Evans - a rant!

[User33236]

I have dealt with Evans at th Chill Factore in Manchester many times and couldn't fault them.... until this week.

Booked a bike in before going on holiday for a repair estimate following my crash. Roll up with bike two and a bit weeks later to be be met by a staff member with an appalling atitidue who told me 'we cant look at it today'. Another staff member then stepped in and said they would get round to it that afternoon. With closing time only an hour off I phoned for an update to be today that they hadn't looked at it and they would get round to it in two days time. I reminded then it was booked in for that day so they agreed to look at it. 30 minutes later I get a call to say they would need to contact the manufacturer and would get back to be no later than Wednesday.

I called today to be told 'we cant do it' Do what I asked. 'Repair your bike'. They then explained they couldnt get a replacment frame till November. They had found this out two days ago but could not be bothered telling me! I told them to write it up as that and quote for a replacement. After 5 minutes of listening to them talk utter nonsense they agree to email be the quote by 5pm as it 'only takes 5 minutes'.

Still no quote as I write and still waiting on a promised callback from one of the managers.

Downside is the replacement bike I'm looking to buy is exclusive to Evans in the spec I want it!

 

[dst87]

Bad customer service just annoys me so much. Had a terrible experience today with UKMail that's put me right in a mood.

It's so easy to just be reasonable and decent with your customers, yet so many companies fall short. I don't get it!

 

[howard2107]

So I've been a member here for over a months now, and believe it or not STILL don't have a bike!

With lots of help, I tried to order in the Norco Indie 3 bike to Evans in Glasgow which has now come in damaged THREE TIMES! It's insane! I feel doomed to never get a bike!

I feel most sorry for the friendly forum members @Pat "5mph" and @ScotiaLass who have now allowed a few different days to come with me and I've had to cancel at very short notice.

I'm realising that this is a totally pointless post, but I wanted a rant! To be fair they've always been very friendly on the phone and seen genuinely embarrassed and apologetic that this keeps happening. I think my plan now might be to just go with no bike on order and try a few that are there.

I'm so keen to get going that this is getting super frustrating now! Anyone else had similar experiences or horror stories they'd like to share/vent about? Or maybe something you can now look back and laugh at!

FWIW I would go elsewhere and try a local place in Falkirk, but through my life insurance I get a 50% discount at Evans which makes it very attractive!

When you say "Damaged", what kind of damage? Is it just cosmetic, and worth a haggle over the price, or "Damaged" something is broken or bent? I know that when you buy new you expect new, but if it is only minor cosmetic, it will get scratched in due course anyway, so may be worth an ask.

Cheers.............Howard

 

[dst87]

When you say "Damaged", what kind of damage? Is it just cosmetic, and worth a haggle over the price, or "Damaged" something is broken or bent? I know that when you buy new you expect new, but if it is only minor cosmetic, it will get scratched in due course anyway, so may be worth an ask.

Cheers.............Howard

I believe that the same damage has been suffered by the bike each time. Something to do with the fork being bent? Apparently they can't bend it back/fix it?

I wouldn't be too put off by a little cosmetic damage (in exchange for a small discount) because, as you say, it won't look new forever!

 

[NormanD]

I won't deal with Evans in shop, I've always phoned to be told the item is in stock, arrive at the shop, wait around to be served to find they don't have it, but can order it for me, but I can't fault their online ordering service, they've never let me down in that department.

In store I always deal with Edinburgh Bicycle co-op, excellent in store service and friendly knowledgeable staff and if they don't have the item I need, they'll have it for me the next day

 

[vickster]

I believe that the same damage has been suffered by the bike each time. Something to do with the fork being bent? Apparently they can't bend it back/fix it?

I wouldn't be too put off by a little cosmetic damage (in exchange for a small discount) because, as you say, it won't look new forever!

It's the same bike I'd wager. Unless norco and Evans are completely inept how on earth are they bending the fork! Buy a different bike elsewhere, there are plenty of deals out tgere

 

[apb]

Here's my 2 pence when it comes to Evans Edinburgh.

