Lack of Customer Service

I have been looking for a replacement for my mid-weight, three season, waterproof gloves. The current pair are now about five years old and the lining is coming unstuck so I have to be careful taking them off. So as I really like them, and they’re still waterproof, a new pair the same seems obvious.
The gloves in question are BMW X-Trafit and they came with me on my TransAm trip last year, which they coped with remaining completely waterproof despite being covered in various kinds of crap on numerous occasions.
Being as I was out and about today, and in the region of where a BMW dealer is based, it seemed reasonable to call in to make a purchase. This did not work the way I thought it would.
So on the way home I stopped in to Cannon Motorcycles in Witham, Essex. They have relatively recently moved from Braintree and have a nice new showroom with lots of shiny bikes.
The layout of the riders kit leaves quite a lot to be desired. An offshoot in the showroom has three or four different jacket styles, a few helmets, a stand with shoes/boots, and three different gloves. In the middle of the showroom are two stands with more stuff on, the far side is more jackets, gloves, boots and at the top is yet more riders equipment. So the first question is: why is not all this stuff in the same place where you can see it and compare things like, I don’t know, gloves properly.
The other thing was that when I arrived at about 4:15 this afternoon I was seen by a member of staff (who had a rather hipster type beard) while I got my helmet off and sorted myself out. Despite being in the showroom for 20 to 30 minutes while trying to find all the gloves, and not finding the ones I wanted or anything else I liked, no-one spoke to me. At least four members of staff saw me wandering around the showroom clearly looking at stuff but at no point was I asked if I needed anything. It could be argued that they were busy and they just didn’t get to me. If that had been the case it wouldn’t be an issue. However, for the entire time I was there there was only one potential customer on the premises - me.
After about half an hour I came to the same point I have before with this dealer. Which is: stuff it, I’ll go somewhere else.
While I have had issues with Cannon’s before, both in Chelmsford and Braintree, buying a pair of gloves should be a straight forward thing. But seemingly not.
I am sure that they are nice people, but their customer service is nonexistent. Added to my previous experiences with this dealer I cannot recommend anyone to go there.

You know the model, you know the size you want. Go to https://www.ukgser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/578-Cotswold-Motorrad and ask Nick to give you a price for mail order - you'll get good service and support a dealer that sponsors the forum

Why not just say " I'd like to look at some gloves please" and if you weren't happy with their service did you give them some feedback.

"It could be argued that they were busy and they just didn’t get to me."

It could be argued that they thought if he requires assistance he will ask.

What did you want them to do? You knew what gloves you wanted, and the size, so why the issue? If you couldn’t see the ones required, surely you’d just ask someone.

A lot of people don’t want to be jumped on when they go to a dealer. I certainly don’t. It seems that they’re damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.

SuperTed said:

I have been looking for a replacement for my mid-weight, three season, waterproof gloves. The current pair are now about five years old and the lining is coming unstuck so I have to be careful taking them off. So as I really like them, and they’re still waterproof, a new pair the same seems obvious.
The gloves in question are BMW X-Trafit and they came with me on my TransAm trip last year, which they coped with remaining completely waterproof despite being covered in various kinds of crap on numerous occasions.
Being as I was out and about today, and in the region of where a BMW dealer is based, it seemed reasonable to call in to make a purchase. This did not work the way I thought it would.
So on the way home I stopped in to Cannon Motorcycles in Witham, Essex. They have relatively recently moved from Braintree and have a nice new showroom with lots of shiny bikes.
The layout of the riders kit leaves quite a lot to be desired. An offshoot in the showroom has three or four different jacket styles, a few helmets, a stand with shoes/boots, and three different gloves. In the middle of the showroom are two stands with more stuff on, the far side is more jackets, gloves, boots and at the top is yet more riders equipment. So the first question is: why is not all this stuff in the same place where you can see it and compare things like, I don’t know, gloves properly.
The other thing was that when I arrived at about 4:15 this afternoon I was seen by a member of staff (who had a rather hipster type beard) while I got my helmet off and sorted myself out. Despite being in the showroom for 20 to 30 minutes while trying to find all the gloves, and not finding the ones I wanted or anything else I liked, no-one spoke to me. At least four members of staff saw me wandering around the showroom clearly looking at stuff but at no point was I asked if I needed anything. It could be argued that they were busy and they just didn’t get to me. If that had been the case it wouldn’t be an issue. However, for the entire time I was there there was only one potential customer on the premises - me.
After about half an hour I came to the same point I have before with this dealer. Which is: stuff it, I’ll go somewhere else.
While I have had issues with Cannon’s before, both in Chelmsford and Braintree, buying a pair of gloves should be a straight forward thing. But seemingly not.
I am sure that they are nice people, but their customer service is nonexistent. Added to my previous experiences with this dealer I cannot recommend anyone to go there.

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Hmm.

The Nutty KTMer said:

What did you want them to do? You knew what gloves you wanted, and the size, so why the issue? If you couldn’t see the ones required, surely you’d just ask someone.

A lot of people don’t want to be jumped on when they go to a dealer. I certainly don’t. It seems that they’re damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.

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Correct ... bloody hell some sensible words from Nutty

thebuyer said:

Correct ... bloody hell some sensible words from Nutty

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It wont last.

Personally I hate being jumped on by sales folk, my motto is if I want your help I'll ask for it.

