Pure Energy Cycling

[dogo]

Or maybe the mechanic probably didn't want to get fired .. Or maybe imagine if 100 people like you came in and asked for a squirt of lube ? It's a business , they have the right to do what they want . If you don't like it then just go to another shop , I wouldn't bash them for that tho cuz I understand where the shop is coming from .. Just sayin...

Honestly if I owned a shop, and 100 new faces came in over the course of a month asking for a "squirt" of lube for there chain, I'd have absolutely no problems even applying it myself.... It would only become an issue if those 100 people continuously kept coming in, and even if at that point I'd surely wouldnt be condescending..

 

[jdog]

I have a retired / War vet customer who knows that I have a gallon of Dumonde tech in the shop.

I have refilled his bottle 10+ times for n/c.

 

[Cyclopath]

A guy came into our shop yesterday with the bike he probably hasn't touched in months. We were pretty darned busy but I took the bike and pumped up both his tires. He asked what the charge was. We said, "Nothing, Air is still free." He said, "Really? In that case..." He then bought a $50 floor pump, a bottle of lube and some sorely needed chain cleaner.

Most importantly, he walked out with a smile. You can bet he'll be back and he'll definitely tell others about us. Compliments spread. Complaints spread like wildfire.

 

[The Kalmyk]

I have a retired / War vet customer who knows that I have a gallon of Dumonde tech in the shop.

I have refilled his bottle 10+ times for n/c.

Noted

A guy came into our shop yesterday with the bike he probably hasn't touched in months. We were pretty darned busy but I took the bike and pumped up both his tires. He asked what the charge was. We said, "Nothing, Air is still free." He said, "Really? In that case..." He then bought a $50 floor pump, a bottle of lube and some sorely needed chain cleaner.

Most importantly, he walked out with a smile. You can bet he'll be back and he'll definitely tell others about us. Compliments spread. Complaints spread like wildfire.

Good stuff!!!😀

 

[extremedave]

He asked what the charge was. We said, "Nothing, Air is still free." He said, "Really? In that case..." He then bought a $50 floor pump, a bottle of lube and some sorely needed chain cleaner.

its really a matter of business ethics at that point, plus i don't want to carry a bottle of lube for the next 40 miles....

I wasn't going to say anything here unless it was somewhat constructive. I'm on the counter in an auto repair shop. To us, it's a pretty big difference if someone at least offers to pay. That means you recognize it costs money to have this place open, stocked, and ready to help you. Chances are, just like Cyclopath, we'll let some little stuff slide if you sincerely expected to pay. And sometimes it pays off down the road.

Not charging for minor stuff falls under marketing, basically. A lot of our trade magazines mention that if a customer won't buy something small (light bulb, air filter, fix a tire) chances are they aren't going to buy something big either. I don't always agree with that, some people can do the minor stuff themselves, but there is some validity. So if a potential customer walks in, expecting free right off the bat, it's not a great start.

I'm also having a tough time with this "community of bikers" idea. Yeah, I agree a little, but when you go to the massive expense of opening your bike shop doors, it's a business. Perhaps it's a business you enjoy and are passionate about, but it's gotta make money at the end of the day. And like most shops, I'm sure Pure Energy sponsors riders, does goodwill events, etc... In other words they probably give back plenty.

And on a minor note, the "Captain Semantics" part of me would immediately say to the original question "you want to borrow lubricant? Are you going to bring it back, somehow put it back in the can?" A different original approach might have yielded different results. "Hey, I need just a little bit of lube so I can ride home, do you have some small packets I could buy or something?" Again, chances are they probably would have done it free.

Unless the mechanic is just a douche.😀

 

[Chris(NJ)]

Most importantly, he walked out with a smile. You can bet he'll be back and he'll definitely tell others about us. Compliments spread. Complaints spread like wildfire.

bingo. I owned my own business for 5 years prior to selling it and (by far) the biggest way to generate repeat customers and referrals was through proper customer service. Going above and beyond (which includes giving out some free shit) and people will always remember it. You'll have customers for life this way.

