shady looking kid walks in with his bike. He seems a little on edge but trying to play cool, we all take him for a tweaker and let it slide. He tells me he needs his front wheel straightened so he can make the ride home and asks if I can help?
"Of course I can, just bring it up here."
"Oi" I say when I see the wheel completely wrapped around the fork leg, there's just no saving it. I let him know it's not fixable, but that I have another band and spokes and can swap it out while he waits.
We start talking, mostly bs about bands, concerts, beach life and babes and the guy is steadily relaxing. To this point I still don't know how he tacoed the wheel so badly, "hit something hard" he keeps saying.
Eventually, after getting the old band and spokes off the hub, while I'm lacing up the new rim he decided I'm trustworthy (or scummy, take your pick for this one) enough to give me the scoop on his accident, and that it involved a young female rollerblading on Atlantic Ave.
I quickly put two and two together and walked over to the cash register, telling him I had to "get the menu and order lunch"
Needless to say it took me a looooonnnngg time to true that wheel while I waited, hoping he didn't decide to bail in the meantime.

 

[noname]

Just a side note, I run an auto repair shop now, having three techs including myself, and yes we do still have those customers who think they know everything, and the DIY guys who bring their cars to us with boxes of parts because they couldn't get it back together. I DO charge extra for that.
If you think it's tough to expain to someone how expensive it's gonna be to fix that "minor" problem on their bike, try telling someone whos car seemed to be running just fine that it's gonna be $3000 to make the check engine light go away. Or tell some little lady that even though her car is only 3 years old it's gonna need a new engine because she only gets the oil changed when the oil light comes on!
Yeah we spend plenty of time talking about customers and sayin WTF!:mumble:

 

[sanjuro]

Well, I agree that there are a lot of things that can be ridiculous, but I also agree that it never hurts to ask, and there should never be protracted discussions about waterbottle cages. If they're spending over $50, I don't see where there's a problem throwing in a $3 or $5 waterbottle cage.

I had a shop argue about throwing a $5 kickstand onto a sale of a $250 Schwinn. I walked out without the bike OR the kickstand, they can go f**k themselves if they can't throw in a kickstand that amounts to 2% of the overall sale. Not to mention that I was going to buy a helmet, gloves, and whatever future purchases I'd need to make.

At first, I was very mad about this thread. Every shop I worked for, from the 80's to now, has NOT thrown in the kickstand. While it is only a $10 retail item, it has been the province of the shop to make a profit on its sale. Put it this way, if it was supposed to be a "throw-in" item, why didn't the bike manufacturer include on the build?

But instead of writing a rant, I will try to convince you to pay for kickstand (and buy the bike as well).

First of all, I would looked surprised that you asked for a free kickstand (I probably would be). I would immediately mention we normally do not throw in the kickstand, in hopes that a mild rebuke will end this topic of discussion.

I might then mention our low margins on bikes and our upkeep of our tools, rent, etc. However, recognizing that you are a smart bike buyer, I would comment how bikes sold at Wal-Mart come with a kickstand, and how bikes in a professional bike shop do not.

I would hope my comparison would appeal to your vanity, that you would never stoop to buying a Wal-Mart special, but do business at your local bike shop.

Did I convince you?

 

[TheMontashu]

When I need something done at the semi-not-so-great LBS down the street that I can't do in-house, average 3 day turnaround time. Not too shabby, and they're pretty busy. The shop I ride for would take longer, but I wrench in the shop on my bike. They're just far away, so it's a pain to do so.

Anything longer than a week on most repair jobs for ANY bike shop is longer than neccessary. If you don't have enough time to finish the majority of repairs in a week, you either need more people working, or better people working. It's not that hard, especially if you're that popular, which in turn would diminish if you're holding onto my bike for 2 solid weeks.

The shop doesn't have and jest mechanics, we all sell stuff to. So when we have alot of repairs not only are there alot to do but there are more people in the shop to stop us from wrenching

 

[blue]

The shop doesn't have and jest mechanics, we all sell stuff to. So when we have alot of repairs not only are there alot to do but there are more people in the shop to stop us from wrenching

Thats the case in most shops I've frequented, and the one I worked (and the one I kinda work) for. Is it a pain in the ass? Yes. Is it hard to get a bike done in a week? Not really. I highly doubt any shop around here would stay in business if they didn't tell people when their bike would be repaired.

About the kickstand issue...I'd consider throwing in a kickstand on every bike under $500, simply because at that pricepoint, the majority of your customers are going to want a kickstand. Courtesy. Haggling over a 10$ kickstand on a 250$ sale is straight up stupid, especially when the logic of a POS bike buyer says "This dickhead won't put a kickstand on a $250 bike, when I can walk down to Wal-Mart and get a bike with a kickstand for $75". It's stupid crap like that that sells the crap bikes, but if you're a shop that relies on crap bikes to stay in business, you have to do it.

 

[binary visions]

Did I convince you?

