Is good customer service important to long term bikeshop survival and growth?

[george formby]

Sorry dude I retail a few bikes but they are not my primary product.
The thread was prompted by another thread about remembering the old bike shops.

I wllmy gob then

[Her_C4]

absolutely - havent bothered reading the posts, but if you dont provide good customer service, everything else falls to pieces. If you look after your customers - they will look after you - short term, long term. And looking after your customers can mean a million different things - latest products, best prices, ability to offer a deal, a smile for each and every person who walks in the door (even when having the shittiest day ever), remembering faces, willingness to do/get what the customer wants, even if not part of your core range. Its all about doing what you can to make your customer happy, to make them feel that they are special, that they matter and important to you as a business.
No matter what - your customer has to walk out your door with the feeling that they matter to you. Its not a very difficult principle to comprehend, but can sometimes be difficult to put in place if the staff are not all 100% behind.

And I am happy to say - Motorad in wellington will always get my dollar because they have always looked after me and i have always walked out their door feeling that I matter to their business - even when i havent spent a cent

I have to disagree - even as a buyer I will go to various shops to suss out price, availability etc and while one place may well provide a service they don't necessarily have the price or availability that I am after. I will usually openly go to three places, provide an opportunity for everyone to get on board and then decide the relative importance of each variable at that time.

I do agree however that lack of service does indeed (and has in the past) put me off a number of bike shops despite the fact that I had cash burning a hole in my pocket at the time (I have been known to cut my nose off to spite my face at times when I walk out of a shop and refuse to go back).

If however, my critical variable is price then I will deal with them despite shitty service (although usually I am not backward in saying so) , and I have been known to leave the shop offering the best and friendliest service purely on price.

As a customer, it is my right to spend my money how, when and where I choose (although I recently had to defend this right in public with a shop recently who felt they had provided me service (they hadn't), when I chose to drop a wad of cash elsewhere.)

lol not always, couldn't tell you the amount of free stuff and cash I have given away to only have people go elsewhere (two smoke) or shaft me in other ways (carver)

people are people no matter how you look after them, everyone is out for themselves in this world, every time

I agree. At the end of the day people are people and often have their own agenda.

[R-Soul]

I have to disagree - even as a buyer I will go to various shops to suss out price, availability etc and while one place may well provide a service they don't necessarily have the price or availability that I am after. I will usually openly go to three places, provide an opportunity for everyone to get on board and then decide the relative importance of each variable at that time.

.

Depends what you are talking about - if its about buying gimmicky stuff, yes people look around.

If its about srvicing your bike, then I really value a personal relationship with the shop. Small things, like
- throwing the keys to their truck and trailer to go pick up my bike when it broke down,
-giving an old tyre to me to keep me on the road (before next payday) when the back tyre had a puncture that could not be fixed.
- giving me honest, practical advice when required
- doing the services the way they say they would, and at reasonable prices.

They do what they can for me. I do what I can for them. I would not take my bike to another place, even if they were cheaper.

[MarkH]

I would suggest to ANY retailer that I have no loyalty whatsoever to any shop I buy from. If they continue to provide goods/services at a fair price and treat me well then I will continue to support them, but if someone else can provide the same goods/services at a better price while also treating me well then my money goes bye-bye.

BUT:
I keep on returning to the same retailers every time because the reason I went there initially hasn't changed. I keep going to Haldanes for parts & servicing because their prices seem reasonable and the service work has been faultless so far. I keep going to Motomail for accessories & gear because they have fair prices and the service I have gotten from them has been great. I buy my computer gear from PB Tech because their prices are within acceptable limits compared to elsewhere and they have the stock I want and they have never given me grief when I have had to return a faulty product. As long as these businesses don't make a change for the worse then they are likely to keep my custom.

Of course there would be other businesses that would offer good customer support & prices that I am not buying from, but I can't buy from everyone. Sometimes a shop can do everything right but not be in the right place to gain my business. Sometimes there just isn't enough demand for the products they are selling. It seems wrong that a good business might go bust and a bad business might make healthy profits every year - but sometimes that is just the way things go. But I have seen a bad business (run by an idiot) go under while a good business carries on and picks up the extra customers. I think the businesses with poor customer service that do really well are the exception, not the rule.

[R-Soul]

I would suggest to ANY retailer that I have no loyalty whatsoever to any shop I buy from. If they continue to provide goods/services at a fair price and treat me well then I will continue to support them, but if someone else can provide the same goods/services at a better price while also treating me well then my money goes bye-bye.

BUT:
I keep on returning to the same retailers every time because the reason I went there initially hasn't changed. I keep going to Haldanes for parts & servicing because their prices seem reasonable and the service work has been faultless so far. I keep going to Motomail for accessories & gear because they have fair prices and the service I have gotten from them has been great. I buy my computer gear from PB Tech because their prices are within acceptable limits compared to elsewhere and they have the stock I want and they have never given me grief when I have had to return a faulty product. As long as these businesses don't make a change for the worse then they are likely to keep my custom.

Of course there would be other businesses that would offer good customer support & prices that I am not buying from, but I can't buy from everyone. Sometimes a shop can do everything right but not be in the right place to gain my business. Sometimes there just isn't enough demand for the products they are selling. It seems wrong that a good business might go bust and a bad business might make healthy profits every year - but sometimes that is just the way things go. But I have seen a bad business (run by an idiot) go under while a good business carries on and picks up the extra customers. I think the businesses with poor customer service that do really well are the exception, not the rule.

The rule of thumb is that it is critical to keep customers once you have them, because they will come back out of force of habit, and because of their relationship with you.
What always get me in NZ is that businesses (like the power/electricty guys) always offer "sweetener" deals to new customers to change suppliers. If they offered half of the sweetener to existing customers as payback for longtime loyalty, they would retain a lot more customers than the new customers they bring on....

