In the competitive market of selling and servicing bicycles, some shops do well and others die a slow and painful death. To find out why some shops do well and others don't, I went directly to the customers and asked them why they choose a particular shop. Of all the surveys I've taken from my ride list, no other survey has sparked more detailed feedback. Riders are passionate about bikes and bike shops.
What makes a good bike shop and what keeps you coming back? I suspect some of your answers are listed below.
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Bike shops that are close to a cyclist's home or work got high marks. If the shop isn't close to home or work then it's best if the shop is located on a route frequently traveled by the cyclist. This goes back to the old real estate tag, that it's all about location, location, location.
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Multiple riders have told me they will go out of their way for a good mechanic. When a rider takes a bike into the shop for service, they want to trust the person working on their equipment. For some riders, shop selection is all about the mechanic. They will travel out of their way to a particular shop for the mechanic and might even go as far as changing shops to follow a mechanic.
Many riders commented that bad work by a mechanic means they won't be back to the shop.
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For other riders, taking a hard look at the maintenance area is crucial. An unkempt and unorganized shop is associated with sloppy work.
People that ride a lot don't want to wait for one or two weeks to get a bike back. Many will pay a bit more for fast, accurate service. If the job won't be done on time, quality shops give customers a call to let them know repair status. It's always a bonus if your bike is ready ahead of schedule.
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When a relatively new rider goes into the shop looking for product advice or service, "There is nothing that's more of a turn off than the staff treating you like you're an idiot." New riders are sponges for information and they want the staff to help them learn.
The astute sales or service person must be able to quickly distinguish whether the customer is a beginner or a highly experienced cyclist. The experienced riders want staff that can give them expert-level advice and don't make them feel like newbies. This includes giving solid tips to home mechanics. "If I know more than the staff, that's a bad sign."
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Most riders want at least some acknowledgement that they have entered the shop. At the same time, most don't want someone hovering over them or applying high pressure sales techniques.
No one likes sales or service people that exude an attitude of "I'm too busy or bored to deal with you." Friendly, smiling faces that are willing to help answer questions are key to a good shop.
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Most riders know that there are advantages to a brick-and-mortar store. If shopping for a particular item, most are willing to pay a bit more if the item is available at the store as opposed to having to order it online. At the same time, they don't want to feel gouged on price.
When it comes to the big-ticket items, expect riders to shop around. Deep discounting is appealing, but not at the expense of a high-caliber staff. Riders will pay more to support a shop that has quality sales and service personnel.
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Some riders choose a shop based on the brand(s) of bicycles they carry and the selection of supporting products. If riders continuously go into a shop that has minimal stock on the shelves it leaves an impression that the shop is barely scraping by. People are hesitant to purchase from someone that might be out of business tomorrow.
It is nice when a shop offers to order something for a customer, but realistically the customer can often go home and order the item without their help and have it sent right to their door.
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This trait came up more times than I would have expected. Riders want to trust that the bike shop employees are honest about everything related to the customer.
Good shops have a way of remembering (or glancing at a store account) to ask the cyclist how everything is going. "Your bike is working well after the last tune up?" or "How do you like the new tires I suggested?"
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A good shop will try to make an unhappy customer feel better about the situation. For example, if a bike repair wasn't 100 percent well done, apologize for the error, correct it and throw in a bike tube or add a store credit to the customer's account.
Riders will be loyal to a particular shop if that shop is loyal to them in return. Repeat customers like to have special treatment that includes special discounts and an occasional freebie.
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A surprising number of riders appreciate when shop employees know them by name. This takes a stable workforce visiting with loyal customers. Constantly dealing with new faces in the shop is frustrating for riders. Perhaps it is because customers feel they don't have a connection with someone they can trust. Additionally, if someone knows you by name it feels like they will give you personal care.
Many riders visited several shops before giving their business to a particular shop. They talked to the sales staff and mechanics as well. Most riders want to know and see who will be working on their bikes. It's personal.
The second, and most common, way to find a good shop is word of mouth. Cyclists usually ask someone they trust to recommend a bike shop.
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A big thanks to everyone that contributed comments for the column: Andy Artzberger, Chad Brent, Nicole Callan, Diana Hassel, Larry Linne, Ross Livingston, David Newman, Jerry Nichols, Barb Schultz, Tony Riccio, Belinda Seligman, Alan Schenkel, Peter Stackhouse, Bruce Runnells, Laura Hinds and Kent Winters.
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