Ben Hayward & Son repairs in Cambs - Stress inducingly b

teagar

I don't normally like to complain about shops on forums, given that it's usually as much the shopper's problem the experience was bad as the shop keeper's.

This case however, has got me so enraged I feel it particularly necessary to share.

The shop is Ben Hayward & Son repairs in Cambridge, just next to the anchor.


This particular instant goes as follows:

I get a puncture on my city run around (hence me having no minipumps, tyre levers, inner-tubes etc), and notice when I try and cycle off back home.

I walked into the repair shop shop at around 16.20 to get it repaired, 40 minutes before they shut. It was empty, and the two mechanics were chatting behind the till. When I ask whether they could quickly replace the innertube so that I could get home, they said they were "very busy". After some protestation, pointing out that they didn't seem to be doing very much, I left, still with a puncture, and four pound poorer after buying an innertube, and feeling pretty indignant after they way I was spoken to.

I thought they'd given me the wrong size innertube ( I ride a hardtail mountain bike with slick tyres to get around) but they insisted that it was right.

I get home, eventually, only to find that the innertube is in fact, too big. I am pretty annoyed.



Unfortunately, this is not the only bad experience I've had. I only went this time since it was an emergency.

The previous time I again, (about a year ago), had a puncture, and despite me asking explicity NOT to change the tyre, just replace the innertube, they did exactly that. A very expensive (around £30 i think) armadillo tyre. When I told them I didn't want it and didn't want to be paid, they jsut refused point blank. I ended up paying for it.

Ironically, it was the same tyre that got the puncture....


Finally, I once took my road bike there for a good solid service. After replacing the rear sprokets and chain they charged me £90. It came back with a brand new "click" everytime I pedalled a revolution in the bike ring. I've never got rid of it since.


Like I said, after those occasions I'd never go, but this was an emergency.


Given the surprisingly consistant rude customer service (even by Cambridge standards), and their inability to do anything without causing serious stress and damaging your bank account, at least, in my case, I would strongly recomend never using Ben Hayward & Son repairs in Cambridge.

drewfromrisca

I went in there once to get some energy gels. I bought 5. I was charged £6. When I got by the train station I happened to look at the price and they all said a £1 each. Couldn't be arsed to walk all the way back for a quid.

Not good sign if they can't get simple maths right

jrduquemin

Good man, name and shame the dodgy bikes shops on here :-) Not enough people do it as far as I'm concerned

Anonymous

Regarding the click, check the cable from the front mech isn't clipping the crank arm.

They sound pants.

pneumatic

Does anyone know of a "I've had really crap customer service" website?

I've got a hatful of sorry tales and it all needs to be vented, this crippling frustration, but I don't want to end up getting fire-bombed by some creepy little mafioso for spiling the beans on his dodgy practices.

For the record, I spend my professional life trying to help organisations to behave better, so I'm not in it purely for the rant value.

So if anyone out there works for: Kwik-fit, Bupa, Webfusion, Winstanleys, Wetherspoons, The St Andrews Old Course Hotel, Scottish Hydro, Tescos, Western SAAB, Suffolk Punch lawnmowers, Bank of Scotland, any motorway service station except Tebay or Luvians bottle shop in Market Street, I may be able to give you some useful advice. But if you are not interested, I have rants to share! :evil:

drewfromrisca

Add B.T. to your list as well. I got a quality (but very long) customer service story for them. I swore the day I sorted the problem that I would never use that company again.

pantsani

I am always amazed when I speak to bike shops and get rude or some form of sh1tty customer service. I just can't fathom how treating their customers like tw@ts fits with the main aim of making money and being a successful retail business, because it only takes one bad experience and you never buy from there again.

I guess they must be doing something right if they are able to keep trading.

teagar

pantsani wrote:

I am always amazed when I speak to bike shops and get rude or some form of sh1tty customer service. I just can't fathom how treating their customers like tw@ts fits with the main aim of making money and being a successful retail business, because it only takes one bad experience and you never buy from there again.

I guess they must be doing something right if they are able to keep trading.

Lack of choice.

I'm pretty clued up to this cycling malarky and i can't think of a good local bike repair shop in Cambridge.

dilemna

Well for the record I have had nothing but good service from Ben Haywards the actual shop not the repair workshop around the corner next to the Anchor which I have used once I think years and years ago. The older guy in there might have rebuilt a factory rear wheel as I kept getting broken spokes and if I remember he did it for free, well he had to as I'd not had the bike a Trek 7500 long which I bought from them. I did go in the workshop last year to see how much they would charge for a 36 hole rear wheel build and was quoted something like £90-100 :shock: . They said the cost of the spokes alone was £70 which is bollocks. So I told them I only wanted Swiss DT spokes on the non drive side and plain on the drive side not titanium bladed spokes. They looked at me vacantly. So I said they were having a laugh and left. I went down to Condor in the end and got the wheel built for £45 by Monty. It has been perfect since the day I picked it up.

