Cycletreads.co.nz - are these guys just completely incompetent?

[Mike.Gayner]

I've been ready to order a couple of tyres but just had a very quick easy query before pulling the trigger. Emailed 3 days ago - no response. Phoned today and the guy (who apparently never learned about manners) took a message and never called back. Fuck this, I'll pay a bit more at my local shop - these cycletreads guys obviously don't like money.

[Blackbird]

Mike,

I travel from Coromandel to the Drury Performance Centre a few hundred metres from the southern motorway for my tyres. Outstanding service, which is why I keep going back.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Zedder]

I've been ready to order a couple of tyres but just had a very quick easy query before pulling the trigger. Emailed 3 days ago - no response. Phoned today and the guy (who apparently never learned about manners) took a message and never called back. Fuck this, I'll pay a bit more at my local shop - these cycletreads guys obviously don't like money.

It wouldn't hurt to give Cycletreads some feedback though. Phone and ask to speak to the branch manager.

[SPP]

Mike,

I.. Outstanding service, which is why I keep going back.

Cheers,

Geoff

I reckon. Give Mike a call 09 2947955.

[Tigadee]

Cycletreads... Yeah, emailed them three times, no reply.

Called and asked about a tyre, got an answer of "Yeah, come on in and we'll fit that for ya."

Called the day before I was to go in, found out they didn't have the tyre in stock after all. "Order and pay for it through the web site and we'll call you when it's in."

When would that be? "Depends on the supplier..."

[bogan]

Website is good though, signed up, paid my moneys for some SDs, online price listing which is good. Can't recall how long it took for em to get here, but it's a rare occasion you get an unforeseen tyre replacement asap job anyway.

[nzspokes]

Mike,

I travel from Coromandel to the Drury Performance Centre a few hundred metres from the southern motorway for my tyres. Outstanding service, which is why I keep going back.

Cheers,

Geoff

Agreed. Best there is.

[Zedder]

Website is good though, signed up, paid my moneys for some SDs, online price listing which is good. Can't recall how long it took for em to get here, but it's a rare occasion you get an unforeseen tyre replacement asap job anyway.

I've only ever had one problem with Cycletreads. After phoning and then meeting Phil the manager, I've never had another one. That was three years ago.

[cynna]

I have never had a problem ordering tyres from them - always arrive in the next day or two

[Zedder]

Agreed. Best there is.

So, you've dealt with all the other suppliers and it's come down to them.

Cool, please post your rating criteria and the results of all other suppliers performance.

[nzspokes]

So, you've dealt with all the other suppliers and it's come down to them.

Cool, please post your rating criteria and the results of all other suppliers performance.

Drury use a wheel balancer, Cycletreads does it by hand. Easy choice.

Drury quote fitted cheaper than Cycletreads. Cycletreads add a fitting fee. Easy Choice.

[Swoop]

Ride in. Get rubber fitted. Ride out.

Don't faff around with website and especially website-emails (bit of a mongrel really).

[Kickaha]

Cycletreads does it by hand.
You mean the same way NZ Superbike riders wheels are done at the track before racing at 270kmh + speeds?

[nzspokes]

You mean the same way NZ Superbike riders wheels are done at the track before racing at 270kmh + speeds?

Probably. But a tyre balancer machine has not been out on the piss the night before.

And the guy changing the tyres on a Superbike will care a lot more.

[Kickaha]

But a tyre balancer machine has not been out on the piss the night before.
True, but you never know how long since it was last calibrated either

[nzspokes]

True, but you never know how long since it was last calibrated either

Fair call.

[jasonu]

It wouldn't hurt to give Cycletreads some feedback though. Phone and ask to speak to the branch manager.

Why should that have to be done? If the manager was any good he would/should already know about any customer service issues and have taken steps to remedy the problem.

[Woodman]

Why should that have to be done? If the manager was any good he would/should already know about any customer service issues and have taken steps to remedy the problem.

How would he know of any issues unless someone tells him?

[Kickaha]

How would he know of any issues unless someone tells him?

Telepathy?

[Katman]

Drury use a wheel balancer, Cycletreads does it by hand. Easy choice.



You really don't know fuck all, do you?

[bogan]

Telepathy?

Think that's only available on some top tier models of automatic tyre balancers... does speed the job up though :whistle:

[gammaguy]

I've been dealing with Cycletreads on and off for ages,know the founder and many of the staff over the years personally.

Problem there is and always has been the staff...some are great,some are muppets,some care,some could care less.

Until that issue is fixed(if it ever is)then dealing with them will continue to be a lottery,which for a safety related business such as theirs is not really good enough,but there it is.

