# Shop Assistants in Cycle Shops



## sazzaa (27 Apr 2014)

Seriously, what is wrong with them?! Seems that almost every cycle shop I go into has complete nobbers working behind the tills. Yesterday I went into Evans for a browse and thought I'd treat myself to a new helmet. At the till the guy said "so you've suddenly decided to protect your head have you?" I mean really, wtf is that all about? Customer service skills of a gnat. Wish I'd told him to shove the helmet up his @rse but I was taken off guard.


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## Peteaud (27 Apr 2014)

sazzaa said:


> Seriously, what is wrong with them?! Seems that almost every cycle shop I go into has complete nobbers working behind the tills. Yesterday I went into Evans for a browse and thought I'd treat myself to a new helmet. At the till the guy said "so you've suddenly decided to protect your head have you?" I mean really, wtf is that all about? Customer service skills of a gnat. Wish I'd told him to shove the helmet up his @rse but I was taken off guard.



Some of them are beyond a joke.

Last year i was going to spend a large sum of money in a bike shop when the sales assistant started getting really blunt about what i should be riding.

No Sale.


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## sazzaa (27 Apr 2014)

The only good one I've been into is the tiny independent one in Banchory, the guy in there is a champ. I really thought the Glasgow ones would be better than Aberdeen, but nope!


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## Cycleops (27 Apr 2014)

Sales and customer service training seem to seriously lacking in a lot of shops, not only cycle shops. I guess it is the fault of the employer who doesn't see the need for such training. It's especially disappointing considering Evans is a nationwide chain and could do themselves a lot of harm.


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## ScotiaLass (27 Apr 2014)

sazzaa said:


> Seriously, what is wrong with them?! Seems that almost every cycle shop I go into has complete nobbers working behind the tills. Yesterday I went into Evans for a browse and thought I'd treat myself to a new helmet. At the till the guy said "so you've suddenly decided to protect your head have you?" I mean really, wtf is that all about? Customer service skills of a gnat. Wish I'd told him to shove the helmet up his @rse but I was taken off guard.


WTF!!!
I'd have told him to stop being do damn presumptuous! 
Did you get soemthing nice then?


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## Big Nick (27 Apr 2014)

I was in the Giant shop in York and was asking the shop assistant her technical opinion on which Defy model would be best for me, I was speechless when she pointed one out and said the colour would look great with the Giant jerseys they sold!!


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## babytiger (27 Apr 2014)

Cycleops said:


> Sales and customer service training seem to seriously lacking in a lot of shops, not only cycle shops. I guess it is the fault of the employer who doesn't see the need for such training. It's especially disappointing considering Evans is a nationwide chain and could do themselves a lot of harm.


We are not a bike shop but are always on training days to keep our customer service in excellence mode....TODOBILACTION leads to TODOBILATION That's Wilkos for you lol


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## vickster (27 Apr 2014)

Big Nick said:


> I was in the Giant shop in York and was asking the shop assistant her technical opinion on which Defy model would be best for me, I was speechless when she pointed one out and said the colour would look great with the Giant jerseys they sold!!


Quite right too


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## MontyVeda (27 Apr 2014)

Leisure Lakes; Lancaster and their spotty 16 year old pillock....

me: Do you have any front pannier racks?
him: No, no one uses them
me: Well, they are quite handy for balancing a touring load, especially on uphill climbs
him: There aren't any hills around here.
me [thjnks]: _WTF... this shop is at the top of a hill, this town is on the side of a hill, and for 50 miles north & east there's nothing but hills... you spotty little pr!ck!!!_
me [says]: OK. Bye!

And then they wonder why we shop online


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## EltonFrog (27 Apr 2014)

babytiger said:


> ..TODOBILACTION leads to TODOBILATION That's Wilkos for you lol



What?


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## ufkacbln (27 Apr 2014)

babytiger said:


> We are not a bike shop but are always on training days to keep our customer service in excellence mode....TODOBILACTION leads to TODOBILATION That's Wilkos for you lol





CarlP said:


> What?




Tis management speak... it isn't intended to actually mean anything!


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## EltonFrog (27 Apr 2014)

It's not just bike shops. I went to the bank on Friday, I wanted to change £60.00 in twentys to a £50 note and two £5 notes. The feckin hoops I had to jump thorough to to do that was a feckin pain, jeezus I'm not feckin crook, just change the money,and stop checking your finger nails you vacuous over made up fat bint. It's none of your dam business why I want to change cash.


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## stephec (27 Apr 2014)

Big Nick said:


> I was in the Giant shop in York and was asking the shop assistant her technical opinion on which Defy model would be best for me, I was speechless when she pointed one out and said the colour would look great with the Giant jerseys they sold!!


She was probably right though.


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## DiddlyDodds (27 Apr 2014)

sazzaa said:


> Seriously, what is wrong with them?! Seems that almost every cycle shop I go into has complete nobbers working behind the tills. Yesterday I went into Evans for a browse and thought I'd treat myself to a new helmet. At the till the guy said "so you've suddenly decided to protect your head have you?" I mean really, wtf is that all about? Customer service skills of a gnat. Wish I'd told him to shove the helmet up his @rse but I was taken off guard.




I wonder if that sales assistant also works in Evans at the National Cycling Centre Manchester, as i was stood there awaiting to be served a lady was talking excitedly about the picture in the window of Bradley Wiggins.
From outside the shop the poster in the window was full size and very clear, from the inside of the shop is was totally transparent, (turns out it was a one way type film put onto the glass). as she said how amazing it was the assistant just stood looking at her like she had been scrapped of his shoe, i was on the verge of telling him what i thought (i like to do that in shops , makes it more of a shopping experience), he said something in his grunt and was off into the back room leaving the other assistant to do the serving, luckily he was helpful and all got sorted out in minutes and with a smile.


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## DiddlyDodds (27 Apr 2014)

On the other hand i have had to deal with the Great British Public from the other side of the counter, and to be honest some people should not be allowed out, and it should be made legal to slap some of them.


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## Cycleops (27 Apr 2014)

DiddlyDodds said:


> On the other hand i have had to deal with the Great British Public from the other side of the counter, and to be honest some people should not be allowed out, and it should be made legal to slap some of them.


It's true, from my time working in retail you wonder how some of them manage to get from one day to another. One of my favorites was "You have to give me my money back, it's the the law!".


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## vernon (27 Apr 2014)

Cycleops said:


> It's true, from my time working in retail you wonder how some of them manage to get from one day to another. One of my favorites was "You have to give me my money back, it's the the law!".



Especially when they have only asked for some change and offered a fiver.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

Bicycle shops have changed a lot since I last frequented them. The local independent one I used to use in Manchester was run by the man that owned it, and was a treasure trove of bits and bikes - and smelled of inner tubes and grease. I loved it in there. Some of my mates used to wear his jerseys in races in exchange for a good discount and use of the workshop out of hours. It was brilliant in there.

Fast forward to last week. I wanted some grease, and I ride past one of the national chains on the way home, so I called in. The shop is clean. Too clean. You don't feel like you can touch the bikes. And all the bits are packaged in boxes and plastic things. I'm sure at the bike shop of my youth you could have bought a single ball bearing if you'd wanted. In fact he would probably have given you one - but either way it would have come from the little drawers in the workshop and been given to you in a paper bag. Now ball bearing come pre-packed in a box with grease. Anyway, back to the grease I wanted. Of course no sooner had I stopped moving than an assistant came over. I said I wanted grease because I'd had a spot of bother getting the pedals of the OHs bike and wanted to grease them before I put them back on. I was shown "assembly lubricant" at £15. I bought some silicone grease for £3.

