Winstanley...poor customer service???

TheRevOlutionary

I dont want to start another moany thread about a supplier. I am genuinely shocked that customer service is not taken seriously any more.

I sent a helmet back 2 weeks ago after confirming with them that I would be sending it back as the rivet holding the rear support popped off...i'd only had it 1 week! I left it a few days for the delivery to make it to them and emailed again. No problems, they'd recieved it and agreed it was warranty...BUT the item i'd ordered only the week before is now no longer a current stock item or available from Limar. Ok, so I made a couple of similarly priced suggestions, to which I was ignored and offered other old stock of which was useless as I have a big head (62cms!). I was offered a few 54-61cm versions or road helmets, I am guessing, just because they had them in stock!? After a week of these protracted negotiations I suggested that they either supply me a choice of two alternative 'larger' versions or a refund, to which they said that that would have to be decided by the warranty dept. Ok, no problems with that...but the warranty dept finally contacted me after a few more days, and asked if i'd returned the item, and made suggestion of another road helmet that woudlnt fit!?!

All of the conversations i'd had with Winstanley had been in the emails as forwards, so if they'd been bothered to read down they'd have seen all of the previous conversations about head size, returns and my previous suggestions for alternatives...

Is it that difficult?

Am I expecting too much?

I am hoping to get one of a couple of suggested replacements or a refund now. If it's a refund, can anyone suggest a decent supplier for a bigger helmet?

.blitz

I've ordered quite a bit of stuff from Winstanleys over the years (always stock items) and never had a problem.

Last Friday I went up to Wigan and called into Winstanleys while I was there. It is a unit on an industrial estate and while they have plenty of stock they're not exactly over-staffed. If my experiences are anything to go by, the 'warranty dept' is actually one or two people and while they do their best they are only human and probably don't read past the first few lines of any e-mail. Like you I wouldn't expect this to be the case but it is - turnover takes priority over 'issues'.

In this respect, Winstanleys are not unusual - high profile, multi-page ads and big website - but the reality is they are an online catalogue showing what's available with the goal of making as much money as possible in the process.

joshtp

last year i ordered a Kona Fire mountain from winstaleys, it was the 07, 3 weeks later and a few phone calls they would be sending me the 08 one, no problem, even nicer paint job and the same spec, another 3 weeks later i got it. i waited 6 weeks, NOT happy!
im not a fan to say the least. bike was nice tho, until it got nicked.

The Northern Monkey

lol

joshtp

bigbenj_08 wrote:

lol

i presume thats about the fact it got nicked, or i may be deeply offended......

TheRevOlutionary

Eventually got a very 'short' reply via email saying they would refund me the money.

No apology, no effort to actually solve my problem and no attempt to retain my business? It's tainted my view of them as a company somewhat, and I have to appreciate that they are only an understaffed company with 1 or 2 guys doing phones/warranty etc, but everyine I had communication with was the same. Spoke to an Adam and Chris on the phone, had many an email conversation with Amy, Theresa, Heather and Gary...so it was not just one person that had poor customer care skills!?

Any ideas where to go for a larger bonce-lid?

The Northern Monkey

joshtp/mbukman wrote:

bigbenj_08 wrote:

lol

i presume thats about the fact it got nicked, or i may be deeply offended......

nope, jus laughing because another person is surprised at having poor customer service from winstanleys...

TheRevOlutionary

TheRevOlutionary wrote:

Eventually got a very 'short' reply via email saying they would refund me the money.

No apology, no effort to actually solve my problem and no attempt to retain my business? It's tainted my view of them as a company somewhat, and I have to appreciate that they are only an understaffed company with 1 or 2 guys doing phones/warranty etc, but everyine I had communication with was the same. Spoke to an Adam and Chris on the phone, had many an email conversation with Amy, Theresa, Heather and Gary...so it was not just one person that had poor customer care skills!?

Any ideas where to go for a larger bonce-lid?

*bump* :roll:

nicklouse

any shop as you should be trying for fit before buying.

larfingravy

if I may say so, you do have rather a large head