Spa Cycles - poor service?
Comments
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Maybe the original salesman went over a superiors head? Of course the other bloke could have put it right 'goodwill' - but it is surprising how often stuff like this happens.
Happened to me a few times, would have part time staff telling the shopper things they shouldn't like "Oh bring the bike in, he'll fix it on the spot" or "he'll replace that, don't worry". Sometimes you have to do what you can for the customer, sometimes it is not possible.0 -
but EVERYtime you are concerned that its not the customer's fault that a staff member fluffed up? Surely!?supersonic wrote:.... Sometimes you have to do what you can for the customer, sometimes it is not possible.FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles
Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro0 -
Not sure what you are saying. I do what I can for the customer if a colleague has made a mistake, it is not possible I will try and make a deal.0
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supersonic wrote:Not sure what you are saying. I do what I can for the customer if a colleague has made a mistake, it is not possible I will try and make a deal.
thats pretty much what i was saying. You 'care' that one of your staff promised something. Ok - if they promise the moon on a stick you cant deliver it but at least you can understand that it impacts your customer and try to resolve things as best you can.
Not so at spa (at least in my own experience) - he was rudely dismissive of his colleague's promises.
I was just highlighting the difference.
:-) you do Dawes Galaxy Ultra's at your shop supersonic?!FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles
Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro0 -
Lol, I am out of the retail game at the minute and into bike journalism - I write for What Mountain Bike ;-)0
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supersonic wrote:Lol, I am out of the retail game at the minute and into bike journalism - I write for What Mountain Bike ;-)
Filthy.0 -
*** Warning - RANT follows ***
Retail must be a tough business these days, but I too wonder about some LBS's I've visited, in particular their "service", or lack thereof. One place I'd visited regularly had a guy who was especially unpleasant to deal with, so when he asked one day could he "help" me, I said yes. "Please tell me why you are working in retail, because you sure don't have the attitude for it."
Got no reply, just a slack-jawed stare, so I left. Will never go back, because no matter how nice the Bianchi and Cannondales on display are, they don't deserve my money.
I have far too little time (and far too much disposable income ) to waste on second-rate service from fifth-rate numbskulls who think they are doing walk-in customers some kind of favour by offering to take money from them.
**Rant over**
I will happily pay a fair price to an LBS for GOOD service. I don't need grovelling, I just ask for sensible, knowledgeable advice, efficient transactions and mutual respect. None of those things cost the shop an extra cent to provide. Like the OP, I've walked out of shops with a wallet full of cash because they simply didn't measure up to one or more of those criteria.
The places that *do* provide those things have made a bl00dy fortune out of me..Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS0 -
How long have Spa Cycles been in their new premises?
I used to love their old shop. Ok, I know is was a bit small, but it was like travelling back in time to the side street cycling shops of my youth (anyone remember Harry Halls when it was next to the Cathedral?).
I'd hoped that the new shop would be something similar, but I hoped wrong. I don't know how long they have been in, but it looked like they had only moved the week before. Where are the display cabinets and things to buy? One small rail of what looked like clearance clothes and no shoes on display at all. A few tools and panniers, plus saddles and saddle bags.
And as for the bikes. I know they are selling their own range of Titanium bike now, but that was virtually all that they had on display. It's not very inspiring to look at a range of grey bikes.
I'd taken a friend to show him what a fantastic 'old style' bike shop Spa were, but we both walked out two very disapointed customers.
Have the original owners sold the business?
It really felt like the business had been sold as a going concern, the new owners didn't like running a proper shop, so moved to somewhere where they can run down the shop part and concentrate on mail order.
I'll still buy mail order from them as they do offer great value, but I won't be making special trips to Harrogate like I used to.
I also discovered on the same day that Bob Jackson's in Leeds had also closed their shop and were just a factory now.
Not a happy bunny!0 -
Mavisto wrote:How long have Spa Cycles been in their new premises?
I used to love their old shop. Ok, I know is was a bit small, but it was like travelling back in time to the side street cycling shops of my youth (anyone remember Harry Halls when it was next to the Cathedral?).
I'd hoped that the new shop would be something similar, but I hoped wrong. I don't know how long they have been in, but it looked like they had only moved the week before. Where are the display cabinets and things to buy? One small rail of what looked like clearance clothes and no shoes on display at all. A few tools and panniers, plus saddles and saddle bags.
And as for the bikes. I know they are selling their own range of Titanium bike now, but that was virtually all that they had on display. It's not very inspiring to look at a range of grey bikes.
I'd taken a friend to show him what a fantastic 'old style' bike shop Spa were, but we both walked out two very disapointed customers.
Have the original owners sold the business?
It really felt like the business had been sold as a going concern, the new owners didn't like running a proper shop, so moved to somewhere where they can run down the shop part and concentrate on mail order.
I'll still buy mail order from them as they do offer great value, but I won't be making special trips to Harrogate like I used to.
I also discovered on the same day that Bob Jackson's in Leeds had also closed their shop and were just a factory now.
Not a happy bunny!
Nope - same ownership, same old staff and some new staff. Basically, the mail order business became too big for the house. As it is they immediately filled a good part of the new warehouse. The good news is that your impression that they've just moved in is entirely incorrect! It's looked like that for months which is something; perish the thought that they tidy up properly and end up with something that looks like Ribble Cycles on the inside (ie tidy, tasteful and organised!) but it does lack the charm of the house on Wedderburn Road. That said, aside from the bikes what you see in the "showroom" is mostly the same stuff that was on display in the old shop - there was never really much on display before. And whilst the bikes look a bit boring they are Titanium so they won't be that colourful and they weren't on display at all before. So surely boring looking bikes is more interesting than no bikes?!
