Customer service

[reasty]

I went to the excel show on Friday, not looking to buy anything specifically but considering upgrading the cheap textile jacket I use sometimes.
I bought a set of Scott leathers 2 years ago which I've been really pleased with. So not unreasonably I thought I'd pay them a visit. Told the gent I was pleased with my leathers from them so what have you got in the way of textiles?. He managed to point at a jacket they supply to the constabulary. Oh says I, ' I notice on your website there's a range with a coloured flash on'. He says 'to be honest the website needs updating, we don't do that any more, what you see here is what we've got'. I venture to the edge of the stand to look at a different range, gave off a few buying signals like picking the bugger up and un zipping it - did he come over and explain anything about it ? - nope. I'm at that stage in life now that thinks bollox then I'll go elsewhere. I would've bought an RST jacket where the young lady on the stand could'nt have been more helpful but they simply didn't have the right size.
Other stands visited:

Eagle rider - Harley trips in the US. I made no pretension that I was a serious punter but they still spent 20 friendly mins explaining there wares

EDZ - base layers. etc - browsing and was approached by pleasant bloke, mentioned I was really pleased with the long johns I'd had from them, ended up buying matching top and inner shell

Book and gel pad stall - there's a guy who does the shows and specialises in travel books that have been reprinted from mid last century. I first bought 'Gasoline Gypsy' a story of a woman who road a bantam through North America in 1955 at the Bexhill show in 2014. Browsed on the stand, he came up and engaged me in conversation and I bought a fascinating book about an overland trip to India in 1933. The guy exudes warmth and enthusiasm about his products and is a pleasure to spend 5 mins with chewing the cud.

While I'm on this must also mention honda dealer Dobles. I've used them for 20 years and as they've grown they still manage to treat customers as individuals and provide excellent service.

It might be that the work I'm involved in is built on high levels of service but from a pure economic and common sense perspective - why pitch your wagon up at a bike show (with all the associated costs) if you can't be arsed to help prospective customers - bonkers IMHO, but also a bit sad in a movement that generally attracts nice people.
Rant over
 

[Greenie]

Missed the show myself as I was working night shifts from Thursday and could not get any time off.

Shame because I really wanted to buy some new boots and textiles.

Sounds like on the whole you had good service from those you met but the guy from Scott leathers soured the trip.

I hope he is paid on commission and earns what he deserves for his ignorant attitude.

I would have done exactly the same as you and walked away. If they can't be bothered to give a good service at point of sale I can only imagine what there customer service would be like if there was a problem with the item purchased.

If that's Dobles in Surrey, I met Mike Doble when I test rode a Crossrunner at his dealership (there were no demo bikes in Essex at the time) and found him to be very friendly and helpful. I must say I was very impressed with the scale of their operation and the way they treated me.

In the end though I decided to buy my Crossrunner from my local dealership Belle Vue motorcycles in Southend as they offered a slightly better deal on my old bike and I have always had good service from them (now on my third new bike from them).

 Hopefully I will make the next excel show!