Where has customer service gone???

[1BigDog]

I have dealt with various bike part suppliers over the years and for the most part they have been pretty good people to deal with. Most would bend over backward to help you out. Flatout (Part shark) even expressed me a part right before I went on vacation and only charged me the standard shipping rate. Competition accessories is always outstanding. I have ordered factory parts from them years ago when they sold them and mostly apparel and shoes from them now. Tires too! Chromeglow Signal Dynamics and Custom Dynamics are other good companies I have dealt with. Our own member vendors have also been right on the money. Metzeler customer service bites the big one, as does Kuryakyn. Now to my latest problem child...JP Cycles! I sometimes bought stuff from their store in Daytona from time to time. Not fantastic prices but they had it on hand. However, a few years ago I had an issue with their internet ordering and after some back and forth they finally resolved the issue after I threatened to post the issue on this site. Stupid me...This time I went ahead and ordered a SS clutch and rear brake line from them. Price was reasonable. Prior to placing my order I had called them to physically eyeball the parts to make sure one end had a banjo and the other a straight connection. They called me back and said the warehouse pulled both parts and assured me that they were the correct lines. I immediately placed the order. A few hours later I get a confirmation email that said the clutch line was not in stock. Hmmmm, didnt they just eyeball it for me? Said it should be maybe 3-5 days. Well, 10 days goes by and no email. Contacted them again by email and asked them for a delivery date. They replied that they could not provide one. I emailed them back that I was surprised that a company the size of JP cant get a date from their own supplier. They replied that their supplier dont give times. I said so I just wait in limbo until someone there decides to send one out? All she could do was apologize. Told her to refund me my money. Not a good way to do business. They made absolutely no effort to even try to correct this problem nor did they seem too concerned to keep me as a customer. No, I didnt even mention posting on this site. Last time it got me a full refund. This time since the part wasnt even available it would have served me no purpose. But I just thought id pass this onto you all. Let the buyer beware!!

 

OK, im finished....just needed to get this off of my chest.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Ruffy,

I am sorry to hear about your misfortune with JP Cycles! Due to their prices, I have never tried to do business with them. Because I am a "Little Guy" when it comes to supplying parts to my customers, I still "Bend over backwards" to provide service to the people that have purchased parts from me, because after all, most people can get parts from many different places so the only real thing that I can offer them as a "little guy" is the service.

Recently, because of the really bad weather we have had in the north east this past winter, I had parts I get from Europe, stuck on a plane, snowed in for quite some time. All I could do was stay in contact with the members that had purchased the parts, and keep apologizing. It was an embarrassment to me but that did not keep me from staying in contact with those members, (and I certainly didn't blow them off!) When the parts arrived, I ate the expedited shipping and got those parts out ASAP! I can understand that things happen, that companies aren't keeping the inventory that they used to because of the poor economy, but I will never understand if a problem arises, why you wouldn't go the extra mile to keep a customer happy when "good, money spending" customers are harder and harder to come by.

If there is anything I can do to help you with those S.S. brake lines, it would be my pleasure to do so.

Earl

[Woody]

it is not only bike dealers with bad customer service, my neighbor is 85 years young and being electronics challenged as a lot of folks are he ask me for advice on his television service. Seems that the cable company he was dealing with for years decided to discontinue service in that area. Since I am a dish network customer I recommended them. He asked me to call since he had received a brochure in the mail so I did and explained to nice lady on the phone that he did not want anything fancy just basic TV. The cheapest package and local channels, she said OK and sent out a service rep. while I was at work. A couple of days later my neighbor called and said he could not stop the thing from recording, I said recording! seems as the service rep told him that’s what he needed. I called dish folks and talked to several people and then I talked to the store that signed him up. They say he signed the papers, for 100.00 they will send someone out to remove the DVR box and install a regular box, for 470.00 they will cancel his account and pick up their stuff or he can pay the 6.00 extra each month for 2 years. I told them I felt like they had taken advantage of an elderly person and would never recommend them again.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

.......He asked me to call since he had received a brochure in the mail so I did and explained to nice lady on the phone that he did not want anything fancy just basic TV. The cheapest package and local channels, she said OK and sent out a service rep. while I was at work. A couple of days later my neighbor called and said he could not stop the thing from recording, I said recording! seems as the service rep told him that’s what he needed. I called dish folks and talked to several people and then I talked to the store that signed him up. They say he signed the papers, for 100.00 they will send someone out to remove the DVR box and install a regular box, for 470.00 they will cancel his account and pick up their stuff or he can pay the 6.00 extra each month for 2 years. I told them I felt like they had taken advantage of an elderly person and would never recommend them again.

 

Might have been a good idea to invoke, or at least TRY, to invoke the 3 day 'cooling off' rule. If nothing else, a call to to the Alabama PSC, or the Federal Trade Commision might have been in order.

 

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro03.shtm

Edited March 4, 2010 by tx2sturgis

[1BigDog]

Hey Ruffy,

If there is anything I can do to help you with those S.S. brake lines, it would be my pleasure to do so.

Earl

 

 

Do I know you???????

 

 

 

 

 

 

:smile5::smile5:

[Ponch]

I have bought some things from them and usually received prompt delivery.

After deciding to offer gauge kits for sale, I found out what it must be like for real businesses to have to wait on their suppliers. When I was making everything myself, it was my fault if I couldn't make an order when promised. Now, I have a Waterjet cutter and a Chrome Shop to work around. Mostly they are prompt, but when they get backed up, my customers have to wait.

I hate to wait and even more hate for my customers to wait. I know Earl is in the same boat, even worse when waiting on overseas deliveries.

Customer service easily suffers when a company is dependant on other companies for their product.

[MiCarl]

When it's all said and done, it's gone because we (not as individuals, but overall) are unwilling to pay for it.