BountyHunter said:

Personally I hate being jumped on by sales folk, my motto is if I want your help I'll ask for it.

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Absolutely

The few who've replied to the thread so far show what a pain in the arse it must be for a sales person...some want to be approached immediately and have their every whim attended to, others want to be left alone. I'm in the middle, I quite like a sales bod to approach and ask if I need any help with anything, then leave me alone with a cheery 'I'll be over at my desk if you do need me...'
To the OP, as Smogbob point out....previous issues but you still went in? I'd have sought a sales person and asked if they had what I wanted in stock.

Davey B said:

To the OP, as Smogbob point out....previous issues but you still went in? I'd have sought a sales person and asked if they had what I wanted in stock.

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I'd have called before to check they had the gloves I wanted, in my size, in stock

Is this the new rant (failed) section ??
As always there is a balance to customer service in retail for discerning customers.
From the other side, If I had the choice between 50p commission on a pair of gloves versus £5k for a top line car I know which customer I would be following........

Bem said:

From the other side, If I had the choice between 50p commission on a pair of gloves versus £5k for a top line car I know which customer I would be following........

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You could 'follow' both though.

A mates dad was minted, but dressed like a scruff. Back in the 80s he went to swap his Rover Vanden Plas for a new one, it was nearly a year old FFS. The youngish sales lad scoffed at the idea that this scruffy (25 yr old tweed jacket and old shoes he gardened in) feller could afford one and steered him towards a Metro. Somewhat annoyed, mateys dad goes across to the Ford dealership and buys the display Granada Ghia X making a big thing of ensuring the Rover dealership bods see him drive off in it a day or two later. (Brockholes and Rocars for anyone who knows Huddersfield)
Point obviously being how the f### do you know that the glove buyer isn't also minted and in the market for a new car in a month or 12 and that your good salesmanship and moreover, way of treating people properly, pays dividends down the line ?

The layout of the riders kit leaves quite a lot to be desired. An offshoot in the showroom has three or four different jacket styles, a few helmets, a stand with shoes/boots, and three different gloves. In the middle of the showroom are two stands with more stuff on, the far side is more jackets, gloves, boots and at the top is yet more riders equipment. So the first question is: why is not all this stuff in the same place where you can see it and compare things like, I don’t know, gloves properly.

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oh jesus

The other thing was that when I arrived at about 4:15 this afternoon I was seen by a member of staff (who had a rather hipster type beard) while I got my helmet off and sorted myself out. Despite being in the showroom for 20 to 30 minutes while trying to find all the gloves, and not finding the ones I wanted or anything else I liked, no-one spoke to me.

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you must be fun at parties

maybe they sensed that

Davey B said:

The few who've replied to the thread so far show what a pain in the arse it must be for a sales person...some want to be approached immediately and have their every whim attended to, others want to be left alone. I'm in the middle, I quite like a sales bod to approach and ask if I need any help with anything, then leave me alone with a cheery 'I'll be over at my desk if you do need me...'
To the OP, as Smogbob point out....previous issues but you still went in? I'd have sought a sales person and asked if they had what I wanted in stock.

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Doing the odd exhibition in a sales capacity as I do, that's exactly my approach......acknowledge their presence and then leave it to them

Since I actually work occasionally in a sales environment I have an understanding of how things work from the salespersons view point. If I could have found someone to ask yesterday I would have. Problem being that someone would walk through a part of the showroom and then vanish. The previous problems have been with workshop and mechanical issues not buying a pair of gloves. The whole thing was highlighted by the fact that there were No Other Customers The Whole Time I Was There. Rest assured, I will not be going back to Cannon Motorcycles for anything at all.

SuperTed said:

Since I actually work occasionally in a sales environment I have an understanding of how things work from the salespersons view point. If I could have found someone to ask yesterday I would have. Problem being that someone would walk through a part of the showroom and then vanish. The previous problems have been with workshop and mechanical issues not buying a pair of gloves. The whole thing was highlighted by the fact that there were No Other Customers The Whole Time I Was There. Rest assured, I will not be going back to Cannon Motorcycles for anything at all.

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Unfortunately there is one person pissed off by this affair. Guess who?

Similar thing when a couple years back, wife in need new car. I went in Inverness Audi to see an Audi Q3. I was in my builders gear so not best dressed and driving my 6 year old Transporter.
Wandered round car lot, couldn't see a used one or new one outside. Went into showroom asked salesman if they had one I could see, used or new ?
No, but there are some brochures on table over there...then hewalked away.

Very late 80s between the Army and the prison Service i spent 3 years in the car trade

I had a brilliant deaper principle who had worked his way up who took me under his wing with lots of sage advice

Things like if you go and ask every woman who walks past if the fancy a shag, sooner or later one will say yes

his other top tip was never ever ignore a person who walks in. they may be just sheltering from the rain and kicking tyres or they could be loaded and want a new car

A scruffy and swarthy bloke walked in one day and every other salesman ignored him, he walked past me and all i could smell was fish and chips

I said hello could i help and on the spot he just ordered and paid for a brand new Rover Vittesse at full money ( ( No one ever paid full money for them)

Turns out he owned 5 chip and kebab shops and was loaded and very pissed off that wherever he went to buy a car he was just ignored

I made loads of cash on that and in fairness made loads over the 3 years i was there.