Have you ever gone to a store with money burning a hole in your pocket, just itching to buy the product you have had your eyes on for weeks? You have painstakingly researched this product on the Internet; settled on the brand you want, but need to see the color choices and sizes in person, before buying. The product is hard to find. If a store has it and its even close to the color you want, you will be buying that day!
That was me this past sunday as I attempted to buy a messenger bag to help with my bike commute. The only problem was that the Top 100 Bike Retailer I visited had other plans for me on this day.
It was as if the employees of this top retailer were trained by David Spade from the Capital One "No!" commercials. In fact, the employee handbook on the counter was dog-eared on the page titled "five steps to alienate your customer and make them buy elsewhere."
Here's how it all went down:
Ring...Ring...Ring
Top100: "Top 100 Retailer"
Me: "Do you have any Chrome Bags in stock?"
Top100: "Yup."
Me: "Ok...cool, do you have both messenger bags and backpacks?"
Top100: "Yup."
Me: "Ok...guess I'll probably come down today or tomorrow."
Top100: "Cool."
Alright, so he's not very talkative. But hey, this is the first shop I have found out of four dealers in the area that actually had Chrome bags in stock. No wonder they area a Top 100 Dealer, I'm thinking.
So Dr. P and I headed to the shop on a mission.
When we walked into the shop we were surprised to find that we were the only two customers (ok it was a rainy sunday afternoon). There were at least three employees working; one mechanic and two behind the counter. We went straight over to the bags and was pleased to see that they indeed had an excellent collection.
For the next ten minutes I was pulling down bags, trying them on, comparing features, colors, etc. Suddenly I had three or four bags spread on the floor debating the pros and cons of various bags with Dr. P. Funny thing was that the two employees (who were within eye and ear shot) never acknowledged us once during this episode. They just sat there behind the computers at the front desk. They did not even look up.
I decided upon a particular model but not the color so I wandered up to the counter to ask if the shops other location had another color. Just as I started to ask "excuse me..." the phone rang and without hesitation he grabbed it while I was in mid sentence. So I turned to the other guy, now slightly annoyed. "Excuse me, but do you have this bag in another color either in the back or at another location?" I said.
"No." he said before I even finished my sentence....aha...it's Mr. Talkative.
I paused. "Ok."
"Well, we can order it," he said.
"No thanks, I have to figure out the color first. I'll just put this away and look around a bit."
Dr. P and I started browsing around. "Hmmm, what's down here?" I said out loud.
"Oh, high-end track parts and accessories," said the employee with a tone that inferred I could not possibly be interested in that.
I walked right by the mechanic...nothing...not a greeting...a nod...nothing.
The place is deadly quiet. We start checking out bikes (Dr. P is considering a new road bike).
As we were about to head out one of the employees said "there are more bikes in the other room."
We went in the other bike room and began admiring the bikes. Pulled a few out, admired the lines on a road bike the good doctor is considering, and debated plush road bikes vs. race style bikes. We were in this room for a good five to eight minutes and nobody came in to sell us a bike.
Finally we left. They didn't seem to care at all. Nothing was said. Not even a "come again."
On the way home we were just amazed at the fact that this place did not seem to want to sell us anything. We kept jammerin' away at how they lost a bag sale, a potential future bike sale, etc.
But then we tried to analyze why this may have happened. I mean...come on...they weren't busy with other customers and didn't appear to be doing inventory. What else did they have to do?
I concluded that it is because we do not look like cyclists. (Well...I look more like a cyclist than Dr. P, but still when I am not wearing my gear I have a somewhat conservative appearance.) These guys just want to talk to others like them...share stories...talk gear...etc. They couldn't be bothered with, who in their mind are a couple of weekend warriors.
Many bike shops suffer from this same disease, which is really the bigger picture issue here. I'm secure in my bike geekdom. I know that I could break it down with these guys and have a serious conversation with them about bikes, etc. I even know that they think I don't know what I'm talking about. So, to me, when they act all aloof like this, I think of it as a missed opportunity for them. To someone just starting out in the sport...or to a true weekend warrior...they will just feel intimidated or alienated and start to shop at the local big box store.
