50 Cycles: London telephone number!

[Tomtomato]

Seems to be virtually impossible to get the actual phone number of the showroom in East Sheen!!

Seems to be the best kept secret, and a weird business strategy not to be able to talk to specific people.

I have called the switchboard number, but the guy says "yes, you have the correct number, let me put you in touch" but then he can't, says the showroom is closed today (I don't think it is today) etc. Then I give details and I never get a call back.

When I say that all showrooms have the same number, he says "yes, you have the correct number for the London showroom".

Surely, it should be possible to call the shop directly!

Why making it so complicated? Can't they just redirect the call to a switchboard if there is no answer (as opposed to the other way round)?

Am I going to have to drive to East Sheen to actually be able to talk to someone! (and see if the bike I left 7 days ago for repair is actually ready to be collected)

50 Cycles: SORT IT OUT

 

[tillson]

If you haven't already done so, try 020 8876 4750

 

[Tomtomato]

Thank you!

I had to use the website chat yesterday, for someone in Bristol (!) to check the status of my repair in the London shop (nothing apparently done, after 7 days). I never seem to get a call back from 50 cycles, so at least I can call the shop now!

Sometimes, we take such obvious things like a phone number for granted...

 

[tillson]

Thank you!

I had to use the website chat yesterday, for someone in Bristol to check the status of my repair (nothing done, after 7 days). I never seem to get a call back from 50 cycles, so at least I can call the shop now!

Sometimes, we take such obvious things like a phone number for granted...

It seems to be a growing trend for companies to hide their direct telephone number and postal address, preferring instead to rely on automated switchboards and on-line enquiry forms. I suppose it's easier for them to ignore direct questions via these two modes of communication.

 

[martin@onbike]

That's why ours is one of the first things you see at the top of the page , with the address and company details at the bottom.
http://www.onbike.co.uk/

 

[Croxden]

But I'm not sure if your message thing works.

I've used it twice without reply, not your usual service that is first class, I know from experience.

 

[martin@onbike]

Hmmm- not so good. I'll have a look at that and see...bloody websites!

 

[martin@onbike]

Seems to be ok...had a bounce straight back.

" Name: martin
Email: martin@onbike.co.uk
Subject: Test-had complaint about no response
Message: See if this works.... "

Must have been a ghost in the machine Croxden...anything I can help you with now?

 

[Croxden]

Seems to be ok...had a bounce straight back.

" Name: martin
Email: martin@onbike.co.uk
Subject: Test-had complaint about no response
Message: See if this works.... "

Must have been a ghost in the machine Croxden...anything I can help you with now?

Not on here thanks, I will mail you direct a little later.

 

[martin@onbike]

Ok, no problem

 

[Kudoscycles]

Do others have a dislike for websites that hide their telephone number. It seems a trendy thing that a superior website must make it impossible for customers to ring up on the phone.
It's a total turn off for me,if they make it difficult for me to ring up then I'll go elsewhere.
I T guys in big companies live in a bubble where they assume that everybody is a techie but there are still customers,especially the grey pound,who are not internet knowledgable and need to communicate by older methods.
One of my dealers made the decision to delete a hard catalogue relying on his website for all sales communication,his revenue plummeted,he quickly had to produce a paper catalogue....can you ' curl up with a good Kindle',it doesn't feel right to me.
KudosDave

 

[EddiePJ]

At 49yrs old, perhaps I'm old before my time, but four things that I like to see on a website without having to search too hard, are as follows.

Direct telephone details.
Company address.
Opening hours.
Direct email details, not online forms which all to often just leave you in the dark, and show as not being configured.

When on the phone making an enquiry or what ever, I'm one that hates the familiarity of first names being used. I see it as bad practice. Unless familiar with the respondent, the same also applies with email.
I cringe when I'm on site working, and contractors are in conversation with clients that they have only just met, but are already on first name terms. When at work, I prefer there to be a barrier and respect between both parties, which is often lost by the use of first names.

I also agree about the paper brochure. You can beat them.

 

[tillson]

Agree with all that EddiePJ says.

Too easy for companies to worm their way out of situations with on-line forms. Telephone calls to direct numbers and emails can be used as a good record of what has taken place. It's all too easy for an on-line form to get, "lost."

I'm even at the point where it can sway my buying decision. If two companies are offering the same product, I tend to go towards the one with better access to customer service.

 

[Kudoscycles]

The problem with only on-line communications is that e-mails or texts fail to communicate emotion or concern and often can be interpreted incorrectly,a phone communication allows both persons to communicate both verbally and interpret feedback.
Companies such as BT and Amazon I am sure exploit this as a means of filtering only those communications that they wish to receive....I find that the sales line is often quicker to get through than the complaints line,hehe!!!
KudosDave

 

[Jimod]

I've got no interest in dealing with a company who hides their phone number. It doesn't matter what they're selling, there's more places selling it than buying it so we can always 'phone' someone else.

 

[Nealh]

Can we still just call you Eddie on here or from now on Mr. Jefferies.

 

[Wicky]

I used to work for a firm in an office block that shared with a co-op head office and it was funny to hear their staff refer to each other as 'Mr' despite having worked togther for decades.

On the cricket pitch it would be 'Jeffo' and if the opposition something less endearing ;-)

As for web contact forms I add them to clents sites and add the provision for a copy to be sent to the sender. The problem is that crawlbots can harvest email addresses from websites for spamming unless highly obfuscated.

 

[Tomtomato]

I suppose it's easier for them to ignore direct questions via these two modes of communication.

I can only assume 50 Cycles's aim is the opposite: instead of relying on shops to deal with new buyers (and possibly miss some leads when closed/not answering), they want to track all potential sales through a switchboard, capture details etc.

However, for contacting a shop about after sales/repair, this is not efficient at all, and would be much better to be able to talk to the shop directly, to get an update...

Just to clarify: 50 cycles are not hiding their company phone number (well displayed on the website), but they only show a switchboard number as opposed to the number of an actual shop. The switchboard operators are not that useful, and won't disclose the shop numbers. I think the switchboard has been outsourced to an external company, as opposed to being manned by company employees.

 

[JohnCade]

I can only assume 50 Cycles's aim is the opposite: instead of relying on shops to deal with new buyers (and possibly miss some leads when closed/not answering), they want to track all potential sales through a switchboard, capture details etc.

However, for contacting a shop about after sales/repair, this is not efficient at all, and would be much better to be able to talk to the shop directly, to get an update...

Just to clarify: 50 cycles are not hiding their company phone number (well displayed on the website), but they only show a switchboard number as opposed to the number of an actual shop. The switchboard operators are not that useful, and won't disclose the shop numbers. I think the switchboard has been outsourced to an external company, as opposed to being manned by company employees.

Actually the answering service or whatever it is is pretty bad at getting potential customers through to someone who can answer queries. I was trying to find something out a year or so ago before I bought my bike and I never got through to anyone who could help. When it comes to dealing with warranty issues it’s also poor and you do need a direct shop number if the bike is there.

But when did you last have a number for your local bank branch? Most companies seem do this sort of thing now.

 

[Tomtomato]

I agree, contacting a local branch from a bank can be a similar challenge.

However, I am banking with First Direct, so not really an issue for me! I can talk to someone empowered to resolve most issues or do most operations, 24 hours a day (typically a human being answers within 10 seconds)...

If the switchboard staff have access to repair logs/records, spec of bikes etc, then it could be useful (particularly out of hours), but they are just getting in the way otherwise.