Topic: Upset with dealers/retail stores.

[MCRider]

So I asked the local MC accessory store about SpeedBleeders. They said they were on backorder. On a whim I typed in SpeedBleeders in Google and got 3 major sources, not a whisper about back order. I've since bought 8 SBs.

So I asked the same store, a few months ago, for a gold colored Oring chain for a 900cc equivalent sized bike. They said all there is are the top of the line chains for Hayabusas which cost $250+. Looking back I can't really say I've seen a gold colored chain on a lesser biek so I took them at their word and bought a lesser, nickel sided chain. I really wanted gold for my project.

So, after installing the nickel sided chain, I Google "gold colored MC chain", and up pops some sources. Yes they have the high dollar Hayabusa chain, but Regina and another brand name have mid level gold sided chains for the same I paid for the nickel sided chains.

i was ready to pay them more, wait on a special order, whatever they wanted, so i could do my part supporting the local brick and mortar shops. But when they treat me like that, why bother?

End rant.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Take your dollars elsewhere, you go to local places to get better, more personalized treatment- not worse.
If I don't get that from a local retailer I go elsewhere.

[pknopp]

 I always try and buy local also.....Until I find out that they either don't know or don't care about what they are selling.

[333]

Complain to management.  Write a letter to the owner.  Let them know that the internet will put them out of business if they don't get smarter.

On the other hand, ignorance can be a good thing.  Back in the day (1985) I got my first job in a accessory department of a multi brand dealer.  On my 90 day review, I was told that my special orders were about 1/3 more than the veterans.  It was chalked up to being too stupid to not "know" if something was not available, and often finding out otherwise.  "Keep up the good work", they told me.

You need to find someone like that.  I'd have found that gold chain for ya.  We would cut chain to size for customers.  I made a key chain out of 3 links of gold chain.

[74cb750]

How about walking into a Honda shop and asking them for
1974 CB750 sidecover grommets and being asked?
"Who makes the CB750?"

[Gordon]

How about walking into a Honda shop and asking them for
1974 CB750 sidecover grommets and being asked?
"Who makes the CB750?"

 

One of the main reasons I was initially so comfortable taking my wheels to Woody's in Denver was because when I would walk in carrying nothing but the wheel the guy behind the counter knew exactly what it was off of.  Things like that instill confidence.

[Gordon]

How about walking into a Honda shop and asking them for
1974 CB750 sidecover grommets and being asked?
"Who makes the CB750?"

 

One of the main reasons I was initially so comfortable taking my wheels to Woody's in Denver was because when I would walk in carrying nothing but the wheel the guy behind the counter knew exactly what it was off of.  Things like that instill confidence.  Of course the first guy I dealt with was Woody, who had been working on bikes for decades, but he made sure the younger guys who worked for him knew their stuff. 

[Damfino]

Gordon, you're stuttering...

[Gordon]

Gordon, you're stuttering...

I have no idea w-w-w-what you're talking about.  Or...

A post so nice I made it twice!

[Roach Carver]

does this mean youve only really posted about 5000 posts?

[dave500]

phoning and hunting around on the net pays off,im buying some new springs for my car,,i can actually get the set for $40 less from a suspension place than direct pickup from the manufacturer here?(king springs)and $20 less than the suspension place but not including frieght,,so suspension place it is.

[dave500]

How about walking into a Honda shop and asking them for
1974 CB750 sidecover grommets and being asked?
"Who makes the CB750?"

a while ago i was trying to get a small part at the honda dealer and talking to the parts guy,,he didnt know they had a primary chain,,he said that seems like a stupid way to do it???i just told him heaps of bikes have it that way,,insert confused parts counter guy head here.

[Gordon]

I suppose if they expected their employees to know what they're talking about, they'd also have to pay them more. 

[Roach Carver]

I dispute the idea that the quality/interest in doing a job is a direct link to pay. Some people take pride in doing their job and some dont. That lazy kid at the counter is not going to work any harder or care any more about your bike if they give him 14 bucks an hour. He will just buy more mohawks for his helmet.

[333]

While you are right about more pay not making the guy smarter or care more, I believe the point was that a smarter guy who cares more will make more money.

[MCRider]

I dispute the idea that the quality/interest in doing a job is a direct link to pay. Some people take pride in doing their job and some dont. That lazy kid at the counter is not going to work any harder or care any more about your bike if they give him 14 bucks an hour. He will just buy more mohawks for his helmet.

Difficult to define the correlation between competence and compensation. You can't really pay someone more and expect themto be more competent. However, someone who is already competent wil command, and deserve, more compensation. I think competency can be taught, like all things, more effectively when the student is young, harder after they've aged and "learned" that incompetency is tolerated, and that they are entitled to a baseline regardless of competency.

I'll admit now that i should have reported the SpeedBleeder incident and the Gold Chain incident to the boss. Maybe I still will. But I'm just so tired, and its so much easier to just use the Internet.

Sigh!

[Gordon]

While you are right about more pay not making the guy smarter or care more, I believe the point was that a smarter guy who cares more will make more money.

Exactly.  And a person who knows their stuff and cares about doing a good job is going to be much less likely to take an $8/hr parts counter job than some high school kid who just needs gas money. 

[Roach Carver]

I agree. I guess i misunderstood. I do that with my wife all the time. I have a small business and have learned that good workers are good workers. You cant compensate a bad worker enough to turn them into a good worker.

MC, I also agree with reporting the incident. I will write a letter or email once in a while but I usually feel like its a management issue and if they were doing their job in the first place they wouldnt keep people like that for long. I still believe there are people out there that really want and need to work. Hell, I think it would be cool to work in a bike shop.