Glory to Dallas and Mike a big f**k u to the others

**heavenly.talker** · 2nd November 2005, 18:11

So...

Hubby and I have been on the look out for new bikes for the last couple of months.

We got serious about it today. We went down to the local (where we have introduced many of our friends to over the last year or so and most of our business)...the service from the manager was crap and put the sales dude (who tried his best) in a no win situation.

I said to hubby that was the last strike (yes same place that had me pissed off a month ago) and f**k it (and them), I only wanted to deal with people that know about service and who I could trust. Why spend serious cash with a place that are a bunch of cocks! (not all of them granted, actually one or two are really nice, but not the one who makes the decisions!!! or sets the service standard).

We ended up heading over to see Sarge (Dallas) at Coleman Suzuki who had both me and hubby sitting and testing bikes in a flash. He was interested, funny, makes the best cup of coffee and most of all was paitent and sincere! Yay Dallas you are awesome. We also got to meet Dover who was holding up a seat in the showroom :-) lol.

Hubby found a bike he liked but I didn't get a special connection with anything so we decided to go away and think about it (this is even after Dallas pulled rabbits out of his hat with discounts because we were considering buying two bikes).

Dallas told hubbie that because we were KBer's he would give us a special deal and we were welcome to come back anytime when we were in the area (even just to have coffee or chew the fat if we felt like it).

He also said he would keep a lookout for a bike for me and get in touch as soon as he find a likely suspect.
I was totally impressed by the service. Real and totally went the extra mile.
...

So off we toddled to see Mike at Mount Eden Motorcycles.

He was pleased to see us, remembered both of our names and was happy for us to look around again. The bike I took for a test ride on labour weekend was still there and so was the deal that he offered to us then.

He then added some extra service benefits that gave me the confidence to buy the bike and was happy to deal with me and not just the hubby. Again, the service was real, funny and sincere.

I totally rate both of these gentleman (especially as a woman...they are not be condescending, they are not impaitient when asked questions, and they treat you as a valid customer that is important to their business).

Again not the experience that we have had at the local!

We did the paperwork with Mike at Mount Eden and I am now the proud owner of a new wee beastie!!!! yay!! IT FEELS GREAT!

We decided to call in to see SARGE (Dallas) at Coleman's to tell him to call off the bike search. While we were there I convinced hubby to place an order for the bike that he really wanted but was slightly out of our planned budget!

Dallas is giving us a FANTASTIC deal and all because we are KBer's!!!!! and because he knows that with us every dollar he can squeeze makes the difference from me cooking gumboots and eating noddles

Both Mike at Mount Eden and Dallas belong to and support the site. Totally recommend that you check them out for bikes, parts, and service if you are looking!

Thanks so much Mike and Dallas for making it a great day that was fun and exciting!!

WAhoo!! Can't wait to pick up our new lovelies and look forward to showing them off soon.

Just in case you were wondering what we got...

Hubby got the new suzuki v-strom 1000
and I got the 750 Honda Magna

Both are great for touring the South Island...as we have been planning and saving to do for the last 5 years and that we are finally off to do this summer!!!

SWEET AS !

**James Deuce** · 2nd November 2005, 18:16

Fantastic post, and Mike and Dallas should be proud of themselves after that.

I take it the V-Strom was from Coleman's and the Magna from Mt Eden? (I hope I didn't miss that somewhere).

Even though I often get told off for saying this, I really like those 750 Magna's.

Have fun, and don't eat Red Band gumboots, they give you gas.

**heavenly.talker** · 2nd November 2005, 18:23

Originally Posted by Jim2

I take it the V-Strom was from Coleman's and the Magna from Mt Eden? (I hope I didn't miss that somewhere).
Have fun, and don't eat Red Band gumboots, they give you gas.

Yes you got it right there. V-Strom from Coleman's and magna from Mt Eden.

As for the red band gumboots...I find the gas helps to keep me warm on the bike on cold days...like an automatic seat warmer thing :-)

Although I am quite convinced the new Magna has a seat warmer as I was toastie as when I took it for a test ride...or maybe that was the curry?...

Probably TMI lol!

