Evans - Canary Wharf - Customer service, or lack of it!

twentynine12

A bit of background. I've recently (2 weeks ago) started coming into London Waterloo on the train with a Brompton then cycling to Canary Wharf. Overall it's been a pleasant experience once I figured out how to get onto CS3.

When I got the Brompton it came with the extended seat post which initially was fine, I'm 6ft 4 and I was ok with it but having cycled in for 2 weeks I decided it was time to get the telescopic seatpost for a bit of comfort! I ordered at Evans in CW, spoke to a chap who said that they'd fit it for me, all good.

I rocked up just now to Evans with my bike, picked up the seatpost, spoke to the very same guy who I spoke to when I bought it and asked him to either fit it or get someone to do it for me. He went away and came back saying there's a minimum fee of £13.95 labour for doing any work.

There's lots wrong with this experience in my eyes, firstly if he'd said I'd have to fit it then I would have been unhappy (I've just paid £51 for a seatpost, surely they could fit it) but fine I'd have done it. But this guy didn't say that, he said they'd help me do it or do it! So I borrowed a tool from this guy and did it in the middle of their store. It took 4 mins. Another employee even came up and asked if he could help just as I was finishing!

I wonder whether this is an isolated experience with just the guy who served me, the CW shop generally or Evans?

I know it's trivial but it's the principal of the matter.

Oh, and normally I'm not grumpy. Honest!

keyser__soze

twentynine12, probably depends who you talk to. The junior guys in there come across as real jobsworths, probably because they've had the rules about not helping customers fixing things or lending out their tools drilled into them and have no discretion. The more relaxed guys have been quite friendly and helpful.

kurako

It is what it is. I bought my road bike there and I liked the fact that they'd get in any bike they stocked, build it and let me take it for a test ride with no obligation to buy.

They also come in handy when you absolutely need to get something that day (like the other week when I busted my helmet and daren't go home without a new one lest the missus tell me off for riding to work AND back without a lid. Gulp!).

The downside is you're relying on what is actually in store and prices can be steep although they will price match online retailers if you can find the same item (size+colour) cheaper.

In terms of servicing they're adequate but I prefer to go to my LBS because I like the mechanic and he always does a good job.

If you need to order something then it'd probably be better to try one of the online sites like Wiggle, Chain Reaction, Ribble Cycles, Cycles UK, Pearson, etc....

twentynine12

I think you're both right, it depends on who you speak to in-store, if you get someone super-helpful (which I did when I bought my road bike from the Waterloo Cut store) then it's fine.

I do buy most things online from Wiggle mainly. Guess I just need to use my LBS more, although I've moved so not entirely sure they're any good yet!

But I tell you one thing, having a saddle at the right height make SOOOO much difference.

kurako

twentynine12 wrote:

But I tell you one thing, having a saddle at the right height make SOOOO much difference.

Can't argue with that. When I was trying out bikes I kept going back into the shop after a couple of laps of CW and kept saying 'I think the saddle needs to go up a bit'

For parts I find Chain Reaction the best. They have the most amazing selection (like replacement parts for Magura brakes). Nice.

antikythera

Use to work in Canary Wharf and would go to Evans iff there was something I really needed and couldn't wait (and then I'd price match in the store).

My experience was pretty much that they should be flinging shoot and eeeking at each other. When I went looking for a specific (veloce) BB tool; monkey #1 went off several times and return with everything except what I asked for, then monkey #2 came over and said that all BB tool's were the same!!! :shock:

I'm going to ignore the number of times there's been 4 staff at the counter and nobody being served. Or requesting they get a piece of kit in and returning multiple times over several months to find that its still not been ordered :roll:

Lesson learnt: only for emergency tube replacements or getting out of the rain

fatherted

"I wonder whether this is an isolated experience with just the guy who served me, the CW shop generally or Evans? "

It's Evans in general.

The shop in Blackfriars charges 50p to use their track pump.

I wouldn't go near them esp since they were taken over by private equity

identikit

fatherted wrote:

The shop in Blackfriars charges 50p to use their track pump.

I've never been charged to use their pump and I go past the St. Pauls store most days. Who told you that? Some hobo looking for change?

twentynine12

Cripes, a charge to use the foot pump, unbelievable.

Think I'll only go there in emergencies.

I'll also reiterate my earlier point about saddle height, makes a ridiculous difference. That and correctly inflated tyres of course!

beegee

I was in there last saturday. I was served by a girl, very helpful indeed. Maybe it helped I was in a decisive mood (unusual for me). It was the first time I have been there and I thought the shop was good. I am not disagreeing with you, just saying that for what I wanted (lights, helmet, mudguards, glasses) they were fine.

mtb-idle

I use it all the time but only for small things like tubes, commuting lights, tyres, pumps etc.

Regularly use their track pumps.

They are fine for that stuff.

Got a few strange answers when looking for something more technical but not enough to let it bother me.

pastryboy

Service seems fine to me (got some free cable end caps before) but like the post above, ask for something slightly more complex than an inner tube and some of the staff are a bit out of their depth.

AirTime

last time i went in there i felt obliged to help a woman fit a new pair of break pads whilst all the staff stood behind the safety of their counter looking very gormless. they could clearly see she was struggling and had no idea what to do. it took me literally 5 mins to sort them and show her how its done. it wouldn't have hurt anyone to help her out. a LBS definitely would have

Rep of Seaburn

Never had any problems with the staff in the CW store, always helpful. Can't be said for my local store.

optimisticbiker

Always generally had a positive experience in Evans at Hendon (my local), Fenchurch St & the one in Spitalfields.

Picked up my new bike at the Evans in The Cut last week, walked in there with a new pair of shoes and the guy was more than happy to fit the cleats without being asked.. tho he rightly did check I was happy to let him...

rodgers73

I bought my bike from the Castleford shop and the attitude up here is as bad as London shops seem to be. If they can sell you something then they're all over you like a rash, but anything technical or asking for help rather than sales patter and they're awful.

The youngest bloke in there is almost blatantly rude he's so "to the point" in his unwillingness to help.

gaddster

Just wanted to add my grumble about Evans too. Had some terrible customer service lately at the Woking store, staff don't seem that clued up on the more techy stuff and I find them quite rude. They sold me a set of Crud Roadracers (full price) that someone had clearly returned, one of the mudguards had been hack sawed in two, all the cable ties were cut plus everything had been opened and just chucked back in the damaged box!

They're very keen when you're spending big money, absolutely no post sale support though. After speaking to a work pal it seems mine is not an isolated incident either, I certainly will not be using them again once my current issues are sorted.

cheers

Blue Meanie

I blame Wiggle!

but, tbh it's true...

The big online retailers can out-price the LBS, and the LBS can only really compete by means of customer service (knowing you and your bike). Now the big shops are trying to do 'excellant customer service' but struggle with the red-tape that big shops have: Centralised Ordering, Staff Training Logs, Risk Assesment, Left Hand knowing what Right Hand does, and such that LBS work around.

If untrained 'Saturday-Boy' fitted your brake-blocks and they fell off would you laugh and put it down to experience? Even lending you a tool to adjust something on your bike opens them to culpability.
Big shops seem to employ whoever wants a job, but LBS staff are/should be cycle-heads.

I've worked for both (Large vs Local) and can see faults in both. Find a good shop and go back, but keep your eye on online bargains...