And as for the bikes - if you ask they'll just let you take one out for a test ride and I don't think they'll be fussed if you go for a while.
Yes, it hasn't the charm of old but I think you still mostly get the same straightforward service with the old fashioned 'customer is sometimes wrong' attitude. Personally, I like that but I can see why some folk don't.Faster than a tent.......0 -
Sorry to hear about the problems iclestu... I have been to Spa Cycles a few times and got a fantastic Audax Ti bike from there. I really love the shop and the characters. I can't really argue with you that it's poor for someone to offer you a deal and another member of staff not to offer it, but can only reflect that it's the individualism with which the staff treat customers that I definitely enjoyed. When choosing my bike I went on a test ride - no deposit, nothing - just off I went... I thought that was so refreshing. At the same time during the negotiations there were a few direct words here and there which typically you wouldn't get in Evans cycles etc... but I'm a big fan of Spa and their products and their bikes are great. Their prices are very good too, so I'd have sucked up the pedals and got on with it as I don't think this reflects the way the shop is generally. Give them another chance, mate.... ( I don't work for them).... everyone has bad days sometimes.0
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I don't see what the problem is. If the first sales boy had made an offer that you decided not take up, by leaving the shop to go and mull things over, that's your choice. Going back some time later and finding that a different sales fellah doesn't want to do that same deal now is hardly the biggest failing ever seen surely? Maybe he'd spent his lunchtime going over the week's sales figures and they weren't looking good. He was giving you a good chunk off already; why should he give it away for free? And let's not forget, free doesn't mean no cost, it means he (or the shop) is buying it for you. Free would be £30 or whatever these things cost the trade.
Haggling over price is always a good idea but it often doesn't end up with the discount that we'd like, maybe because retailers don't see why they should pay towards your enjoyment instead of you shelling out. That's what it boils down to - taking more out of their profits so that you've got more to spend on wine or whatever. Worth asking; don't be surprised at being told no by the bloke who has the final say in the matter. Sounds like you've already got a deal with a chunk off the bike (did I read that right?) and a pedals at close to cost price too. Getting narky at a different offer that was a tiny percentage difference in total outlay seems a bit pointless.0 -
I'll add my 5p worth. Spa used to be my first choice for anything that I couldn't get from one of few LBSs. Not any more.
My partner and i have ordered a fair bit of sundry kit from Spa over the past few years. I preferred to deal with them as they were touring specialists and sold good stuff rather than what happend to be 'in' at the moment.
Last year they assured me a rack I needed quickly had been posted and would arrive on time. It didn't, but it wasn't the end of the world, I used my old one. This year I ordered a couple of Carradice bagman supports, 9 days before we were to leave on holiday. I asked them if I would definitely get them in time for the holiday and was promised that I would. After five days I rang them and was told, 'Err, oh yeah, they are being packed now and will be with you tomorrow'. They weren''t, which resulted in us significantly altering our holiday cycling plans. I rang them en route to the ferry to say that as they were no use to me now I would be returning them, and asked why it had taken so long to get them to me. The guy who answered didn't give a toss about any inconvenience he'd caused to our holiday, was totally disinterested, arsey and aggressive in a way I doubt he would be face to face, told me to shop at Chain Reaction or Wiggle in future if I wanted fast delivery and hung up. Staggering.
In my experience Spa's attitude can be summed up as 'Give us your money and fuck off'. A shame if the guy who built it up has left it to an idiot son who is rubbishing the good name of the company. They won't get any more business from us nor from pretty much anyone I ride with. I hope the place burns to the ground.
We do a lot of touring and now we shop either at our limited LBS or online from Thorn, who have always been superb to deal with, even if they haven't made much money out of us yet.0 -
Spa Cycles - Disgusting language and vile attitude !
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with the Poor Service label, that was just the start of the awful experience.
Only buy from here if you couldn't possibly have any reason for complaint, because if anything goes wrong you may have to deal with the same individual that I had to, and reasoned argument is not his strong point.
Seriously, use somewhere that deserves the custom !0 -
Details would probably be handy. Dredging up a 2 year old thread with a new account just to rant but provide no specifics isn't any better than trolling.Qaz1 wrote:Spa Cycles - Disgusting language and vile attitude !
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with the Poor Service label, that was just the start of the awful experience.
Only buy from here if you couldn't possibly have any reason for complaint, because if anything goes wrong you may have to deal with the same individual that I had to, and reasoned argument is not his strong point.
Seriously, use somewhere that deserves the custom !0 -
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Bet you never come back and post on here ever again........Qaz1 wrote:Spa Cycles - Disgusting language and vile attitude !
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with the Poor Service label, that was just the start of the awful experience.
Only buy from here if you couldn't possibly have any reason for complaint, because if anything goes wrong you may have to deal with the same individual that I had to, and reasoned argument is not his strong point.
Seriously, use somewhere that deserves the custom !Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
ok then.0
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How right you were. So every year or two somebody Googles them when a bit miffed, finds a complaint and adds to it. That's probably not too bad compared to the number of happy customers. I've dealt with them a few times and never had an issue. I found them honest and to the point when I asked for advice, no flannel. They are in Yorkshire, they are a bit blunt and direct. This is not news. I'd rather that than being fed a load of insincere BS.Bet you never come back and post on here ever again........0 -
I LIKE typing in CAPITALS.
Spa have been fine for me when I have ordered from them, on occasion.0