As for the shop itself I find them pretty good. The older woman in there isn't a bundle of laughs but would you be with thousands of air head Cambrdige students and tourists charging in and out every day with their old jallopies? I know it's not an excuse but that's how I see it. I do all my own servicing anyway so know a reasonable amount about bikes so don't often get caught out. The owner manager bloke is pretty helpful and knowledgable. He must be about 35-40 with short dark hair. He's not always around but when he does he makes time to have a good chat and he is a cyclist.

So in contrast to the OP's experience I find them ok. They give me cycling discount 10% for club membership as well which is handy, keeps the costs down.

bobalob

The best bike shop for repairs in Cambridge, in my experience, is Kingsway Motorcycles on City Rd. Good, helpful service and don't charge too much either. Also when I took my nice bike in there there to be fixed they stored it in the shop with all the nice new bikes rather than in the workshop with all the mucky old bikes. Made me happy.

keef66

In their defence I have always found the shop and it's staff to be OK; the lady spent ages clambering about getting down box after box of cycling shoes for me to try on, and dispensing good advice. I have no experience of the workshop round the corner, and try to do all my own mechanical stuff.

Having a bike shop on King's Parade must be like a licence to print money; last time I went in there a bloke was parting with over 2 grand to kit out his student son! I bought my innertube and left quietly.

MrChuck

I haven't been in there for a good few years but when I lived in Cambridge Ben Haywards was my favourite bike shop, and they never gave me cause for complaint. I'd be sorry to hear if that's changed, but it's surprising what a bit of staff turnover can do for a LBS so maybe it's gone downhill a bit since then.

Just felt obliged to put in a good word for them!

teagar

dilemna wrote:

Well for the record I have had nothing but good service from Ben Haywards the actual shop not the repair workshop around the corner next to the Anchor which I have used once I think years and years ago. The older guy in there might have rebuilt a factory rear wheel as I kept getting broken spokes and if I remember he did it for free, well he had to as I'd not had the bike a Trek 7500 long which I bought from them. I did go in the workshop last year to see how much they would charge for a 36 hole rear wheel build and was quoted something like £90-100 :shock: . They said the cost of the spokes alone was £70 which is bollocks. So I told them I only wanted Swiss DT spokes on the non drive side and plain on the drive side not titanium bladed spokes. They looked at me vacantly. So I said they were having a laugh and left. I went down to Condor in the end and got the wheel built for £45 by Monty. It has been perfect since the day I picked it up.

As for the shop itself I find them pretty good. The older woman in there isn't a bundle of laughs but would you be with thousands of air head Cambrdige students and tourists charging in and out every day with their old jallopies? I know it's not an excuse but that's how I see it. I do all my own servicing anyway so know a reasonable amount about bikes so don't often get caught out. The owner manager bloke is pretty helpful and knowledgable. He must be about 35-40 with short dark hair. He's not always around but when he does he makes time to have a good chat and he is a cyclist.

So in contrast to the OP's experience I find them ok. They give me cycling discount 10% for club membership as well which is handy, keeps the costs down.

You are right, the shop is fine. I havn't had any real problems with the shop other than a lack of stock, but I assume that's the same in any shop at the moment.

My complaints are aimed directly at the repair shop round the corner....

Al_38

Ben Haywards can be a tad variable at times... personally I think they just get a bit jaded by the crappy students bikes they have to fix from time to time.

Light blue cycle centre (Chesterton road) is very good and have always been helpful. Otherwise if in town I would tend to head to Bicycle Ambulance (it is in the bike park by the Maypole pub - downstairs in the big NCP car park), they should be able to sort pretty much anything out asap / lend you stuff to fix the bike there

teagar wrote:

pantsani wrote:

I am always amazed when I speak to bike shops and get rude or some form of sh1tty customer service. I just can't fathom how treating their customers like tw@ts fits with the main aim of making money and being a successful retail business, because it only takes one bad experience and you never buy from there again.

I guess they must be doing something right if they are able to keep trading.

Lack of choice.

I'm pretty clued up to this cycling malarky and i can't think of a good local bike repair shop in Cambridge.