 

Warm bodies are expensive, companies cut back on them like mad so they can have their price be a nickle cheaper than the competition. Then we flock to the cheaper guy so the one with service either has to cut back or go bust. It's a vicious cycle to the bottom.

 

The places we get excellent customer service (good restaurants, top flight hotels, resorts) we pay for it - usually directly in the form of tips.

[BOO]

I don't know about your state but there are several states that get real uptight about a company taking advantage of senior citizens.

 

My brother in Florida had some troubles similar to what your neighbor is having. He called the Florida State Attorney Generals office and they called the Satellite TV company and forced them to take care of the problem and delete all the charges. My brother said the first question the Attorney Generals office ask him was his age, once he said it was 79 they said no problem. Seems there are some laws about tying to scam seniors at least in Florida.

 

Funny note, the Satellite company sent my 79 year old brother a present for all the problems they caused....... a Skate Board.... I thought it was funny but the bro didn't.

 

BOO

 

 

 

 

it is not only bike dealers with bad customer service, my neighbor is 85 years young and being electronics challenged as a lot of folks are he ask me for advice on his television service. Seems that the cable company he was dealing with for years decided to discontinue service in that area. Since I am a dish network customer I recommended them. He asked me to call since he had received a brochure in the mail so I did and explained to nice lady on the phone that he did not want anything fancy just basic TV. The cheapest package and local channels, she said OK and sent out a service rep. while I was at work. A couple of days later my neighbor called and said he could not stop the thing from recording, I said recording! seems as the service rep told him that’s what he needed. I called dish folks and talked to several people and then I talked to the store that signed him up. They say he signed the papers, for 100.00 they will send someone out to remove the DVR box and install a regular box, for 470.00 they will cancel his account and pick up their stuff or he can pay the 6.00 extra each month for 2 years. I told them I felt like they had taken advantage of an elderly person and would never recommend them again.

 

[a1bummer]

I think about the only decent service I get these days is at Culvers, Olive Garden, and a local mexican restaurant called Cancun's. Everywhere else, they seem as though they couldn't really even care if your there. It used to seem like it was the younger generation that had those attitudes. But these days it seems to be just about everybody and in just about any type of business. Last summer I called one of the local stealers to price a couple bearing for the rear wheel on my MKI. The tech couldn't understand which ones I needed. He kept telling me there were ONLY two bearings in the rear end. He kept saying there was one in the wheel and one on the big gear. I said to forget it and hung up. Then I found what I needed online at a much better price.

[Squidley]

When it's all said and done, it's gone because we (not as individuals, but overall) are unwilling to pay for it.

 

Warm bodies are expensive, companies cut back on them like mad so they can have their price be a nickle cheaper than the competition. Then we flock to the cheaper guy so the one with service either has to cut back or go bust. It's a vicious cycle to the bottom.

 

The places we get excellent customer service (good restaurants, top flight hotels, resorts) we pay for it - usually directly in the form of tips.

 

 

Your comments ring true Carl, unfortunately it's something that I dont believe will ever come back. Seems thats why we get all excited about a place that just does their job, little own go above and beyond.

[Pecker]

I think about the only decent service I get these days is at Culvers, Olive Garden, and a local mexican restaurant called Cancun's. Everywhere else, they seem as though they couldn't really even care if your there.

 

I was talking to a guy the other day about a restaurant I went to a few years ago up near Sussex, but I could not remember the name. They serve a fantastic burger, and the frozen custard is pure heaven. Excellent service too!

If you ever host a meet & eat up there, I've gotta get up there, can't find frozen custard down here in Dixie.

Dave

[aharbi]

When it's all said and done, it's gone because we (not as individuals, but overall) are unwilling to pay for it.

 

Warm bodies are expensive, companies cut back on them like mad so they can have their price be a nickle cheaper than the competition.

 

I partially agree, not totally. First, corporate America has a problem and "we the people" are tired of it. Most of the companies that are cutting back is BS. They get rid of the higher dollar (read experienced) employees that can provide quality customer service for low dollar hourly labor that don't give a dang. They want to keep the profit in their pockets. The split between upper management and labor is growing. Middle America is losing jobs, wages, etc. This can't happen but for a few more years without middle America raising to their feet to stop it. We are starting to see it in a number of ways. Tea party, Democrat & Republican parties subdividing. A more vocal public, a public that is starting to hold accountable the "policy makers" either public or private.

 

The companies that will survive are the ones that will provide customer service. People like doing business with people, friendly knowledgeable people. Not VRUs, not self check-outs, not off-shore support. This goes for banks, grocery stores, repair shops, doctors, anything that requires people interaction (customer service).

 

You can do your part. Don't accept it! Speak up! Ask for the boss, tell them they suck. Post your experience, tell your neighbors. Fight back with your vote and your dollar.

 

Sears service went to hell. I don't shop there anymore, I have found other places with better service and better product. I don't get the paper anymore and filed harassment charges when they kept soliciting me once a week. Because their billing dept could never get the billing right and would cancel delivery. I dropped several credit cards when the "fine print" shot up the interest rate if you didn't do this or that when or where they wanted, basically they wanted you to default the terms so they could charge the higher rate. I called my insurance company and asked why the rate increase. Everything is going up, "coast of doing business, annual rate increase" WRONG! I haven't filed a claim, I haven't seem any increase in customer service nor advantage in keeping you? Either you roll back my rate or bye-bye, put your boss on the phone, Sir our policy is such and so. Well I too have a policy, my policy is to not get ripped off, you have just lost my home, car, boat and motorcycle insurance. I went with better coverage and a cheaper rate. Sorry, got on a roll here. Point being, customer service will either make or break a company and you need to do your part by not supporting poor service.