 

[BShow]

I wasn't going to say anything here unless it was somewhat constructive. I'm on the counter in an auto repair shop. To us, it's a pretty big difference if someone at least offers to pay. That means you recognize it costs money to have this place open, stocked, and ready to help you. Chances are, just like Cyclopath, we'll let some little stuff slide if you sincerely expected to pay. And sometimes it pays off down the road.

Not charging for minor stuff falls under marketing, basically. A lot of our trade magazines mention that if a customer won't buy something small (light bulb, air filter, fix a tire) chances are they aren't going to buy something big either. I don't always agree with that, some people can do the minor stuff themselves, but there is some validity. So if a potential customer walks in, expecting free right off the bat, it's not a great start.

I'm also having a tough time with this "community of bikers" idea. Yeah, I agree a little, but when you go to the massive expense of opening your bike shop doors, it's a business. Perhaps it's a business you enjoy and are passionate about, but it's gotta make money at the end of the day. And like most shops, I'm sure Pure Energy sponsors riders, does goodwill events, etc... In other words they probably give back plenty.

And on a minor note, the "Captain Semantics" part of me would immediately say to the original question "you want to borrow lubricant? Are you going to bring it back, somehow put it back in the can?" A different original approach might have yielded different results. "Hey, I need just a little bit of lube so I can ride home, do you have some small packets I could buy or something?" Again, chances are they probably would have done it free.

Unless the mechanic is just a douche.😀

Good response.

If I go into your pizza place and you don't let me use the salt, you've lost a customer for life...

Norm, would you just go into a random pizza place and ask for some condiments without buying anything? The stuff is there for paying customers, not for anyone off the street who might need a sprinkle of salt. Maybe its just me, but I'd feel like an asshat walking into a business with a sense of entitlement like that.

While I do agree that as described here, the mechanics behaviour could have been a little more pleasant or a bit more tactful, I also think it's pretty asinine to walk into a place of business and think you're entitled to use their stuff just because you're riding a bicycle.

This particular situation, looks like a no-win for the shop. Realistically, what is the likelihood that you'd have gone back to buy something in the future if the mechanic had lubed up your chain? If he did, were you going to come on here and praise the shop for it's customer service? Would you have brought back a six-pack later on to say thanks for letting me ride home with a quiet drivetrain? Maybe you would have, but I suspect that a lot of times, it's not the case. A lot of times, that squirt of lube amounts to nothing more than damage control to keep people from openly flaming the shop for having bad customer service or faulting them for trying to nickel and dime to make ends meet...

I do see where you're coming from and I'm playing a bit of a devil's advocate here, but I wouldn't fault the guy for saying no. Delivery, maybe - but that depends on how the "customer" approaches the situation. If the customer comes through the door with sense of entitlement and sarcasm, then I bet a lot of mechanics would blow them off.

 

[Norm]

Norm, would you just go into a random pizza place and ask for some condiments without buying anything? The stuff is there for paying customers, not for anyone off the street who might need a sprinkle of salt. Maybe its just me, but I'd feel like an asshat walking into a business with a sense of entitlement like that.

While I do agree that as described here, the mechanics behaviour could have been a little more pleasant or a bit more tactful, I also think it's pretty asinine to walk into a place of business and think you're entitled to use their stuff just because you're riding a bicycle.

This particular situation, looks like a no-win for the shop. Realistically, what is the likelihood that you'd have gone back to buy something in the future if the mechanic had lubed up your chain? If he did, were you going to come on here and praise the shop for it's customer service? Would you have brought back a six-pack later on to say thanks for letting me ride home with a quiet drivetrain? Maybe you would have, but I suspect that a lot of times, it's not the case. A lot of times, that squirt of lube amounts to nothing more than damage control to keep people from openly flaming the shop for having bad customer service or faulting them for trying to nickel and dime to make ends meet...

