Motorbike shops...

[sels1]

In the interests making our little shop better for the customer I need comments what do you expect when you walk into a Bike shop

1) Acknowledgement you (as a costomer) exist - at least a verbal greeting but preferably a "can I help you?"

I have had several family members work in retail and it's a basic principle. Some shops train their staff to speak to a customer within 30 seconds of them entering the shop.
I have been in a few bike shops where I have walked in, walked around looking at things, evening picking the odd item up, and the staff have been doing paperwork or chatting to their mates like I wasnt there - depite the fact I was willing to buy something and not just browsing. Needless to say I went and bought off a shop that talked to their customers.

2) Service. Just good old fashion service.

[n0regret5]

Talk to your customers... not the fucking travelling reps.

i get this kinda treatment too - fucking sick of it. was going to test ride a gsxr1100 and the shop owner said hi after i'd been walking around for 5 mins, then went back to the rep who just bought in the new b-king..took 30mins before he acknowledged why i was there, then dicked around with the bike down with the mechanics for another 15mins, i took time off work especially to ride the bike.

jeez, i complain alot!! :-D

+1 to coffee. cos then the service reps have to acknowledge you and talk to you.

[Jimmy B]

He was adamant that they are built differently for strict CA emission controls which of course is utter bullshit.

I thought HD and other Mfgs had 2 versions, 1 being the 49 states edition and the other being the California. The 49 States version has reasonably higher output, not that it prolly matters much cause HP and Torque are not the endgame for these bikes.

[dave46nz]

A parts person who knows their stuff and is not too lazy to do some research.
Dealings I've had with two bike shops in Welly both starting with Moto have not been good, either rip off service or tired parts people.

[90s]

I hope you mean "before" or "after" servicing and not "when" servicing. A mechanic being distracted by the customer when servicing is a recipe for disaster.

"before" YES
or "after" servicing YES
and not "when" servicing. NO

[bert_is_evil]

Here's a few suggestions based on a few bad experiences (most of which have caused me to move on to another shop):

-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
-Aknowledge me so I have the opportunity to ask for what I'm there for
-Have a full range of helmet sizes in stock
-When I ask you to order a part, actually order it. Once it's arrived, let me know it's there
-Deal promptly with insurance matters, it's a cash cow for you unless I decide to go elsewhere
-Have a changing room, I don't want to strip down to my undies to try on leathers between your spare parts shelves, or your toilets!
-Coffee sounds like a great idea

[martybabe]

Cripes, opened a can of worms here. Nothing personal mate, infact thank you for asking but as you can see there are a lot of disgruntled cash customers out here and some very similar complaints.

It aint neurosurgery, be courteous attentive and efficient and get some stock in. xxxs and XXL dont fit and I'm not gonna wait a week while you order a large from Taiwan that dont fit when it arrives, I will spend my money elsewhere.

Credit to you for asking though mate. act on it and you'll be rich and we'll be happy. It's all good init.

As sels1 said, customer service.............It works.

[Trident boy]

That usaly happens I even when I went into a Certain Nelson B/shop with 14k stood around for 15mins I have known the owner for 15 years but all his employee's were plonkers they nearly lost a sale If any KBer's are in this neck of the woods, Motueka Best M/cycle play ground aroundDrop in for a terrible coffee made by the brew bitch Me ave a chat look around we lots of neat stuff We pride our selves on being a old fashion'd bike shop
Baz Bikes Motueka
Ps: Thanks guys an Girls KBer's get a 10% discount from Us Cheers Steve

[martybabe]

That usaly happens I even when I went into a Certain Nelson B/shop with 14k stood around for 15mins I have known the owner for 15 years but all his employee's were plonkers they nearly lost a sale If any KBer's are in this neck or the woods Motueka Best M/cycle play ground aroundDrop in for a terrible coffee made by the brew bitch Me ave a chat look around we lots of neat stuff We pride our selves on being a old fashion'd bike shop
Baz Bikes Motueka
Ps: Thanks guys an Girls KBer's get a 10% discount from Us Cheers Steve

Good onya, I sometimes check my reflection in the shop window to see if I'm actualy there or had one of those nasty invisibility attacks, cause no fugger in the shop can see me.If I go into a bike shop at all it usualy means I've got a few disposible $,sometimes lots of $ but I'm keeping them all if I don't get some r.e.s.p.e.c.t.

[Trident boy]

Mate where is this bike shop with the BSA head lights rust and crusty

[Ixion]

Good onya, I sometimes check my reflection in the shop window to see if I'm actualy there or had one of those nasty invisibility attacks, cause no fugger in the shop can see me.

I thought I was the only one who went invisible when I went into a bike shop. I've often wondered what would happen if I (invisibly) started pushing one of the more expensive bikes out. It would appear to be rolling along of its own accord, because I of course am ivisible.

I guess they must realise I'm just a poor old man.

[martybabe]

Mate where is this bike shop with the BSA head lights rust and crusty

Head light singular mate they can't carry a stock of two, overheads you know. Rust and crusty you can get anywhere, infact my local pie shop sells rust and crusty pies and thier in stock.

[martybabe]

I thought I was the only one who went invisible when I went into a bike shop. I've often wondered what would happen if I (invisibly) started pushing one of the more expensive bikes out. It would appear to be rolling along of its own accord, because I of course am invisible.

I guess they must realise I'm just a poor old man.

Ha ha, that's the man, tell it like it is. I propose a campaign, anyone that feels aggrieved at being ignored in a bike shop, wheel a bloody hyabusa off down the pavement, that'll wake em from their indifferent slumber eh...or not in some cases. "we seem to have lost a hayabusa slack bob"..."funny, shops been empty all morning"

[dipshit]

i get this kinda treatment too - fucking sick of it.

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?

[geoffm]

It's actually very simple yet most manage to get it horribly wrong. The best example of someone doing it right in Auckland (and probably NZ) is Motomail.

One thing I can't stand is bullshit. I won't mention any names but a certain Harley dealer on Khyber Pass Road, Auckland told me the biggest porky the other day. I'm importing a new Harley from California and some sales guy said BIG MISTAKE! He was adamant that they are built differently for strict CA emission controls which of course is utter bullshit.

Can't speak for Harleys, but a lot of other vehicles are tuned differently for California. Sometimes it is just different ignition and jetting, in others it is even different cams. E.g. - FZR400s had a California model and some fuel injected bikes have different maps for Cali.
G