Disrespectful bike shop owner

balo72

Out of revenge or just common sense?

I thought a lot before deciding to share this with all the other commuter cyclists on this forum. Please don't judge me after you read this. I'm not giving out on anyone, I just hope by reading this, some people will reflect on these matters and decide for them.

This morning, on the way to work, my rear tire got deflated so I stopped to the only (I suppose!) bike shop on main street Ranelagh. I asked for an air pump, I received one from the guy at the till who was on the phone. Unfortunately it wasn't working properly so I went back inside to ask for another. At all times the guy behind the desk was on the phone. I waited for a while, but since I was late and seeing another pump which looked the real deal, I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop.

At this point the guy at the desk, which I'm going to call from now on "the owner", finished his phone call. I wasn't aware that he said something to me while on the phone. The dialogue went like this, some of the words used may be wrong but the tone and contents are accurate:

- The pump you gave me doesn't work. The air escapes through the cord.
- That's because all the idiots that come into the shop asking for the air pump. They use it and they break it. I don't have money to replace the pump every week. Why you took the other pump? It doesn't fit, the valve is too short. You're not listening!
- I didn't understand what you said. I thought you were still on the phone.
- How come you didn't understand, it was in plain English! I said the pump was broken because of the idiots that are coming in here asking for the air pump and breaking it. Why you come into my shop and grab the other pump? Would you like me coming to your home and take things?

At this stage I excused myself for trying to be a customer. At no point I used offensive language nor did I behave like a prick. I end up in Eurocycles having a total opposite experience, respectful attitude from staff and using the same pump which worked on the valve which, by the way, wasn't short.

What I am trying to do is to raise awareness regarding customer service in a very well exposed bicycle shop on a major cyclist route. I don't know this guy's name but I do hope that all of you can go beyond the long reading and judge if I posted this as an act of revenge towards the attitude I was faced with or is it just common sense.

If this is not the place for this topic, I ask the moderators to move it. Apologies in advance.

Lumen

Customers buy things.

07Lapierre

balo72 wrote: »

Out of revenge or just common sense?

I thought a lot before deciding to share this with all the other commuter cyclists on this forum. Please don't judge me after you read this. I'm not giving out on anyone, I just hope by reading this, some people will reflect on these matters and decide for them.

This morning, on the way to work, my rear tire got deflated so I stopped to the only (I suppose!) bike shop on main street Ranelagh. I asked for an air pump, I received one from the guy at the till who was on the phone. Unfortunately it wasn't working properly so I went back inside to ask for another. At all times the guy behind the desk was on the phone. I waited for a while, but since I was late and seeing another pump which looked the real deal, I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop.

At this point the guy at the desk, which I'm going to call from now on "the owner", finished his phone call. I wasn't aware that he said something to me while on the phone. The dialogue went like this, some of the words used may be wrong but the tone and contents are accurate:

- The pump you gave me doesn't work. The air escapes through the cord.
- That's because all the idiots that come into the shop asking for the air pump. They use it and they break it. I don't have money to replace the pump every week. Why you took the other pump? It doesn't fit, the valve is too short. You're not listening!
- I didn't understand what you said. I thought you were still on the phone.
- How come you didn't understand, it was in plain English! I said the pump was broken because of the idiots that are coming in here asking for the air pump and breaking it. Why you come into my shop and grab the other pump? Would you like me coming to your home and take things?

At this stage I excused myself for trying to be a customer. At no point I used offensive language nor did I behave like a prick. I end up in Eurocycles having a total opposite experience, respectful attitude from staff and using the same pump which worked on the valve which, by the way, wasn't short.

What I am trying to do is to raise awareness regarding customer service in a very well exposed bicycle shop on a major cyclist route. I don't know this guy's name but I do hope that all of you can go beyond the long reading and judge if I posted this as an act of revenge towards the attitude I was faced with or is it just common sense.

If this is not the place for this topic, I ask the moderators to move it. Apologies in advance.

Were you going to buy the pump?

amdublin

Bike shop.

Not "hello, come in and use my free pump" place.

DavyD_83

Hmm,
I know some people would say if you wanted a pump you should have bought one.

Personally, I dunno, it's upto the guy in the shop. Some places lend stuff, some don't.
I definitely don't think it's a given that any tools or pumps visible are available for taking and using.