Fortunately there is a local independent near me that is almost as good as the one in my youth. It's just a shame it closes before I finish work in the week otherwise I could avoid the chain ones altogether.

I live near an Evans, an Edinburgh Bicylce Co-Op and Giant store. None of them have bike parts on display - a dérailleur can be a work of art - I remember the Shimano cabinet at that bike shop of my youth, and me looking at all the stuff that looked so much better than the stuff I had, which led to me getting a 105 rear dérailleur and a 600 chainset with the wages from my Saturday job (with a little help from the discount my mates got of course 

Then it was 'buy a bike and if you want, you can upgrade it with these bits later' now it's 'buy a bike, and then buy another bike, and another, and another'

I'm old, aren't I?


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## DiddlyDodds (27 Apr 2014)

I bought something the other week for £9.10, so instead of getting a pocket of change i handed £10.10 over to the assistant, to which she gave me back the 10p as "it confused her when people do that" so i did end up with 90p change instead of a pound coin.


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## JasonHolder (27 Apr 2014)

That's quite funny.
I usually try to find older guys who look fit to have a chat with about what I want.

Usually turns into them going the whole 9 yards. Ask for a longer stem, turns into them fitting it for you, changing steerer spacers and getting you to take it for a spin before you've even paid.
Bike shops in Southampton are probably the best I've been to. Especially helpful.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

DiddlyDodds said:


> I bought something the other week for £9.10, so instead of getting a pocket of change i handed £10.10 over to the assistant, to which she gave me back the 10p as "it confused her when people do that" so i did end up with 90p change instead of a pound coin.


They should invent a special sort of calculator for use in shops. It could print out a list of the things you bought in case you need to bring any of them back, and tell the shop staff how much change to give you.

No idea what you'd call such a device though.


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## DiddlyDodds (27 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> They should invent a special sort of calculator for use in shops. It could print out a list of the things you bought in case you need to bring any of them back, and tell the shop staff how much change to give you.
> 
> No idea what you'd call such a device though.




You might be onto something there.


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## ScotiaLass (27 Apr 2014)

I like my LBS.
Owned by the same chap all these years (bought my first 'big' bike there).
Inside it has changed very little - still has a wooden counter and drawers and cubby holes full of springs and ball bearings and...well just about anything you could ask for!
The 3 staff are brilliant, know exactly what they are talking about and 2 of them ride into work.
There's a handy bike rack outside, but you are welcome to roll your bike into the shop, where they keep a small stand for any little jobs, which they are happy to do on the spot.
Brilliant!


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## MontyVeda (27 Apr 2014)

DiddlyDodds said:


> I bought something the other week for £9.10, so instead of getting a pocket of change i handed £10.10 over to the assistant, to which she gave me back the 10p as "it confused her when people do that" so i did end up with 90p change instead of a pound coin.


there was a guy in my local tesco who couldn't work that out ... "Sorry I've already rung in £X" was his excuse. I've tried explaining the simple arithmetic required to cope with the extra 10p, 5p, or finding a £5 pound note instead of the £20 note I've just handed over... but he claimed the till wouldn't balance... after that i just started winding him up by always offering the small change a little bit too late, "I've rung it in now." was the best his tiny mind could come up with. 
Yes, I am slightly evil.


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## Hip Priest (27 Apr 2014)

You do get some snobby, aloof buggers in cycle shops, but guitar shops are much, much worse. There's a bike shop in Gateshead which I've heard some horror stories about, but I've never visited. And as the stories are all second hand, I'm not going to name the shop.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

Any shop that is a general retailer selling specialist products is going to struggle with staff giving advice. I remember being in Dixons (Currys, for younger readers) once and there being a customer asking if she could buy a roll of film (ask your grandparents) and if they could put it in her camera for her. 

The shop assistant, stood in front of a large Kodak display (ask your grandparents about Kodak, too) stacked full of film, what with it being a Dixons by the sea, in summer, simply replied that they didn't have any.


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## ianrauk (27 Apr 2014)

I have never had better shop service then what I got from Evans in Crawley. So much so that I was prompted to send an email to Evan's head office asking them to thank their staff.


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## Saluki (27 Apr 2014)

My Dad had a bike shop, it was a fishing shop too so mixed with the smell of grease and stuff was the smell of the sawdust that the maggots wriggled about it. The smell of my youth.

He had a proper counter with a glass front and bits and bobs in there on one side there were ledgers, floats etc, the other there were deuralliers, a fan of spokes, stems and other bikey type things. There were lots of little drawers with stuff in too, it was a right aladdin's cave of bike stuff. He insisted that the customer was always right, even when he was a pratt. Always smile, always be polite and if the customer is asking for the wrong thing to get his bike in and show us the broken part. We sort little fixes there and then, often for free which inspired a lot of customer loyalty. We didn't sell expensive brands, we sold Raleigh and Puch mostly.

I still like bike shops like that, the big ones with their shiney bikes and no 'proper' smell just inspire mistrust in me. Especially if I can't have a test ride. No test ride, no sale is how I like to operate.

It's not just bike shops where rudeness exists. I had a right pushy mare in John Lewis' the other week. I went in for a Henry vacuum cleaner and she told me that I didn't want one and pointed at some Bosch job that I could barely lift. I told her that I would rather have a Henry and would come back later. Then she kept trying to take me to the till with the ticket to buy it then and collect it later. She was really quite agressive. I am a reasonably polite person but I had to be a bit abrupt to get away from her. A horrible experience. We bought the Henry from Tesco.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

Saluki said:


> My Dad had a bike shop, it was a fishing shop too so mixed with the smell of grease and stuff was the smell of the sawdust that the maggots wriggled about it. The smell of my youth.



Sounds amazing. It was only recently I realised that Shimano make fishing reels and stuff too 

Small shops are almost always better.


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## MarkF (27 Apr 2014)

I was looking at, and thinking of buying, a Defy L in All Terrain Cycles.

Me - _Can I sit on it?_
Git_ - Yes. I'll get a medium.
Me - Can I try the L? _
Git_ - I think the medium is the right size for you._ (Moves for the medium)
Me _- I'l try the large first thanks._
Git _- How tall are you, what's your inside leg?_
Me_ - Take the large out please. _
Git removes large as if it was a complicated, time consuming and unnecessary task and I sit on it.
Git - _Put your hands on the hoods._
I am already instinctively reaching down for the brakes as I have small hands.
Git - _No, t.h.e.s.e. are hoods. 


_


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

MarkF said:


> I was looking at, and thinking of buying, a Defy L in All Terrain Cycles.
> 
> Me - _Can I sit on it?_
> Git_ - Yes. I'll get a medium.
> ...



That sounds a great reason to use up lots of their time and then order the bike in off a local independent.


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## Saluki (27 Apr 2014)

MarkF said:


> I was looking at, and thinking of buying, a Defy L in All Terrain Cycles.
> 
> Me - _Can I sit on it?_
> Git_ - Yes. I'll get a medium.
> ...


I am assuming that you didn't buy one from them. What a rude sounding, horrible shop assistant.


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## NormanD (27 Apr 2014)

I'll never shop in the Evan's store in Gateshead again, worst shop staff I've ever encountered, I'll order online from Evan's as their online service is damn good .. If I need to buy in shop, I go to Edinburgh Co-op cycles in Newcastle, the staff in there are really helpful  

I'll have to try the new CycleSurgery shop that has opened in Gateshead sometime soon


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## fabregas485 (27 Apr 2014)

There is a bike shop near me but they also have a website. On the website it mentions that they have a small cycle group who go out for regular rides, and anyone can join it. However, when I walked into the shop and asked, the first thing the guy said was 'Bike shop employees only'. He then asked if I needed any other help, but I just told him I think 'I will go to halfords instead'.

