"EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICES"
A review of Halfords by Jane H - Tuesday 23rd of September 2008
I have recently had to resolve a couple of issues over the ordering of a bike under a cycle to work scheme. I cannot praise Halfords management enough in the time and effort they have given to ensure my complaint was resolved. I am sure I have not been an easy customer to deal with. However, they have been first class and extremely patient. They have bent over backwards to help me. My faith in the store as a whole has been renewed.
I have read the points of view on some of the posted comments. I have this observation. High staff turnover is a symptom of malaise within an organisation. Generally good staff will not tolerate poor working conditions , and leave when they see the badly run regime. Either badly managed systems, poor wages, long hours. Most staff are loyal if they feel valued. I was appalled to find out recently that many Halfords Bike Hut staff cannot afford to purchase a cycle under the cycle to work scheme because it would put them under the minimum wage. Just think about that - us ordinary workers! Surely Bike Hut staff should be the standard bearers for such a scheme and be encouraged to improve their knowledge and bike experience.
Halfords has done its best recently to modernise (Although I'm not sure that camping equipment is the way forward?) If a shop offers a specialism ie Road bikes the customer expects a level of expertise in advice to go with that. There is a consumer mis-match at the moment. Not enough stock and not enough staff with expertise. I appreciate some stores are juggling part time staff, but Halfords has to get its whole game revved up a gear. There are still a lot of people out there with spare cash for cycling even in a recession, and cycling is a growing sport. There are some super staff who are woefully underpaid, and who will go the extra mile to look after you. A lot of the younger teen staff have no manners and no concept of having to make an effort to look after some one other than themselves. That is a big problem across the UK. Better training, more staff with expertise, and better stock levels with quality gear are the only ways to pull the cycle section forward. This is a strategic and top level issue. I would like to see Halfords flourish. Halfords sits alongside M&S as one of the historic family value stores, uniquely British.
So a just a big thank you to all the shop floor staff who every day try their best to give ordinary customers a superb service. We know things arn't right but hopefully things will change for you soon. In the meantime spend your hard earned money there.
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