And I usually get replies to my emails,but telephone messages are a waste of time IMO

[Smifffy]

Yeah fuck them all. I used telepathy to order tyres from at least three different places now, and so far nothing has turned up.

[Mo NZ]

I don't think Cycletreads gives a fat rats arse about their non service and hollow promises to call you back or answer an e-mail.
When you ring you speak to a new person. Quote your order number. Then say you want your money back if you paid online.
Took 3 weeks to get my tires. Not the ones I ordered. Only got them going when I requested my money back. It seems they listed them a available but didn't have them.
The online selling comes from a warehouse somewhere and when you ring you get the shop. Must piss off the shop staff as well.

If you missed it ask for your money back.

[Zedder]

I've been dealing with Cycletreads on and off for ages,know the founder and many of the staff over the years personally.

Problem there is and always has been the staff...some are great,some are muppets,some care,some could care less.

Until that issue is fixed(if it ever is)then dealing with them will continue to be a lottery,which for a safety related business such as theirs is not really good enough,but there it is.

And I usually get replies to my emails,but telephone messages are a waste of time IMO

"Problem there is and always has been the staff" etc. That probably describes most companies in the world and it all boils down to people.

Not doing anything to help fix the problem in terms of customer feedback/complaints is just as bad though.

[f2dz]

Haven't found a bike shop with consistently good service yet. Cycletreads have a horrible website and aren't too good with emails or helping you in the store.

Last time I got tyres fitted I went to Mr Motorcycles in Pukekohe. Pity they were moving out of sports/road bikes and were aiming more towards the dirt/farm bike crowd. Awesome bunch of guys there, really knew their stuff and were friendly to boot.

[Murray]

Looked at getting some tyres through cycletreads but got what I wanted far cheaper and fitted at Boyds in Hamilton. Will always use them for tyres now.

However did get the wife some leather pants from cycletreads and they were very helpful and gave me a good deal - I try and visit them and have a look around when I am in Auckland

[argada]

Certainly a lottery. My overall email response rate from them is around 25%. Latest email I asked for three quotes (different sets of tyres), was given one price in the response with a promise of the other two coming shortly (never did). I was satisfied with the quote and went with that, but still... I wanted to know the prices of the other brands!

They should change their call waiting music once in a while too. "~Oh oh oh....".
Oh, and they might as well drop the voice robot at the start - press any number you like, you always end up getting the coffee shop counter phone.

[AllanB]

I used telepathy on a couple of attractive women walking down the road the other day - must have worked as they gave me a dirty look as they walked past .............

[Oakie]

Pit Lane in Christchurch who trade as CycleTreads Christchurch are superb. Don knows his stuff. Well worth the trip out to Darfield to get tyres done ... which is exactyly what I'm doing on Sunday.

[nzmikey]

Drury performance centre for my road bike stuff ... They even allow you to skid ya old tyre ( out the back ) ;)

treads for the dirtbike stuff but I only deal with Tim

[Trade_nancy]

Dealt only once (so far) with Cycletreads back in May this year and wanted to buy a particular rear tyre that they listed in stock for online order. Emailed to confirm - YEP...gottem in stock.
Got a call a day later - Oh,..no stock at distributor and new stock is gonna be dearer by about $80.
Hmmm..sounded fishy. He offered me a sale priced alternative brand and shipped it out promptly. I ended up disappointed and satisfied. Dunno if I'll go back.

[The Reibz]

Drury performance centre for my road bike stuff ... They even allow you to skid ya old tyre ( out the back ) ;)

treads for the dirtbike stuff but I only deal with Tim

Sold bro. Def hitting them up for my next tire. Try and hit the 6th gear before she blows

[nzmikey]

Sold bro. Def hitting them up for my next tire. Try and hit the 6th gear before she blows

I got 2nd on the gixxxer and it was 45sec from start to bang ...made a cunt of a mess ... My undertail is still coated in rubber ... 12mths on

[nzspokes]

Looked at getting some tyres through cycletreads but got what I wanted far cheaper and fitted at Boyds in Hamilton. Will always use them for tyres now.

However did get the wife some leather pants from cycletreads and they were very helpful and gave me a good deal - I try and visit them and have a look around when I am in Auckland

Well to be fair Ive had great service from the upstairs staff, they recently got me in a jersey i was looking for very promptly.

[jasonu]

How would he know of any issues unless someone tells him?


Telepathy?

By not spending all the time in the office with the door closed like a lot of managers do.

[Erelyes]

By not spending all the time in the office with the door closed like a lot of managers do.