Yes, that's right, I would rather shop at Halfords than somewhere with such poor people skills.


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## stuee147 (27 Apr 2014)

DiddlyDodds said:


> On the other hand i have had to deal with the Great British Public from the other side of the counter, and to be honest some people should not be allowed out, and it should be made legal to slap some of them.


 i have to agree i to have been both sides of the counter and some folk treat you like your there personal slave and are just down right rude iv always had to opinion that i will treat everyone politely and with respect unless they dont show me the same level of politeness and respect in which case i will tell them where to go politely of course 
or at least as politely as the scum deserve lol


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## BSRU (27 Apr 2014)

I took my, less than one year old, steel tourer into an LBS to have the rear hanger straightened after a chain failure caused it to be bent out of shape.
The sales assistant stated that he didn't think the mechanics worked on old bikes.


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## ComedyPilot (27 Apr 2014)

Some of the above posts sound like a Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch.....


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## nickyboy (27 Apr 2014)

Not LBS service but a story about big chain customer service.

I was ready to spend a fair whack on a new bike. I'm not bothered about brands and such like so had narrowed it down to something from Decathlon and something from Halfords as they were best value for money.

Went to Decathlon, as soon as I expressed interest in one of their upper-spec bikes, the brought over their tech expert and he went through every detail about the bike and answered my questions about gear ratios, sizing etc etc. Couldn't fault the level of technical expertise and no hard sell at all.

Then I went to Halfords. Started looking at one of their upper-spec bikes and employee came over. I expressed interest in the bike and started to ask questions. "Is this Shimano or Campagnolo?"......."err.....let me take a look at the spec sheet....err, it's Shimano". "What is the spec of the rear cassette?" "errr.....it's 34 tooth"...."I think you are referring to the front, not the cassette"....."oh yes, you're right....haha, my mistake". "What is the size of this model?" "err....not sure, let me check the spec....err, it's a 55". "OK, I need a 53, is this available?" "err.....I don't know, I'll have to ring up head office"

At that point I thanked him for his help and walked out. If I am going to drop a chunk of cash on a technical product like a bike, I at least expect the person selling it to me to know more about it than I do


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## Profpointy (27 Apr 2014)

MontyVeda said:


> there was a guy in my local tesco who couldn't work that out ... "Sorry I've already rung in £X" was his excuse. I've tried explaining the simple arithmetic required to cope with the extra 10p, 5p, or finding a £5 pound note instead of the £20 note I've just handed over... but he claimed the till wouldn't balance... after that i just started winding him up by always offering the small change a little bit too late, "I've rung it in now." was the best his tiny mind could come up with.
> Yes, I am slightly evil.




Well ok, it is a bit of a giggle, but it is a tad mean - bear in mind the till boy is probably not the sharpest tool in the box, and perhaps even a bit backward (i've certainly seen such in shops - which is "a good thing" for "slow" people to get employed at all - and isn't in any way to demean normally-witted shop staff earning an honest living either)


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

Profpointy said:


> Well ok, it is a bit of a giggle, but it is a tad mean - bear in mind the till boy is probably not the sharpest tool in the box, and perhaps even a bit backward (i've certainly seen such in shops - which is "a good thing" for "slow" people to get employed at all - and isn't in any way to demean normally-witted shop staff earning an honest living either)



It works the other way around to. For example a customer may have items that add up to £11.90 and, paying with £20 will then give you an extra £1, sp instead of giving them £8.10 change you give then £8.10 and their pound back. All most awkward.


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## MontyVeda (27 Apr 2014)

Profpointy said:


> Well ok, it is a bit of a giggle, but it is a tad mean - bear in mind the till boy is probably not the sharpest tool in the box, and perhaps even a bit backward (i've certainly seen such in shops - which is "a good thing" for "slow" people to get employed at all - and isn't in any way to demean normally-witted shop staff earning an honest living either)


Nothing suggested he had learning difficulties of any sort... just a difficulty to think logically about simple arithmetic, or simply couldn't be bothered to think.

at my local job centre last month... the bloke _signing me on_ had "Matched a couple of jobs to me" Great!

first was an Apprenticeship... I'm middle aged, and had to tell him that apprenticeships are for 17-18 year olds... it seemed like news to him.

the second was part time, in another town... so i started making my excuses as i'd be spending more on travel than I'd get paid
he said "Company Confidential are really good to work for"
I stammered, "Er... Company Confidential isn't an employer, it means the employers name is being kept confidential... Why I'm telling you this stuff when you work here I've no idea... Shall we swap places?"


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## Dayvo (27 Apr 2014)

I was going to buy a bike for the misses a few years ago and went to a reasonably good bike shop in Oslo.

I wanted to see if the dikhead assisstant was up to scratch, but he failed at the very first hurdle:

Me: I'm looking for a bike for the missus.
Him: How about this?
and pointed to a £1,400 bike without knowing anything about her needs or requirements.
Me: You are joking, right!
Him: What, too expensive for you, is it?

I gave him _the look_ whilst shaking my head and said, 'Don't worry, we won't be back.' And we haven't.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

Dayvo said:


> I was going to buy a bike for the misses a few years ago and went to a reasonably good bike shop in Oslo.
> 
> I wanted to see if the dikhead assisstant was up to scratch, but he failed at the very first hurdle:
> 
> ...



Was the bike he pointed to "a lovely colour"?


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## Dayvo (27 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> Was the bike he pointed to "a lovely colour"?


 
Actually, it was light blue - and that's all I remember about it now!


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## Spinney (27 Apr 2014)

User said:


> That counts as a girly colour, as I intend to point out to any Man City fans I encounter in the next hour. I might have to reconsider in the couple of hours that follow.


You'll probably have plenty of time to reconsider in the A&E wait...


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

User said:


> That counts as a girly colour, as I intend to point out to any Man City fans I encounter in the next hour. I might have to reconsider in the couple of hours that follow.


City fan here. You rang?

(Enjoying proceedings at Anfield immensely at the moment ...)


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

User said:


> Girly colour.


At this moment, I couldn't care less


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## SomethingLikeThat (27 Apr 2014)

I volunteer in a charity shop and I often cringe at my past interactions, not because I was trying to be rude, but because when I first started I was so nervous.


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## mb_333 (27 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> Bicycle shops have changed a lot since I last frequented them. The local independent one I used to use in Manchester was run by the man that owned it, and was a treasure trove of bits and bikes - and smelled of inner tubes and grease. I loved it in there. Some of my mates used to wear his jerseys in races in exchange for a good discount and use of the workshop out of hours. It was brilliant in there.



I bought my bike / service it in Edinburgh Cycles Manchester due to a recommendation from cyclist at work. Can't fault them and am a huge fan of their relaxed no pressure sales.

Which independent store do you use, i may pop in


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## Donger (27 Apr 2014)

Bike shops have come in for a bit of a slagging here so, in defence of my LBS, I feel compelled to take the other side in this discussion. It seems to me that it is mostly the big chain stores (Halfords, Evans etc) that are coming in for a caning, not the small local operators. I use a local shop called "Striking Bikes" in Bristol Road, Gloucester, who does not deserve to be tarred with the same brush, and I have nothing but praise for Paul, the proprietor.

The first time I met him, I was walking along the side of a very quiet rural lane, miles from home and pushing a bike with a broken chain, feeling very sorry for myself. A van went past a junction behind me, and I heard it stop, reverse, and then go out of its way to come and help me. Pulling up in front of me, he leapt out cheerily, asked if I needed help, spotted the trouble, and had a chain splitter and new link out of his tool box in seconds. Not only did he immediately repair my chain at the roadside, but he handed me a babywipe to clean my hands and sped off refusing any payment for the assistance.

