Friday, June 23, 2006

Bike Shop Visit

OK boys and girls another lesson in how not to run a business. As you might remember I like to visit bikes shops look at the bikes and who knows I might buy something. You do remember my lunch time visit to a bike shop while living in PA?

I had noticed Roo needed new brakes. After 3 months of hills in PA Roo's brake pads we severely worn and in nee of replacement. Since I had to make several stops in and around Bontia Springs I thought I would stop at the Naples Cyclery then swing over to Doc's Beach House for a lunch time swim and a brief snack.

Upon arrival I noticed there were two employees in the shop. A high school age boy (hsab) and a bike mechanic. The hsab asked if he could help me and I said I need brake pads and gave him a sample one that I had taken off of Roo's front wheel. He quickly found a matching set and said that will be $24 I'll ring you up at the register. I guess he assumed that was all I wanted, needed or had to have... Feeling I was getting the bum's rush to get out of the shop I said to the mechanic who was working on a nice looking Felt Tri bike "Oh you sell Felts?" "Naaa" said the mechanic "just in for service". "Oh what do you sell?" me... "Giants" hsab interjects... (by the way they are Specialized dealers and have a nice selection on road bikes in the shop.) "Giant road bikes?" me. "Yea they're a little stiff for a road bike I don't really like them." hsab.

Well realizing the mechanic was a man of few words I thought I try another approach to get him to loosen up. "I'm looking for a group ride in the area do you sponsor any for your shop?" "Nope, to much traffic around here" hsab. Me "My buddy and I come by here every Sunday morning on our around Estero Island ride of 60 miles. There are no organized rides in this area?" (BTW there are a few roadies in the area that parktheir cars in parking lot behind the Naples Cyclery to ride Vanderbuild Beach Road then on the Gordon Drive and back) "Nope, but our shop down in Naples has some on Thursday evenings I think, that will be $25.44" I could tell they wanted me to get out of their shop so they could go back to.... telling jokes or playing cards or dealing drugs... "Well how about if I get a group together to go from here would you like to sponsor a group ride?" "Nope"

OK I know I should have driven the extra 5 miles to my LBS, Clint's and I shouldn't expect friendly customer service, nor should I expect a bike shop to want to sponsor rides for it's customers. So that's how to run a business today.

14 comments:

Bolder said...

yeesh.

is it illegal in Florida to klune a bike mechanic over the head with an hsab?

David said...

Is that a Going Out of Business sign I see over there?

Anonymous said...

how are you doing oldman, this is the hsab that you have been writing false remarks about. oh, by the way, that would be a CAS ( or college age student for the slow ones), also, you twisted everything that i told you around. added to that "nope" is not a word i use in my vocabulary. you asked if there were any rides that "I KNOW OF", i replied with a no, i do not know of any rides that leave the bonita location. i kindly referred you to the rides that leave out of our naples location. also, before i ring anybody out up front i ask "will that be all for you today?", i believe when i was up front and asked you that, you were still in back asking if we sell felt. when i heard that the mechanic did not reply to you, i said that we sell " Giant AND specialized" , not just giant. obviously you ignored me, just as others do because i look to young to have any knowledge of bicycles, which is wrong because i can say i probably know more about bikes than you do. also, if i remember correctly, you mentioned that i said that "yea giant bikes are a little stiff, i dont really like them." also, not what i said, i replied" the giant CARBON road bikes are NOT really that stiff, i do not prefer giant road bikes."

obviously you have a problem if you want to go "loosen the mechanic up because he was a man of few words", because you really shouldn't screw around with people if they dont care to speak with you or if it isnt their job to do so. that would be my job and that was what i was doing.

now about the rides again, it is true that there are no "sponsored" rides that leave the bonita location. there IS too much traffic and construction in the area. also, i KNOW, i don't think, that there are "sponsored" rides every tuesday and thursday night that goes out of the naples location.

oh yea, we dont rush customers out of our shop, we dont tell jokes in back, or play cards in back, or deal drugs in back. i dont even do drugs, so dont accuse me of something like that, it is VERY rude. when you asked " well how about i get together a ride, would you sponsor it?" i relpied, " i am not sure, i would have to ask the owner or manager if they would like to do that." not just "Nope".
i also always let the customer know,that is leaving,to "have a nice day". i dont just turn around with no reply, and go to the back area.