I think you need to accept some of the blame here

amdublin

07Lapierre wrote: »

Were you going to buy the pump?

Yeah actually, why didn't you just buy a pump

Paparazzo

You learned a valuable lesson. Always carry your own pump.

I'd say bike shops are sick to death of people coming in looking to use them. I reckon if you were a regular customer in this bike shop and actually bought stuff they'd have no trouble helping you.

AstraMonti

Now we know where the guys from Cyclelogical went.

Crow92

Ah come on, cyclelogical got grief here fot not even lending out a pump to people. It's good practice, people appreciate it and can lead to them buying things in the shop. I let anyone use the pump in work, if they don't know how to use it I'll show them/do it for them. Takes a minute to do it's not a lot of effort.

Lumen

Crow92 wrote: »

Ah come on, cyclelogical got grief here fot not even lending out a pump to people

No, Cycleogical got grief for acting like complete dicks about it.

CramCycle

balo72 wrote: »

I waited for a while, but since I was late and seeing another pump which looked the real deal, I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop.

I was in there once, can't remember what for, seemed like a nice guy. A friend of mine swears by the place, cheap and honest was his description.

You took the pump without asking, it may not have been intentional but it was bad manners, his reaction may have been a bit hostile but to be fair, IMO you instigated the hostility.

colm_gti

Where in ranelagh is the bike shop?

neilr4

What strikes me about the OP is the total lack of respect he recieved from the owner. Ok the OP took the 2nd pump as the first one was broken and as someone else pointed out he WASN'T a customer as he didn't purchase anything but was he not a future POTENTIAL customer? I find it hard to believe that people were queueing up to use the pump and as a result caused the 1st one to get broken.

I had a similar experience when my chain snapped during a training ride and I went into a local bike shop to borrow a chain-breaker, fixed it outside and returned it. The owner was polite even though I had never been there before, when I need sport drink/food I always make a point of going back to that shop even though it's 12 miles away, I spent €150 there last saturday buying tyres and other stuff. If I had been treated the same way as the OP I would be telling anybody that would listen to stay the hell away....... He didn't help me to get my future custom, for all he knew I was 60 miles from home and would never be back he was just being helpful and that is exactly what the owner that the OP encountered should've been............miserable sod!!

Doesn't sound to me as if he should be dealing with the general public, lock him in a cage and throw him banana's......... oh and a bike pump!

C3PO

So the shop owner lent you a pump and when it didn't work you went in and helped yourself to another one (a new one from stock?) without asking his permission and you're surprised that he was a bit annoyed! And then to add insult to injury you get on to an internet forum and try to cause damage to his business .... !

CramCycle

neilr4 wrote: »

Ok the OP took the 2nd pump as the first one was broken and as someone else pointed out he WASN'T a customer as he didn't purchase anything but was he not a future POTENTIAL customer?

He may well have been, doesn't change the fact he didn't ask for the second pump (was it a new one, or the mechanics one?).

wanderer 22

colm_gti wrote: »

Where in ranelagh is the bike shop?

I'm presuming it's the one beside the Luas station?

seamus

As you say yourself, it's an exposed shop on a major commuter route. They probably get 5 people an hour coming past asking to use the pump and then heading off again without even looking around the shop.

Although there's a fair argument that a bit of a smile can help convert sales, he's perfectly right that a lot of people don't know how to use the pump and will end up breaking it. So if the shop ends up replacing the pump every few weeks and getting no sales out of it, you can see why they'd very quickly get snotty with people who get snotty about a free service.

They should just charge €2 for it.

neilr4

CramCycle wrote: »

He may well have been, doesn't change the fact he didn't ask for the second pump (was it a new one, or the mechanics one?).

Well the owner was on the phone and the OP was in a hurry!

C3PO

seamus wrote: »

They should just charge €2 for it.

But then there would be somebody on whinging about that too ..... nothing surer!

RobFowl

So the first free pump you took didn't work so you took another without asking (and with no intention of buying it).
I really can't see why the owner was so unreasonable....

Colonialboy

balo72 wrote: »

I asked for an air pump, I received one from the guy at the till who was on the phone. Unfortunately it wasn't working properly so I went back inside to ask for another. At all times the guy behind the desk was on the phone. I waited for a while, but since I was late and seeing another pump which looked the real deal, I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop.