A year or so later, I identified the bike I wanted to buy on the internet, and went into Striking Bikes to check out anything else they might have. I ended up buying that same model from Paul, at the same price as the Internet, with a whole bunch of extras thrown in free and the bike fully set up correctly for me. He has since done a full wheel re-build for me (as he had done on my previous bike) and has proved himself to be a genius at that dying skill. His prices are always very reasonable.

Whilst I do often use internet sites to buy bike stuff, I now always make a point of having my bike serviced every year at Striking Bikes, and always buy some small item or other when I am there. The guy lives, eats and breathes cycIing, and he is always willing to give advice or swap anecdotes, based on years of racing and bike factory experience. Every year he donates his time to provide free roadside service at the BHF Cotswold Bike Ride. I believe it is important to keep people like Paul in business, serving the cycling community in the way they deserve. If anyone is looking to buy a Ridgeback or a Bianchi, Striking Bikes has a nice looking collection of them, and you'll have the best customer service possible.


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## Cycleops (27 Apr 2014)

Nice story @Donger , particularly like the baby wipe touch! If I needed a service or a bike I would be heading to Gloucester straight away. Good service needs to applauded. Here's a link to the shop http://www.striking-bikes.co.uk


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## jefmcg (27 Apr 2014)

(back to complaining)

When I was buying my first road bike, I visited quite a few bike shops. My response to the question "Can I help you?" was "I'm looking for a dropbar commuter". IE I gave them a single requirement. At 3 stores, they immediately tried to steer me towards flat barred bikes.

I assumed it was sexism, this fairly patronising assertion that I don't know what I want. I went elsewhere to purchase.


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## snorri (27 Apr 2014)

I was forced into buying new panniers when my original cheap and nasty pair failed while passing through Kent. I made my selection at an lbs and asked the assistant to help me fit them as I was on tour and it was important that they were fit for service as I left the shop. I could see by the manner in which he disposed of the packing and fitting instructions that he was not a happy chappy. After failing to fit the panniers securely he informed me that I would have to get securing straps to finish the job. These were apparently "readily available anywhere"........ except in his shop! He lost that sale
.


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## Boo (27 Apr 2014)

Another 'in defence of bike shops' post!
I recently decided to get back into cycling after a long time away, and a couple of friends recommended Evans at Crouch End. I've been in and out of there several times over the past month, and I have nothing but praise for the staff in there. They were happy to spend plenty of time talking to me, and explaining what was what, even when I made it clear I was 'just thinking about it', and more importantly, at no point did anyone talk down to me, just because I didn't know what a cassette was, or the difference between a Presta and a Schrader valve.
In the end, while I probably could have saved a few pounds by buying the bike online, I bought it from Evans. I used to be very into hi-fi, and dealt with a local hi-fi shop. It cost a bit more up front, but it paid dividends in getting to know the staff, getting good advice etc etc. The same, I suspect, goes for bike shops.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2014)

Is there a connection with peanuts going on.


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## Mr Haematocrit (27 Apr 2014)

My LBS Is awesome they do business on nothing more a handshake, they are all passionate cyclists and have permitted me to take bikes for a weekend to test.
They really know their stuff and care passionately about giving me a great cycling experience.
They have given me free jerseys and shorts along with many other things.
They reccomended some tires to me which I did not like and they changed them for me without question or issue. I can trust them to do the right thing.
They order stuff for me without requiring a deposit.. The service I get is simply second to none.


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## vickster (27 Apr 2014)

Yes, but how much have you spent with them in the last 3 years say 

I expect someone who bought a bike and now buys the odd tube or gets a service may not be able to take a multi thousand pound bike out for the weekend


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## EltonFrog (27 Apr 2014)

I went into Evans in Reading today, I wanted some new gloves and a couple of crud catchers. The store was quite busy, so I just sorted myself out made my choices amd went to pay. No one was at the two tills. Me and another customer waited to be serves, no one acknowledged us, I waited for about five minutes, still no service, left the stuff on the counter and walked out. 

I noticed on the window on the way out they are looking for staff. I might apply for the job.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

mb_333 said:


> I bought my bike / service it in Edinburgh Cycles Manchester due to a recommendation from cyclist at work. Can't fault them and am a huge fan of their relaxed no pressure sales.
> 
> Which independent store do you use, i may pop in


I used to use Neil Walton in Didsbury. It's not there anymore sadly.


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## Banjo (27 Apr 2014)

Mr Haematocrit said:


> My *local Halfords *Is awesome they do business on nothing more a handshake, they are all passionate cyclists and have permitted me to take bikes for a weekend to test.
> They really know their stuff and care passionately about giving me a great cycling experience.
> They have given me free jerseys and shorts along with many other things.
> They reccomended some tires to me which I did not like and they changed them for me without question or issue. I can trust them to do the right thing.
> They order stuff for me without requiring a deposit.. The service I get is simply second to none.



cor who would have thought it


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## fabregas485 (27 Apr 2014)

Donger said:


> Bike shops have come in for a bit of a slagging here so, in defence of my LBS, I feel compelled to take the other side in this discussion. It seems to me that it is mostly the big chain stores (Halfords, Evans etc) that are coming in for a caning, not the small local operators. I use a local shop called "Striking Bikes" in Bristol Road, Gloucester, who does not deserve to be tarred with the same brush, and I have nothing but praise for Paul, the proprietor.
> 
> The first time I met him, I was walking along the side of a very quiet rural lane, miles from home and pushing a bike with a broken chain, feeling very sorry for myself. A van went past a junction behind me, and I heard it stop, reverse, and then go out of its way to come and help me. Pulling up in front of me, he leapt out cheerily, asked if I needed help, spotted the trouble, and had a chain splitter and new link out of his tool box in seconds. Not only did he immediately repair my chain at the roadside, but he handed me a babywipe to clean my hands and sped off refusing any payment for the assistance.
> 
> ...


 I could not agree more. I knew someone who had a bike shop who was the nicest guy ever. If I had any sort of problem or query I could pop down to see him to ask how to get it do it and he would do it free of charge refusing payment left right and centre. In return I ended up buying a few bits here and there ( most of which I did not need in the end, but it keeps him in business). Sadly he had to sell up and move, but I have yet to have the confidence to try any other local bike shops after my last experience.


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## Mr Haematocrit (27 Apr 2014)

Banjo said:


> cor who would have thought it



Creative editing there, me thinks


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> I used to use Neil Walton in Didsbury. It's not there anymore sadly.



Ah - good old google - this company http://www.bikeshak.com/ was started by Neil in 1997 apparently, which would be about 4 years after I moved away.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2014)

Why did they move, was it because they were not making enough money?


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## Donger (27 Apr 2014)

I just think some of you are missing the bigger picture here. It's not cycle shops, _per se_. In my experience most big shop chains (whatever they sell) employ spotty teenagers with little or no product knowledge and poor inter-personal skills. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Take sports shops as an example. Just try going into _any_ of the big chains of highstreet so-called "sports" shops and asking for:
(a) a badminton net
(b) high grip rubber for table tennis bats
(c) an ice hockey stick
(d) a rugby scrum cap and
(e) a look at their whole range of cycling shirts.
It is odds on that they won't have any of the above - definitely not more than 2 of them.
Unless you want jogging bottoms, hoodies or replica top 4 Premier Leage (or England) football shirts, they will look at you slack-jawed like you just asked for a left-handed snooker cue. I was so unimpressed last time I went in a "sports" shop, I apologised for mistaking them for a sports shop ... I hadn't realised I was in an "urban chavwear outlet" by mistake.
Support your proper local expert shops, whatever they sell, or these idiot chains will completely take over the high streets of every town in Britain.


