Ignored in Bike Shops?

[merv]

Retailing is a black art.... however, there are some simple rules...

1. Any early interaction with a customer.. ie Talking to them etc ("Can I help you today?" is enough), results in a measurable increase in sales.

2. The more time someone spends in your store, the more chance they will buy something.

Paul N

You don't know me very well then. I just loath point number 1 behaviour. If someone interacts with me too early I get put right off, it distracts me from what I wanted to do and I generally just leave the shop immediately and no sale is made. I want to look, touch and feel and comprehend it in my own terms and discuss it with my wife it she's involved too, not have some dicky salesman interrupt my thoughts and try and impose his behaviour on me. A classic for me was looking at shirts in a shop in Wanganui in July and the dicky salesman starts asking me all these dumb questions like he's trying to help, but it was stuff like "where do you live?" and other irrelevant stuff like that. My wife, who thinks a bit like I do said to him "what's this, 20 questions?" He left us alone thankfully and then I did finally decide to buy something so I went up to him and said "did I pass the test so I can buy this?"

Maybe the two of us are weirdos, but I would have thought nobody likes being accosted by the salesman until they need the salesman. In that respect I have found Honda Cars Wellington great, Sawyers are good (but they know me well), Trash's place they are over you a bit, but not excessively. I had a good look at KTM's at Motomart and found the guys OK. So I prefer the "ignore me until I want you" philosophy.

[JohnBoy]

i have only been riding for the past few years and my trick was to go around and have a look, see something nice and then ring a day or so later and ask to ride it then. most sales people unless they can see you have money they an't interested! and if your young its even worse! my best advice is to develop a relationship with a store and a good one should look after you. don't think its any help but Motormart in welly is awsome and Ham's motorcycle centre ( my new shop) is the mutts nutts! happy hunting

[Slipstream]

I have successfully purchased a bike from a store without trouble, because I walked in knowing exactly what I wanted and happened to know who had owned it before. It was everything I expected it to be with all the problems i expected it have. The store fixed it with minimal fuss and I was on my way again.

However when I go into a shop and have no clue of what I want besides the size of the engine and only general bike information (Clutch, brake, acclerator etc...), I've been treated like an imbeceil (sp?).(lmbecile)le

I think the problem that _some_ sales people have these days are that they think that they're the reason why we're riding bikes, not that we're the reason they get paid.

Moral of the story: Know exactly what you want & when you want it, research prices & associated problems and go in with a determined yet still friendly attitude and when you find a good salesperson ... stick with them and develop a history.

[Coldkiwi]

You don't know me very well then. I just loath point number 1 behaviour. If someone interacts with me too early I get put right off, it distracts me from what I wanted to do and I generally just leave the shop immediately and no sale is made

i personally like a sales person to at least make eye contact with me and maybe wander over and say 'gidday' straight away and ask if they can help (this is most useful when shopping for clothing for the wife!) but I do expect them to respect me if I say 'no thanks, just looking' and then back off until I approach them for assistance. Pestering is just irritating and when I got routinely pestered by overstaffed shops in nadi airport I had to locate the nearest exit before even browsing!

[Sparky Bills]

All I have to say is..
If anyone has a problem with ANY bike shop, Go in and tell them!!
Dont just BITCH about them on the net!
I work at MotoMart, and from what I know, if there is anything we can change to make your visit more enjoyable, we want to know!
Hitcher.. Did you get your bike from us? and what have we done to piss you off so much? and why have you not told us? and more importantly.. How can we fix it?

If anyone wants a ride or try on gear, we never have a problem. Some people have said that we dont let people, but that is a load of shit! I have NEVER heard any of our salesman turn ANYONE down for a test ride. And I have NEVER turned ANYONE down trying on gear. Its the only way to fully know that you want it.

As for my own personal opinion, If you dont have the balls to confront us, it cant be that bad. (you can take that how ever way you like)

On a lighter note, how about some GOOD things bike shops have done??
or dont they matter?

[Sparky Bills]

By the way, the original note was to ask if there were any good bike shops? Not to give you all a chance to rubbish them. Everyone is different, and they cant please everyone out there.
You just cant.

[denill]

A couple of reminisces on the subject that some may be interested in;

1 - I have an enduring memory of asking this guy who walked into the bike shop where I was salesman and when I asked if I could help, got the stock reply, "no thanks, just looking".
That dude bought a bike within the next 15 - 30 minutes with the roll of notes he had in his hip pocket......... Full price and cash. (Nope, he wasn't a dope grower.) No way was he ever - just looking. Do you blame me for not taking it too literally from then on when I heard, "just looking".
But yeah, there is a difference between the smart arsed pushy salesman who thinks he's a hot-shot and one that really wants to help - if the buyer decides they want help.

