First impression - Cyclelab Fourways

[turtlek]

i can Agree but is it not a good goal for the other guys to strive to be as good as Richard and for the powers that be maybe they should look at hiring better people for the job instead of hiring anybody off the street that thinks he knows what he is talking about but actually knows nothing

[porky]

 

If it was such major issue, why didn't you walk up to Andrew and voice your concern there and then? If I have a problem with a restaurant, I tell the manager/owner while I have the problem. I don't wait till I get home and then complain on a website forum.

 

What rubbish, why should Stenja NOT post the issue??

 

On this site you will always get those "for and those against" anything - its the nature of the animal - Why SHOULD Stenja go look for Andrew or anybody, to voice his opinion, frankly if Andrew was walking around and he didnt see or know what was going on, he is out of touch - if the staff are so incompetant that they cant find the item, dont know what it is or dont know to offer to order it in - they arent trained and Stenja has valid reason to feel aggrieved.

 

.....Actually, why didnt the staff member go ask Andrew or someone else.???.

 

..............and lets not go into the "Andrew cant know about everything - he CAN and he SHOULD, its not a 200 employee operation, its a small retail business, - sounds like sloppy staff and poor management to me. 

 

I would have complained publicly as well.

 

porky2008-10-04 08:50:44

[no.one.knows]

They are so busy trying to take over the retail side of cycling and drowning all the other shops, that give way better service that they cant even get the basics right. My cousin, waited 3weeks for his S-Works road shoes, lace system to be done by them, they lost his number 5 times, and it never got done, so we went to fetch them and take them to a better shop. they never apologized or anything, and dont worry next time i see andrew, i'll tell him straight. I know hundreds of people that hate there service. so dont worry, you are not alone.

[linnega]

Sean, I have to agree with Porky on this one.  The method that someone chooses to complain is entirely their business.  He probably won't go back to the shop in any case, so making the effort to complain directly to McLean would not serve his interests, although it would obviously help in managing the shop better.

 

I believe this is endemic in retail in this country, not limited to the cycling industry.  What we need are more retailers welcoming any feedback.  My recommendation would be to PM "steynja" and take some action to remedy the situation, even if that is only in the form of an apology.

 

[Weekend_Warrior]

I had a problem with my Trek frame and it needed to be replaced under warantee, i took the bike in on Thurdsday morning Trek where there in the afternoon and i got a new frame and had my bike back on Friday afternoon.

 

Maybe next time buy shimano, its the way of the future

 

(this was Westlake)

Weekend_Warrior2008-10-04 09:18:45

[Jaco Steyn]

If it was such major issue' date=' why didn't you walk up to Andrew and voice your concern there and then? If I have a problem with a restaurant, I tell the manager/owner while I have the problem. I don't wait till I get home and then complain on a website forum.





[/quote']

 

Well, bully for you! I did not complain there and then because I was in a hurry to get at home! I had to be in Sasolburg in time to go to the bank before it closed. Thereafter I had to go to Potchefstroom to pick up my son at the universitywhere he had to write psycosometric tests for admision into LLB for next year. I also only saw Andrew fleetingly for a few minutes and then he was gone.

steynja2008-10-04 10:19:59

[Jaco Steyn]

Whoa everybody! I am not trying to bash Cyclelab at all. I come from the Vaal Triangle where the cycle shops are not quite as large as Cyclelab. I was merely commenting on my first impression of Cyclelab, the same as any jourmalist would have done whether he is a food critic, motoring or lifestyle critic. I have the utmost of respect for Andrew because in my opinion he has done more to expose cycling to the majority than most. I am even considering joining the Cyclelab cycling club! If I do not win a membership as seen on supercycling this week, I will most probably do so of my own accord. I am quite sure that Andrew is man enough to take my critism in his stride, and look into what can be done to rectify or improve the situation.

[Jaco Steyn]

Pm Me i will post you a set of blocks

 

Turtlek, thanks for the offer! I will however first have a look at why my LBS in Vanderbijlpark has to offer. If I still do not come right, I will take you up on your offer. Just as a matter of clarity, this is what I am looking for. As you can see the brakes are almost brand new. The one on the left is the one that was still attached to the caliper and the other one actually onle needs a spacer, washer and a nut to tighten everything to the caliper.

[Sean Badenhorst]

 

 

If it was such major issue' date=' why didn't you walk up to Andrew and voice your concern there and then? If I have a problem with a restaurant, I tell the manager/owner while I have the problem. I don't wait till I get home and then complain on a website forum.

 

What rubbish, why should Stenja NOT post the issue??

 

On this site you will always get those "for and those against" anything - its the nature of the animal - Why SHOULD Stenja go look for Andrew or anybody, to voice his opinion, frankly if Andrew was walking around and he didnt see or know what was going on, he is out of touch - if the staff are so incompetant that they cant find the item, dont know what it is or dont know to offer to order it in - they arent trained and Stenja has valid reason to feel aggrieved.

 

.....Actually, why didnt the staff member go ask Andrew or someone else.???.

