What do you want from your LBS

[leona]

Maybe, just maybe they get oodles of calls a day where the caller is clearly just looking for the "best price" even at times it's quite a biggish item you won't simply find on the floor and after calling the supplier they tell them that they are the 8,9 or 10 th. shop to call for the same item.

I can understand how they sometimes not call back.

E-mails I can assume become even worse.

If they come across as pompous arrogant and negative, maybe it's just that, they are negative and frustrated and I am sure they understand better than most the word "loyalty" is a mere word you find in a dictionary.

 

I worked in bike shops for the last 5 years before coming here. the last i was in for almost 4. it was a high end road and triathlon store. when we took on the brand focus, there was a review and the izalco pro 3 was given bike of the year. we had masses of phone calls every day from people asking if we had this and that size. often we would talk to them an realise the bike was entirely unsuited but they still wanted to get one. we spent all day looking up availability and talking about this one bloody bike. if i couldn't answer straight away then i absolutely would still phone that person back. there is NO excuse. if you say you are going to then you do, I've phoned people back the next day to tell them i still don't have an answer but i will let them know as soon as i do. people don't mind getting bad news so long as you actually bother to tell them.

sorry, this is a real bug bear of mine. I've experienced it a few times while I've been here. i even wrote to one shop to tell them and surprisingly, they didnt reply!

 

I've been to a few places in my 8 months here, bmt in stellenbosch have been absolutely fantastic. the first time i went in when was one of my brakes failed and they sent it off for warranty and fitted a spare brake and shifter that they had for me while it was sorted. i wasnt an existing customer, i hadn't bought the bike from them, they had no reason to look after me like they did. I've stuck with them since and i wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

[eddy]

 

 

As opposed to?

 

Being a participant along with 5 other Brick and mortar shops, two local Internet shops and CRC in a buyer's search for a R10 advantage on a shifter.

 

Nothing is more dismissive than a shop assistant interrupting their service of a flesh and blood customer to take a phone call. Hell, they (as a rule) don't start ignoring you mid sentence because they need to talk to someone who has walked into the store, so why they do it for a phone caller, I can't understand.

 

I always find it amusing that people rant about bike shops not answering their phones. The implication that they are busy looking after their paying customers is missed

[Brian Fantana]

If I owned a bike shop and someone pitched with their crc checkers pakkie, asking me to quickly set his DR for free because he bought 2 gels from me a couple of months ago I will jaag him.

 

Another classic is when someone tries a few different shoes in a LBS, and then acts as if the shoes are not right for him. Then afterwards he goes and buy the same shoes online so he can save R150.

[LOOK695]

spend less time on the hub and more returning phone calls

[DARK KNIGHT]

Cant our LBS' stock a few different items?? I understand, tubes, bottles, nutrition will more or less be the same everywhere.. but geez cant we get a few extra zipp products in, Enve, 3T etc etc (I mean clothing, accessories etc.)

[NickD]

ALL I WANT FROM MY LBS IS A RUBBISH BOX THAT I CAN DIG IN FOR SPARE BITS.

[Sidewinder.]

I want hot girls behind the counter

[RMmtb8r]

If you want some real world advice, take this.

Lance is a great guy, honest and knowledgable.

He is a tip top wheel builder, one of a handful who can build wheels and not just talk about it online.

 

He has a small business and needs people like you to keep him in business.

If you are unhappy, sit down and talk with him (if ever about anything)

Build a relationship with him and break the stereotype that loyalty does not exist.

 

I am building a relationship and from my relative short experience will not change to another shop.

[Vangar]

Well here's what I dont want:

 

I walk into a shop, looking for seat post clamps for a bottle cage, stupid me bought the wrong size. Only see 30.9mm on the shelf, no one is around, there are 5 people working in said shop, all talking to one customer, fine stand around holding seat post clamps. Finally say excuse me, guy grabs them and starts ringing up. Ask very politely that I'm actially looking for those in 31.6mm, have you got any? Just get a no back. Fine. Do you guys have anything else? Get ignored and guy walks away.....

