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

[DMNTD:Me]

Develop relationships with your customers. Because with personal relationships comes trust. Its something a customer is willing to pay a little bit extra for and it's free for you to provide.

I've worked on the floor with some of the best and most successful salesmen for a few years while in varsity. 70% of their business came from the customers they have built relationships with over the past. The rest was superb sales technique.

If you just can't build relationships with people, sorry but you won't do that great.

100% agreed....however it's gutting when you do all that you're supposed to do (and a lot more) and the ones "above" fail, negating all of your hard work.

So IMO...in order for a bike shop to be and stay successful, the owners NEED to be astute businessmen/women AND hire staff that are willing to take that extra step to ensure that the customer knows they are shopping at the right bike shop.

[slofox]

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

Hell yes. But wait - there's more...

For me, quality of workmanship is an essential as well - one botched job and I will look elsewhere. Not counting minor errors here, but true stuff-ups.

Price does count as well. But it's more a case of value for money than straight out price. What's the point of saving $50 if the job done is shonky?

Then, as others have pointed out, customer relations is also important. When the boss offers me a play on a GSX-R1000 while I wait for a service, then I am likely to go back...

[wysper]

depends on the competition, if they all treat customers like shit then you can survive doing the same. However, if the others offer similar workmanship and pricing then customer service will tip the scales in your favour.

This is a good point. There is one local dealer I have become a convert of recently.
Their service will keep me coming back. I won't go in blind, I will have an idea of what things cost elsewhere, but on some occasions I won't mind paying more to support my local dealer. Already they have supported me by sorting out a problem quick smart.

So I will support them. Service/Honesty/Price. Those are the three biggies for me.
Next step for them is learning my name

[phill-k]

There is legitimate answers to this, that I have picked during my mba. changed my perception as to how I thought things worked.
Feel free to request me to put the information into this thread, otherwise I will just sit back and laugh at how people think the world around them works.

I'd like to see your comments:

To me Honesty in your dealings, and by this I mean each and every person in the organization is up front, honest, and if doubtful of the correct response will offer to find out.
Self survival, no point in being customer focused and so price point oriented that profit margins fail to cover the costs of being in business and offering good customer service.

Having returned to riding in the last 18months, I've bought one second hand bike, Yamaha 250 Virgo, and a shadow to complete my restricted on. Both from dealers, now that I have a full license I'm looking for a bigger bike to fit my size.
From reading on this forum, and as with anything one is passionate about you tend to know probably as much about the product/subject as those behind the counter, and when one is lied too, blatantly, or through ignorance, you then have to wonder about such things as was the service preformed correctly ect.

My experiences dealing in Auckland (Large dealerships)
Buying the Yamaha, dealership owner happened to be on the floor, nice guy helpful, gave with the purchase such simple things as soft keyring, cover and info for service manual, followed up with letters ect. This enticed me to return when looking for a slightly bigger bike for my restricted. Was interested in a new bike, having a background in business, and understanding the finance game - charges, commissions, margins, I commenced to negotiate a deal, but as I usually do, step back, go for a coffee ect to make sure the deal is as I wish, also to look at an alternative bike (the shadow), finally do the deal on a shadow, and before I have the chance to ring the previous dealership to thank them and inform them I have made a decision to purchase a different brand, am called and informed that they can do an even better deal after explaining the shadow deal.
In business the art of selling is what keeps an organisation afloat, to complete the deal whilst on the floor is the ideal, to understand what your competitors are doing/offering is also important so that if necessary a further incentive can be offered to a potential departing client, but to tell that client after they have informed you that they have purchased elsewhere, that you could have sweetened the deal further infers the best deal was not offered in the first place.
I arrange to collect the Honda the next day and as part of the deal they will supply and install a visi-bike, they forget to do it and as I'm riding back to Northland that day, have no option but to take it with me. Only to find that they don't actually have one, and listen to the salesman ring the company to order one after telling me the one they received was faulty - no talk about this in his conversation.
Honda then three weeks later drop $3000 of the retail on the shadow to move excess stock on, not the dealerships fault, my bad luck, and I guess a calculated business decision, knowing that recent purchasers will be pissed by it.
First service done by local Honda dealership as per the warranty service booklet this can be done by any authorised dealership - I pay for fluids, seller pays labour, after argument with the seller as to them not being prepared to pay for local dealership to fit the agreed visi-bike because they don't want to pay for the labour, they finally apologise and authorise same.
Contact seller to arrange 6000km service as going to be in Ak, they price it and when asked to explain quoted price, have added the cost of all the fluids as well. The service book clearly states the check is just visual inspection of brakes, cables, nuts and bolts tight ect no fluids to be changed I ask if this is the standard requirement for the 6000k service and am told yes. Local dealership does the job in under an hour and charges accordingly.
I only wish they had a bike for me now.

So should I offer any loyalty, be concerned about buying accessories from offshore, accept less than the best deal for me, I don't think so.

I could continue with the fun I'm having trying to trade up now but will leave that for another time.

[Conquiztador]

I'd like to see your comments:


I could continue with the fun I'm having trying to trade up now but will leave that for another time.

Interesting and I am sure many have similar experiences.

But this is NOT what keeps a business going long term.

