Customer Service

[WhirlyGirl]

Hi I am brand new to this group and excited to get some good info and share some insight as well.

I have a first question. We own a bicycle store in southern AZ, I have just began working there although the store is 11 years old. I am setting up a corner of the store just for females so I'm hoping you can help me out with what to put there and what services to offer.

1. What if your must have item besides a bike?
2. What do you look for as a woman in a bike shop?
3. Are you "sold" on items in the shop or do you do your studies and know what you want?
4. What service in your local bike shop is a "must have"
5. Is it important to you to be treated as a female cyclist for clothes, bikes, accessories.
6. Are you attracted to other items in a shop besides cycling items, such as high end strollers, natural body care/sunscreen/salves or would you be if they were available.


Thank you so much for your help! And feel free to add any "negatives" you expereinced as well as anything else!


Make it a Great Day
Whirly Girl

[Tuckervill]

There are lots of threads about bike shops here--you might want to search.

If I could frequent your shop, I'd like for the bike clothes for women not be the type that only fit size 0s, please. It's cool to have the latest and greatest, but I think you'd sell more of the basic stuff in real world sizes. It would be an excellent way to make sure the new cyclist doesn't get exasperated at how little is available locally (a regular occurrence for me) and quit cycling altogether.

In other words, cater to newbies. It's how you get new customers.

Karen

[WhirlyGirl]

Thanks karen, I was just reading the threads on losing weight and I thought the same thing, larger sizes! I've been riding for only over a year and am a "hefty" girl myself so really a goal for me is to show women that they can ride, ride comfortabally and get in great shape with this sport!

Thanks again for your input, and I'll check out some of the cycling shop threads.

[lph]

Well - to take a negative first - the thing that pisses me off more than anything is if the high-end stuff is all for men, and the specific women stuff is all mediocre. I know demand is less, but still. I enjoy good design and a feminine look to a certain degree, but function is a lot more important.

Being a commuter I really appreciate shops that cater to commuters, and will fix a flat or adjust brakes or derailleurs during the day while I'm at work.

And I'd be interested in cycling-related products like sunscreen, anything that would be useful on a ride.

[onimity]

Agree that there are some great threads here with a lot of suggestions.

But I really actually dislike it when there is a 'corner' for women... there is one store here that does that and I find myself cramped in the corner realizing how much of the store wasn't designed to apply to me. Make a section of your clothing for men, a section for women. Same with saddles. Put WSD bikes in with the rest but mark them as such. Don't overcrowd your store. If I want a trailer, I'll ask if it can be ordered, but I won't go to a bike store where I can't bring my bike in and walk around easily. Hold maintenance classes and encourage women to attend. Encourage your staff to treat women with respect, even women that don't look like cyclists.

Anne

[KnottedYet]

Mix the women's stuff in with the mens.

I don't have cooties, so I don't need to be put in a corner. At least not very often...

Get someone who KNOWS how to measure for saddles. Not just one of those Specialized butt-o-meters, an actual PERSON with a TAPE MEASURE who knows how to measure a pelvis and isn't afraid to do it! Someone who understands how to tell when a saddle is likely to fit or not. (eg: "Yes, ma'am, you have 155mm sit bones, but you won't get the best fit from that 160mm saddle. Let me show you this 175mm saddle, and here's why...")

Stock some of the saddles in the hard-to-find sizes. Don't lose a sale by telling someone, "oh, you really need something like a Brooks B68, but we don't have that." Stock the B68! Stock the B68-S in case someone prefers a short nosed saddle. And don't just stock those puffy wide over-padded misery-makers, stock "real" saddles. Women don't need more cushion, they need more width!

(saddle selection and mis-direction is one of my pet peeves, can you tell?)

[KnottedYet]

Encourage your staff to treat women with respect, even women that don't look like cyclists.

Anne

ESPECIALLY women who don't look like cyclists! We're the ones that need an LBS, and will be loyal to an LBS who treats us right. We will fall in love with cycling and send our friends to our LBS. The woman who doesn't look like a cyclist might be the most devoted cyclist in your shop!

(I can't tell you how weird it was to go into a different LBS with someone who routinely does 600 mile rides, and both of us were treated oddly because we don't look like *cyclists*. This happened at two shops in a row, we didn't buy anything, and we went back to our LBS in shock. It was quite an eye-opener!)

[shootingstar]

1. What if your must have item besides a bike?
Reliable, good customer service.

2. What do you look for as a woman in a bike shop?
Clothing cut for women, but a range of sizes and styles. I'm sorry. I'm a small, short woman. I do wear X-tra small /small sizes. Also range of different cycling shoes for women. Latter item is real headache sometimes since I don't wear clipless cycling shoes. I wear a slip downed version of a mountain bike shoe.

ANd don't assume that alot of women like wearing pink/pale blue accessories. Experienced cyclists will buy and wear clothing that makes them visible. at night/grey days.like the bright yellows and neon greens. I wear that stuff (and by coincidence look good, probably because i have black hair.)

3. Are you "sold" on items in the shop or do you do your studies and know what you want?
I tend to look around first especially for larger ticket items.
Or read up on stuff. But once I know my options, I will buy immediately. if I see something on-target. Even if I'm just cycle touring in a strange city. I know how rare certain retail items are, for female cyclists.

4. What service in your local bike shop is a "must have"

Self-service for pumping your own wheels. Hrs. that are realistic....don't close at 5:00 pm. Some people can't get home from work until abit later. Information about local cycling events, groups.


5. Is it important to you to be treated as a female cyclist for clothes, bikes, accessories.
Yes. enough said.

6. Are you attracted to other items in a shop besides cycling items, such as high end strollers, natural body care/sunscreen/salves or would you be if they were available.

Not sure if I would buy body lotions in a bike shop. Other places offer a broader range of indulgent body lotions/fragrances. Maybe sunscreen would be a good idea, particular if your bike shop is in a touristy area.

You might want to consider carrying a broader range of lycra headbands..I'm finding it a pain to find any of this stuff. I don't want/need fleecy headband under my helmet. Just a lycra with some cotton is fine. But some awful and expensive polyester headbands are out on market.

[KnottedYet]

Would somebody please carry Harlot? My hip to waist ratio is too extreme for their sizing, and I can't wear their stuff, but they make some very nice high quality goodies!

[SouthernBelle]

Would somebody please carry Harlot? My hip to waist ratio is too extreme for their sizing, and I can't wear their stuff, but they make some very nice high quality goodies!

! We have a shop in Nashville carrying Harlot now!!

I want those long, wool socks with the stars on them.