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

screenman said:


> Why did they move, was it because they were not making enough money?


Are you asking me? If so I don't know I'm afraid, I wasn't a personal friend of the owner, just a happy customer - and I hadn't lived in Manchester for 4 years when the shop moved. The shop was very small though, so perhaps it was just a move to a larger unit that meshed neatly with the change to a more internet-friendly name that was more saleable (Neil Walton doesn't seem to be involved any more, so my guess - and it is a guess- is that he sold the business and retired)

But, at the end of the day I was a school kid buying a few consumables and the odd component. He didn't used to consult me on business decisions


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## JoeyB (27 Apr 2014)

JasonHolder said:


> That's quite funny.
> I usually try to find older guys who look fit to have a chat with about what I want.
> 
> Usually turns into them going the whole 9 yards. Ask for a longer stem, turns into them fitting it for you, changing steerer spacers and getting you to take it for a spin before you've even paid.
> Bike shops in Southampton are probably the best I've been to. Especially helpful.


Ooh which ones in Southampton?


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## ayceejay (27 Apr 2014)

My local bike shop is owned by a winker and his staff are useless. I only go there in an emergency. I had an emergency the other day and needed a Sram gear cable, the boss wasn't there and his assistant didn't know what Sram was! 
The man in question is a 'know all'. I imagine you know the type, although I am twenty years older than him there is nothing I can tell him. He tried to sell me a bike that was evidently too small so I took my $2,500 elsewhere and is fond of saying "you don't want that you want this" - winker.
When I lived in England Tony Mills on Boxhill would know what size bike you needed just by looking at you, one of the boys would brew a cup of tea we would have a natter and I would walk out of there with £100 worth of gear under my arm - now that is the way to run a bike shop.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2014)

Whilst a shop cannot afford to give poor service, it also cannot afford to give free service. I doubt many shops cost less than £50 per hour to open, that is margin not turnover.


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## adamhearn (27 Apr 2014)

Went to the LBS (3rd or 4th time I've been in), queued whilst others were being attended to before asking for some crank bolts with hex heads. I was met with a "I don't know if we sell those, you'll have to wait for". They did and I bought them but I don't think I'll ever bother going back as I'm mostly left feeling that I'm an annoyance rather than a customer.

Sadly my not-so LBS where I bought my road bike is so much better but is too far a journey for such small ticket items. I should have just ordered a set online.


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## fabregas485 (27 Apr 2014)

Talking of which, I went into Maplin a few weeks again to buy a small switch for a project I was doing. The switch had no values on it, such as the current I could pass though it safety. I went to the counter and asked if they had the datasheets for all of the components they stocked and the first thing I got back was 'A datasheet? Sorry sir, I do not know of any datasheets. Do they have another name?'. At this point I explained what I was looking for, and another member came up and told me 'And what exactly is the point of knowing any of that useless information'. At this point I thanked the guy behind the counter for attempting to help me, and I ended up ordering the part I needed online for cheaper with the datasheet I required.


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## simon the viking (27 Apr 2014)

Now I'm sure on here everyone treats sales staff with respect and therefore obviously should get the same back..... but as a retail manager of 20 years experience I can assure you all this not always the case.......

I work in car spares and often when I ask for a reg to get vehicle details.... I sometimes get told "I don't want to give it to you, because you don't need it (they probably don't know it)................I can tell you everything you need to know..."
"Okay what year is it?"
"Errrr. 2002 or could be 2004
"Engine size?"
"1200 or is it a 1500?"
"Engine code then?"
"eeerrrrrr......."
At this point I often snap......"Look mate if you want the right parts get me your bloody reg"

I even sometimes get something like its a Vauxhall Fiesta..... to which I reply is it a Vauxhall Corsa or a Ford Fiesta?

If someone is polite and gives me the information I require to do my job well they will get excellent customer service..... If they are rude or are generally an obnoxious person then they may not (it also helps if they have had a bath/shower and washed their clothes within last 3 days............. this is not always the case I can assure you.....) 

By the way some people still think that serving staff in general (Shop, bar and restaurant) are the lowest form of life and can be spoken to as such...... Honestly people still exist who think like this.......

But as I said I'm sure no one on here is like that 

We normally try to forget the last annoying customer and concentrate on the next but sometimes its not that easy.......................


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## sazzaa (27 Apr 2014)

I try to be nice to shop and restaurant workers, because let's be honest, they're doing a dull job for a pittance. On the days I'm feeling unsociable then I just avoid eye contact and try to shop without any hassle. And shops are one of the few places where I won't tell people to "do one" because they are in an awful job having to deal with awful customers, no point in me adding to it.


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## mickle (27 Apr 2014)

You want better shop staff now? And all along I thought you all wanted low prices. Make up your farking minds.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2014)

My wife is a Podiatrist, she often gets customers in who have not washed any part of their body let alone feet for weeks, some are even proud of the fact. She is far nicer than I could be.


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## screenman (27 Apr 2014)

mickle said:


> You want better shop staff now? And all along I thought you all wanted low prices. Make up your ****ing minds.


I seldom by on price alone, so please leave me out of a very sweeping statement.


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## simon the viking (27 Apr 2014)

sazzaa said:


> I try to be nice to shop and restaurant workers, because let's be honest, they're doing a dull job for a pittance. On the days I'm feeling unsociable then I just avoid eye contact and try to shop without any hassle. And shops are one of the few places where I won't tell people to "do one" because they are in an awful job having to deal with awful customers, no point in me adding to it.


I quite like my job as everyday can be different and if you aren't busy you can chat to interesting people in the past I've talked to a Vintage Bugatti owner (Type 35..... lovely) loads of MGB owners..... (Me: "M reg? must be one of the last of the chrome bumpers then"....) and strangely enough.... cyclists..... but I couldn't work in MacDonald's or a busy chain food pub.... not because of the banality of it but because of the stress of the of the speed of service required.... Car parts are far more relaxing.....

And when I return something I normally get my preferred outcome because.....

A. I know my rights (inside out)
B. I am polite to the person sorting it and normally start off with "I know it's not your fault and you didn't personally make this product.... but let me explain my problem (all said with with a polite smile)


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## Cold (27 Apr 2014)

Donger said:


> Bike shops have come in for a bit of a slagging here so, in defence of my LBS, I feel compelled to take the other side in this discussion. It seems to me that it is mostly the big chain stores (Halfords, Evans etc) that are coming in for a caning, not the small local operators. I use a local shop called "Striking Bikes" in Bristol Road, Gloucester, who does not deserve to be tarred with the same brush, and I have nothing but praise for Paul, the proprietor.
> 
> The first time I met him, I was walking along the side of a very quiet rural lane, miles from home and pushing a bike with a broken chain, feeling very sorry for myself. A van went past a junction behind me, and I heard it stop, reverse, and then go out of its way to come and help me. Pulling up in front of me, he leapt out cheerily, asked if I needed help, spotted the trouble, and had a chain splitter and new link out of his tool box in seconds. Not only did he immediately repair my chain at the roadside, but he handed me a babywipe to clean my hands and sped off refusing any payment for the assistance.
> 
> ...



I live just a long the road from Striking Bikes and have never been in I used the Bike shop in Eastgate Street but after the last service I got and the way they treated a friend I won't be using them again .


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## Donger (27 Apr 2014)

Colderuk said:


> I live just a long the road from Striking Bikes and have never been in I used the Bike shop in Eastgate Street but after the last service I got and the way they treated a friend I won't be using them again .


A few people drive past without ever going in, which is a shame. I think customer parking has always been his biggest problem. I know he was looking at moving into the same building as Kwik-Fit just down the road to get a more prominent position and easier parking. Give him a try, and tell him some big guy called Andy sent you.