I think the guy was pretty good to sort you out first time, even though he was on the phone.
Usually if the bike shop attendant is on the phone i dont interrupt them cos I think they might be working and so I spend the time looking around the shop.

Seems a bit cheeky to me that just cos you were late you couldnt wait until he was off the phone in his place of work before you grabbed the second pump. Or do you think your needs are more important that whatever his phone call was about.

Maybe you shouldnt be looking to lay all the blame on the bike shop owner but instead you should be asking...
Why do some cyclists borrow, break or even nick stuff from bike shops that they happen to drop into because of a mechanical emergency situation.

GlennaMaddy

Pumps don't last long if they're used frequently so I can see how shops get pissed off (particularly the shops on busy cycle routes).

Maybe they should charge 1 euro per pump stroke, after 20 strokes punter keeps the pump

smacl

neilr4 wrote: »

Well the owner was on the phone and the OP was in a hurry!

And that gives the OP the right to take something from the premises without permission from the owner? Freebies are not a right or even a given, and taking something that isn't yours is most certainly wrong.

RobFowl

GlennaMaddy wrote: »

Maybe they should charge 1 euro per stroke

I know of at least one other professional group that charges similarly

CramCycle

neilr4 wrote: »

Well the owner was on the phone and the OP was in a hurry! :pac:

FYP

EDIT: or were you being serious?

Jawgap

I think you might have smoothed the way if you'd bought something small (a tube? you'll always use those) and then as you're paying just say "Oh, any chance of the loan of a pump, I think one of my tyres is a bit soft."

CramCycle

smacl wrote: »

And that gives the OP the right to take something from the premises without permission from the owner?

Just to clarify, the OP did say he did not take it from the premises.

Tail Wagger

I can understand you're frustration while this guy was on the phone, still he's offering a free service. If the pump was damaged out side the shop it may have been damaged by another frustrated cyclist! however, I drive a car so I carry a spare wheel, I get a puncture I pay to have it repaired!
for the sake of a couple of €'s I think you should have you're own pump. The guy is probably annoyed at the fact that you didn't wait until he finished his phone call, He may have thought you were being a bit presumptuous and using the pump in the shop for free! I guess you should have you're bike accessories with you when travelling!

Mellio

Well the fact that you cycle to work which I presume is on a daily basis
should tell you to go out and get a pump of your own as the possibility of getting a flat is quite like at some stage. there not that expensive to buy.

You were treated with a note of sarcasm because you were obviously not the first person to go in and asked for a free use of his pump. cant balme him really.

Whether they use one in there work place thats readily available is irrelevant and you should consider the fact a businees has to make money to survive, not by giving away the free use of a pump.

If I was on the till I would offer to sell one not give one out for free which he actually did.

You should have no complaints.

DKO

I appreciate some leeway from shops and try to give my business to places where the lads are mannerly and helpful, to my detriment financially on occasion. There are on the other hand shops I avoid like the plague... I imagine I am not alone here on that one.

It would be better for a shop that had a policy not to loan pumps to communicate it in a 'nice' manner, or even give the pump while letting the customer know you are doing them a favour etc.

No one likes being called an idiot, it does no service to your business and can in fact damage it in the long run - this is not rocket science.

sweetswing

He should have pumped your wheel for you , there is no place in business for bad attitude !!!!

rich.d.berry

I can see both sides of this.

The shop owner/employee has the opportunity to advertise his services relatively cheaply by allowing the use of a pump. A pump retailing for €35 will cost no more than €20 to the shop. It is a cheap (by advertising standards) way of becoming known as friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. If they're really proactive then a mechanic on standby could be available to assist and could even offer advice or identify problems that may need attention. Even if only 1 in 50 converts to a customer they'd be doing way better than any other advertising method.

On the other hand, it is cheeky expecting that you can help yourself to equipment and tools. The OP does come across as cheap and impatient. Also, the fact that he has never before been to the shop yet cycles the route regularly perhaps vindicates the owner in not wanting to assist. Had there been some previous relationship built by shopping or browsing or seeking advice then I cannot imagine that it would have been a problem.

