Condor - Service for a joke

stefano

Last Friday I went to Condor to buy...guess what...just ball bearings for my Lanster’s wheels. I had checked before the forum and on the web and I have seen that they cost about 70p for 24 and 1.50 packaged with a grease tube.

First I ask someone from the staff and he replied that they sell but he would call someone else to help me. After 10min standing and waiting for someone thought to be more decisive…I went close to two staff chatting together in front of the entrance and ask the same question. One guy looking at me not so willing to help (but this time I looked more like wanted to be served) came closer.

I said that I wanted ¼ of an inch for the rear and one size smaller for the front, I couldn’t recall the size but could say which if I could see the indication on the package. The guy didn’t want to show me what they have he just went in the basement and brought a size suggested for the mechanic only for the front wheel. I reminded that wanted also for the rear and he went down no so happy to get them.

Now read carefully, he first told me 3 pounds each which was 4 times more expensive than expected and told him must be a mistake “on the web they sell less than a pound”. He replied aggressively that “we are a shop not the web…do you want them or not”. Then another stuff resting with his elbow next to the counter next to him said…No campaniolo cost 20p each. Then the first stuff did a calculation and said that now I have to pay 9 pounds …I was socked (anyway the total it doesn’t sum up). Finally a third staff eating a sandwich behind on the side of the counter involved in the conversation and said no no plain ones cost 1.5 pounds per set/package. I paid the 3 pounds and left very disappointed and without given any receipt…I would have left without buying them but needed them immediately.

I am currently thinking to buy a bike…I would never buy it from Condor…if they cannot sell two dozens of ball bearings imagine if you want to buy a bike…ridiculously incompetent!!!!!

wildmoustache

Condor getting a bit of a reputation now for giving very poor service.

I've been impressed by Bern's replies when he's been on this forum, but it seems the problems persist!

italiaandyf

Hi
I've just bought a bike from condor. Before buying I read quite a few posts, both good and bad, regarding the level of service from the staff at the shop in grays inn road. Condor, as far I remember, have always made great bikes, and this is why I went there, for a great bike. The guy who served me (I don't need to mention names here) was superb. He took one look at me, knew which frame size I needed, set the sizing jig up and got bars, stem and saddle height and position set up, got me peddling, made a few adjustments, and suggestions about posture (I'm new to road biking, coming from off road biking, so the position felt very different), and it all felt so right that I ordered the bike there and then.

It took about 6 weeks to be built up, but having picked up the bike, got it home, and been out on a few 30 mile rides, the bike is absolutely superb:- the fit is right, everything is in the right place, no knee pain which used to be a problem mountain biking - I'm very pleased. I was getting disillusioned when visiting the chain store bike shops, and hearing the words "I think that looks about right" when I sat on the bike - "about right" to me is not right. And with the condor it feels right - and my cycling mates tell me, looks right.

It seems the condor shop owner is aware of the problems, and I'm they will get sorted, no one in business wants a bad reputation. I'm very pleased with the bike, and if I was ever to need another bike, I go there again.
Cheers.

daowned

I am sure everyone has experienced something like this in cycle shops it has happened to me too, I would say take your business elsewhere mate its face to face customer service that counts not flashy websites/adverts.

Its very hard to find a good bike shop that know what they are talking about and want to help you out, but they are out there.

stefano

A good customer service means equally good handling of customers buying both cheap and expensive products/services.
In simple words, if you fancy spending a few grant to buy an expensive bike everyone will be of great help…if you then need some cheap parts to run your bike I am sure that not all of them will so helpful.
This a good way to you judge a good or bad service (my personal opinion)

PS: a great advantage of this forum is that we can be aware of these issues in advance; learning from other people’s experiences

Uranus

Said it before and I'll say it again, but go to Edwardes in Camberwell if you want stuff like this, proper old-fashioned bike shop things. Or maybe Simpson's in Hampstead if you're scared to go South of the River

wildmoustache

stefano wrote:

A good customer service means equally good handling of customers buying both cheap and expensive products/services.
In simple words, if you fancy spending a few grant to buy an expensive bike everyone will be of great help…if you then need some cheap parts to run your bike I am sure that not all of them will so helpful.
This a good way to you judge a good or bad service (my personal opinion)

PS: a great advantage of this forum is that we can be aware of these issues in advance; learning from other people’s experiences

you're right, and when i made the comment in another thread about the possibility of a shop that specializes in repairs done quickly without grumbles I was serious.

the problem for bike shops is that they are still trying to play in a part of the value chain where they manifestly cannot offer as good value as online retailers ... and in fact in London at least generally offer substantially worse value.

they therefore try to tie (however informally) the purchase of these overpriced products with the promise of preferential ongoing service.