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## simon the viking (27 Apr 2014)

mickle said:


> You want better shop staff now? And all along I thought you all wanted low prices. Make up your ****ing minds.



I get......

"They're only £X off ebay.....

To which I reply.....
"Are they? well sorry I don't price match ebay as..... These are right in front of you, available today right now..... they are top quality X brand (we don't stock plain box S***) and should they be wrong, which they won't be by the way........ I'm here to sort out the problem.......Now is it cash or card today? (because if they have asked for them in my shop they want them and the ebay line is just to get discount.......)

And people who expect me to sort out their problem because they got the wrong ones sent off ebay shouldn't expect discount either, they will get a smile from me though albeit a wry one.......


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## Cold (27 Apr 2014)

Donger said:


> A few people drive past without ever going in, which is a shame. I think customer parking has always been his biggest problem. I know he was looking at moving into the same building as Kwik-Fit just down the road to get a more prominent position and easier parking. Give him a try, and tell him some big guy called Andy sent you.



I will do.


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## fabregas485 (27 Apr 2014)

Donger said:


> A few people drive past without ever going in, which is a shame. I think customer parking has always been his biggest problem. I know he was looking at moving into the same building as Kwik-Fit just down the road to get a more prominent position and easier parking. Give him a try, and tell him some big guy called Andy sent you.


 I wish I lived nearer. Sounds like a wonderful place to shop.


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## Shut Up Legs (27 Apr 2014)

User said:


> maybe he was trying to be humourous, or just trying to engage a customer in conversation, by the sound of things he was not successful in either.... something we shouldn't forget is that there are many many more gobshite customers than sales assistants and I find the best way to get really good service is to be a good customer,


Of course the flipside of that is that one way to ensure first-time customers return is to be a good salesperson.


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## fabregas485 (27 Apr 2014)

mickle said:


> You want better shop staff now? And all along I thought you all wanted low prices. Make up your ****ing minds.


 If I went into a shop with cheap prices, I would not expect great service. Its when you go to places where parts are more expensive and you are paying for the customer service that customers should be treated fairly.

That being said, smaller shops where trade is slower than the larger shops, should try have as good a customer service as possible as it may be the only thing that could bring customers back.


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## Shut Up Legs (27 Apr 2014)

CarlP said:


> I went into Evans in Reading today, I wanted some new gloves and a couple of crud catchers. The store was quite busy, so I just sorted myself out made my choices amd went to pay. No one was at the two tills. Me and another customer waited to be serves, no one acknowledged us, I waited for about five minutes, still no service, left the stuff on the counter and walked out.
> 
> I noticed on the window on the way out they are looking for staff. I might apply for the job.


Most likely if you did end up working there, you'd be doing most of the work.


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## sazzaa (27 Apr 2014)

I might start shopping in cycle cafes, the one I was in today (Siempre?) was super welcoming and had amazing service, with a smile.


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## simon the viking (27 Apr 2014)

CarlP said:


> I went into Evans in Reading today, I wanted some new gloves and a couple of crud catchers. The store was quite busy, so I just sorted myself out made my choices amd went to pay. No one was at the two tills. Me and another customer waited to be serves, no one acknowledged us, I waited for about five minutes, still no service, left the stuff on the counter and walked out.
> 
> I noticed on the window on the way out they are looking for staff. I might apply for the job.


This happened to me in PC World....queue at the counter.... no staff on...... Manager walked up put out a tannoy call for till staff.... then walked off..... at which point so did I (without the item of course)


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## roadrash (27 Apr 2014)

this was a favourite of mine when i had a butchers shop, though im sure ive told it here before

customer.. how much is your sirloin
me... £4.00 per lb
customer...its only £3.50 at the butchers down the road
me ...buy it from there then
customer... they havent got any
me ...mines only £3.50 when i havent got any
customer


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## fossyant (27 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> Ah - good old google - this company http://www.bikeshak.com/ was started by Neil in 1997 apparently, which would be about 4 years after I moved away.



You also have the new bikehaus in Gatley, and Wills Wheels in Heaton Chapel near you.


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## fossyant (27 Apr 2014)

Lots of folk in the big chains are just sales assistants. They aren't cycling nerds.

We fell lucky when I bought my wife a new £500 hybrid and a tag along for my daughter from Evans Chill Factore.

We got the mechanic, only realised when he was struggling with the tills. Spot on sales service, but struggled with the tills.

Phoned them a few months ago asking about a drive belt for a Tacx roller. Said part, guy goes, yup we have one. Drive 10 miles and the guy goes, I'll go and get it (I thought its only a belt why does he need to find it). 5 mins later turns up with a turbo trainer. WTF. Explained what I had asked for politely, and then walked out.


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## mb_333 (27 Apr 2014)

fossyant said:


> You also have the new bikehaus in Gatley, and Wills Wheels in Heaton Chapel near you.



Will check them out when i'm in the area, thanks


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## Julia9054 (27 Apr 2014)

A big recommendation for the lovely guys in Specialized in Harrogate. I know it's a chain and the big disadvantage is (obviously) that they only sell Spesh stuff but they are keen, knowledgable and enthusiastic. They don't talk down to you, know their products and don't pressurise you to buy stuff. I love going in there!


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## KneesUp (27 Apr 2014)

fossyant said:


> You also have the new bikehaus in Gatley, and Wills Wheels in Heaton Chapel near you.


 I'm in Sheffield now, and am becoming increasingly familiar with Butterworths - also a great shop.


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## John the Canuck (28 Apr 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> I like my LBS.
> Owned by the same chap all these years ....................!



where ..? as i emailed the 'obvious olde' one in Glasgow about building my wheels
prob a good little earner for him

no reply


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## Accy cyclist (28 Apr 2014)

Shop assistants are there to take your money at the till and to take you to the product if you can't find it. They aren't paid enough to know everything about bikes or any other product that's in the shop. If you want advice about buying a bike for example ask online,don't expect someone on 6 quid an hour to read up about these things.


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## classic33 (28 Apr 2014)

Accy cyclist said:


> Shop assistants are there to take your money at the till and to take you to the product if you can't find it. They aren't paid enough to know everything about bikes or any other product that's in the shop. If you want advice about buying a bike for example ask online,don't expect someone on 6 quid an hour to read up about these things.


Maybe, but having some idea about the items they are "trying to take your money" for is always helpful.
Whatever the shop sells!


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## ScotiaLass (28 Apr 2014)

John the Canuck said:


> where ..? as i emailed the 'obvious olde' one in Glasgow about building my wheels
> prob a good little earner for him
> 
> no reply


GW Smith in Falkirk


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## Cuchilo (28 Apr 2014)

I guess I'm quite lucky as nearly all the shops local to me seem to have people that know a lot about bikes . Even my local Halfords 
Maybe its they just know a lot more about bikes than me though


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## martint235 (28 Apr 2014)

Welling Cycles is an old fashioned shop. Bikes all over the place waiting to be repaired. Old glass fronted cabinet full of derailleurs, pedals etc. Pete now owns and runs it but his dad, Roger, who used to have it before him still helps out. I can't go in just to buy something as a visit can take up to an hour just chatting to Roger. Whenever I take a bike in to have work done on it, I always get a b******ing from Roger for it not being clean (some people may not be surprised by this) and an apology from Pete for the b******ing his dad just gave me.

Over the years that he's been my LBS, you can tell the difference in cycling. When I first started taking the Giant in for services, Pete remarked that I was willing to spend more on a service than 99% of his customers would spend on a full bike. Now if I take Lelly in there she looks positively cheap among the Cervelos and S-Works stuff waiting for services.