**SPman** · 2nd November 2005, 18:49

Two of the good guys on the Auckland bike scene, that make the effort and go that bit extra.There are others, but Dallas and Mike are right up there. Both highly recomended. Cheers guys

**Brian d marge** · 2nd November 2005, 18:59

I cant understand it either ,,,,why is it so hard for some bikeshop owners to think of the customer sometimes ...As an employee I have been put in that impossible situation by a few ,,,,D%^&& I have worked for ..when all it would have taken was a bit of patience ,,,the loss of a few dollars ,...in order to gain the bigger picture ,,,as in a sale ...and possibly more sales after that !!!

I mean ,,,its just beyond belief that shops like those others exist..... I better sign off and go do some work ,,before I start foamiong at the mouth ,,,,,( to late its started ...)

Glad to see all was happy in the end ,,,,well done those two shops ......

Stephen

**Macktheknife** · 2nd November 2005, 19:12

I have been riding for 25 years or thereabouts and I have met lots of guys in bike shops who have crap attitudes, once upon a time that was ok because people didnt have a lot of choice. Now you can walk down the road or take a short drive and get some good service from guys like Sarge and Mike. Now if you are going to spend $10K or more on a bike wouldnt you want to be treated like a customer instead of an inconvenience? My vote and my money has gone to both of these guys AND it will continue to do so from now on. I also have friends who are getting back into biking and will refer them on to Colemans or Mt Eden for their needs.
Good on these guys for raising the bar and providing great service to KBers. thanks.

**SARGE** · 2nd November 2005, 21:38

awww hell guys.. im getting all misty now..

i'd like to thank my mom.. dad.. the parole board.. the Loch Ness Monster.. the Easter Bunny...Silvia Platt

was really a treat to meet you guys today. to be honest, the coffee was easy.. i just pushed a button.. talk to Cheese about the coffee itself ( great machine from Expressoworks)

i think i've met Mike a few times .. nice guy...

even though he sells Kawasaki's

**limbimtimwim** · 2nd November 2005, 22:30

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

As an employee I have been put in that impossible situation by a few ,,,,D%^&& I have worked for ..when all it would have taken was a bit of patience ,,,the loss of a few dollars ,...in order to gain the bigger picture ,,,as in a sale ...and possibly more sales after that !!!

Hmm.. The boss. The place I got my bike from, the sales guy was good. Friendly, helpful, we haggled in a reasonable fashion. Any problems I had, he sorted. He let me re-learn how to ride a bike in a car park for nearly an hour.

Anyway, I had one largish problem, it was obvious that the clutch was poked when I got it (I could make it break loose not even trying going up the hill I lived on), but I wasn't confident enough to ride it wayyy out to where I had got the bike. Also the light in the clocks was blown. Sales guy rang up a couple of weeks after I got the bike to say 'hello, how are things going?' I tell him of the clutch he says 'no worries, bring it in when you can, and we'll sort the clutch out, no cost to you'. See; he was all good.. As Luck would have it, when I took the bike in to fix that clutch, sales guy was away.

When I went back to pick it up, I was faced with a bill. Needless to say, I was quite fucked off. I argued with the guy (The boss) but he laughed, and belittled the sales guy who was not there to defend himself or back me up; "HAH! Sales guy doesn't know shit!" is essentially what he said. But I paid the bill because I needed the bike again ASAP, hoping I'd sort out a credit or get my money back later from sales guy.

So I rang back a bit later, talked to sales guy, he talked to the boss and got me a measly credit. I claimed back the credit short thereafter, I could tell he knew he had lost me forever. Never again would I spend a dollar there, I rode right past a month ago in desperate need of earplugs (Seriously, my new exhaust sounds fantastic but makes me want to vomit after a few hours) but could not let myself spend a couple of $$ there.

Soo.. I shoud have got it in writing. But I mean, the plan is the next bike is a 748 or an SP2, I'm not kidding around. They will not be on the 'places to visit with a bundle of cash' tour next year.

**Ixion** · 2nd November 2005, 22:43

Not to mention that the sales dude will feel pretty sick that he was crapped on. First rule of management: you back your staff up no matter what it costs. Bollock them in private if needed, but if they've made a commitment you don't pull the rug from under their feet. Or you'll have pissed of customers, and unmotivated staff.

