randy b.
Yelp
Horrible Customer Service.
During the 4 minutes I was inside the shop it looked as if they had lots of stock, great bikes, lots of parts..everything a great bicycle shop should have although they were missing the most important...crucial thing a business like this should have... and that is customer service.
They actually don't have a clue about customer service (or sales) and I will never return.
I was on a bike ride today with multiple families, lots of kids and when we got downtown Newburyport via the Clipper city Rail trail (which is awesome) we were MILES away from my vehicle, and my rim got warped.
The rim was rubbing against the frame just enough to make the bike very difficult to ride due to the friction and the constant rubbing. But as luck would have it, I was 1 mile from Riverside Cycle and everyone in town assured me that our huge family bike day would not be ruined as Riverside will surely come to the rescue.
Well, that did not happen. I brought my mountain bike inside, explained the situation and asked for some help or recommendations as there were about 11 family members waiting outside for me to come back fixed so that we could continue our day!
I know plenty about bikes and the first thing I asked was if they could sell me an entire new wheel. Price was of zero concern to me (I would have spent $300 dollars for one wheel if thats what it took) but nope, they barely even looked me in the eye (and there was CERTAINLY zero empathy for my crappy situation). All he said was "nope" and they said we don't carry that size wheel in stock.
OK, I can understand that, so next I was hoping they could try and true up the rim with a spoke wrench and maybe just get it just 1 or 2mm back in line so that it could at least be ridden back to my vehicle, but nope...they couldn't be bothered.
One very nice young employee actually offered to give it a try, but his boss immediately told him not even to bother trying. I actually wasn't sure if I heard him right, so I asked him to clarify. "Sir I am very far from my vehicle with my children outside and this worker just said he would actually give it a try. Would it be ok if he spent 5 minutes trying to true it up slightly so that that it is at least rideable back to the car?"
"NOPE" he said. "I can already tell by looking at it, that we could never get back to straight." he says. So i reply, "Well, i don't need it straight, I can see that it is very warped, i just need to know if you will let him spend a few minutes trying to make it any better than it is?"
"NOPE" was his reply. So, I asked him one final question which was...
"So let me get this straight, I am in a bicycle shop and you don't want to sell me anything and you don't want to do anything to help me fix my bike?"
He offered no explanation, barley looked me in the eye, and I left.
1. I was never rude or unprofessional, so this is not the rant of some person who is disillusioned and was not offered good service because of my attitude, he was actually completely uninterested in me as a human being and just couldn't wait for his shift to be over.
2. The place was empty, I was actually the only customer in the store, so its not like I was getting in the way of more important revenue. I could actually understand that too, if they were selling bikes like hotcakes and my little problem was insignificant, but no...he was just rude and uninterested in helping me as a human being.
3. They never once offered me any possible creative solution at all. I can think of about 5 things i might have suggested like maybe they have a rental, or a loaner, or maybe they may have thought of giving me a lift to my car, or calling me a taxi or something... anything... NOPE. Not concerned.
The funny part? They didn't even offer to sell me a bike! Haha! Massive FAIL. I am actually currently in the market for new Mountain bike and had they showed the slightest bit of empathy and then said:
"Jeesh, Mr. Customer, I am so sorry that we don't have that size wheel in stock and that the rim is so far beyond repair. Would you be interested in purchasing a New bicycle so that you and your family can enjoy this beautiful day? Maybe I could give you 10% off any bike in the store to get you on your way?"
Now I am not saying this just because it is convenient, but it is true! If he had made the statement above, I would have spent somewhere between $1500 and $2500 on a new bike! Honestly. What a missed opportunity.
In closing, take if from me, a local Bestselling Sales Author and VP of Sales at a Global, Boston based Software Company, that this guy behind the counter with the glasses, does not understand sales. Id be happy to come in and run a clinic on how to treat customers, what customer service is, and how to SELL.
Man you could have at least sold me my own spoke wrench and told me to try myself.
Btw, I rode it all the way home. It was NOT beyond (a little) bit of help.