SPC. crap! o yes!!

[DidcotGSer]

SPC. Crap. Hell yea, they are!.....

I'd like to add my two penneth to the SPC clown status.

I've visited SPC on three or four occasions, and each and every time I have been there, the pig ignorant staff have done to me as they seem to the rest of you guys who have had the 'SPC treatment'.
I turned up on my GS, in BMW gear, (so they can clearly see you are 'one of their own kind'), walked in wanting to purchase various items from side panels, to riding gear, and after 40 minutes eventually someone found it possible to open their goddam gobs to speak to me or my fiancee. We had made ways to try to get attention prior to this, but they always nipped off the other direction.
As one of you other guys said, that Tim bloke (I guess he's the tall grey haired guy, apologies if he's not) was most certainly up his own arse and spoke in a belittling manor towards me which made me want to knock his teeth down his throat, and the person tagged as Ronnie, (very good likeness to the Corbett), well his head was so far buried up his rectum I think he was inspecting his teeth already.
What is up with that dealership? Do they honestly think they are so bloody elite or what?
Just for the ignorance I wouldn't buy a bike there out of principle.
So much so, myself and my fiancee went there recently to enquire about two new GS's, and again got totally ignored by the staff, so we went over to Coopers, spoke with Tim Angus, got a test ride on both the Adventure and 650GS, and promptly ordered one of each.
Sorry chaps, that was a costly bit of ignorance wasn't it.
Let's just hope one day these clowns learn by such costly mistakes. Probably not though, as people like that never do do they. They are after all, ignorant to everything it seems.

 

[Fanum]

Anyone tempted to cut and paste the contents of this thread and email it to their dealer principle???

Heads and blocks spring to mind.

Let's just hope the survival of the fittest rule applies if they don't get their act together.......that's two definate sales from DidcotGSer.


And another six from Nick.

This week.




Sorry Nick...couldn't resist

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Greg,

Fair point about speculative sale, that's what went through my mind as a first impression; however, doesn't seem to detract from the general conscensus of dissappointment in them it would seem.

DidcotGSer,

Bang on the nail I feel; I experienced the self same kind of 'service' and thought that they clearly didn't want my money or custom. It felt like a Japanese dealership - myopic to what potential new customers are looking for. It's why I went to SLM instead; 50 miles away for me but no regrets. Tim Angus at Coopers seems okay too, and has been there donkeys, so fair play to you.


Zmeagol,

Bang on again. I'm on my second bike from Paul at SLM and my third with the Magic Group (Thames Valley HD, Dockgate 20, SLM, etc); I'm sure you'll be very happy with SLM, they've certainly surpassed my expectations on many occaisions.

General: Respect is what it is all about. Acknowledging customers, keep your word to them, helping them at every opportunity. Little things like slow staff turnover, remembering your Christian name - a 'free' cup of coffee and general chinwag about nothing that specifically encourages you to buy from them on that particular day. A relaxed environment where you don't feel a spare part just browsing or taking a load off your feet when popping in for no reason; no nervous salesman twitching in front of you ready to 'deal you up'. In short, even though you know the salesman is not a genuine friend as such, you want to feel welcomed back like an old friend, spoken to in a friendly manner, recieve respectful conversation, be well treated, not be ignored, or hear them slag off other dealerships - that's our job!

 

[Chisurz]

I too have had the experience with the Ronnie character at SPC. I thought it might just have been me! But when I asked a colleague who had bought a bike from there it only took two or three words of description for him to know who I was talking about... At least this Ronnie is being consistent! It did put me off SPC.

Coopers get my business at the moment... On the downside, Coopers have a very small shop consequently stock is very limited. They are happy to order in if you want. Lead times for servicing are sometimes a bit elongated, but then reading these threads that seems to be fairly consistent across serice departments.

However, the convenience of location (next to the station), attitude of the staff and level of service, I've generally found to be good. Their bike hire is also useful - I've used it. Tim is a bit, well, straight, but you know what you are getting.

Another good reason for any motorcyclist to go into Reading is that they let you use the bus lanes!

 

[Shep]

Back to SPC again,

I agree with most of the comments about some of the staff at SPC, its almost as if they get to work in the morning, have a meeting, have a good laugh about how their customers are all idiots! They all leave the meeting thinking less than positive thoughts about the people that really matter to a business, THE CUSTOMERS!!!


Vote with your feet its the only way!

PS Popped into North Oxford Garage yesterday found the staff both helpfull and knowledgable and it was a pleasure (almost ) to spend me dosh!

Regards Shep

 

[skywalker]

This is only a suggestion!!
Rather than slag them off on this forum (which seems to be the case all too often when you've spat the dummy out with your dealer) why don't a group of you who used to be SPC customers go and try and resolve your issues with them.Surely its got to be easier than travelling long distances to the next available dealer and then wingeing about how many miles you've had to do here.
If you don't get any joy at least you will have tried and then the ownus will be on them to change their attitude or end up with no customers.
PS i don't work for them nor am i a customer, just seems like common sense to me or have i missed something here??

 

[cookie]

why bother?

 

[skywalker]

Just thought it made more sense to get on with your nearest dealer that's all.But as we all know people will vote with their feet which seems to have happened here.