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## jarlrmai (28 Apr 2014)

Jack Parker's in Burscough is a great shop, has that classic bike shop feel, I always feel fine leaving my bike there as I know they'll look after it and do a good job.


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## Cycleops (28 Apr 2014)

Accy cyclist said:


> Shop assistants are there to take your money at the till and to take you to the product if you can't find it. They aren't paid enough to know everything about bikes or any other product that's in the shop.


Sorry but this is nonsense. Just because you think they aren't paid enough does that mean they can't learn? They should be trained so that they have the knowledge which can translate into better service for the customer. The skills they gain can also be used to secure a better paid job in the store or elsewhere.


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## Globalti (28 Apr 2014)

sazzaa said:


> Seriously, what is wrong with them?! Seems that almost every cycle shop I go into has complete nobbers working behind the tills. Yesterday I went into Evans for a browse and thought I'd treat myself to a new helmet. At the till the guy said "so you've suddenly decided to protect your head have you?" I mean really, wtf is that all about? Customer service skills of a gnat. Wish I'd told him to shove the helmet up his @rse but I was taken off guard.



Mrs Gti is still fuming at the treatment she received in Evans in Deansgate, Manchester when three assistants ignored her for several minutes. They seemed to have zero customer skills.


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## EltonFrog (28 Apr 2014)

Cycleops said:


> Sorry but this is nonsense. Just because you think they aren't paid enough does that mean they can't learn? They should be trained so that they have the knowledge which can translate into better service for the customer. The skills they gain can also be used to secure a better paid job in the store or elsewhere.



Quite right.


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## Accy cyclist (28 Apr 2014)

Cycleops said:


> Sorry but this is nonsense. Just because you think they aren't paid enough does that mean they can't learn? They should be trained so that they have the knowledge which can translate into better service for the customer. The skills they gain can also be used to secure a better paid job in the store or elsewhere.



Yes but only if the shop owners are willing to train them or pay for their training. To expect someone on 6 quid an hour to teach themselves is unfair.


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## deptfordmarmoset (28 Apr 2014)

Accy cyclist said:


> Yes but only if the shop owners are willing to train them or pay for their training. To expect someone on 6 quid an hour to teach themselves is unfair.


Lots of people on the tills are people people rather than money people - after all, they're not paid enough to be twattish.


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## oldroadman (28 Apr 2014)

Away from bike shops, I was in Manchester and went into the Apple shop as I was looking to get a new laptop. The staff spent as much time as I needed going through the advantages versus PC, all the while looking for a sales opportunity without pushing too hard. They were clearly well trained and knew the product, even comfortable calling in help when something went beyond their experience. Result will be when I change, guess what?
The product isn't cheap either!


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## Globalti (28 Apr 2014)

Shops could increase their sales by 50% if they had properly trained staff. Really.


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## EltonFrog (28 Apr 2014)

Globalti said:


> Shops could increase their sales by 50% if they had properly trained staff. Really.



When I was a younger man, I worked in retail, a DIY shop, one of chain of 180 stores before all the big DIY superstores came into being. After a a qualifying period on the shop floor my salary was enhanced by commission. The difference it made to my sales was extraordinary, they tripled, the store I worked in was consistently the top performing store in the group. I have spoken to people who work in retail now and all of them have told me that they don't get commission or bonuses. I wonder if this is the case in all shops?

I would have thought that the way to motivate folk, increase sales, and provide good customer service would be to reward staff cash in the pocket. Everyone wins.


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## EltonFrog (28 Apr 2014)

User said:


> Everyone apart from the customer who ends up with the item that earned the salesperson the best commission rather than the item best suited.



Ahh yes; this did happen I must confess, that from time to time there were special promotions on certain products which got more attention than others, but on the whole its was and still is a sound idea, motivate staff and everyone wins. I believe Julian Richer of Richer Sounds has got it about right. http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/ne...-mans-staff-say-love-working-himWhats-secret/


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## MontyVeda (28 Apr 2014)

classic33 said:


> Maybe, but having some idea about the items they are "trying to take your money" for is always helpful.
> Whatever the shop sells!


My local corner shop is full of weird and wonderful vegetables from the East... I've no idea what they are so i asked the owner, Ali about some of them "What do you do with this?" I asked. "You cook it and eat it" he replied, rolling his eyes.
A friend bought a pack of halal sausages and for some reason asked "How do I cook them?", Ali told him to take the skins off first... he did and they all fell apart in the pan. Ask a stupid question and you get a stupid answer.
Another time i went in, grabbed a bunch of coriander and took it to the counter. Ali said "You don't want that." ... "Why not?" I asked. ... "Because it's parsley... you want coriander." he told me, rolling his eyes, and he was right!


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## Archeress (28 Apr 2014)

Donger said:


> I use a local shop called "Striking Bikes" in Bristol Road, Gloucester



As I live in Bradley Stoke, I can get there easily so shall probably pop in sometime soon. Thanks for the recommendation. 

Hugs
Archeress x


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## Leaway2 (28 Apr 2014)

NormanD said:


> I'll never shop in the Evan's store in Gateshead again, worst shop staff I've ever encountered, I'll order online from Evan's as their online service is damn good .. If I need to buy in shop, I go to Edinburgh Co-op cycles in Newcastle, the staff in there are really helpful
> 
> I'll have to try the new CycleSurgery shop that has opened in Gateshead sometime soon



Same for me here in Manc. Evans is closer but he staff in EBC are much more friendly, so I go there.


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## Leaway2 (28 Apr 2014)

KneesUp said:


> Ah - good old google - this company http://www.bikeshak.com/ was started by Neil in 1997 apparently, which would be about 4 years after I moved away.


They need to get some decent racks outside. I am not leaving my stead in those wheel benders.


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## KneesUp (28 Apr 2014)

Leaway2 said:


> They need to get some decent racks outside. I am not leaving my stead in those wheel benders.


I shall pass on your feedback to a company I've never dealt with that was established 17 years ago by a very helpful and friendly man who owned a bike-shop I last visited in 1996


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## Bryony (28 Apr 2014)

As I've put in another thread my LBS (SP Cycles in Briadstairs) is brilliant and to show them how much I appreciate their great service I made them a cake! They don't talk down to you if you ask lots of questions, we quite often pop in for little things and generally get given them for free, my OH even got given a tool for free(can't remember what tool) because it was making his shelf look untidy!!!! (The price label was £9.99) really can't fault them they always have time for you no matter how busy they are.

And also cycles uk in Canterbury have been great in the few occasions I've been in there I'd seen some bar tape and bottle cages on a bike on display in another shop and tried to find them on line with no luck, I noticed they had the same bike on display with the same tape and cages so asked if they were available separately. He said no for some reason you can't buy them seperately (he'd been asked before and had phoned the manufacturer to find out) Any way I said thank you and continued window shopping and a few mins later he came back and said I just checked the website and you can now buy them seperately so I ordered them and picked them up the following week. I also bought a helmet from them and they were very thorough in making sure it fitted properly, they gave me lots of confidence.


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## EltonFrog (28 Apr 2014)

I visited a bike shop in Goring today, the chap in their was very helpful and attentive to my needs, although he did try to contradict me by telling me that Topeak do not sell a mudguard for a 29" MTB, I suggested he checked, and he found that I was in fact correct, but his supplier/distributor were not yet stocking them yet. Anyway, he was helpful, I bought my stuff, and he loaned me an alan key so I could fit my mudguard. So well done them at Mountain Mania in Goring http://www.mountainmaniacycles.co.uk/bike-shops/


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## MikeonaBike (28 Apr 2014)

What annoys me, and its not just cycle shops, is going in and then ignored while preference is given to people calling in by phone. If I have taken the trouble to go into a shop, I expect to be served ahead of people on the phone. Grrrrr


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## theclaud (28 Apr 2014)

Cycleops said:


> They should be trained so that they have the knowledge which can translate into better service for the customer. The skills they gain can also be used to secure a better paid job in the store or elsewhere.