Here some things I have learnt through the years:
- Have finance in place for expansion/product purchase when best price.
- Have a long term plan.
- Treat staff well!
- Have the latest gizmos first for sale!
- Be seen and heard.
- Have top quality financial monitoring in place!
- Location!

Then you can clearly add good customer service too. But sadly it is not the top priority.

[wysper]

Interesting and I am sure many have similar experiences.


Then you can clearly add good customer service too. But sadly it is not the top priority.

Maybe it is not so much sadly, because as you have pointed out, without what you mentioned you can't provide the good service anyway can you.

You need a finacially viable business.
The right stock
The right people
Some more money...


But I would hope it would all from a profitable circle with each bit feeding the others to keep a good business going.

[piston broke]

i have so far only read the first post,but,
hell no.
i go on,do they have the bike, accessories i want?
are they the best price?
service is way down the list for me.
i mean,you don't have to like the salesperson,store.
you are only there for a very short time.
tho,if i do get 'great' service i will go back,even if they are 'slightly' overpriced.hmm,contradiction,maybe.

[vifferman]

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

Hell yes. But wait - there's more...

For me, quality of workmanship is an essential as well - one botched job and I will look elsewhere. Not counting minor errors here, but true stuff-ups.

I can forgive mistakes and other shortcomings if I am treated with respect and honesty. Lie to me, treat me with disdain, and I'll go elsewhere, even if it costs me.
Part of that is my own weakness - I like to have some sort of relationship with bike shop personnel, not be just another customer / wallet.
The guy who services my wife's car isn't the best in Auckland, and his workshop's a bit scruffy, but he knows me, treats me like a friend, is honest, and does a reasonable job. No valet service, but then I don't get charged $85-$100 per hour either. And he's familiar enough with the cars he works on that when "the book" or the parts people tell him worn lower wishbone bushes necessitate replacement of the complete arm at $1000/side, he fits identical bushes from another marque, and charges me $90/side. Less mark-up for him, but a happy and loyal customer.

Here's a bike example: I've spent maybe $100 at Holeshot Suzuki over the last 11 years, yet I will recommend them to others because they've always treated me well when I've looked for a replacement bike. They're the first place I'd go to come replacement time, as they've always been quite happy for me to test-ride their bikes. I'd never go back to the shop I bought the VFR from, because they treated me badly, knew I knew they'd ripped me off, lied to my face, and didn't care that I knew.

[MarkH]

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

My answer:
Yes, it is important and it does help build a profitable business.

Further:
As important as good customer service may be, it isn't the only factor in long term bikeshop survival & growth. There are many other factors that are also important, a lot of them have already been mentioned.

I think that anyone that says good customer service isn't important for a bike shop is definitely an idiot. But it isn't necessarily vital - sometimes all the other factors add up enough to compensate for lousy customer service and a business can thrive despite poor customers service. Obviously a shop can have great customer service, but have other factors lead them to close down. Doing too much to make customers happy and not actually making a profit will definitely lead to a shop with good customer service going out of business.

[fuknKIWI]

Is good customer service important to long term bikeshop survival and growth?
Or am I totally wrong here?

Yeah but no but yeah, you are totally wrong to the former question and the latter question is totally right or something like or unlike that.
Casbolts has been round for too long Eric Wood's shop outlived his ownership.
There's good coin to be made ripping people off, and there's never any shortage of suckers coming through the door.

[Quasi]

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

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

[Quasievil]

If you look after your customers - they will look after you - short term, long term.

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

[george formby]

Service & integrity are paramount for me. If I'm buying accessories i want honesty on how good they are (clothes, bling etc) & if somebody is working on my bike I really need to know they give a damn & stand by their work. Price is important but if it's a few bucks my loyalty stays with the shop thats loyal to me.
Food for thought Frosty, I see a lot of your posts but have no idea of your business name or whereabouts. As a member of this community I would pop in to say hello if I was passing & you never know what I may get my beady little eye on.
Good advertising/branding/marketing carries huge weight today, a good recognisable image sells & stays in the memory. If you deliver the goods then the priority is to get customers in the shop.
I'm guilty of not following my own advice, truck loads of bikes pass my street every week but I have no bikers popping in for a coffee. They don't know I exist.
Soooooo, if you want a really good coffee in Paihia or a bit of local knowledge pop into Boots Off on Kings Road & have yarn.

If this against the forum rules, I apologise for my ignorance.

[FROSTY:Me]

Yeah but no but yeah, you are totally wrong to the former question and the latter question is totally right or something like or unlike that.

Do wot??????????????????

[FROSTY:Me]

Service & integrity are paramount for me. If I'm buying accessories i want honesty on how good they are (clothes, bling etc) & if somebody is working on my bike I really need to know they give a damn & stand by their work. Price is important but if it's a few bucks my loyalty stays with the shop thats loyal to me.
Food for thought Frosty, I see a lot of your posts but have no idea of your business name or whereabouts. As a member of this community I would pop in to say hello if I was passing & you never know what I may get my beady little eye on.
Good advertising/branding/marketing carries huge weight today, a good recognisable image sells & stays in the memory. If you deliver the goods then the priority is to get customers in the shop.
I'm guilty of not following my own advice, truck loads of bikes pass my street every week but I have no bikers popping in for a coffee. They don't know I exist.
Soooooo, if you want a really good coffee in Paihia or a bit of local knowledge pop into Boots Off on Kings Road & have yarn.

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.