If you had been there on that day, being reasonable with me, I probably would have indeed walked out with both items, having paid for both. This particular shop was run by jerks and treated everyone accordingly - which I guess I should have mentioned since it changes the situation a bit. However, even if I had been spoken reasonably to, I would have been unhappy with the situation.

I appreciate the profit margins on bikes. I'm a smart buyer who understands my market. You don't include it with the build because most people will pay for it (you quoted $10, that's not what this shop was charging, just FYI). However, if a new biker comes into a shop and buys a higher-than-basic-entry-level mountain bike for $250, a helmet for $40, a pair of gloves for $20, and paid another something-or-other ($10 maybe) to swap the seatpost binder bolt for a quick release, that biker is clearly either entering the sport themselves or buying for someone else who is.

For the price of that $5 kickstand, you make a customer really happy. You know what a happy customer does? They come back. They bring a friend who's getting into the sport, too. They have their repairs done at the shop. They get new tubes there. On that $320 sale, $5 makes sure that the customer walks back in the doors the next week when they've mangled something.

I'm not saying you should necessarily offer (I think you should, but your perspective is you shouldn't, so that's fine). But if a customer says, after a $320 sale is made, "hey, would you mind throwing in a $5 kickstand for free since I'm buying all this other stuff? I noticed it didn't come with one," well, I think it would be a pretty poor shop to turn them down.

Did I convince you?

 

[Wumpus]

Did I convince you?

When you go to the store and buy $250 worth of clothes, do you ask them to throw in a belt for free? Why does everyone think that bike shops are a place for free parts just because you bought a bike there?

 

[binary visions]

When you go to the store and buy $250 worth of clothes, do you ask them to throw in a belt for free? Why does everyone think that bike shops are a place for free parts just because you bought a bike there?

Bike shops are service centers. If I go to my mechanic and have a thousand dollars worth of work done, I sure as hell will ask if he can discount something-or-other. If you go buy a car or a motorcycle or a dirt bike, do you not ask for a discount off sticker price?

Not to mention, this is the day and age of the internet. All bike shops have to offer is customer service. Everything else can be had cheaper online. If they don't develop their relationships, they're going to wither and die. I didn't walk in and demand free parts, I made a purchase and asked for a discount (the discount being in the form of a $5 kickstand).

The bike shop in question struggled along for a few years, moved to a high profile location in an attempt to boost sales, and eventually went out of business. Because they ran their shop like a clothing store: charge the maximum price for everything, and we give no deals to anyone. And we don't care about your business, so just leave if you don't like it.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Bike shops are service centers. If I go to my mechanic and have a thousand dollars worth of work done, I sure as hell will ask if he can discount something-or-other. If you go buy a car or a motorcycle or a dirt bike, do you not ask for a discount off sticker price?

Not to mention, this is the day and age of the internet. All bike shops have to offer is customer service. Everything else can be had cheaper online. If they don't develop their relationships, they're going to wither and die. I didn't walk in and demand free parts, I made a purchase and asked for a discount (the discount being in the form of a $5 kickstand).

Not to mention all the people who say "Go ahead and take that kickstand off" when they buy a brand new bike.

 

[Wumpus]

You still haven't conviced me.

 

[mmaddmark]

that sounds like EVERY single shop here in atlanta. they all treat the customer like cattle.

 

[TheMontashu]

Thats the case in most shops I've frequented, and the one I worked (and the one I kinda work) for. Is it a pain in the ass? Yes. Is it hard to get a bike done in a week? Not really. I highly doubt any shop around here would stay in business if they didn't tell people when their bike would be repaired.

The shop has an average of 2 mechanics working at 1 time (if we are lucky 3) and no more than about 4 people totaly working, alot of times as little as 2. In that situation it can be very hard to get stuff done, warented this means the owner needs to hire more people.

 

[sanjuro]

You still haven't conviced me.

Then I would use my negative tactics...

"Get the fvck out here!!!!"

Seriously, every sale is a negotiation. I might not have pushed the right buttons on our hypothetical bike sale here, but typically I find the right answers to make everyone happy.

At this point, I am not too worried about the kickstand, but I am worried about the free tube, patch kit, waterbottle, cage, helmet, gloves, shorts that you might ask for next.

Think it won't happen? It could happen to me today. But keeping a fine line between standing firm and making the customer satisfied can be difficult.

BTW, Wumpus, are you a salesman?

 

[binary visions]

You still haven't conviced me.

That's okay

It's just the way I view things. It's fine if people disagree with me or shops refuse - I've been able to find shops that will do business the way I think business should be done, and I patronize those shops. I buy things there even if I could get them cheaper online.

