New Years Eve 2007 – I had intended to buy a new bicycle to use as a steed to go to and from work rather than using, all the time, my good Raleigh Pioneer Classic touring cycle; one of those that were still hand-built, some years back, in Nottingham, England.
Knowing from their website that Halfords had some deals going on some bicycles I went there intending to buy one there and then in the local store. That, however, was not to be. While there were about ten of the bike I wanted to buy on display, fully assembled, standing in various locations around the store and the “Bikehut” area I was told, in no uncertain terms that I could no buy one straight away but it would take a couple of days for them to assemble one for me. Mentioning that they had fully assembled ones of the kind that I wanted on display and that I was happy to buy one of them I was told that “we cannot sell you one of those”. I then requested to speak to a manager and was told that there was no manager available and anyway, they everyone was busy – period.
Customer service – what customer service? This is how you lose a sale was my comment on leaving the store.
While Halfords will sell you a bike – if you are prepared to wait a couple of days while they put it together for you, their “Bikehut” staff do not seem to be trained competent enough to be able to take a fully assembled bicycle “off the shelf” and get it road-ready – something that should and does take no more than five to ten minutes – and thus make for happy customers.
Needless to say I do not think I will be using Halfords again in a hurry.
As I wanted a new bicycle, however, on the day I walked further in to the town of Epsom, Surrey, to the local cycles shop, Action Bikes, in Upper High Street.
I can do nothing but heap praise upon the two young gentlemen in the store for their service.
I had been looking for a bicycle for around the £100 or below and the one at Halfords I had my eye on was about £90. Telling one of the guys at Action Bike what I was looking for he immediately showed me a Falcon “Nevada” mountain bike for just a penny under the hundred. Great.
My question as to whether I could take it with me right away was met with the reply: “Sure! Just give about ten minutes to check it over and you are ready to go” and so I did.
This proves, yet again, that you can buy bicycles – or whatever – in a catalog shop or a hypermarket or a place like Halfords but proper bicycle service you will only get from a dedicated cycle shop and proper maintenance and repair only from properly trained competent mechanics who live and breathe bike, like do most of those in proper bike shops.
Action Bikes – Epsom (see advert), can be found at 21-23 Upper High Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4QY. Tel. 01372 744116.
They are open every day, seven days a week, with the exception of a few statutory holidays.
Tell them you saw them mentioned here on the Green (Living) Review.
Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008
Knowing from their website that Halfords had some deals going on some bicycles I went there intending to buy one there and then in the local store. That, however, was not to be. While there were about ten of the bike I wanted to buy on display, fully assembled, standing in various locations around the store and the “Bikehut” area I was told, in no uncertain terms that I could no buy one straight away but it would take a couple of days for them to assemble one for me. Mentioning that they had fully assembled ones of the kind that I wanted on display and that I was happy to buy one of them I was told that “we cannot sell you one of those”. I then requested to speak to a manager and was told that there was no manager available and anyway, they everyone was busy – period.
Customer service – what customer service? This is how you lose a sale was my comment on leaving the store.
While Halfords will sell you a bike – if you are prepared to wait a couple of days while they put it together for you, their “Bikehut” staff do not seem to be trained competent enough to be able to take a fully assembled bicycle “off the shelf” and get it road-ready – something that should and does take no more than five to ten minutes – and thus make for happy customers.
Needless to say I do not think I will be using Halfords again in a hurry.
As I wanted a new bicycle, however, on the day I walked further in to the town of Epsom, Surrey, to the local cycles shop, Action Bikes, in Upper High Street.
I can do nothing but heap praise upon the two young gentlemen in the store for their service.
I had been looking for a bicycle for around the £100 or below and the one at Halfords I had my eye on was about £90. Telling one of the guys at Action Bike what I was looking for he immediately showed me a Falcon “Nevada” mountain bike for just a penny under the hundred. Great.
My question as to whether I could take it with me right away was met with the reply: “Sure! Just give about ten minutes to check it over and you are ready to go” and so I did.
This proves, yet again, that you can buy bicycles – or whatever – in a catalog shop or a hypermarket or a place like Halfords but proper bicycle service you will only get from a dedicated cycle shop and proper maintenance and repair only from properly trained competent mechanics who live and breathe bike, like do most of those in proper bike shops.
Action Bikes – Epsom (see advert), can be found at 21-23 Upper High Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4QY. Tel. 01372 744116.
They are open every day, seven days a week, with the exception of a few statutory holidays.
Tell them you saw them mentioned here on the Green (Living) Review.
Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008
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→The Halfords Experience
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