Dealing with recovery

[rictus01]

As some may know I rarely need recovery carrying as I do, tools and puncture repair kit, but on the odd occasion something happens not even I can fix I have recovery cover; I'm with NCI (although they have changed their name) and have been with them for about 7 years now, I'm very particular about the cover I get as I have limitations so make a point of highlighting my disability and the fact I'm unable to assist with bike loading and can't move a bike without it's engine power.


On Sunday I picked up a puncture, not a big deal, got my sticky string kit out, fixed in a couple of minutes (even with the bike loaded with camping kit), went to inflate the tyre and found the selftapper screw I'd pulled out had bent and gone through the sidewall, tyre was shagged, not a problem, get my recovery card out; give them a call, give the road I'm on and the name of the nearest road behind & in front of me, all the other stuff they need including my physical statues, told will be within 60 minutes (even on a Sunday), got a txt within 10 minutes with the recovery company, contact number and ETA (25 minutes), pretty good I thought.

15 minutes later I get a call from the recovery driver, he doesn't have any of the additional directions I gave; so needs to clarify where I am, so I give him what I'd already told the NCI girl, slightly annoying, but hey no biggie.

Guy turns up as expected and he's a local independent, by himself, of course he asks for a push to load the bike, politely I decline (not that I had any choice anyway), so he obviously hadn't got that part of the information either....

Fair play the guy manages to load the bike (neat bike conversion on the spectacle lift), then he confirms where he'll take me, he's told I only have local recovery; and I'll be taken to the nearest tyre place to get it repaired, I think that's great as I'm keen to get it done as soon as possible.....

Bear in mind this is a Sunday Afternoon, after the driver has rung a few places he can't find one open, so calls back his control, what they tell him is somewhat disturbing, he was advised to take me the the nearest tyre place and leave me there even though it was closed....

Now disregarding the fact I have full national recovery, and even if I had just local recovery I'll bet they don't tell people that little nugget, most bike places work Saturdays so take the Monday off, so you could be there for two days waiting.....

Anyway, in my wallet is not only the recovery card, but the policy doc as well, so I show the driver the doc and he agrees it does say National recovery, but he's unable to do anything other that what he's been authorized to do.

So I'm back on the phone to NCI, (different girl this time) she looks up my policy (as I'm able to quote the number) and agrees it is National and not local, I get an apology and she gets straight on the phone to the recovery control, 2 minutes later the drivers phone goes, all's sorted, so off we go.

At this point I'm told it'll be a two part recovery, first to Doncaster services, then pickup from there to Halifax, slightly annoying once again, but it's a nice day and I'm in no great rush.

Once again I get a txt with the second drivers deatail and contact number and the fact he'll be there at the services waiting for us.....cool.

Arrive at the services and......... nope he's not there, but no worry both me and the driver had a coffee while we wait, five minutes later I get another txt stating the second drivers vehicle has a fault and he'll have to change it and would I inform the first driver to off load and leave (he was hoping his mate would assist him), with some effort he does unload the bike and gets on his way.

Get another txt with an ETA on the second driver and as told he arrives on time, loaded with a winch, so apart from holding the bike upright while he strapped it down I didn't need to help ( so he hadn't been told of my limitation either), from there a no hassle driver to Halifax.

Now I'm not complaining and both the drivers were really nice guys, we chatted bikes all the way, nice sunny day, the waits I had were near a shop and at services; so weren't unpleasant and the fact I wasn't in a rush obviously helped my mood, however the small hickups (both avoidable and unavoidable)I can see how it could have been most frustrating if say I had to be somewhere or as stated earlier I was left with a broken bike at a closed shop, but as it turned out I think it went quite well.

Just thought some might be interested in my Sunday....

Cheers Mark.

[andrewsmith]

You find the magnet hidden in the rim?

Still sounds better than the dealing I had over the weekend (I've got about £12 bill for the 0800 number I spent nearly 2 hours on)

[rictus01]

Oh can't complain, that's the first "unfixable" puncture in about 15 years, given my mileage that's probably well over half a million miles.

Funilly enough mine is a free phone number and I only make the first call anyway.

They don't sound like the best company to be honest mate!


Sent by carrier pigeon

[NTECUK]

can I ask how much it cost .
they got u home at least.
my only two bike of recent been the AA.
They were good

I called out recovery recently cos my battery was norked. It was called via my insuarance company so they knew I was on a bike. They sent a transit van...? It was an easy fix at the side of the road. Jump start and jobs a good'un...but what would happen if they had to recover the bike and take it anywhere? No room in the back of the van?

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by Scoobs

but what would happen if they had to recover the bike and take it anywhere? No room in the back of the van?

they ask for a recovery truck to be sent then you wait.

Having had a few dealings with recovery of late, I'm always impressed by the drivers but very rarely by the call centre staff - the former are usually open to rule bending to be helpful, which can usually make a big difference in outcomes.

[rictus01]

Oh overall I thought it pretty good, even enjoyed the company, OK dozy girl to start with, but I was kept up to date with times and contact numbers and it's no ones fault the guys vehicle broke, these things happen, took about three and a half hours to get me to my destination (the exrta 30 minutes for a vehicle swap), bear in mind those vehicale are all restricted to 56mph anyway and the journey was about 80 miles as the crow flys, but longer because of the two part thing.

I have a personal coverage policy giving me everything bar home start, so me an 6 others (althoungh how you'd get them on a bike is anyones guess) and it costs me £40.

Cheers Mark.

TBh it sounds exactly like I'd expect from a recovery company.

And I'm not saying that to suggest you have unreasonably high standards just that from what RAC and AA guys have told me multi stage recovery and abysmal notes are par for the course.

the multi stage recovery is understandable but the notes is usually annoying, all big companies seem to suffer from it.