Just had a completely (and pleasantly) surprising phone call from Biketronics. A call of the type that is rare anymore and completely worth passing along here.
I'd started this thread letting others with the SEEGs know that the Biketronics RetroRadio package wouldn't work with our bikes. Further bemoaned the fact that the Biketronics rep I spoke with, who knew I was buying a radio and other parts and who know the bike was an SEEG, repeatedly didn't let me know their unit wouldn't work until after I'd purchased other parts. Then I had a Sony radio and XM hardware that couldn't be used for lack of a usable BikeTronics kit and couldn't be returned from whence it came.
As one might expect this bugged me a little. The lady on the phone from Biketronics didn't help when she suggested that I do their R&D and, basically, see what had to be done to make it work.
At that time I very pointedly chose not to respond. Didn't want to say anything untoward to the lady regardless of the circumstances. Waited a couple of weeks then dashed off a letter explaining the cirucmstances, detailing the problems, noting that because of the way they'd handled it I'd bought other pieces I couldn't return and now had no use for, and finished by asking if they had an idea when or if their unit might be revised to work with the SEEGs.
After all, I was still very interested in the concept of the product. Would have preferred to be able to use it.
So got a phone call a few minutes ago from Mike at BikeTronics. Very direct. Very competent. Very easy. Quickly explained that revising product engineering for the limited production bikes probably wasn't a profitable proposition (understandable).
Then when I was expecting an apology saying something like "I'm sorry we caused you this problem and I really wish it hadn't happened" what he said was "and we need to make this right so let me know how much you spent on the stuff you couldn't send back and we'll buy it from you."
That was a completely unexpected response. Because of the problem I'd not even had the opportunity to yet become their paying customer. But he's still buying the product that was purchased elsewhere to correct for the error.
We often speak of customer service and pine for some half-remembered and half-made-up "good old days" when people were more direct and life in general was more civil. This converstion with BikeTronics today only serves to remind that those willing to do everything necessary to treat customers fairly and respectfully and directly do still exist.
To Mike and his company, thanks. I appreciate it. Completely. I've not yet been your customer; but I will be when the opportunity presents itself again.
Don Carey
Author
Topic: BikeTronics--Problems with RetroRadio (Read 10824 times)