 

[Fanum]

why bother?

Indeed......people here are the customers.......they shouldn't have to be chasing the dealer around and putting themselves out to sort out someone else's business......

Park Lane came along, joined the forum and made honest and proper efforts to deal with what was percieved as bad business practice......I can't speak for anyone else, but what happened here because of their efforts turned my own opinion of them around from bad to good, and I've never even been in their door.

If I were a dealer principle, I'd be browsing all of the forums related to the product I sold.....and I'd be getting stuck in like PL1, 2 and 2.5 did and trying to turn things around like they have.

It's linked to the old sales adage that when you fekk up, 20 people will hear about it....in this case, it's 2000 forum members.....

If they won't listen, 'em, and it's not our job to go to them to make them hear.

JMHO.

 

[charlie batty]

...well as anybody who knows me is aware i go to SPC a fare bit....as do a great many others...to hazard a guess i'd say that 99% don't frequent this board..

...so it's impossible to get any real perspective...

My experience can only be described as good .... that's not saying people don't have 'bad hair' days.... and yeh Bob does have his moments...then if i was honest i have mine to.

I always found all the staff fine..... so don't really understand where your coming from...unless your interpreting individuals personnel traits and mannerisms in a negative way....?

....we're all different, and whilst an individual may not 'come across' (in your eyes) in a way you want doesn't mean their intentions aren't good...

Like i said the vast majority of customers are satisfied ones... they just don't post it on a public forum...

As Bakes (Bakerman) alluded i tend to stick up for SPC, but whether it be them or another dealer i dislike the 'putting the boot in' bandwagon that has a tendency to happen.

Frankly i find it an acute embarrassment holding my hand out for GS event charity raffle prizes when we've had some of the vitriolic (and quite personnel) postings that we've had.

...and i must add that to their great credit SPC have NEVER failed to respond to those requests..

Best Regards

Charlie x


(that OK Bakes )

 

[judge]

Indeed......people here are the customers.......they shouldn't have to be chasing the dealer around and putting themselves out to sort out someone else's business......

Park Lane came along, joined the forum and made honest and proper efforts to deal with what was percieved as bad business practice......I can't speak for anyone else, but what happened here because of their efforts turned my own opinion of them around from bad to good, and I've never even been in their door.

If I were a dealer principle, I'd be browsing all of the forums related to the product I sold.....and I'd be getting stuck in like PL1, 2 and 2.5 did and trying to turn things around like they have.

It's linked to the old sales adage that when you fekk up, 20 people will hear about it....in this case, it's 2000 forum members.....

If they won't listen, 'em, and it's not our job to go to them to make them hear.

JMHO.

With the greatest of respect Bill, that all came about I believe due in the main to Nick's (Commuter's) efforts to build bridges, he could like some have done sat here and thrown rocks and called them wamkers or whatever but he chose for the greater good to encourage a positive outcome.

In much the same way I have been a critic of Prestige through personal experience and you have because of your personal experience choose to back them.

Dealers are inclined to make mistakes and the knee-jerk reaction is for a few 'me-too's' jump up and club the seal while it's bloodied, and generally even though the issues are resolved the threads live on ad-infinitum and six months down the line they'll be resurrected by another disgruntled customer.

Let's not pretend we are enough here to be representitive of all customers of all dealerships, and lets not pretend the dealerships owe us anything because of 'who we are'.

A dealership or any business will survive and be successful because and only because in the main they do a good job, provide a good product and keep they're customers coming back for more not because they are infallable or mistake-free.

I think more dealerships would be inclined to come out in the open (let's face it, most of them come here anyway) if it was more obvious to them that there are benefits to be received from being here.

But then if they do, they have to live with their motives being treated with suspicion, easy to see why they might think its a lose, lose and stay silent but watching.

So I agree with the viewpoint of skywalker and Charlie and Nick, in the latter's case proof of how the personal approach can work.

A balance is what's required so lets stop pretending we're better off without them cos as long as we want to enjoy our GS's they are a very necessary part of owning them and I say that even as an owner of a 3-y-o out of warranty independently serviced 1150 and another 11-y-o GS most dealerships wouldn't recognise as a BMW

 

[Fanum]

Fair point....I'll hold me hands up.




Got a fag Andy?

 

[judge]

Fair point....I'll hold me hands up.




Got a fag Andy?

Relax I went easy on ya, in my 3rd edit I was regailing a tale of when a dealership's service staff had been sitting at the pc reading about heroic deeds involving GS's and large puddles (small rivers) when in walked this long bloke with ginger hair with a water ingression problem on his ADV, now you'd have expected them to laugh him out of the shop.....


Obviously Stuart's day off

 

[Sherringford Hovis]

Re: SPC. Crap. Hell yea, they are!.....

I turned up on my GS, in BMW gear, (so they can clearly see you are 'one of their own kind'), walked in wanting to purchase various items

Without making this a kick them whilst they are down scenario I have to say that I have had a similar experience. Sadly not wearing BMW gear but riding my SPC plated GS though.