The staff are really helpful. They always ask if i need any help. their product range isn't for me but i like to go in there for bits and bobs. i will always prefer my LBS because they are ace. (BG Cycles in porty).

What i hate, sorry i mean HATE, about evans is their online store. If i order anything online and select click and collect that order disappears. I get an email saying along the lines of "Thanks for for your order, we will email you when your order is ready to pick up". NOTHING! I could wait years, there's no delay in taking my money out of the bank.

So i go into the evens Edinburgh and they are very helpful. they look on there system and say "oh yeah, that's weird this never happens". WRONG, it happens all the time. i'm going in there today for the same issue and when the very helpful and very nice staff say "That's weird, this never happens" i am going to challenge that!

They have some gloves that i like. I'm going to challenge him and Evans and purchase them online and give them a week. If i don't get a conformation email i won't them for free.

let's see how it goes.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

not impressed with the branch on deansgate in manchester.

went in to get a seatpost, found one of their own brand ones for £19.99 which was the right size (27.2mm) and took it to the till. i was a little taken aback that the assistant didn't confirm with me that i had the right size (a quick inquiry as to whether it was for an aluminium or carbon frame would have done), bearing in mind that not everyone is as nerdy as me with knowing that seatposts come in so many different sizes. if that wasn't enough, they rang it through at £29.99, and when i informed them of the price on the shelf, they said it must have been put on the wrong one. at that point i told them that £30 for an own-brand stem was overpriced, and left the shop…

 

[mickle]

If you knew what I know about Evans senior management you'd never shop there again.

 

[screenman]

As a business owner I have had a few bad customer moments over the last 40 years.

 

[Saluki]

If you knew what I know about Evans senior management you'd never shop there again.

Do tell

Our Evans, in Norwich is pretty good. It's a new shop, only opened in late December, so still probably trying to make a good impression. There is the new Bike Hut store around the corner (keen and knowledgeable staff too, which is a shocker), plus a Cycles UK, a Velocity and another shop, who's name escapes me. They have a bit of competition.
We had virtually no bike shops in Norwich, now we have a ton of them.

Keep plugging away. Edinburgh bike co-op are stunning. I know of a lot of people who swear by them.

 

[vickster]

If you knew what I know about Evans senior management you'd never shop there again.

Haven't they just been sold to vulture capitalists?

 

[Tim Hall]

Haven't they just been sold to vulture capitalists?

Changed from one set of venture caitalists (Active LLP) to another (ECI) AIUI.

 

[apb]

So emailed evans

Saying "Where's my stuff"

They Say "Yeah sorry should be there"

Go to the Evans Edinburgh, again very helpful friendly staff

They say "No it's not here, blah blah bank holiday, really busy".

I Say "No it's here, look i have the email"

She says "It's not i've checked".

i say "wtf!"

 

[Hippy]

My experiences with Evans (Maidstone branch) have, so far, all been incredibly negative.
Staff more concerned with standing chatting to each other than attending customers.
Poor product knowledge - I've had to play Golden Shot (left a bit...stop, down a bit...stop) in order to direct them to the item behind the counter that i was after. God knows what would have happened if I couldn't actually see it.
Had to wait 15 minutes for them to find an item that I'd pre-ordered and had received an email to say was ready for collection.

The only time I'd use them now is if I needed something so urgently that I didn't have time to go to a proper bike shop, or Halfords.

I am new to this forum (a few days now) and the reason for joining was to gain some info and knowledge that i had gone into evans Maidenhead for, but i had a very similar experience to yourself. After finally getting the attention of someone (turned out to be the manager) he then gave me to a young chap who although very polite had very little knowledge of what he was trying to sell, it also took 6 attempts at trying to work out my inside leg and frame size which differed every time.
Some nice bikes, but they didn't sell them. Am looking elsewhere. Shame.