Dear Local Bike Shop

[darkemeralds]

Dear Local Bike Shop:

The bike I bought fRom you in August, having now about 750 miles on it, needed a little attention today. Some of what's needed is under warranty, so I brought it back to you.



I considered paying full bore for the work somewhere else, and here's why: your service people despIse the bike you sold me. They don't like working on it. I once oVerheard one mechanic saying to another with a disgustEd shake of the head that he wished you didn't sell this bike. Your mechanics don't mind letting me know they think it's a "less-than" bike. A stupid bike. They tell me that its basic technology is a centuRy old and has been superseded by much, much better technology. The guy today explained that that's why this bike was so Cheap.

It's not lIke these guys are mean and nasTY; they think they're being nice, and they have no idea that they're being condescending, or making me feel like a dumb sucker for being your customer.

I'm okay with not being the right kind of customer for your store. That's easily remedied. But dammit, you sold me this bike. I walked into your store (which, by the way, I selected partly on the basis of the cute sculpture of a whole family riding fun BICYCLES across your roof), told you that I hadn't ridden in decades, and said I wanted a bike suitable for commuting daily in the city. You took one look at me, walked me straight to this line of bikes, and said, "This is the bike for you." It wasn't marked down or discontinued. It was presented to me as acceptable for my needs.

And you were right--I really like my bike. It suits me well. But now I feel stupid bringing it to you for service, because you despise it. What does that say about me?

I won't be troubling you with it anymore, by the way (except for warranty work for six more months), but I thought you might like a tip from one of the customers you're half-heartedly throwing a sop to when you should be sending them to other shops:

Don't sell products you despise. You will end up with customers who feel despised. And trust me, they won't come back--ever.



And also? They'll blog about you in a way that locals can recognize.

Comments

[uhhuhlex]

My folder has a stem too, and I admit they aren't the 'coolest' looking things, but I do like the 'sit up and beg' position.

Sorry for a shitty experience. I guess if you go in as anything other than another ditzy little girl they'll not understand. I always make a point of knowing that precisely is wrong so that they can't mess me around.

Oddly, it was the local 'community' shop that I found the most condescending. Since it isn't really much cheaper and has public funding anyway, I'll just go to the nice shop round the corner now.

[darkemeralds]

I'm afraid of my community bike shop. My sister says they're the nicest people in the world in there, but then she and I occupy two different spheres of bicycling (she being an athletic, self-competitive weekend rider first, with dress-and-heels daily commuting kind of a late and incident addition). I'm afraid they love bikes more than I do, and will detect my sad indifference to gears and derailleurs and stuff.

I'm still a car-owner, and I guess I want my bike shop to be like my car mechanic: treat me decently, fix stuff without my having to know all the right words for it, and charge a fair price. I'm prepared to pay for the expertise, but not for any condescension. It's just a car. It's just a bike. Not a family member or a lover, you know?

[darkemeralds]

Meant to add, have you posted here about your folder? Do you like it? I would love to know more about it and your experience of using it.

[uhhuhlex]

I'll compose a post asap!