Another dealer..........another waste of time!

[vectra]

Just arrived back from a 140 mile round trip carried out in order to view a specific bike at a dealers premises. Gave notification in advance.

Dealer knew nothing about the bike even though he stated it was an excellent bike and they had sold a great many.

Stated it only had one assist level which I thought odd as the advertising stated something different! He then proceeded to make his sales pitch up as he went along. He set out to demo the bike before allowing us to ride it and couldn't get the bike to operate.

I pointed out that surely it should have a control module mounted on the handlebars? He then disappears and produces said module, proceeds to plug it in with the power still connected and.................bang......much smoke and a bad smell of burning.

Then asks us to return in a weeks time in order to test ride it. No offer of a contribution for fuel. Wouldn't discuss a discount as a consequence of the wasted afternoon and has lost any chance of our purchase.

Well known brand of bikes and the U.K. Agent would probably have a fit if he was aware of this shambles of an excuse for customer service.

That's one more dealer and one more bike range off the list.
Regards
Vectra

 

[NRG]

Name and shame, its the only way dealers like this will amend their ways and improve service, don't be shy and hide the identity...in this day and age of financial uncertainty poor customer service from any retailer is self defeating and ultimately suicidal...

 

[indalo]

Name and shame, its the only way dealers like this will amend their ways and improve service, don't be shy and hide the identity...in this day and age of financial uncertainty poor customer service from any retailer is self defeating and ultimately suicidal...

NRG is spot-on in my opinion. The very point of forums like this is so that information gleaned by we electric bike buffs can be disseminated to all. Sellers, particularly appointed dealers, really need to be on top of their game if they want to survive. I have a fair idea of which brand you refer to but I'll leave it to you to determine how you wish to proceed.

Indalo

 

[HD462]

Name and shame, its the only way dealers like this will amend their ways and improve service, don't be shy and hide the identity...in this day and age of financial uncertainty poor customer service from any retailer is self defeating and ultimately suicidal...

I agree with NRG too, we work hard for our money, and need to get the bast value and service we can for it. Also with the part I've emboldened on the quote above it goes further, it's not just self defeating, and suicidal for the retailer, it's also the case for the manufacturer, as now this retailer has lost them a potential customer, and alienated them from their brand. They may never win that customer back in the future based on that one experience. This, I have experience myself with other products, and never again bought that brand.

 

[Eaglerider]

Jeez, that's appalling. Certainly you ought to inform the manufacturer. I never cease to be amazed how any business based on misrepresenation and monumental stupidity can make any profit at all. There are some nice dealers out there, better luck next time.

 

[Hugh]

I agree with previous comments - name and shame; it would be doing everyone a favour.

Hope you have more joy elsewhere.

 

[vectra]

Name and shame, its the only way dealers like this will amend their ways and improve service, don't be shy and hide the identity...in this day and age of financial uncertainty poor customer service from any retailer is self defeating and ultimately suicidal...

Hi.
Thank you. Looking back some 18 hours later I'm revising my view of the experience. It seems to me that the proprieter must have been bound and gagged and locked away in a storeroom and the guy we met was actually a clown escaped from a circus. I missed some detail out such as the statement that "being a multi franchise business one problem was remembering how the bikes operated"..............clearly it was!

Naming and shaming. I'm reluctant to do this however much I would like to. I'm prepared to give it out privately however not directly onto the forum. I can add that the "multi-franchise" business had 3 different brands and approx 15 bikes on display. The bike we went to see specifically was from Oxygen.

Onwards and upwards. Still looking at a kit where the particular dealer has been extremely helpful so far and I'll provide feedback as and when.
Regards
Vectra

 

[eddieo]

If its who I think it is...Has anyone else noticed they have removed "these bikes are not legal on UK roads" or similar wording to that effect, from ALL their high speed 45kph bikes. So caveat emptor again! if dealing with this shower.

the wording was only hastily introduced when news hit here that someone on one of these bikes got hit by a bus in Richmond park and police decided to prosecute cyclist for riding a 300 watt bike.....

 

[Cakey]

So who is it ? I hate guessing games.

 

[Fordulike]

Come on vectra, don't be shy, name and shame

 

[Cyclezee]

"I'm Spartacus", only kidding, he got crucified.......come to think of it they all got crucified, including the innocent

Please do us all a big favour Vectra.

 

[flecc]

If its who I think it is...

Sounds more like a cycle dealer than an agent to me Eddie, so I don't think it's half-a-hundred-bikes.

 

[Davanti]

... Stated it only had one assist level which I thought odd as the advertising stated something different! He then proceeded to make his sales pitch up as he went along. He set out to demo the bike before allowing us to ride it and couldn't get the bike to operate.

I pointed out that surely it should have a control module mounted on the handlebars? He then disappears and produces said module, proceeds to plug it in with the power still connected and.................bang......much smoke and a bad smell of burning...

You just couldn't make it up, could you?

However, I'm not convinced that naming & shaming is the correct course of action. It is possible that a company's whole future existence could be damned by a single report of the stupidity of just one employee. If the company's sales suffer, then the other employees' futures would be unfairly jeopardised.

I've experienced a recent incident of appalling customer service and emailed the top man in the company with the story. As a result, appropriate apologies were made, I believe I then received exemplary treatment and internal processes were put in place to prevent occurrence. Nobody unnecessarily hurt and, as far as I was concerned, ... a result.

Sorry to be the only one in step.

Don

 

[flecc]

Not the only one Don, your point is well made and I fully agree. A company's reputation takes years to make but can be destroyed in seconds.

 

[eddieo]

You would think that is the point of an enthusiasts forum to some extent....But Vectra has offered details by PM so really up to those interested to pursue. Like Flecc says just may have been an off day or bad choice of shop, uninformed and poorly trained staff are not uncommon in all fields......the brand may well be OK. Just a shame Vectra did not get to find out!lol

 

[Fordulike]

You just couldn't make it up, could you?

However, I'm not convinced that naming & shaming is the correct course of action. It is possible that a company's whole future existence could be damned by a single report of the stupidity of just one employee. If the company's sales suffer, then the other employees' futures would be unfairly jeopardised.



Don

So the company should have weeded out that idiot at the selection/interview stage.
Which means HR or management will have to share the blame for doing such a shoddy job.
Either way, name and shame

Could be worse, Halfords got named recently by consumer watchdog, Which, as the worst store in Britain.
So this company isn't the worst...... yet

 

[vectra]

Sounds more like a cycle dealer than an agent to me Eddie, so I don't think it's half-a-hundred-bikes.

Hi.
Correct!

 

[Cyclezee]

You just couldn't make it up, could you?

However, I'm not convinced that naming & shaming is the correct course of action. It is possible that a company's whole future existence could be damned by a single report of the stupidity of just one employee. If the company's sales suffer, then the other employees' futures would be unfairly jeopardised.

I've experienced a recent incident of appalling customer service and emailed the top man in the company with the story. As a result, appropriate apologies were made, I believe I then received exemplary treatment and internal processes were put in place to prevent occurrence. Nobody unnecessarily hurt and, as far as I was concerned, ... a result.

Sorry to be the only one in step.

Don

Very good point Don. It could just be one dealer that is letting down the brand or manufacturer, so they need to be told.

 

[flecc]

Could be worse, Halfords got named recently by consumer watchdog, Which, as the worst store in Britain.

I can just imagine the "Phew" of relief that emitted from PC World Headquarters!

 

[eddieo]

the very rare times I have been in PCW (simply out of curiosity) amazed by the number of peoples at service department...Thinking God! this must be a good place to bring a PC as sooooo popular! (joke)