Why should I go back to Smart Bike Parts? (was LBS)

I had a bad experience recently. I took my front light in because it was defective and I was looking to get a replacement. When I walk in the store there are 3 people there, one guy is at the counter with his back towards me, one working on a bike, and another at the counter -- faced transfixed on the computer screen. I walk up to the counter now, and dude still has his back towards me, no acknowledgment whatsoever. Guy working on bike hasn't greeted me either, and girl at computer has not even looked at me. What the hell did I just walk into? I say hi to the girl, and she doesn't look at me, but she says hi and looks down at the light I've set on the counter. No emotion on this girls face whatsoever. I explain the light situation, and she just refers to the guy working on the bike, to which he says I can leave it overnight with them and the boss will take care of it tomorrow and get back to me. I leave my name and number, say thanks, and walk away.

One week goes by and I still haven't received a call, so I decide to call back and check on the status. A guy answers and I tell him the story, and after I'm done talking he goes "Wait what?" Then silence. I'm like, really? "Uh, you want to me to repeat all that again?", I say rather annoyed. Then he says, "Hold on man, I can barely hear you." Then silence again, and then boss picks up the phone and he gives me some story about the light being on backorder, and it should have arrived the day I called. O rly? He tells me he'll text me back within a day or so if it doesn't arrive by that day or the next or something. Not once does he utter anything resembling "I'm sorry." I'm pretty stunned at this point because I had a couple good experiences with this place within the last 6 months or so, and it seems like they've really just stopped caring. On top of that, why should I even believe their story about the light being on back order? Maybe these people just completely dropped the ball and forgot about the light and made up the story to save face or something. With the attitude and runaround I was given, it's a real possibility.

Fast forward to August 7th, and I receive a text saying the light arrival date has been pushed back until the 15th (today). No apology for the delay. So, I still don't have a light, and most insultingly, not once was I offered something like a "loaner" light to use while I was without a light for close to a month. I am really disappointed. With so many places vying for my business, why should I go back to this LBS? I would never want to enable the kind of "customer service" I was subjected to by these people and there are so many bike shops near me that I have yet to walk into.

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Duppie 13.5185km on August 15, 2012 at 4:45pm

Submit your review to http://www.chicagobikeshops.info/

Permalink Reply by Logan on August 15, 2012 at 4:54pm

Go on Yelp and let the business know there, here you have a very small limited population to vent...

There are 196 bike shops in the "Chicago" area, you may consider moving on if they continue treating you like a reject...

http://www.chicagobikeshops.info/bikeShopList.php

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 15, 2012 at 5:07pm

I'll post to that site, and I will move on. Thanks, guys.

For the life of me I can't recall an industry that is as notorious for bad customer service as the bike industry, save for fast food places maybe. My first experiences on the north side (close to 10 years ago) were a complete shock, and sometimes it seems like nothing has changed. I really don't understand...

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams 6.6 mi on August 15, 2012 at 5:11pm

I've never worked in a shop, so those who do or have can chime in to correct me, but I'm guessing that a big contributor to this problem is the seasonal nature of the business. For six months out of the year shops can't find enough mechanics or other employees - and while they have jobs they are over-worked. For the rest of the year, all those valued employees are laid off. That can't be good for over-all morale. It would be one thing if the jobs paid well enough to live on for the rest of the year, but of course they don't.

Zoetrope said:

I'll post to that site, and I will move on. Thanks, guys.

For the life of me I can't recall an industry that is as notorious for bad customer service as the bike industry, save for fast food places maybe. My first experiences on the north side (close to 10 years ago) were a complete shock, and sometimes it seems like nothing has changed. I really don't understand...

Permalink Reply by Andrew N on August 15, 2012 at 5:27pm

Record stores!

Zoetrope said:

For the life of me I can't recall an industry that is as notorious for bad customer service as the bike industry, save for fast food places maybe.

Permalink Reply by Serge Lubomudrov on August 15, 2012 at 5:33pm

AT&T! And T-Mobile, too.

Andrew N said:

Record stores!

Permalink Reply by Andrew N on August 15, 2012 at 5:37pm

Agreed. Telcos'/cable providers' idea of customer service seems to constitute a massive, multi-billion $ raised middle finger in the general direction of their customers. They can't be troubled to point it directly at their customers---way too much effort.

Serge Lubomudrov said:

AT&T! And T-Mobile, too.

Andrew N said:

Record stores!

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 15, 2012 at 5:38pm

That's the popular myth, I think. I'm an avid music collector and I can only remember one time where I felt condescended towards and that's when I bought a Coldplay album at Reckless by Belmont. And really, I deserved that. :)

Let's try to stay on topic though guys, yes?

Andrew N said:

Record stores!

Permalink Reply by Andrew N on August 15, 2012 at 5:48pm

I think there's still a lot of evidence of such behavior at many stores, though definitely agree that it's diminished considerably post-High Fidelity and the LRS shakeout of the mid/late '90s and early 00's. For the most part, the Mom and Pop shops still in existence are True Believers, know better, and instruct their employees accordingly, though that's not to say the employees always get the message.

If the only time this has ever happened to you is your Reckless/Coldplay(!) transaction, you should go buy a Powerball ticket STAT! :)

And to get this back on topic, sorry to hear about your crappy LBS experience. It's time to move on; Chicago is really fortunate to have a good number of shops that conduct their business in a very solid manner and there's no need to waste time with one that doesn't have its act together.

Zoetrope said:

That's the popular myth, I think. I'm an avid music collector and I can only remember one time where I felt condescended towards and that's when I bought a Coldplay album at Reckless by Belmont. And really, I deserved that. :)

Andrew N said:

Record stores!

Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on August 15, 2012 at 6:03pm

Amazon.com

Permalink Reply by william on August 16, 2012 at 1:54pm

what shop?

There are a few shops that I refuse to frequent because of their shitty business/customer service practices. Armitage Bike Shop and Kozys, namely.

Permalink Reply by Apie (10.6) on August 16, 2012 at 2:01pm

Kozys on N mil is ok. They don't lay down the red carpet or anything, but they don't ignore you. I think super friendly bike shops stand out. I walked into Iron Cycles and I felt those guys just wanted to hang out. Good neighborhood feeling, but it def is more of a neighborhood shop. I'm curious what shop Zoetrope went into, I guess we shall never know. Maybe she is just stirring the pot ;)