I walked away from the shop that refused me a $5 kickstand, and instead, I found a shop that would - I then sold my dad a bike, my sister a bike, both of them bought helmets and camelbaks and such, I bought a $2000 Giant AC2, and I've bought dozens of parts, tools, tubes and tires and other assorted goods from them.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

I can accept that. I had roommates who were foodservice workers and they bitched about their jobs nonstop. Ive bitched about jobs Ive had in the past too, its only natural. But to LAUGH AT CUSTOMERS is something completely differnt. To OFFER NO HELP and laugh about it later is bad business, and something I find all too common in the bike world.

...call me crazy tho.

This is VERY true. I'm fortunate enough to have a few really cool LBS's but many shops have a bad reputation of being complete elitist snobs. They wonder why so many people are buying their own tools and shopping online. The addage "You can't get the same service buying online" is true. Many times you can get BETTER service online. I think that really sucks personally and it hurts all of the shops out there that are kick ass with really friendly helpful employees and techs. Some of these stories are funny, but a few of them were just plain sad and exhibited very poor business practices.

 

[Wumpus]

BTW, Wumpus, are you a salesman?

No. Don't know what that has to do with anything.

Then I would use my negative tactics...

"Get the fvck out here!!!

Maybe you should reread the thread since that wasn't in response to your question.

 

[Wumpus]

That's okay

I got my kickstand thrown in for free even though I didn't want it. That's what happened when gramps went shopping with me.

 

[sanjuro]

I can accept that. I had roommates who were foodservice workers and they bitched about their jobs nonstop. Ive bitched about jobs Ive had in the past too, its only natural. But to LAUGH AT CUSTOMERS is something completely differnt. To OFFER NO HELP and laugh about it later is bad business, and something I find all too common in the bike world.

...call me crazy tho.

I read TheMontashu's tales of the bike shop. It made me uncomfortable, because I don't like "he said/she said" stories. Everyone of them, including my own, has two sides to them. Ultimately, I see all 3 as failures on our part, even though all 3 customers were extremely unreasonable.

I do not care for "I hate the LBS" stories for the same reason. I hear about how someone received bad service, bad pricing, etc. and I am curious to hear what happened from the shop side. That is why I really like it when people put down the name of the shop, so I can call and find out their side.

Like a few weeks ago, a kid was thinking about buying a STP, and some mechhead told him "air forks blow" and "disc brakes suck". I called that shop and I could hear how while they would not say those exact words (especially when I mentioned the Fox 36 and riding at Whistler), they really did believe in both because they sold primarly XC bikes (the shop was in Green Bay, a very flat area).

RM is primarily a mountain bike crowd, and mountain bikes are the most complicated to work on, from the myriad configuations, constantly changing technology, to the abuse they receive. I am not surprised to hear about the complaints about LBS, because most shops do not have the experience with disc brakes, fork rebuilding, etc, which a good mountain bike shop needs to have. But every bike shop is on the front line for customer service, and I prefer ones which get down and dirty (and make mistakes) than the antiseptic clean rooms who have no personal contact.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

The shop has an average of 2 mechanics working at 1 time (if we are lucky 3) and no more than about 4 people totaly working, alot of times as little as 2. In that situation it can be very hard to get stuff done, warented this means the owner needs to hire more people.

No, it means you need to know what the F you're doing

 

[JRB]

Do you all realize the labor that shops end up giving for installing computers, cages, kick stands, etc??? I will gladly give you a kick stand. You can then, take you kick stand home, cut it, and install it. I agree they should give them to you. I don't agree they should put it on for free in all instances. The "milkers" erode any profits a shop can have. I don't work in the shop yet, but hope to in January. I am speaking as a consumer and speaking to what I think is right to expect of the consumer.

BTW - you may disagree, because I also wait my turn on most things in life.

 

[sanjuro]

No. Don't know what that has to do with anything.

I work in two different fields, bike sales and computers. Computers is a black and white field, and there is no spin in computers. Bike sales is all about the spin.

For example, I forget the exact reason I said this, but someone asked me if a Hardrock was a good bike, and responded, "My front wheel costs more than this bike". I still kick myself for being honest, since I lost the sale (I think it was because this sale was a handoff from a new guy, who was showing them a Nomad first).

People who sell for a living have to put the correct spin on the products they sell. It is much harder than people think.

 

[JRB]

<snip>People who sell for a living have to put the correct spin on the products they sell. It is much harder than people think.

Just because a product doesn't fit me, doesn't mean it's not for someone else. Specialized would not build them if that were the case.

 

[sanjuro]

Do you all realize the labor that shops end up giving for installing computers, cages, kick stands, etc??? I will gladly give you a kick stand. You can then, take you kick stand home, cut it, and install it. I agree they should give them to you. I don't agree they should put it on for free in all instances. The "milkers" erode any profits a shop can have. I don't work in the shop yet, but hope to in January. I am speaking as a consumer and speaking to what I think is right to expect of the consumer.

BTW - you may disagree, because I also wait my turn on most things in life.

I know a shop which charges for computer installs and every other labor intensive task which many shops give away for free.

Guess what, they sell only road bikes!