fortunately for bike shops the demand (at least in London) has soared in the past few years (and people haven't learnt to look after their own bikes!) and so LBSs' fortunes are rising ... though IMO this masks serious weaknesses with many of the current players ... offering, in short, pretty poor service for many customers and overpriced products for all. There is an opportunity to turn this round and really offer a good deal in the part of the value chain where bike shops actually add value ... fitting for bikes, advice, and maintainance/repairs.

scherrit

I have heard rumours of a few new players in West London..... a new shop close to Richmond Park with some serious money behind it. Whispers of a new repair and fitting centre in Ealing. A good point from wildmoustache about where shops can add value..... if you're going to buy something at a high street retailer, why would you go to one where the assistant is going to read you the packaging when you ask then about the item???

carbonbasedlifeform

I've interpreted Condor's level of service as a function of their success and cycling's growth. In a succession of three visits in the space of a few days over the summer, I experienced a mixture of arrogance and disinterest that kind of turned me off, but I was so obviously just one guy in there out of a constant stream, and there are a few condor sycophants kicking around so I imagine its inevitable that the lamer members of staff might end up thinking they are the dogs.

Have to say I still admire the breadth and quality of the kit they stock, but I far prefer the atmosphere of benign desperation one finds in your bog-standard LBS.

rjeffroy

I have heard rumours of a few new players in West London

Interesting - I live in Ealing and often ride in Richmond Park - are you able to divulge any more?

homercles

carbonbasedlifeform wrote:

I far prefer the atmosphere of benign desperation one finds in your bog-standard LBS.

Know exactly what you mean!

giant_man

I know Bern from Condor cycles is on this forum so it would be nice to hear from him regarding the bad service you experienced, stefano

wildmoustache

carbonbasedlifeform wrote:

I've interpreted Condor's level of service as a function of their success and cycling's growth. In a succession of three visits in the space of a few days over the summer, I experienced a mixture of arrogance and disinterest that kind of turned me off, but I was so obviously just one guy in there out of a constant stream, and there are a few condor sycophants kicking around so I imagine its inevitable that the lamer members of staff might end up thinking they are the dogs.

Have to say I still admire the breadth and quality of the kit they stock, but I far prefer the atmosphere of benign desperation one finds in your bog-standard LBS.

well put. good post. The only word I'd change is "few" to "painfully large numbers of sado..."

the rising tide has raised all boats with London's LBSs. But, the standard is patchy. Condor aren't doing everything well by any means. But they have a good range of stock and can sometimes by very helpful.

Bern.

I don't get a chance to scan through the forum as much these days so sorry for any missed responses.

Stefano, your story concerns me greatly.
Yes, there have been some negative comments on how customers have been served or spoken to wihin our store.
No, this is not what we expect, whether it is quite or under pressure during a busy lunchtime.
I have said it before that the good thing about forums is to give feedback as come customers are not always prepared to complain in-store or ask to speak to the Manager.
I would certainly be interested to find out which members of staff dealt with you.

Plain 1/4" bearings loose should cost around approx £1 per set depending on where you get them. It sounds like there was a distict lack of care in the service given to you. We have all of the price information to hand so it is not hard for all staff to view the same price instead of making wild guesses.

This will be discussed at length as soon in store with all staff. I am happy if you wish to discuss further by sending me a private message.

The whole ethos behind our store as far as I am concerned is that all customers are treated the same whether buying a 5K dream bike or spending 10p on a spoke nipple.

I know that there are numerous customers who give very praisworthy and positve feedback on how they are dealt with in our store and come back year after year.

I guarantee that I will do all I can to re-educate our staff on customer care.

JWSurrey

Yo Bern, Good to see you back - I've been off the (Bike)Radar for a few months, and loitering under an alias. (Boring story).
How about a ticket based queueing system on the front desk?
How about trainees wearing trainee T-shirts?

Who's going to be at the bike show on the Condor stand Saturday/Sunday?
Got anything spicy lined up?
AskBern thread seems to not be working for me - Can't get to the last page.

Time to dust off the Frat Burner for the winter - Is there any easy way to calculate how much rim wear is OK on Ventos?

Keep up the good work - You should have had a visit from a member of the Canadian Tri team, who I bumped in to on a 'plane last week.

caw35slr

A take-a-number ticketing system would be an improvement.

I popped into Condor one afternoon recently with a view to buying a bike and I was ignored so comprehensively I wondered if there was some sort of customer initiation or induction process that I'd missed out on. I had time to kill so, being a bloody-minded swine, I decided to stick it out and see how long I could browse before anybody approached me.

35 minutes later, no contact made. Sadly I ran out of time because it would have been interesting to see if the staff could have contrived to shut up shop for the night without acknowledging my presence.

Nobody challenged me on the way out. I considered making a scene but I didn't think you deserved the effort.