What pissed me off was not so much the sales staff, but the way the workshop managed to take my bike in behind one other for a 6000 service and do all the others before me... It seemed that as long as you were a "regular" SPC hound then nothing was too much trouble. After arriving at 9am in the back of f*ck all and having to sit about until 1.30pm with no loan bike as they were all allocated, despite one never moving until some local troll arrived on his 1150LT tank at 1145....

The lack of BMW clobber set me apart from the regulars too as they seemed to have been dressed as if by some high couture house in BMW accessories....

Needless to say the bike's not been back there since and I have found alternative servicing arrangements....

NOw where is that fecking chip..... oh there under the dandruff (if I had any hair to have dandruff.....)

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

it's who you are by the sound of it

if your face fits and all that

you may be thankful you don't live in N Ireland

only one dealer so if they treated you badly what choice do you really have.
you have to like it or lump it

 

[Sherringford Hovis]

This is only a suggestion!!
Rather than slag them off on this forum (which seems to be the case all too often when you've spat the dummy out with your dealer) why don't a group of you who used to be SPC customers go and try and resolve your issues with them.Surely its got to be easier than travelling long distances to the next available dealer and then wingeing about how many miles you've had to do here.
If you don't get any joy at least you will have tried and then the ownus will be on them to change their attitude or end up with no customers.
PS i don't work for them nor am i a customer, just seems like common sense to me or have i missed something here??

Ah Young Skywalker yours is such a good idea I don't know why I never thought of it before. Perhaps the downside is to 200 mile round trip to acheice such harmony.

Maybe a group of more local disgruntleds might like to take up the challenge....

 

[shugie]

went in this morning to peruse the sale of kit, was received cordially and helped when I wanted it.

Bought a pair of leather trews for £99, will need altering to fit my stubby wee legs, but that's always the case for me.

Can't complain about my experience there, this time or any other.

Shug

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Some 'forum' owners have had a good experience there and some bad. It's very fair comment to say that not every SPC customer frequents this forum and probable to say that people are more inclined to add a posting if they feel more badly done to than overly well treated. I think that's a given and as intelligent adults we're all appreciative of those dependencies.

To err is most certainly human, but to bury one's head in the dirt when that happens iteratively is plain wreckless. Fanum spoke well when he effectively said Park Lane had the balls to notice that 'sometimes' they weren't getting it right and a proportion of forum attendees acknowledging this shouldn't go in one ear and out the other - or as I like to phrase it through one dealers doors and into anothers

By acknolwedging something isn't quite right in the main (i.e. customer service) and being openly willing to work with 'potential' new customers (existing one's with a beef will initially speak to their respective dealers I would hope, obviously), then they are at least changing the perseption of the dealership to larger audience; and for example, Fanum (or whoever) might now consider purchasing from Park Lane, whereas if PL had not put their hands up and been willing to retort to what is a large potential pool of repeat business (well call that the GS Forum) general rants and moans, then who would have lost out? Park Lane? Us? Both I suspect.

Given the forum postings over the last year frankly I'm still warey of either dealership, however personally speaking I respect PL a whole lot more for sticking a hand up, saying they are only human, and showing willing in wanting to address general forum concerns and make the trend one of improvement rather than the other which we'd all sooner not go there.

Ultimately both dealer and customer need each other, and neither can make things right unless they take a deep breath and attempt to talk to each other when displeased.

On a final note though, personally (like many on this forum) I didn't speak to SPC directly when I was unhappy with their general attitude and I simply took my business elsewhere - and this is the real crucial bit - I did so, because I could.

There's a face-value lesson in that for every dealership resting on existing clientelle repeat business laurels; those customers won't be there forever, best not upset potential new one's; after all, new aqusition can lead to further sales and indeed growth in one's business.

 

[Shooter]

A couple of observations. I have been down to SPC about 4 times and spoken with Rob Simpson on the phone several times prior to ever going there. I needed to get 24 big touring bikes on hire for a bunch of Americans to ride around Europe and they all wanted Gold Wings or 1200LT's.

SPC came through even though they discontinued bike hire. Rob seems to have an unusual attitude which to be honest can put you off a bit. When I first spoke to him, I thought he was just having a bad day but the more I dealt with him I came to the conclusion that he is just that way all the time. Once I realised that he was probably always like it I found him much easier to deal with and overall was very happy with the whole deal and the way everyone was looked after.

The staff there seemed to be reasonably helpful as well so I can only assume that they are much like everyone else in that the majority are reasonably happy with what they get from SPC but occasionally they mess up.

Since I bought my Adventure I've taken it to SLM as I'm only about 10 miles south of them. So far, I've found them good too.

I have 70,000 miles on my 2000 Venture and so far have had fantastic service (every 4,000!) from DK up in Newcastle under Lyme. I've heard a number of horror stories about them but they have always been outstanding for me.

With the problem that Nick had, I guess there's not a way that they can put it right except perhaps an apology and maybe an offer of a good deal on his next bike.

Actually, on that note, does anyone here haggle with their BMW dealer over prices? If so, what discount do you normally get?

 

[Nick Marshall]

compensation

a cheque for my wasted time and fuel would help, but i still wouldnt buy another thing from the muppets. nick