Planet X- excellent customer service

nickel

Last week I posted on the workshop forum because the bearings in the rear hub of my 1 month old Planet X AL30s had failed. I took the wheel to my LBS and had it fixed and then emailed Planet X explaning the issue. They replied within 24 hours to my email and immediately offered to credit my PX account to the value of the work I had done to the wheel on production of a receipt.

So all in all I'd count that as pretty good customer service

ShutUpLegs

A credit note to buy more faulty stuff? Brilliant.

jonbristol

Its odd isnt it, online retailers get really positive reviews for doing what bricks and mortar shops would do normally. If I had a fault with an item Id either want it replaced or a refund (if in the appropriate time) but if my LBS did this I would thank them but not go online to tell everyone because it is what I would expect and what they would do.

My point is that doing what should be done doesnt demonstrate that they are going above and beyond, they are crediting your account so you spend that mney/credit in their store, it certainly wont be as much of a hit to them as if they had refunded you.

dawebbo

Given he went to his LBS to get this fixed instead of returning it to the website, what would you expect them to do? It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

andyparker

Just shows the power of good customer service - people often left happier than they would have been had nothing gone wrong at all...

nickel

dawebbo wrote:

Given he went to his LBS to get this fixed instead of returning it to the website, what would you expect them to do? It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

This is my point, I couldnt afford to have the wheel sent back as I only have one bike and one wheelset with me at uni so had to have the wheel fixed as quickly as possible, I contacted Planet X after I had it fixed and they credited by account, Its not like I just sent it back to them and they fixed which it for me which Is of course what I would expect of any company. Technically they could refused any refund on the basis I didn't send it back to them.

markos1963

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

tx14

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

markos1963

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

They got paid a couple of quid instead of the hundred odd for selling wheels in the first place hardly a good long term business plan is it?

tx14

markos1963 wrote:

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

They got paid a couple of quid instead of the hundred odd for selling wheels in the first place hardly a good long term business plan is it?

They offer repair jobs, and they got one.
What makes them deserve the sale of the wheel more than planet? You could apply your reasoning to almost all physical merchandise, do you believe all online businesses should cease to exist?

markos1963

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

They got paid a couple of quid instead of the hundred odd for selling wheels in the first place hardly a good long term business plan is it?

They offer repair jobs, and they got one.
What makes them deserve the sale of the wheel more than planet? You could apply your reasoning to almost all physical merchandise, do you believe all online businesses should cease to exist?

No but by the same way of your arguement are you suggesting that LBS shouldn't sell merchandise? All I'm saying is if you constantly buy big ticket items from online retaillers then you won't be able to go to your local shop for repairs because they won't be there.

tx14

markos1963 wrote:

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

They got paid a couple of quid instead of the hundred odd for selling wheels in the first place hardly a good long term business plan is it?

They offer repair jobs, and they got one.
What makes them deserve the sale of the wheel more than planet? You could apply your reasoning to almost all physical merchandise, do you believe all online businesses should cease to exist?

No but by the same way of your arguement are you suggesting that LBS shouldn't sell merchandise? All I'm saying is if you constantly buy big ticket items from online retaillers then you won't be able to go to your local shop for repairs because they won't be there.

No, I acknowledge the fact that local shops offer quicker and more personal service, but the crucial thing is this additional service is priced into their goods according to their worth, the OP evidently thought it was not worth it so he went for the online shop. Averyone face the same choice, and according to they value things they make different choices, so some go for local and some shop online. Good local shops make money, and good online shop make money too. I go to lbs sometimes to pickup a tyre, I accept the markup so I get the goods in minutes rather than days. Those who are happy to wait will go online instead.
Online shops have been around for years, high streets, corner shops, etc. still exists, so obviously there are enough customers to sustain them, so the mere existence of them proves you're wrong.

nickel

Given I've bought two bikes, various components, countless innertubes, tools etc from my LBS over the past 18 months as well as having all my bikes serviced and maintained by them I don't think I owe it to them to buy a wheelset from them as well. Bearing issue aside the PX wheels were by far the lightest and stiffest wheels for the money, I'd have to pay twice the amount to get a mavic, shimano etc wheelset of the same weight from my LBS.

fungus_the_muffin_man

markos1963 wrote:

tx14 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be a thank you to your LBS for fixing the cr*p of another retailer who undercut them and is a threat to their long term business?

They got paid so what's the problem? Why should lbs get special treatment anyway, they are all businesses.

They got paid a couple of quid instead of the hundred odd for selling wheels in the first place hardly a good long term business plan is it?

So I take it you don't shop at a super market like Tesco and do all your shopping from local butchers, bakers, greengrocers etc.....

courtz

Nice way to start a debate, atleast you get to buy some more goodies