Yep... The best bosses/managers are the ones who will work with/alongside the people they manage for (at minimum) a quarter of their time at work.

And I don't mean dragging them off to an office for a private chat at scheduled intervals!

[Zedder]

Yep... The best bosses/managers are the ones who will work with/alongside the people they manage for (at minimum) a quarter of their time at work.

And I don't mean dragging them off to an office for a private chat at scheduled intervals!

So then, using your system, a manager spends a quarter of the time with each staff member per 40 hour week (for ease of calculation) ie: 10 hours each.

If there's 10 people working at the company, the manager will need to work with them 100 hours per week.

No wonder customers aren't being looked after, the lazy manager should be working the night shift as well to catch up!

[Woodman]

By not spending all the time in the office with the door closed like a lot of managers do.


Yep... The best bosses/managers are the ones who will work with/alongside the people they manage for (at minimum) a quarter of their time at work.

And I don't mean dragging them off to an office for a private chat at scheduled intervals!

You are both correct, but thats not the whole story. Managers also need to encourage customer feedback as well. They need to ask questions that they may not like the answer to.

One of his team probarbly isn't going to say to his boss "A customer rang up the other day and I didn't get back to him" . Well not in my experience anyway.

[Erelyes]

So then, using your system, a manager spends a quarter of the time with each staff member per 40 hour week (for ease of calculation) ie: 10 hours each.

If there's 10 people working at the company, the manager will need to work with them 100 hours per week.

No wonder customers aren't being looked after, the lazy manager should be working the night shift as well to catch up!

I'm sorry, did I say 'each person they manage'? Pretty sure I didn't.

ED: Ok, perhaps my 'for a quarter of their time at work' was ambiguous - I meant a quarter of the manager's time, not each staff member!!!!

[Zedder]

I'm sorry, did I say 'each person they manage'? Pretty sure I didn't.

ED: Ok, perhaps my 'for a quarter of their time at work' was ambiguous - I meant a quarter of the manager's time, not each staff member!!!!

No wuckin forries. I'm actually a proponent of Management By Walking Around. However, it's also a managers job to implement systems that cover all aspects of running a company efficiently and economically.

A properly implemented and monitored customer feedback/complaints system is a way of providing customer satisfaction if staff don't "get it right in the first place" which does happen even with training and empowerment.

Ultimately, the buck stops with the manager.

[Mike.Gayner]

I don't know how exactly I would leave customer feedback seeing as they don't answer their phone or check their emails.

Best kind of feedback - shopping elsewhere.

[Zedder]

I don't know how exactly I would leave customer feedback seeing as they don't answer their phone or check their emails.

Best kind of feedback - shopping elsewhere.

That's interesting because your original post stated you rang and spoke to someone.

[Mike.Gayner]

That's interesting because your original post stated you rang and spoke to someone.

Me: "Hi, I'm ringing to follow up and email I sent. I'm looking fo...."
Them: [cuts in] "Yeah can we get someone to ring you back?"
Me: "Uh, sure"

OK they technically answered, but my point still stands.

[jellywrestler]

Yeah fuck them all. I used telepathy to order tyres from at least three different places now, and so far nothing has turned up.

I had a Psycic girlfriend once, the bitch left me three weeks before we started going out!

[jasonu]

I'm sorry, did I say 'each person they manage'? Pretty sure I didn't.

ED: Ok, perhaps my 'for a quarter of their time at work' was ambiguous - I meant a quarter of the manager's time, not each staff member!!!!

No you're post wasn't even slightly ambiguous.

[Zedder]

Me: "Hi, I'm ringing to follow up and email I sent. I'm looking fo...."
Them: [cuts in] "Yeah can we get someone to ring you back?"
Me: "Uh, sure"

OK they technically answered, but my point still stands.

It looks like you give up a bit too easily then have a moan on here.

[Zedder]

No you're post wasn't even slightly ambiguous.

I think by him saying it he does.

[mattian]

I've given up emailing Cycletreads. Seldom get a reply. I don't think they have a designated "email answerer" and figure someone else will reply to that. Better just to call or go in. Last time a got my tyres done there I got a voucher for a free warrant of fitness. The guy even secured my rubber hand grip that was abit loose during the Wof. All for free. couldnt be happier

[gunnyrob]

Always had good service with cycletreads - been using them for years and am very satisfied

[Tazz]

http://g33klady.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/hello_yes_this_is_dog-scaled500.jpg?w=499&h=391

It's always hit and miss with staff, and you can't just easily fire someone if they are not up to scratch these days.