RANS QUALITY

[Jude T. McGloin]

Thanks to those who agree with my approach to customer satisfaction. Today I spent part of the day
with a customer who insisted that a standard Strada was fine for him. I had his check in hand and
could have just let him leave with it. But after adjusting it with his clipless pedals he was nearly
maxed out on the frame. Calculations seemed to indicate that he was "ok" on a standard size frame,
but it was not making ME happy about the sale. So I finished a large pumpkin STRADA up that I had
been working on and had him ride it. He came back saying "I feel better on the large, can you get me
a red one" I said "Yes, by Friday." "But you already have this one all accessorize" "No big deal,I
take care of it, see you Friday". Whats the point? In the long run selling a person the wrong bike
is bad for business and IMO unethical. Additionally, If I sense that a prospective sale is going to
be a ongoing problem, I will queer it before it starts. I can sense when a customer is going to want
unreasonable return for their investment. Frankly, I don't need the headaches some unreasonable
people cause. You can't please all of the people all of the time. If you want fair value, good
advice and good service come see me. If you want bargain basement prices, ass kissing service and
hours of attention without paying for it...don't bother.

We have free will and the RESPONSIBILITY to live with our choices. If you don't like it don't take
it, and if you do its your choice. Whiners often seem to think the choices THEY make are someone
else's responsibility.
--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc 1-800-586-6645 "bentbiker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> that sort of reasoning, is why most of Indiana doesn't go on day light savings time . Dog gone,
> take the bike back and get another brand.
>
> Bill in Indiana wrote:
> > I think that the issue occurs too often if he has a standard type offer
he
> > makes. I for one would not accept it. Do I think he should make the offer? I think he
> > compromises himself and his dealership by doing so...just my opinion. I would seek him out for a
> > scratch and dent sale, but not to buy a new
bike.
> > Guess I am picky. But to accept a certain level of damage to me is unacceptable. If I owned a
> > bike shop I would not accept it. Now if I caused it, or a customer caused it, yes, I would try
> > to sell it at a discount. But that is a different argument. This is about new merchandise
> > arriving damaged. Guess we all have our standards. If there is going to be a dent or
scratch,
> > I want to be the one who causes it. I don't want one to come standard. This is my last post on
> > this. Don't want to whine anymore.
> >
> >
> >

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

WHAT...no ass kissing service? What about giving hot Ego boosting massages? For a "Good Time"
call...1-800-586-6***
-------------------
> If you want fair value, good advice and good service come see me. If you want bargain
> basement prices, ass kissing service and hours of
attention
> without paying for it...don't bother.
>
> We have free will and the RESPONSIBILITY to live with our choices. If you don't like it don't take
> it, and if you do its your choice. Whiners often seem to think the choices THEY make are someone
> else's responsibility.
> --
> Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and
> Sports, Inc 1-800-586-6645

 

[Jon Meinecke]

On Mon, 2 Jun 2003 23:03:42 -0400, "Jude T. McGloin" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks to those who agree with my approach to customer satisfaction.

Wish there were a Wheel Doctor local outlet near me!

> If you want fair value, good advice and good service come see me. If you want bargain basement
> prices, ass kissing service and hours of attention without paying for it...don't bother.

How about a few minutes of advice? I went to a local shop last week to ask about and possibly
buy/order replacement chain, get some brake pads, and some chain lube. In the previous year, I'd
bought, lube, tubes, tools, accessories, etc... at this bike shop. They don't carry recumbents, but
they are the "host" bike shop for a local annual charity ride.

I asked what chains they had and what were the relative merits. And since they'd have to order
chains to get the three I'd need, I asked if they might offer a discount to buy three. Perhaps
that's where I got off on the wrong foot. I was shown chains priced at about 10-20% *above* general
'retail' and 60-100% above the lowest "bargain basement" price I'd seen (but didn't expect them to
match). The offered discount for three chains was still higher than general retail price.

After he'd spent less than five minutes talking to me and had provided little advice why one chain
might be better than another, the sales person (owner?) evidently annoyed, said "Am I going to
make a sale?"

I said I was still trying to understand what my options were. Another customer came in and he went
to help them.

I then rode to the other LBS to see what chains they carried, recommended, had in stock, etc.
Without me even asking, the sales person (owner?) at that store grabbed a chain wear measurement
tool. After a quick look at my chain and gear wear, he recommended I continue to use my chain as
there were a couple of gears that were clearly more worn than others and the chain stretch was at
the verge of having gone "too far".

His chain prices were MSRP or lower. For less than the total cost of three higher priced chains at
the first bike shop, I could buy three chains AND a replacement cassette at the second store.

I bought brake pads and forgot to get lube. I know where I'll be going back to buy lube, tubes,
chain, cassette, ...

> You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Yes, Herb Kelleher of SW Airlines fame said it too, "There are some customers we don't want."

I guess that was me, the undesirable customer, at the first bike shop...

Jon Meinecke

 

[Jon Meinecke]

On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 19:24:45 GMT, Jon Meinecke <[email protected]> wrote:

>priced at about 10-20% *above* general 'retail' and 60-100% above the lowest "bargain basement"
>price I'd seen (but didn't expect them to match).

I should make it clear I didn't mention to the sales person that I already knew the "going" price
range for the chains I was being shown. I never said, to them, "Wow, those prices are the highest
I've seen for those chains!" In fact, I might well have ordered the chains from them if I felt more
positive...

It's not all about the price. I have previously and will in the future buy locally even when it
costs more.

But there's often more than one "local" source. The other bike store get my business.

Jon Meinecke