I want to be a lady in a flower shop stead of selling at the corner of Tottenham Court Road. But they won't take me unless I can talk more genteel.


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## srw (29 Apr 2014)

theclaud said:


> I want to be a lady in a flower shop stead of selling at the corner of Tottenham Court Road. But they won't take me unless I can talk more genteel.


Wouldn't it be luvverly?


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## oldroadman (29 Apr 2014)

theclaud said:


> I want to be a lady in a flower shop stead of selling at the corner of Tottenham Court Road. But they won't take me unless I can talk more genteel.


Professor Higgins will sort you out


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## Nathan AV (29 Apr 2014)

I've found a new local (to my place of work) bike shop that I will be using in future. I went in with a wheel with a broken spoke (I heard Paul Curran was a particularly good wheel builder) but it turned out that he didn't stock the spokes I needed. This was only after he checked all the other wheels in stock and even phoned his wife to see if he had any in his personal stock. I left the store feeling happy even though I never got what I originally went in for but as soon as I do need anything I will be going back.


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## mrbikerboy73 (29 Apr 2014)

Evans replaced my leaky Suntour SR forks with some Rockshox XC32 after I complained repeatedly. I think they got fed up of me TBH. So they're not all bad!


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## ShipHill (29 Apr 2014)

DiddlyDodds said:


> I bought something the other week for £9.10, so instead of getting a pocket of change i handed £10.10 over to the assistant, to which she gave me back the 10p as "it confused her when people do that" so i did end up with 90p change instead of a pound coin.



A mate of mine did that in a small corner shop once and the person behind the counter thought that we were trying to pull some kind of scam.


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## Pale Rider (29 Apr 2014)

Evans near the MetroCentre in Gateshead has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread.

I've been in a few times - spending a few quid on most of those visits - and each time I've left feeling like I've been a nuisance to them.

Product knowledge was OK, but the attitude was very poor, not just once, but on numerous occasions.

I'm not into bold 'never return' statements, but I think the shop may have hacked me off once too often for me to go back.

On a more positive note, I generally enjoy my visits to Halfords branches nearby.

Product knowledge not always up to the moderate standard set by Evans, but the Halfords staff are nearly always pleasant and genuinely seem to want to help.


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## KneesUp (29 Apr 2014)

I think if I were looking to open a bike shop that was to operate on-line and have a shop, I'd be looking for property in the Newcastle area.


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## Nozzer (24 May 2014)

Colderuk said:


> I live just a long the road from Striking Bikes and have never been in I used the Bike shop in Eastgate Street but after the last service I got and the way they treated a friend I won't be using them again .



I am also a customer of Paul's at Striking bikes. He has always been exceptional at repairing my bikes and have therefore bought a bike for my wife. Customer service is king and he has that in abundance. In this day and age of internet prices, it's hard to match and even stock what the big boys stock, but you just can't beat service. I would recommend anyone in Gloucester area to pay him a visit especially for bike repairs.
Ian


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## gavgav (24 May 2014)

Won't embarrass the company concerned, but when I bought my new bike I was given incorrect information from the sales chap, about the bike spec and @Rickshaw Phil was with me luckily and pointed it out to him and me what the correct information was!


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## Cold (1 Aug 2014)

Took your advice @Donger & @Nozzer and went to Striking Bikes to get my wheel fixed, what a nice bloke he is spent about 45 minutes talking to him and only stopped because someone else came into the shop.
And Donger he mentioned this thread and you


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## Grendel (2 Aug 2014)

Donger said:


> I just think some of you are missing the bigger picture here. It's not cycle shops, _per se_. In my experience most big shop chains (whatever they sell) employ spotty teenagers with little or no product knowledge and poor inter-personal skills. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Take sports shops as an example. Just try going into _any_ of the big chains of highstreet so-called "sports" shops and asking for:
> (a) a badminton net
> (b) high grip rubber for table tennis bats
> (c) an ice hockey stick
> ...



My local Halfords is so utterly awful I have christened it Halfwits, because that is who they employ.
I've had so many horror stories from them i'd be here all day:


Grendel said:


> *My Halfords saga...*
> 
> *Here's my complaint to Halfords and their response: *
> 
> ...



On a more positive note can I just say that if you are in the Glasgow area and need repairs or servicing, Carl at User28255 is outstanding. Excellent quality, reliable and reasonable priced. Great service and great value for money.


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## Sara_H (2 Aug 2014)

All of the bike shops I've frequented in Sheffield have been mostly excellent. 
The only problem I had was at Halfords once, when they wouldn't let me test ride a bike I was interested in, so I went home with the money still in my purse, another time the local bike mechanic took my OH's bike hostage, we just couldn't get it back, so we've obviously never used his service again.


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## paddy01 (2 Aug 2014)

Not really intended as a slur, but if the person on the till makes an error and you point it out having added everything up using mental arithmetic, you get a look which would suggest you've just arrived from another planet..

My LBS (although not geographically closest always gets my business) suits me down to the ground, I can pop in for a tube or something and be in and out lickety split with minimal interaction or if it's a bigger transaction they all know their subject inside out as every one of them is a cyclist of some sort or other. They lead weekly MTB and road rides, often with groups for different abilities and are often found donating their services supporting charity bike events such as the Nello ride.

They endeared themselves to me no end when on a bank holiday Monday of all days, they managed to get a bike sent over from their sister store on the other side of Devon for my wife to try in the time it took to have lunch. There were plenty of others in stock that would have fitted fine but they we adamant that they had the perfect fit at the other store. And this was a relatively entry level MTB as well (around £600 I think) not several grands worth.

That sort of service does pay off though, when I popped in one day a few months later on my lunch break and accidentally bought a Madone 

Oh, probably should have said, it's Bike Shed in Exeter.


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## Archeress (3 Aug 2014)

paddy01 said:


> Not really intended as a slur, but if the person on the till makes an error and you point it out having added everything up using mental arithmetic, you get a look which would suggest you've just arrived from another planet..
> 
> My LBS (although not geographically closest always gets my business) suits me down to the ground, I can pop in for a tube or something and be in and out lickety split with minimal interaction or if it's a bigger transaction they all know their subject inside out as every one of them is a cyclist of some sort or other. They lead weekly MTB and road rides, often with groups for different abilities and are often found donating their services supporting charity bike events such as the Nello ride.
> 
> ...


I know their stores. Used both the Crediton and the Exeter ones. They're really great. 

Hugs
Archeress x


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## marknotgeorge (3 Aug 2014)

ShipHill said:


> A mate of mine did that in a small corner shop once and the person behind the counter thought that we were trying to pull some kind of scam.



There is a change-related scam I came across a few times while at my 10 year temporary job at McDonald's. From what I remember, it goes like this:

Scrote pays for something small during a busy period with a twenty. They quickly say 'I've got the right money here, can I have my twenty back?', hoping the harassed youngster doesn't spot they've already given the scrote his change. I'm not stupid, but it's striking how easy it is to be thrown off course by someone inadvertently breaking your rhythm.


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## Rouge79 (3 Aug 2014)

i work in retail and you'd be amazed how easy it is to pull the change scam off even with seasoned staff


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## Berties (3 Aug 2014)

I have used the same lbs for the past 3 years , I have fell out with a few of the staff, but the key staff , we chat for hours, the owners know me , I always do my research into products,I deal direct with the mechanic,I get the best service ,part time staff I try to avoid,and deal with staff that ride.....simples


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