 

..............and lets not go into the "Andrew cant know about everything - he CAN and he SHOULD, its not a 200 employee operation, its a small retail business, - sounds like sloppy staff and poor management to me. 

 

I would have complained publicly as well.

 

[/quote']

 

I didn't say he shouldn't have posted a complaint here. I said he should have taken it up with the owner or manager at the time of problem. Then, if the owner/manager couldn't offer a reasonable solution, he could have posted that concern here.

 

If my local Pick n Pay doesn't have any stock of the coffee I like to drink, I don't go and complain about it on a public website forum, I go straight to the manager and take it up with him/her.

 

I'm not for or against Cycle Lab. I'm focussing on the principle here.

 

 

 

 

[porky]

The principle Sean is your local P&P has a manager on the floor of every store - they ALSO have a central complaints division and publicly make the number known on EVERY till slip - they also actively support and answer to any complaint on a public forum like say "Hello Peter" - they know full well, people get annoyed and leave, not everybody is going to go looking for a manager, so they EXPECT people to complain elsewhere AND SUPPORT the right of the customer to do so.

 

Its the very reason they do so damn well.!  

 

Everybody knows Wallmart in the USA, they are the worlds most successfull retailer - did you know the dont even "read" reports from "satisfied customers" on their surveys -  they focus ONLY on the complainers - WHY, - well their philosophy is "if the customer took the time to sit down and write a complaint, post or e-mail it to us, or  walk around the store to find a drop box - THEY WANT TO RETURN TO A BETTER EXPERIENCE.

 

Customers who are not intending to return - DONT COMPLAIN.!

 

Interesting is it not.! 

  

porky2008-10-04 13:54:12

[turtlek]

steynja i have the ones off a centaur brake caliper so they are silver i have a complete set with brake pads that are still good enough to use i am willing to post them to you anyways even though mine are not black just so that you dont have this problem in the future you can never have enough spares in my opinionturtlek2008-10-05 02:39:28

[jeremyd]

I have to agree with sean. If you took the time to write about it on the hub, it would havetake the same too write to andrew and complain/query/comment/request. If you read some of the posting on the hub, you'll see people posting how cyclelab/andrew have gone the extra mile for people with let's say "special" needs. Steynja I realise you didn't think you were bashing cyclelab but then what did you expect people to say to your posting? To those who think that it ok to roast someone publicly without first going to complain, I hope no-one ever has a reason tom complain about you or the service you deliver cause you'll be crying how unfair it was that you never got consulted first (ask our ex president and potential president to be)

[Harryn]

I am with Sean and jeremyd on this one. If you did not have the time to talk to Andrew, you could have sent him a mail or called him with your complaint before coming to bitch here for the whole world to see.

 

Porky, your consumer activism is all very well, but you seem to forget about principles of basic decency and fairness, in your pursuit of the rights of the consumer. You do not think it manifestly unfair to not give a trader an opportunity hear your complaint before starting this type of thread, or going to hellopeter.com ??

 

On the subject of hellopeter, its a real scam, by the way, if ever there was one, because Companies do not even have the right to reply if they do not pay for it!)

Harryn2008-10-05 12:27:05

[porky]

Harryn, Harryn, I didnt start Hellow Peter and I dont use it either, however there are a number of people who will tell you they recieved justice by the Peter forum - your impression of the forum is irrelevant (as is mine) lets not associate me with something you may disagree with, because I mentioned it as an example.

 

Theres no such thing as customer fairness and retail decency Harryn,  - I PAY for what I buy, I dont ask for it for free, and because I pay I have a right to demand a service level I expect. I also have a right to complain in any form I choose, somtimes I may just chat to the manager, other times I will complain publicly - its my choice.

 

............and I furthmore think its rather rich such a comment been stated by Sean, someone who in a position of media power, cannot tell me he has NEVER had a gripe and used the media to make the fact public.!

 

What amazes me is you propose a "quiet discussion with the manager" about consumer issues - but its fine to crow about, laud over and post on public forums examples of good service and managers who are always smiling.

 

May I suggest the same applies to the flip side of the coin as well - nobody then make examples of good service known publicly either, rather just go and whisper a "well done" in the manager ear - or dos this not apply here,....................... but only to us "consumer activists".?

 

 

[Jaco Steyn]

I am slowly beggining to regret that I ever stared this thread! It never was my intention to "bash" cyclelab at all. I was merely trying to air my dissapoinment in Cyclelab, because I was expecting this great emporium of cycling goodies. This was however not the case. I quite accept the fact that a store cannot always have everything on hand, but if the pitch line for a bussiness is "The experts in cycling", I would then only expect the sales person to inform me that the item I seek is not in stock, and should I wish so he would source it for me. Andrew, I do sincerely apologize if I have approached this matter in an improper or unfair way.

[markStockton]

 

It is really a very overrated and overpriced shop.

 

Overrated, maybe, but they are not over priced. Compare item for item pricing to Cajees and other LBS and they in the same ball park. In fact close enought that it is not worth the petrol / time / effort to go to the other.

 

However I must agree, the stock holding at times is very, very poor.