It costs half a much time, effort and money to retain old customers as to get new ones, but this goes largely unnoticed. Because there is less resistance to leaving the status quo as is than ther is to moving all your business to a new supplier.

How about a loyalty card, where, if you have spent $X in the last year, you are entitled to %X discount on goods? And no, not discount of the type where the prices are put up by %X first, but genuinely better prices.

[MarkH]

How about a loyalty card, where, if you have spent $X in the last year, you are entitled to %X discount on goods? And no, not discount of the type where the prices are put up by %X first, but genuinely better prices.

Not a terrible idea, but as long as a shop keeps up good service and fair prices (at least in range of the competitions prices) then I am happy to keep returning. The only problem with offering discounts to regulars is that there are then 2 prices and those paying more may not be happy to pay more. I prefer to see a good price for all.

[Conquiztador]

Not a terrible idea, but as long as a shop keeps up good service and fair prices (at least in range of the competitions prices) then I am happy to keep returning. The only problem with offering discounts to regulars is that there are then 2 prices and those paying more may not be happy to pay more. I prefer to see a good price for all.

Get a relationship with another company that is not in competition with you. Agree on some sort of working relationship where you both direct customers to each other. Say a "for every $1K you spend with us you will get a free whatsit from Antons Smoking Gun Shop". And Anton would have same thing going. You get customers in the door that would never have had a reason to come to you and so does Anton. All prices stay the same.

[carver]

lol not always, couldn't tell you the amount of free stuff and cash I have given away to only have people go elsewhere (two smoke) or shaft me in other ways (carver)

people are people no matter how you look after them, everyone is out for themselves in this world, every time

Oh, poor you, you sell me shit gear, and if i say i think its shit you get all angry.
Endless warranty claims do not make it good either, if that was true, Kia would be called good.
Give me all the free shit you want, its your choice.
Refer to this, i never slagged it off, but on here, you are a bit of a bully

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...-have-a-hole!?

[Quasievil]

Oh, poor you, you sell me shit gear

it was a Free sample you moron cocksucking idiot

[BOMBER]

, you are a bit of a bully

I read a heap of your posts and youre a complete dick ,Quasi is a good prick he helped me out heaps hes the only one in this country that stands by and crashes in his own Kit, anyway fool whats the stunt shit all about anyway, talk about SUCK arse juice, you need to get a grip on your lacking ability as a stunter and take up knitting or some shit

[carver]

I read a heap of your posts and youre a complete dick ,Quasi is a good prick he helped me out heaps hes the only one in this country that stands by and crashes in his own Kit, anyway fool whats the stunt shit all about anyway, talk about SUCK arse juice, you need to get a grip on your lacking ability as a stunter and take up knitting or some shit

oh yeah, and i am the same in real life?

I am sure the owners of the other bike shops crash in the gear they sell too...

As for stunting, i dont think you can do any better, and what is a stunt?

got any more?

[BOMBER]

oh yeah, and i am the same in real life?

Yeah thats the word

I am sure the owners of the other bike shops crash in the gear they sell too...

Did they design it.........no dipshit they didnt

As for stunting, i dont think you can do any better, and what is a stunt?

Thats a definition you need to find out.............fast



got any more? [/QUOTE]

[tigertim20]

Is good customer service important to long term bikeshop survival and growth?

The question I would have thought should be really easy to answer. a resounding YES.
It does seem though that facts actually make a lie of this.

In Auckland I've been around long enough to see some pretty passionate and customer focussed shops come and go.Some in a fairly quick space of time.
Yet I see places where there are a fair few complaints about the atitudes and service offered still doing well.
There are exceptions of course but in one case the owner is still grafting hard out "on the tools" 10 years after opening the company.
What do you folks think explains this?
Or am I totally wrong here?

its down to relative experience. Here in dunedin, there is a bike shop, which I will not name. I have heard alot of people RAVE about the place. I have heard an equally large numer of people who swear against going near it.
There is a group of people I know, who had literally NEVER heard a single good thing about them, untill they met other people (who are now regular sicialisers in our bke scene).

Others, have only ever heard great things about this particular shop. In the past, I had one bad experience there. I refused to go back, until I was forced to one day. since that day, when I received exceptionally good treatment, I make them my first stop.

What im saying is that, the people YOU talk to, may hate a place, but you can gaurantee that theres another group out there that loves the place, and it is off that group a place survives. its a bit like bwing in auckland, and everyone says the south islanders all fuck sheep, but go to christchurch and everyone talks about how much they fuckin hate those wankers from auckland.... different strokes, different groups...
Treat me good as a customer, I will be loyal as, but fuck me around, and itll be a cold day in hell before you see me come through the door again

[gumboots4eva]

I see Henderson Motorcycles has now disappeared over to the Glenfield on the Shore. West Auckland Honda in New Lynn closed a while back. Is there anything out this way now...???

[carver]

it was a Free sample you moron cocksucking idiot

Well you butt fucking faggot, why'd you say, here, have these and test them, and when i ask, why the hole in the right one, you get all angry?

Yeah thats the word



Did they design it.........no dipshit they didnt



Thats a definition you need to find out.............fast



got any more?

[/QUOTE]

If that is the word, why is it that almost all the KB members i have met in RL are on friendly terms with me?
Shit, I am off to a party this weekend with a fair few KBr's, and far from being shown the gate, it seems i am shown a beer or two!

Ya see its assholes like you and quasi that would like to paint me up as a genuine cunt, but the majority of people who have met me would beg to differ i think.

Design it or not, they stand by the gear they sell.

there is no definition....so fill me in, give me your definition

so what have you done that enables you to look down your nose at me?