New Years Eve 2007 – I had intended to buy a new bicycle to use as a steed to go to and from work rather than using, all the time, my good Raleigh Pioneer Classic touring cycle; one of those that were still hand-built, some years back, in Nottingham, England.
Knowing from their website that Halfords had some deals going on some bicycles I went there intending to buy one there and then in the local store. That, however, was not to be. While there were about ten of the bike I wanted to buy on display, fully assembled, standing in various locations around the store and the “Bikehut” area I was told, in no uncertain terms that I could no buy one straight away but it would take a couple of days for them to assemble one for me. Mentioning that they had fully assembled ones of the kind that I wanted on display and that I was happy to buy one of them I was told that “we cannot sell you one of those”. I then requested to speak to a manager and was told that there was no manager available and anyway, they everyone was busy – period.
Customer service – what customer service? This is how you lose a sale was my comment on leaving the store.
While Halfords will sell you a bike – if you are prepared to wait a couple of days while they put it together for you, their “Bikehut” staff do not seem to be trained competent enough to be able to take a fully assembled bicycle “off the shelf” and get it road-ready – something that should and does take no more than five to ten minutes – and thus make for happy customers.
Needless to say I do not think I will be using Halfords again in a hurry.
As I wanted a new bicycle, however, on the day I walked further in to the town of Epsom, Surrey, to the local cycles shop, Action Bikes, in Upper High Street.
I can do nothing but heap praise upon the two young gentlemen in the store for their service.
I had been looking for a bicycle for around the £100 or below and the one at Halfords I had my eye on was about £90. Telling one of the guys at Action Bike what I was looking for he immediately showed me a Falcon “Nevada” mountain bike for just a penny under the hundred. Great.
My question as to whether I could take it with me right away was met with the reply: “Sure! Just give about ten minutes to check it over and you are ready to go” and so I did.
This proves, yet again, that you can buy bicycles – or whatever – in a catalog shop or a hypermarket or a place like Halfords but proper bicycle service you will only get from a dedicated cycle shop and proper maintenance and repair only from properly trained competent mechanics who live and breathe bike, like do most of those in proper bike shops.
Action Bikes – Epsom (see advert), can be found at 21-23 Upper High Street, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4QY. Tel. 01372 744116.
They are open every day, seven days a week, with the exception of a few statutory holidays.
Tell them you saw them mentioned here on the Green (Living) Review.
Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008
The Halfords Experience
