Motorbike shops...

[Cache Wraith]

Well, I'm going against the grain here. I'm content to walk into a bike shop and look around for what I want and if nobody approaches me, that's fine. As long as someone is available if I want to ask a question. Do most of my gear buying at cycletreads. I go in there, spend ages hunting through the stuff and usually get asked if they can help, then they leave me alone. I generally check out a few different places before making a purchase. Now if someone offered me a real coffee while I was browsing, that's a different story......

[n0regret5]

I wanted to look at getting some aftermarket mufflers for my SV, so I thought I would ride into town on a midweek morning when the Suzuki shop shouldn't be too busy so we could go through what's available and get some prices. After all, it was a big shop that has probably sold quite a few sets of aftermarket mufflers for SVs recently so they should have some idea.

But no, that would have been too easy. The two salesmen were too busy talking to a travelling rep who was showing them a big pile of crappy gloves to even notice I was there. Fine, obviously they don't want our business.

Ended up researching on the net... which ended up in finding a very good price on a online US store. Punched in my credit card number and they were on their way.

PS... I don't seem to have this problem in any other line of retail. What is it with bloody bike shops?

i've only bought 4 of my 7 bikes from shops and only ONE gave me excellent service, one gave me really good service and the other two fucked me royally. don't understand what it is either..and, unfortunately, it seems to be honda shops that are the worst. thats just IMO, though..i'm sure there's a good one out there somewhere!

[soundbeltfarm]

i've only bought 4 of my 7 bikes from shops and only ONE gave me excellent service, one gave me really good service and the other two fucked me royally. don't understand what it is either..and, unfortunately, it seems to be honda shops that are the worst. thats just IMO, though..i'm sure there's a good one out there somewhere!

who were the good shops mate.
?

[n0regret5]

who were the good shops mate.
?

whitelock suzuki in wanganui where i got my firestorm and Tony Jury motorcycles in Pahiatua where i just got my TL. great service, the lady at whitelock stayed open till 2pm on a saturday so i could test ride the bike and then contacted me a few times after i bought it to make sure it was going all good. tony jury gave me impeccable service and a bunch of freebies when i bought the bike, not to mention an excellent deal with the finance.

[craneman]

you need to chill out man life is what you make it

[soundbeltfarm]

yeah i got all my farm stuff from vaughn when we were in Patea,
He was good to deal with.

[HornetBoy]

whitelock suzuki in wanganui where i got my firestorm and Tony Jury motorcycles in Pahiatua where i just got my TL. great service, the lady at whitelock stayed open till 2pm on a saturday so i could test ride the bike and then contacted me a few times after i bought it to make sure it was going all good. tony jury gave me impeccable service and a bunch of freebies when i bought the bike, not to mention an excellent deal with the finance.

+1 to Whitelock suzuki Have brought bikes from them before and go in their on a regular basis for maintenance items and everything else ,not always spending money either ,i sometimes just go in to ask for advice and its given with a smile ,they have definately hit the nail on the head in terms of service and are a wealth knowledge,thats the kinda stuff you want in a dealership.

if you want an example of service suzuki dealerships seem to be right on the money

[sinned]

Respond to emails.

Still waiting after 5 days to a response to an email in regards to buying a new 1098 from a Duc dealer.
It will be their loss.
Fuck that annoys me when places dont respond to emails.

Tell me about it!!! I 100% agree and posted an opinion on websites - here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...99#post1444699 . and it appears those in the thread who where more interested in wizzy website stuff missed the point. The motorcycling industry, except for a few suppliers, have yet to catch on to the power of marketing over the internet. I find it annoying to have to buy magazines and go into bike shops to find what is available. Emails - I have also sent emails to bike shops and not got a reply.

[MadDuck]

Don't patronise me because I'm a female - if I tell you I rolled in on a Thunderace I'm unlikely to be there to buy a GN

So agree with ya! OK I rock up and want to try new gear. The womens stuff is tucked away at the deepest darkest end of the shop and is either pink or for girls that are anorexic. OR we only have mens sizes which we refer to as unisex.....no offer to see if they can source womens gear when I know its available on the internet.

And thanks to the Auckland bike shops I mostly do any buying on the internet. Oh and some of gals do know a thing or two about bikes and its tiresome being spoken to like a complete idiot.

Even worse ...please dont YELL at me I am short NOT FRIGGEN DEAF!

[Pogo2]

I found it quite frustrating when I was trying to purchase my last bike. I guess I was comparing it with car dealers who cant wait to get you into their cars. It always seemed to be be a hassle to get a bike to try, and I know there have been threads here that say that some bikeshops only allow limited time and distance for test rides.

I realise that there are a number of tyre kickers around but when your spending a few $$ you want less hassle and a ride that is more than just around the block.

My thoughts anyways

[et al]

Respond to emails.
.... that annoys me when places dont respond to emails.

Yes - I agree with you on that one. Businesses who promote email as being a way to get in touch with them and then don't respond to emails definitely are operating under false pretences. Also those that have websites and don't keep them up to date make me wary of doing business with them. After all this is is their "Electronic Shop front" and is how a lot of people choose to do business these days - more people are going to to see that than the actual place itself. Not saying every Shop should have a website but if they do then if not kept up to date it actually does more harm than good.

[rainman]

I saw this thread and was going to say:

1. Pay attention to the clients - the waiter example is a good one
2. Answer emails the same day

But others have already said that. So +1 to those.

[homer]

What ever you stock ....Dont try to push it to the customer , If they have an idea already what they want it maybe what they do want

It pisses me off big time when they say,This is the equall to what your saying , just in a different brand .


Then its not what your asking for is it

[Gibbo13p]

Emails - I have also sent emails to bike shops and not got a reply.

Freedom honda in Rangatiki st, Palmy...asked them some questions about parts etc got no reply....still too many lamers out there when it comes to the net alright...all rugby and cricket and nothing else.....

[boman]

Acknowledgment that I'm in the store. Don't ignore me but do not crowd me. If I want to ask something specific or get into a lengthy conversation, I will approach one of your salespeople. The salespeople should be like the ideal waiter when out to dinner, far enough away so that you can hold a conversation with your date but close enough so that when you need them they are aware.

Somewhere safe for me to put my helmet and glove, in a non-public area.

A good range of accessories and bikes.

Knowledgeable salespeople. Was looking at buying a helmet last year, went to one dealership and asked him about a brand of helmet they were pushing. The only info he was able to give me was 'um, we've sold a few'. No colour ranges, no comparisons between different brands, no reasoning behind his claim of why they had 'sold a few'. I dropped a grand on an Arai up the road.

Under promise and over deliver. Nothing lets me down more than when promised that my bike/part will be ready at 2pm Wednesday, only for me to go in there at 2:30 to find you are still waiting on a part. Ring me, send smoke signals, whatever, but when I'm paying you to work on my bike, and take time out of my day to arrange to come and pick it up and it's not ready and you haven't rung me, how do you think that leaves me feeling. I do realise some things are out of your control, that's why you have customer contact details.

Yup. Helpful non pushy SERVICE. Cannot go wrong. So many places seem to see you, the wage paying customer, as an interruption to their day. Make sure the staff NEVER make this mistake.