Bicycle Shops - repairs

[Wannabe]

Ummmm I am not sure that the question was for you but you seem to be a very patient man if you tolerate it.

 

But anyways if two people come at the same time how do you priorotize the "Just Quickly"

 

Comes with the territory. Is what happens when you are a Manager "Damager" in a smallish firm. VERY open door policy.

[The Saint]

As I said a very patient man

[AuctionLamb]

 

As I said a very patient man

 

is he a doctor....because those are the only people that has patience!

 

[The Saint]

As I said a very patient man

is he a doctor....because those are the only people that has patience!

 

As long as he is not a Proctologist I am sure he is fine

[Weekend_Warrior]

When in the service industry you book work in otherwise you will be like chickens without heads trying to please everyone and actually pleasing only some.  If i have allocated my staff to do work for 3 days in advance and someone comes in with something thats needs to be serviced or repaired i will take the job on and say that i am fuly booked but if they are willing to leave it with me i will try get someone to look at it if they have a spare moment, if not it will be ready in 3days.

That does not mean i am trying to charge him/her more for a job that what it is worth (as you are trying to say about your lbs), it means i am busy and i have other clients to look after as well.

 

Thats how it works in my business and im sure its the same with any business why should a bike shop be any different?

[Danger Dassie]

Having worked in a bike shop years ago, as well as being a customer I'm fortunate to have both perspectives.

 

Rarely is there something such as a '5-10 mintute fix'.. say you get 6 people in a day who ask to have something fixed 'just quickly'

You'd end up losing more than hour, not to mention disrupting proper workflow.

If the problem is that simple that it needs 5 mintutes, then it's something even the most basic home mechanic can do.

 

We'd get many requests like that, and if we could we did, but it shouldn't be expected as form of right just because a person happens to be in the shop at the time.

 

[GIRR]

I don't understand why most of the bicycle shops prefer you to drop off the bicycles even for small repairs or need adjustments?  

If I ask them if they can do it quickly for 5/10mins' date=' while I wait. They always say they are too busy or bla...bla....

 

I am happy to pay R20 or whatever while I wait. It is better than come back and fetch bicycle (Time & petrol wasted)

 

Which shop will be happy to do it while you wait???

 

 

[/quote']

 

No shop will just do it for you unless you are a special customer.

If they have say 40 bikes they need to service for that week they need to allocate which bikes get done first especially if parts might have to be ordered.  So do yourself a favour and just phone the day before and ask them if they could do it for you while you wait.  If you do that they normally don't mind.  It's the same as people asking for their bikes to be serviced two days before 94.7 they're just being dumb.

[calabash]

Need to adjust my shocks again. Who is the shock specialist in Gauteng? My mechanic in the States used to have this awesome bit of software that helped configure the shocks according to make, model, riding style and weight. Anybody out here have this software?

[Brad@TheRiot]

As some guys mentioned before me, it's rarely just a "5 min" job. I don't enjoy working on bikes in front of customers. It's just awkward, you feel rushed and under pressure and that's not how you want you feel when trying to repair a bike.

 

I've seen this situation so many times: A customer walks in says "please check my gears, they're just slipping a bit". Once the staff member/mechanic gets going, he notices that the brakes need adjusting too... or that the cables need replacing, that'll turn a 5 min job into 30 mins! It wont always end up like that. But it's not worth the risk. Rather just drop the bike off and fetch it when it's ready. That gives the mechanic good time to work on in and test ride it! You'll benefit in the end

 

[AndreZA]

Need to adjust my shocks again. Who is the shock specialist in Gauteng? My mechanic in the States used to have this awesome bit of software that helped configure the shocks according to make' date=' model, riding style and weight. Anybody out here have this software?[/quote']

 

Setup is preference and part of the fun. If you just need a service either go to Mike's Bikes in Greenside on Westrand Cycles in Krugersdorp if youare that far west.

 

 

[calabash]

You are right mampar. Downloaded the manuals and spent yesterday trying to convert my shocks from a Freeride feel to a more XC feel. Went for a test ride today and it seems that I did just fine! Few tweaks to the rebound adjustment but feels like a whole new bike.

[GoLefty!!]

I can't accept that a shop should do a quick job.

There have been a few occasions where there hasbeen an emergencyjob that needed to be done and I could not do myself butnever have I expected it back in 5min or 2hrs.

 

You can request but at the end of the day there is a queue of work and I am somewhere in that queueeven if it'snot a visible one.

 

I have to respect the fact that other people use the same shop and are also expecting to have thier bikes back at the promised time.

 

I hink it's just courtesy to ask if it can be done quickly and accept if it can't.

 

expecting a simple job to be done immdiately is just plain arrogant.

[Tumbleweed]

in a bike shop, it can become quite annoying because the "can you fix it quickly?" tend to be repeat offenders. they like to pitch up five minutes before you close, and insist they need to wheel, brake, etc adjusted because they need to ride tomorrow. they expect youto drop everything. they are the kind of people who will rudely break in on a conversation you are already having with another customer, who is about to spend a load of money, to express their urgrency

 

 

 

the worst kind of "can you fix it quickly?" customer are the people who will buy a part from a competitor and demand that you fit it for them in record time.

 

 

 

people who work in bike shops don't like "can you fix it quickly?" customer.

[Danger Dassie]

Heh, I remember when the bike shop I worked in was been liquidated. Was helping the owner clear some stuff when some randon character waddles in with his spawn in tow, past the closed sign and partially closed door.

 

Want's us to 'quickly' check his son's seatpost.

 

"Sorry sir but the business is now closed, as in shut"

 

Straight over his head...

 

[idrive]

Need to adjust my shocks again. Who is the shock specialist in Gauteng? My mechanic in the States used to have this awesome bit of software that helped configure the shocks according to make' date=' model, riding style and weight. Anybody out here have this software?[/quote']

 

Try Finish Line Cycles ...... and they'll give you a cup of coffee while you watch Arthur gel his hair with fork oil!

idrive2008-08-11 15:23:23

[scotty]

Choose one that does a decent job and not have your bike come to pieces during the ride.