I do see where you're coming from and I'm playing a bit of a devil's advocate here, but I wouldn't fault the guy for saying no. Delivery, maybe - but that depends on how the "customer" approaches the situation. If the customer comes through the door with sense of entitlement and sarcasm, then I bet a lot of mechanics would blow them off.

To your specific question to me, I can't imagine a scenario where I would need salt. Well, a left field situation would be something like maybe we bought some fries for my daughter at McDonalds or something. And we're walking in the mall and she says she wants salt because the fries are bland - bear with me, it's a thought experiment.

In that case, yes, no questions about it I would. But, to get to the real issue you bring up:

Entitlement

Was Adam (the OP) indignant when he went into the store? Who knows. Maybe he was. I know Adam, he actually used to ride for us. He raced for Rutgers and helps with the HPUX race, so I know he's a good guy and has done well for the community.

I also know he's a kid, and more importantly a human being. Maybe he was having a bad day himself, and walked into the store and came off like a prick. Maybe the mechanic just got off a phone call and was dumped by his girlfriend or found out his car was going to cost $3500 to fix. And maybe Adam wasn't as friendly as he could have been. Who knows.

In the above example with the pizza place and the salt, I would undoubtedly explain the situation to the guy and that my daughter wanted some salt and that I understood that I was being a mooch. I think 99 times out of 100 the guy would be fine with it. Maybe 100. I think if your presentation is sound, I really don't see it as being an issue.

I would personally have rolled home with a noisy chain because I don't care and I've read the studies that show drivetrain efficiency is not improved even a nominal amount with a lubricated chain. Just so long as I had headphones I would have ignored it 🙂

Basically I think you need to roll into the shop and say, "Hey man, I don't have any cash on hand really and my drivetrain is making all sorts of noise. Think you could help me out and hook me up with a bit to get me home quietly? I used to work at a shop so I know I'm being a pain but anything you can do to help me out would be appreciated."

I can't imagine that approach should ever create an issue. But who knows. It takes all kinds.

 

[michael.su]

Norm,
You should have ended that post with "Take my advice with a grain of salt" 😀

 

[FFT]

Why would anyone expect free chain lube? Because your cool? or a member of the community? or a TDF pro?

When I go to my local shop, where dudes know my name, and call me to ride, and ask me for favors, I will still throw two bucks down on the bench for 'a spritz' of lube. This whole argument stinks of ego, plain and simple.

 

[warcricket]

This particular situation, looks like a no-win for the shop. Realistically, what is the likelihood that you'd have gone back to buy something in the future if the mechanic had lubed up your chain? If he did, were you going to come on here and praise the shop for it's customer service? Would you have brought back a six-pack later on to say thanks for letting me ride home with a quiet drivetrain? Maybe you would have, but I suspect that a lot of times, it's not the case. A lot of times, that squirt of lube amounts to nothing more than damage control to keep people from openly flaming the shop for having bad customer service or faulting them for trying to nickel and dime to make ends meet...

Situations like these have a much larger impact on customer relations than making ends meet. If I were to get a little lube for free, you're right, the chance of me coming on the the board to start a new thread about my good experience is slim. However, if I where a business owner, I would be exceptionally concerned about the way my shop's name comes up in conversation. Prior to my last visit I had nothing but good things to say about them anytime their name was mentioned. Although my experience with the actual shop was limited, their reputation seemed promising. I'm good friends with one of their employees, know people who have bought bikes from there, and have ridden with plenty of folks who associate themselves with the shop. Granted my probability of actually buying anything there is/was slim considering my personal associations with other retailers, but good PR extends far beyond who's directly buying things off your selves. Any shop that has ever sponsored a team or charity event or had their name on a jersey knows this, and Pure Energy is no exception.


What it boils down to for me is the fact that Pure Energy is not autonomous from the rest of the bike industry. Since there are so many great bike shops in New Jersey who are willing to take that extra step to help out a fellow cyclist, I cannot recommend this one.

 

[FFT]

I just back from there. I got a free cup of coffee, lube, a tube, and some chicken. I told them if they didnt cough up the goods I was going to bash them on the internet for not meeting my demands. Dude mumbled something like 'second one of these a$$holes in one week' as i was walking out.