Is this a record?

BTW, although quite large I am not particularly scary or poor looking and I made sure to leave my invisibility cloak at home that day, so you've got no excuses whatsoever.

ChrisLS

...so you just browsed...was there no one you could ask for help?

caw35slr

What's wrong with browsing in the expectation that the highly trained/motivated sales professionals will pounce? ;-)

I browsed for a while and, when it was clear that nobody was coming my way, I made an approach to the three staff members at the front desk and was told that somebody would be with me in a minute. They weren't. I went downstairs and there were a couple of fittings going on.

I hung around there for a few minutes (to the extent that I was now clearly waiting and not browsing at all), neither staff member acknowledged me so I asked if they would be long. The answer was yes. Now, that's not their fault, but they could have let me know without me asking that and/or requested an assistant from upstairs.

Now in bloody minded mode I headed back upstairs, loitered with intent to spend, took a phone call and buggered off after a total of about 35 minutes in the store.

Did I do something wrong? I'm mystified.

Pirahna

ChrisLS wrote:

...so you just browsed...was there no one you could ask for help?

You've never been to Condor then. Sometimes you get served, sometimes you get ignored. It's been that way for many years.

everogere

Not having a Condor shop up here in Yorkshire, it sounds to me to be a shop I would steer clear of. Politeness costs nothing !!!!

bryanm

everogere wrote:

Not having a Condor shop up here in Yorkshire, it sounds to me to be a shop I would steer clear of. Politeness costs nothing !!!!

Politeness is in such plentiful supply in Yorkshire that it's free. It's a rare commodity in London and is priced as such...

farrell

Never had a problem being served at Condor.

What you need to do is the following and it always works for me:-

Pick up the item you want,

Go to the counter,

Pay for it......


....or say

excuse me I want to buy a bike........

dithering around browsing will get you nowhere as you are 'just looking'....

.....Communication is the key......

homercles

I agree with that Farrell - stick yourself in their faces and they're a helpful bunch I find. Lurk around downstairs eyeing up bikes and they'll leave you to it, probably (rightly?) thinking your just getting off looking at all the nice kit.

robbie the roadie

totally disagree. If your stood there eyeing up the bikes it is in the best interests of the shop to come over to you and ask if you would like any help. From reading the condor articles on this forum it looks like they've already lost quite a few bike sales from not approaching customers.

Pirahna

So nobody has ever stood at the counter in Condor trying to pay for something and still being ignored? You ask to pay for something and a member of staff says "be with you in a minute" then buggers off.

Big Red S

robbie the roadie wrote:

totally disagree. If your stood there eyeing up the bikes it is in the best interests of the shop to come over to you and ask if you would like any help.

It depends.

If every time I went into a shop for a browse I was hassled by shop staff, I'd stop going.
If I was left to my own devices until I actually wanted (and so asked for) that help, I'd be much happier about going there, and so be more likely to buy from there.

So It's entirely likely that they'll make a single sale out of asking me if I need any help, but they'd not get any more.

Where I work, I leave customers to it unless they ask for help, or look lost.

caw35slr

farrell wrote:

...dithering around browsing will get you nowhere as you are 'just looking'....

Suggest you read my second post. I'm not entirely thick, you know.

farrell

sorry dude.

OnTow

Condor's my favourite shop.
It is very busy though.
They're going to be at the cycle show in Earls Ct. next week, and i'll try and pop along there - I went last year and they were all very helpful - I spoke to the guy who eventually sold me two bikes and gave me a guided tour of all componentry down to specifying the handlebar tape! A fantastic custom job.
I spoke to their designer too, and got to hear about their testing and design process.
They've even suggested reducing the price on my component purchases in the past, by some simple changes to the spec./model of the component.

Yes, occasionally it's stupidly busy - Just like a good pub when you have to queue at the bar - I sometimes go back when it's quieter.

Best times I've found are 11ish, not Mondays or Fridays, or between 4 and 5.

slickongreens

I have to say I am a big fan of the shop and most of the staff. I have bought a couple of bikes there, which inevitably affects the way I am served by a couple of the team. They know my name and we chat.

But other staff don't know me from Adam and they have always been courteous and helpful, offering advice on helmets, shoes and clothing. I even had a mini tutorial on adjusting a hub gear so I could replace my rear mudguard on a Brompton.

I often go for a (tragic) lunchtime browse and am mostly, thankfully left to my own devices - too embarrassing to admit I am indulging yet again in a bit of cycle porn...

(But there is almost always an offer of assistance if I loiter too long in one area. My trick is to keep moving.)

infopete

You guys don't know you have it so good.

You should come and chat to the grumpy git who runs my LBS.

Condor is amazing in comparison .... and it's 100 miles away but I shop there.

Pete