Help me with your opinion please on bike shops

[Quiff Wichard]

Hya guys- I have an interview tomorrow with a major motorbike clothing retaler in the UK.

I would appreciate some bullet point answers on your opinions as to what you want from a store as a customer... maybe in top five order..
like

honesty
product knowledge
not to be pestered
to be said hello to !

anything.. just to help with my preperation ..ta
any bad experiences or can u sing the praises of your local bike specific retail store??

cheers boys n girls I know u wont let me down

Dave

[timwilky]

Yes how about, decent good quality stock at the right price.

Why should I go into a store. try something on and then be able to order it on line 30% less.

aftercare! my local bike shop HIGHWAYS in wolverhampton did me a good deal on my bike, BUT once they have your £cash£ thats it!!!!! ARE YOU BUYING ANOTHER BIKE IF NOT STOP WASTING MY TIME! flash 4 grand and were all nicey nicey again and they want to be your friend.
i'd like my local bike shop to be as friendly when you've got your bike as before you made your purchase.

[Quiff Wichard]

good points....

any more???

Well young Quiff...The only real experience I have had with a U.K. bike clothing/accesory outlet was one with a sort of German sounding name via their branch in Belfast last year.
I looked at the web site and then spoke to a chappie calle Steve who was most helpfull.I told him what I was looking for and that I was in town for the weekend and might just be able to grab an hour to pop in.Nothing was too much trouble for him and he stuck some things away for me.
When I called in said shop he treated me like a long lost friend and again nothing was too much trouble.

I think being friendly but not pushy,helpfull without trying to lead the bull by the nose and showing an interest in the customer goes a long.long way.

Good luck mate!

BTW it is a bike related shop your going to isnt it? I remember when I was 16 and sending loads of job applications away.The day arrived for my interview for an Apprentice Plumber.I had brushed up on stop *****, and ball valves etc. Imagine my degree of mortification when the first question asked of me was.

"Well Peter what appeal does the career of an Electrician have for you?!

[Quiff Wichard]

ah well peter!!! maybe it best u werent an electrician! else u might not have landed in Marbella with a Ducati !


appreciating your input guys....

more please

[embee]

a couple of observations from recent visits to 2 branches of a certain well known bike clothing/accessory chain.

1 - let's call it Notchampton
I'm the only customer in. Shop guy is reading something on counter. Looks up, sees me, looks back at book.
10mins later after sorting through stock, I ask about waterproof jacket with ventilation "Don't do them, mate". (I am not his mate). I ask what this is (pointing to waterproof jacket with ventilation), "Don't know, mate" (I'm still not his mate).
Leave.

2 - let's call it Leckster
I'm the only customer in.
"Hello, how can I help?"
"Waterproof blah blah ventilation"
"I think some of these are, have a look through and I'll be back in a couple of minutes"

Get the picture?

[Quiff Wichard]

yeppers- so product knowledge is key- and honesty if they dont know-!!!

Quiff...Come on relax! It is the same when we start any new job or apply for one.We want to impress with what we know. But that is all ball*cks as before you know it you will know the location of the different items etc.

Main thing they will be interested in is if you are half presentable and have a pleaseant demeanour.Being able to string a couple of sentences together might also help.

However having read the above,I realise that you possess none of those qualities so you are just gonna have to blag it!

Now get a cup of Horlicks and get yerself to bed and up bright and breezey in the morning.

Originally Posted by timwilky

Yes how about, decent good quality stock at the right price.

Why should I go into a store. try something on and then be able to order it on line 30% less.

Be thankful people buy products from these stores so you have the convenience of being able to try the product in the first place. There's also the convenience of being able to take things back when they're faulty and usually get an exchange rather than wait weeks for a reply to your email regarding the fault, lost post, unneccessary return P&P charges and long delays.

If you need an example of such a company (not motorcycle related):

http://www.dabs.com