 

[warcricket]

I just back from there. I got a free cup of coffee, lube, a tube, and some chicken. I told them if they didnt cough up the goods I was going to bash them on the internet for not meeting my demands. Dude mumbled something like 'second one of these a$$holes in one week' as i was walking out.

Was the chicken salted?

 

[walter]

the coffee was free, but good thing you didnt try to add milk or sugar.

 

[FFT]

Was the chicken salted?

No, I like my chicken choked.

 

[warcricket]

No, I like my chicken choked.

They did that for you? Maybe they're not so bad...

 

[FFT]

They did that for you? Maybe they're not so bad...

Cost $2, outta your price range. 😀

 

[Carson]

No, I like my chicken choked.

And we are full circle back to the lube.

 

[warcricket]

Cost $2, outta your price range. 😀

I'll start saving my lunch money.

 

[BShow]

First, I'm not attacking anyone here so please don't take that impression away from my comments... and please don't take offense. Maybe I'm trolling, maybe this struck a nerve in me, maybe i'm just arguing for sake of arguing. I think there are valid points on either side.

Was Adam (the OP) indignant when he went into the store? Who knows. Maybe he was. I know Adam, he actually used to ride for us. He raced for Rutgers and helps with the HPUX race, so I know he's a good guy and has done well for the community.

I also know he's a kid, and more importantly a human being. Maybe he was having a bad day himself, and walked into the store and came off like a prick. Maybe the mechanic just got off a phone call and was dumped by his girlfriend or found out his car was going to cost $3500 to fix. And maybe Adam wasn't as friendly as he could have been. Who knows.

I have no way of knowing any of this and I don't know Adam from, well... Adam. I think that the approach of the person in need has a lot to do with how it's received by the shop and ultimately, the outcome of the situation.

In the above example with the pizza place and the salt, I would undoubtedly explain the situation to the guy and that my daughter wanted some salt and that I understood that I was being a mooch. I think 99 times out of 100 the guy would be fine with it. Maybe 100. I think if your presentation is sound, I really don't see it as being an issue.

I would personally have rolled home with a noisy chain because I don't care and I've read the studies that show drivetrain efficiency is not improved even a nominal amount with a lubricated chain. Just so long as I had headphones I would have ignored it 🙂

I agree with you on all counts here.

Situations like these have a much larger impact on customer relations than making ends meet. If I were to get a little lube for free, you're right, the chance of me coming on the the board to start a new thread about my good experience is slim. However, if I where a business owner, I would be exceptionally concerned about the way my shop's name comes up in conversation.

I agree with you that negative PR is what the business owner needs to be concerned about. The negative word of mouth travels much more easily than even the most extreme positive - its an unfortunate truth about the way our society in general works. I dont know if its the fact that people just dont care about positive outcomes or what... but positive stories about anything are rarely noteworthy... just look at the news stories. What's the ratio of positive to negative stories?

Its unfortunate, but I suspect that the mechanic's snide remark and refusal to lube your chain will have a far greater impact to that business than if he had offered you a new bike to ride home. It doesnt make sense, but I think that's the truth.

I'm not even sure what my point is here. I guess I just think it's an unfortunate position for the shop. It's expected that the shop provides goods and services, free of charge, to a "customer." The sole purose of the shop taking "that extra step" is to save face amongst that person's peers, who might actually be customers. But there is little, if any "reward" for the shop if they take that step. I guess I sympathize with the shop a bit in that regard.

What it boils down to for me is the fact that Pure Energy is not autonomous from the rest of the bike industry. Since there are so many great bike shops in New Jersey who are willing to take that extra step to help out a fellow cyclist, I cannot recommend this one.

Right. I certainly agree and only the strong will survive in a fierce market.

For the record, I do find it perplexing that a shop would deny a squirt of lube for no good reason. If you were a total azzhole about it (not saying you were...), then yeah, I could totally see it. But for no reason, that doesn't make any sense at all.