Also, the owner runs our shops VERY well considering where the shops are located, in snobby naples/bonita, florida. their are quite a few people that are really great customers and nice people, but these nice cust./people dont even make up half the population of naples/bonita and i am sorry to say that. the owner is a great guy and runs the shop very well by making sure all his employees are crossing their T's and dotting there i's. most customers appreciate the service. by looking at other blogs you have made, it looks like you have a problem with businesses, this should give you a clue that you are a pretty rude customer.

i am sorry that you were dissatisfied with our customer service, but maybe next time try to be a little less rude to the employees that work in a shop. i am speaking and defending on behalf of myself, NOT the shop.


have a nice day.

jeanne said...

oh dear.

Oldman said...

I wrote an email to the Naples Cyclery and I thot I would include their response:

Oldman,

I am sorry to hear that you weren't terribly impressed with your visit to the Bonita location. The blog seems a bit one sided to say the least, especially considering you havn't mentioned anything about visiting our larger, more knowledgeably staffed Naples location. A group ride leaving from the Bonita location, sponsered or not, has been discussed in the past but doesn't make much sense due to the high traffic around the area. It seems to me that the employees did there best to cater to your suggestion by refering you to the rides that leave out of out Naples location.

On another note, It is very unusual for me to not get atleast one customer a day who complains about Clints poor customer service.

Not trying to throw fuel on a fire by any means, I just believe that your blog seems rather biased.

Thank you

Peter

Naples Cyclery
813 Vanderbilt Beach Road
Naples, FL 34108

Oldman said...

Here is my repsonse to Peter:

Peter:

Thanks for your reply I'm sorry that you feel my viewpoint is biased. As a resident of Estero, I am always looking for a store closer to "home'" without traveling to Naples or Ft. Meyers. I wasn't looking for a more knowledgeable, larger store but what I was looking for was a friendly customer service local bike shop.

Regarding sponsored rides in the area there are a few locals who park their cars at the K-Mart parking area and ride to Naples via Vanderbilt Road or to Ft. Meyers Beach via Bonita Beach Road. Even in this high traffic area some of us still try to ride.

It never ceases to amaze me how people in business do little or nothing to provide good old fashion customer service. Even in your response you say I'm biased when perhaps you should be saying come back to our store and give us another chance. But from the tone or your note and my experience in your store the customer is NEVER right.

Best regards,

Oldman

Oldman said...

And finally:

Oldman

I totally understand your desire for a shop close to home that provides you with all you need and more. When I say biased I was referring to the way you portrayed my fellow employees. I asked HSAB about that day and he said it was a bit different then you had described. That is all I was pointing out really.

I am glad to hear about people riding in the area but upon further discussion it would not really be in our best interest to be affiliated with a ride that involves such a risk with the traffic and what not. If any of you are willing to travel a bit further south, I suggest you ride with the group that leaves from the Naples store Tuesday and Thursday nights at 6:30. It's about a 25 mile ride with an average speed of about 20 to 22 mph.

Again, I am sorry to hear about your experience at the store that day. I am also sorry to hear that you believe our view is that the customer is NEVER right which is very untrue.

Best

Peter

Naples Cyclery
813 Vanderbilt Beach Road
Naples, FL 34108

Nancy Toby said...

Whew. I sure wouldn't patronize bike shops with that kind of argumentative, confrontational attitude! Who needs that nonsense? Patronize people who are helpful and cooperative.

Ellie Hamilton said...

Oooo. Bad vibes there. I'd have a hard time getting over all of that exchange...

jeanne said...

ugh! some retailers just don't get it, do they?

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Anonymous said...

Yea naples cyclery is the best bike shop in southwest florida

Anonymous said...

oldman sounds like he has some serious problems probably cause some hsab whooped him on his bike. Grow up and post something better about cycling maybe instead of cryin about poor service.o ya get a life.