Personally, I cycle/walk/drive past my nearest LBS in order to visit my favourite LBS who greet me by name (I know their names too by the way) for all my requirements now. The other LBS was given a few chances by me, but not once in the dozen or so visits to their premises did I find the level of service that I get every time in my preferred shop. I'm even prepared to wait and browse when they're busy (they don't drop everything to attend to me) but they do greet me and inform me that I'll need to wait or they'll ask me to come back a bit later. Good service makes all the difference.

Duggys Housemate

From a customer point of view you are looking for the shop to produce a free service, instead of expecting that - buy something. Something cheap. Some oil for the chains. Then ask for the pump. Do that the first time and he will recognise you as a customer the next time.

Harrybelafonte

"Good service" works both ways. The customer is not always right, sometimes the customer is a total jerk who will in the long term cost you more money than you can make.

On the other hand, every moron can start a thread somewhere to berate your business for the most innocuous slight, so you have to be careful I guess.

roro1neil0

I don't think this is a fair thread. If the original poster had a bad customer experience - fair enough - you're entitled to a little rant. This is just someone giving out because they had unrealistic expectations.

I mean if you walked into a diy store with something that you needed to unscrew, would you feel ok just picking up a screw driver from the shelf, helping yourself and then putting the screw driver back?

even if you weren't known to them as a regular customer?

staker

Thread title is all wrong.
Maybe his manner wasn't the politest when he came off the phone, but if someone asked me for a screwdriver and I lent it to him,only for him to return to the shed and take a different one without asking,I' be far from polite too.
You forfeited the right to courtesy by taking the second pump without permission,even though you were told not to by the owner( if you hadn't heard him it's regardless).
He's in the business of selling stuff,not lending it.

staker

RobFowl wrote: »

I know of at least one other professional group that charges similarly

There'd be change out of €20 so:D

pauldoo

if the pumps keep breaking, the shop owner should start doing it for people. i know he has no obligation to do any free service but it will be worth his while in the long run. i used to cycle to work, and when my tyres would go down, i went into mcdonalds on camden street, and the guy behind the counter did it for me, prob only 2-3 times(he fixed my peddle once too). But then i bought a new bike and spent about 1500 quid in there. didnt bother lookin around other shops as they did me a favour a number of times and it they were owed the business

riparooo

Easiest way round this (ie looking to 'borrow' shop goods) is buy something cheap first, a gel for instance, and then ask politely.

Taking the second pump without his express permission is in my mind a little rude perhaps it didn't warrant being called an idiot but its still rude.

The shop owner could be a bit more strategic and think about potential customers in the future, be a bit more......well chilled......and he might turn a potential customer into a loyal one.

kincsem

Yeah the use of the word "disrespectful" in the thread title is a bit rich.

Because the commuter is in a rush has no bearing on things. If he was a customer and was in a rush he still needs to know how things work, and realise his needs may conflict with the owner's priorities, or other customers.

Taking things without permission is stealing.

check_six

I had an experience where I snapped a chain going up a humpback bridge. I was out of the saddle and the momentum of me combined with the chain snapping sent one end of the handlebars smashing into my face. I picked myself up of the ground and assessed the damage. The chain had cut a hole in a tyre and burst the tube, so I needed a new tyre and maybe a new chain. Also, some kind of red stuff was seeping out of my face and leg.

It was a freezing cold morning with ice on the roads but, luckily, I was right next to a bike shop. I already had a spare tube, a pump, an allen key, and a chain breaker, so I just bought the new tyre and chain. I handed over the cash, said thanks very much, and flipped the bike over to get to work. The bike shop owner ordered me out of the shop straight away. In my slightly dazed state I protested weakly saying that it was real cold outside and I was injured in some fashion, but he just instructed me to get the hell out of his shop. He wasn't nice about it either. Bear in mind it was just gone 9am and there was no one else in there.

I lurched outside into the wintry conditions and cursed the shop. I had shopped there before but I would never return. The shop closed down soon afterwards (late '90s).

This guy had taken my custom previously, taken my money that very day, and still wouldn't do me a favour and let me sort out the bike out of the freezing cold outside. That, Mr. Original Poster, is true disrespect.

el tel

Some people take the piss. Often people who are quite convinced they didn't do anything wrong are ignorant. Not 'c***' ignorant, just 'dumb' ignorant.