2 - Asked a salesman once if I could sit on a bike in his showroom and he said, "no". Just that. The irony is that I owned the premises that his firm leased.

It just goes to show that you never know - as what is applicable in one instance is totally wrong in another. I always reckoned salespeople who really want to succeed should do a course in psychology.

[loosebruce]

I've always been looked after by Holeshots.
And if yer looking for gear/tyres see Kerry at Motohaus tyres.
The other shop that gave me really great service was Baycity m/c's in tauranga.

If you are looking for gear see kerry for sure, he'd get a good deal for you. I haven't had too many dealings with shops up here i still go back to welly m/cycles for most of my stuff. I'd put in my 5 cents worth for Amps or Colemans, they're the only two i've had any dealings with and both have proved pretty good. Anything big or serious like when you motor blows up though i stick with what i know and head back down south.
Get in touch with Whitetrash at Welly M/cycles he maybe able to sort you a deal on a bike, they are pretty good at deliverying bikes up this way to.....

Good luck on finding a new ride hope to see you on the road soon

[N3wbbik3r]

By the way, the original note was to ask if there were any good bike shops? Not to give you all a chance to rubbish them. Everyone is different, and they cant please everyone out there.
You just cant.

Im happy to say he is correct, I didnt wish to rubbish differnet bike shops (I purposely did not say what shops I was at.) My questions were along the lines of is this the norm at bike shops, (Ive only ever dealt with dirt bike shops, smaller community) What shops have you all had good experiences at. I did not wish to create a bitching session. I have a new question, some refers that I shouldnt of sat on the bikes. Ok, we are not talking about the latest and greatest I was looking at a VTR 250 (secondhand) it had easy access to climb on, as I couldnt get any ones atention, I did wish to see how the bike felt, I sat on it. Is that such a crime in a bike shop. Previously I have done it in dirt bike shops without a hassle? Thanks for al the replys, I will be checking out all the shops.

[Blakamin]

If anyone wants a ride or try on gear, we never have a problem. Some people have said that we dont let people, but that is a load of shit! I have NEVER heard any of our salesman turn ANYONE down for a test ride. And I have NEVER turned ANYONE down trying on gear. Its the only way to fully know that you want it.

As for my own personal opinion, If you dont have the balls to confront us, it cant be that bad. (you can take that how ever way you like)

On a lighter note, how about some GOOD things bike shops have done??
or dont they matter?

I went in 3 weeks ago and was staring at ducati monsters. got all the help i needed. now if they'd just give me one I'd be happy

[Sparky Bills]

Id be glad to give you one.
Only one catch..
I am first! When I get given a 998 or 999, I will give everybody one.
It might take a while to get round everybody. :spudwave:

[White trash]

Maybe the two of us are weirdos, but I would have thought nobody likes being accosted by the salesman until they need the salesman. In that respect I have found Honda Cars Wellington great, Sawyers are good (but they know me well), Trash's place they are over you a bit, but not excessively. I had a good look at KTM's at Motomart and found the guys OK. So I prefer the "ignore me until I want you" philosophy.

Yes Merv, you are a weirdo, albeit an extremely likable one. Mybe that's why we get on well

[Blakamin]

Id be glad to give you one.
Only one catch..
I am first! When I get given a 998 or 999, I will give everybody one.
It might take a while to get round everybody. :spudwave:

As long as you make mine a monster

[Slipstream]

Everyone is different, and they cant please everyone out there. You just cant.

This is very true and I appologise for any bad kharma I might of let out. I have had 2 bad experiences.

But like I said, find a salesperson and stick with them.

Wgtn Motorcycles are a good bunch o'guys and Sawyers too for all my Yamaha needs

[Hitcher]

Hitcher.. Did you get your bike from us? and what have we done to piss you off so much? and why have you not told us? and more importantly.. How can we fix it?

No, I didn't get my bike from you. I got it from Ericksens at Bay View who were selling it on behalf.
Seeing as how you asked, twice I've tried to buy stuff at Motomart and on both occasions left the items I wanted to buy on the counter and walked out, while the "sales person" was engaged in active chat with a mate, who as far as I could observe wasn't actually buying anything. No acknowledgement of my existence on both occasions. If you have met me you will realise that I am a reasonably "noticeable" sort of person. Similarly with an occasion last year when I was in the market for a bike and wandered in to find the place looking a bit like the Marie Celeste, so had a look around and wandered off again.
Maybe I caught you on off days. But I only tend to give people the benefit of the doubt twice.