**James Deuce** · 2nd November 2005, 22:49

Originally Posted by Ixion

Not to mention that the sales dude will feel pretty sick that he was crapped on. First rule of management: you back your staff up no matter what it costs. Bollock them in private if needed, but if they've made a commitment you don't pull the rug from under their feet. Or you'll have pissed of customers, and unmotivated staff.

The opposite seems to be the first rule of management in bike sales. Make the sales guy on the floor look stupid as often as possible. I sometimes wonder how any new bikes get sold at all. I had a really positive experience buying the R6 though, and Sawyers were VERY honourable.

**justsomeguy** · 2nd November 2005, 22:53

Originally Posted by SARGE

awww hell guys.. im getting all misty now..

i'd like to thank my mom.. dad.. the parole board.. the Loch Ness Monster.. the Easter Bunny...Silvia Platt

was really a treat to meet you guys today. to be honest, the coffee was easy.. i just pushed a button.. talk to Cheese about the coffee itself ( great machine from Expressoworks)

i think i've met Mike a few times .. nice guy...

even though he sells Kawasaki's

OOOhhh our dearest tubby bitch

**justsomeguy** · 2nd November 2005, 22:56

Originally Posted by limbimtimwim

Hmm.. The boss. The place I got my bike from, the sales guy was good. Friendly, helpful, we haggled in a reasonable fashion. Any problems I had, he sorted. He let me re-learn how to ride a bike in a car park for nearly an hour.

Anyway, I had one largish problem, it was obvious that the clutch was poked when I got it (I could make it break loose not even trying going up the hill I lived on), but I wasn't confident enough to ride it wayyy out to where I had got the bike. Also the light in the clocks was blown. Sales guy rang up a couple of weeks after I got the bike to say 'hello, how are things going?' I tell him of the clutch he says 'no worries, bring it in when you can, and we'll sort the clutch out, no cost to you'. See; he was all good.. As Luck would have it, when I took the bike in to fix that clutch, sales guy was away.

When I went back to pick it up, I was faced with a bill. Needless to say, I was quite fucked off. I argued with the guy (The boss) but he laughed, and belittled the sales guy who was not there to defend himself or back me up; "HAH! Sales guy doesn't know shit!" is essentially what he said. But I paid the bill because I needed the bike again ASAP, hoping I'd sort out a credit or get my money back later from sales guy.

So I rang back a bit later, talked to sales guy, he talked to the boss and got me a measly credit. I claimed back the credit short thereafter, I could tell he knew he had lost me forever. Never again would I spend a dollar there, I rode right past a month ago in desperate need of earplugs (Seriously, my new exhaust sounds fantastic but makes me want to vomit after a few hours) but could not let myself spend a couple of $$ there.

Soo.. I shoud have got it in writing. But I mean, the plan is the next bike is a 748 or an SP2, I'm not kidding around. They will not be on the 'places to visit with a bundle of cash' tour next year.

They can sell you one bike and make a few hundred dollars or they can sell you twenty bikes and make a few thousand dollars.

Some people are so stupid I wonder how they stay solvent.

**SARGE** · 2nd November 2005, 22:59

Originally Posted by Ixion

Not to mention that the sales dude will feel pretty sick that he was crapped on. First rule of management: you back your staff up no matter what it costs. Bollock them in private if needed, but if they've made a commitment you don't pull the rug from under their feet. Or you'll have pissed of customers, and unmotivated staff.

reason 32345 why i left the last place...

**SARGE** · 2nd November 2005, 23:02

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

OOOhhh our dearest tubby bitch

just to let you know douchbag..

im down to 99 as of yesterday morning from 110 3 weeks ago..

AND..

im doing the Viaduct- Devonport bay swim

care to grab your togs and put your money where your mouth is?

**Karma** · 2nd November 2005, 23:12

Originally Posted by SARGE

just to let you know douchbag..

im down to 99 as of yesterday morning from 110 3 weeks ago..

AND..

im doing the Viaduct- Devonport bay swim

care to grab your togs and put your money where your mouth is?

Where's the viaduct?
Does it cost anything to enter?
Are you allowed to wear armbands?
how about snorkelling under the water?