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On the way to work tonight I stopped by one of the bike shops here in town and walked in to dream, i go this shop about ever 2-3 weeks look around and stay out of the way. I was there about 5 minutes when i was asked by a couple of the sales dudes if I was going to buy something. I said not for awhile. Then I was told...
"This isn't a club house. Next time bring cash in hand."
Damn! Oh well what can you do?
customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.
DUDE! That's BS! Find another shop!
Andy
'You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Thinsg Are As They Are.'
That's absurd, if that was just a regular shop guy, I'd contact the manager or owner on that one. What a bunch of dicks.
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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."
As a former bike shop employee I'd have to say we would never say anything like that... to your face. Fortunately, most bike shop employees get into it b/c they really love bikes and riding. Unfortunately, most customers do not. They are there to buy the $200 hybrid (after 3 hours of comparing bikes, and going to 3 or 4 shops to save $7) and then never ride it. Others are there to walk around and waste time while their wife is getting her hair done, waiting for take-out, etc...
We never cared about people just wasting time, as long as they weren't wasting ours too. Nothing was worse than having someone come in and talk to you just b/c they needed someone to talk to about life/problems/the weather, etc... Get a therapist, not a bike mechanic. There are better people to talk to, bartenders, doctors, massage therapists, or anyone who cannot get away from you. I heard more sob stories, or just stupid ones, as a bike mechanic than I ever thought I would in my entire life.
I know this isn't your case in particular, just giving some insight to what I had to deal with, all while making $8/hr. It makes you jaded against "time wasters". Yet, it also makes you appreciate customers who know cycling, good products, and your knowledge about both. I never had a problem talking with educated customers, or answering legit questions.
If you've spent any amount of money with the shop then you have a legitimate complaint, otherwise I'd let it drop.
That really makes me sad. Sounds like you ran into a loser who hates his life and takes it out on the world. Don't feel too bad about yourself, though. With that attitude, the guy won't survive in the business too long.
I can relate to what stltricoach is saying to a certain extent. A lot of time-wasters do come into stores looking for a buddy. But if you're in there every 2-3 weeks, I'd be surprised if he recognized you, so I'll assume he's just a hater. He should just do what the guys at my LBS do and ignore you...even if you're standing at the counter. ;p
In my years of selling electronics, audio equipment, and even motorcyles(now that is a job where dreamers are 90%+ of the people you deal with), my attitude is that anybody taking up space on my sales floor is a potential sale. If I know you're not shoplifting, and you aren't in the way when I'm working with other customers, you're welcome to look around. My alternatives are that you could be at one of the competitors shops, in which case I get no money from you, or I could have no customers in the store, which scares away other customers(be honest, don't you feel a little weird when you go into an empty store at the mall?)
If that guy was right in the head, he'd be happy to have you there. Because some day you're going to buy that TiPhoon you're always talking about, and he's going to need the sale.
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I understand (and agree) with stltricoach and the other shop folks who posted, but I'm much more in the corner of the "dump 'em" guys. I dumped the previously highest-profile local shop for that (and some others) reason myself. I wasn't alone, either. They have since lost every flagship brand they ever had (incl Specialized, Trek and their family members, and Cannondale). The manager was as abusive/abrasive to the company reps as his sales staff were to the customers. Cause - effect, baby.
It's like this: the LBS is a business and their purpose in life is to make $ by providing their customers with goods and services. In this age of mailorder deals on hard (and soft) goods the LBS HAS to offer something the catalog and web outlets can't and that basically comes down to mechanical and PERSONAL service. The former is being a good wrench...the latter is being a knowledgeable and interested spokesman for the sport. Excepting the losers who would be better off on the shrink's couch, the "bike guy" who is just looking around needs another "bike guy" to bounce "bike things" off of. Period. If a shop can't provide that (assuming they're not swamped with other customers or wrenching tags), they could at least tell you to come back for a chat when they're not so busy.
I'll pay the shop prices for stuff if the personnel exhibit those qualities. I'll recommend them to all my non-riding or wannabe-rider friends. The almighty dollar folks don't deserve my business, and I am not shy about badmouthing them to others when asked.
Carl Matson