 

Another great example, I've been looking for proper bar ends at a few shops. Preferably the KCNC ones as I like the look. Every time I ask I get a no we dont stock them. If I ask about anything similar I either get offered 5c plastic ends, told they work just as well(MISSING THE POINT!!!) or get looked at like I'm crazy.

 

Price to me is important, but I'd happily pay 10% more than the rock bottom for great service and knowledge and friendly service. And if the service is very good I'll even spend money I wasn't sure of spending, and pay the sticker price without blinking an eye. My 2c.

 

BTW sherrif I definitely need to pop round you're shop, didn't realize you were 3km from my office

[ChUkKy]

I want hot girls behind the counter

 

True, we can teach them what they need to know

[ChUkKy]

Well here's what I dont want:

 

I walk into a shop, looking for seat post clamps for a bottle cage, stupid me bought the wrong size. Only see 30.9mm on the shelf, no one is around, there are 5 people working in said shop, all talking to one customer, fine stand around holding seat post clamps. Finally say excuse me, guy grabs them and starts ringing up. Ask very politely that I'm actially looking for those in 31.6mm, have you got any? Just get a no back. Fine. Do you guys have anything else? Get ignored and guy walks away.....

 

Another great example, I've been looking for proper bar ends at a few shops. Preferably the KCNC ones as I like the look. Every time I ask I get a no we dont stock them. If I ask about anything similar I either get offered 5c plastic ends, told they work just as well(MISSING THE POINT!!!) or get looked at like I'm crazy.

 

Price to me is important, but I'd happily pay 10% more than the rock bottom for great service and knowledge and friendly service. And if the service is very good I'll even spend money I wasn't sure of spending, and pay the sticker price without blinking an eye. My 2c.

 

BTW sherrif I definitely need to pop round you're shop, didn't realize you were 3km from my office

 

He doesnt have anything hot behind his counter, except for coffee

[DIPSLICK]

He doesnt have anything hot behind his counter, except for coffee

ALWAYS 2 WAYS OF LOOKING AT THINGS SKILLS

 

there are certain umbrella using hubbers WHO JUST MIGHT LIKE WHATS BEHIND THE COUNTER

[fanievb]

Honesty is what I want and appreciate.

 

don't tell me i have to replace something if there is no need and don't make promises you can't keep

[Falco]

All I want from a bike shop is for them to stock basic items, and not waste my time by keeping me standing around, that's it.

 

I use Solomons Woodmead, they know my name, normally give a bit of a discount, and 9 times out of 10 have the stock I want on the shelves.

 

They also know that I work on my own bikes, and shop around for big ticket items, which I fit myself.

 

If importing is cheaper, that's where I buy the item. No guilt involved.

[fanievb]

short story

 

I broke a spoke on my wheel on saturday morning around 10am (who knew that Mavic Crossmax spokes can break?). I had a race on sunday so I needed to have it sorted ASAP.

 

called the shop and asked if they can help on the same day (they close at 12). answer sure bring in it we will make a plan. an hour later new spoke fitted and I rode a PB 40km on sunday.

 

moral of the story, make the time to make friends with the people at the bike shop or at least make an effort to get to know them.

 

I must add that there are only 4 shops in EL and I really try and support all of them depending on what I need.

 

and I don't negotiate, if I want cheaper prices I'll shop online

[droo]

Cant our LBS' stock a few different items?? I understand, tubes, bottles, nutrition will more or less be the same everywhere.. but geez cant we get a few extra zipp products in, Enve, 3T etc etc (I mean clothing, accessories etc.)

 

Focus is given to the stock that moves. Shiny bits are nice, but they're flippen expensive to just have sitting on your shelf for people to drool over and not actually buy. Margins are already tight, holding costs will eat profits.

 

Stems are among the worst - 50, 50, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120mm, 0, 5, 10 degree rise... at a conservative R 500 cost each. Do the maths.

 

Rather let the distributor sit with all the stock for the country and draw off as needed - 3 days of waiting for something you've been eyeballing for 6 months won't kill you.