Wishbone Ash

kincsem wrote: »

Taking things without permission is stealing.

You must have missed this bit!

balo72 wrote: »

I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop

Captain Havoc

You've just had a puncture, you need a new tube, buy new tube, everyone happy.

smacl

CramCycle wrote: »

Just to clarify, the OP did say he did not take it from the premises.

My bad. Mis-read the opening post.

DKO

I lurched outside into the wintry conditions and cursed the shop. I had shopped there before but I would never return. The shop closed down soon afterwards (late '90s).

... Words sending a chill down the spine of many a disrespectful bike shop owner.... The curse of the disgruntled cyclist strikes again!!!!!!!!

kincsem

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You must have missed this bit!

No I didn't.

happytramp

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You must have missed this bit!

Come on, if you walked into Dunne's and used some of their deodorant you'd still be stealing, despite the fact that you left it back on the shelf after you were done.

Pa Dee

balo72 wrote: »

Out of revenge or just common sense?

I thought a lot before deciding to share this with all the other commuter cyclists on this forum. Please don't judge me after you read this. I'm not giving out on anyone, I just hope by reading this, some people will reflect on these matters and decide for them.

This morning, on the way to work, my rear tire got deflated so I stopped to the only (I suppose!) bike shop on main street Ranelagh. I asked for an air pump, I received one from the guy at the till who was on the phone. Unfortunately it wasn't working properly so I went back inside to ask for another. At all times the guy behind the desk was on the phone. I waited for a while, but since I was late and seeing another pump which looked the real deal, I took the second pump and went to the bike. The bike was inside the shop.

At this point the guy at the desk, which I'm going to call from now on "the owner", finished his phone call. I wasn't aware that he said something to me while on the phone. The dialogue went like this, some of the words used may be wrong but the tone and contents are accurate:

- The pump you gave me doesn't work. The air escapes through the cord.
- That's because all the idiots that come into the shop asking for the air pump. They use it and they break it. I don't have money to replace the pump every week. Why you took the other pump? It doesn't fit, the valve is too short. You're not listening!
- I didn't understand what you said. I thought you were still on the phone.
- How come you didn't understand, it was in plain English! I said the pump was broken because of the idiots that are coming in here asking for the air pump and breaking it. Why you come into my shop and grab the other pump? Would you like me coming to your home and take things?

At this stage I excused myself for trying to be a customer. At no point I used offensive language nor did I behave like a prick. I end up in Eurocycles having a total opposite experience, respectful attitude from staff and using the same pump which worked on the valve which, by the way, wasn't short.

What I am trying to do is to raise awareness regarding customer service in a very well exposed bicycle shop on a major cyclist route. I don't know this guy's name but I do hope that all of you can go beyond the long reading and judge if I posted this as an act of revenge towards the attitude I was faced with or is it just common sense.

If this is not the place for this topic, I ask the moderators to move it. Apologies in advance.

Entitlement much ? Sheeeesh.....

Dexif

I think there is a tradition of bike shops loaning tools/pumps etc to customers to use in the shop. Whilst the op was not a customer on this day he may have been in the future. Saying that, the op did get a loan of a pump and then took the liberty of taking a second one. The owner, whilst justified in objecting prob went ott imo.

Personally was in lbs other day. Said to owner cud I have loan of bb wrench to tighten bb in shop (cranks were off). Said wud be buying few tubes and other bits so not a pure moocher. He said no, they wud have to do it themselves and charge. Charged me 5e, I didnt buy anything else. Left vowing not to go back. Maybe im overreacting too!!!

happytramp

Dexif wrote: »

Personally was in lbs other day. Said to owner cud I have loan of bb wrench to tighten bb in shop (cranks were off). Said wud be buying few tubes and other bits so not a pure moocher. He said no, they wud have to do it themselves and charge. Charged me 5e, I didnt buy anything else. Left vowing not to go back. Maybe im overreacting too!!!

Asking for a loan of specialised tools to work on your bike in their shop is probably a step too far. You're doing them out of the work and the potential of selling the tool to you. Think the shop owner is in the right in this case.

on second thoughts maybe he's just particular about his tools or safety or whatever