Australia's HOPE distributor, horrible customer service? Would you deal with them?

[scblack]

'A young person interested in bikes' isn't going to be hired, based on the position description. Anyone qualified, experienced and committed enough to do that job, wouldn't touch it for the money, which, like I said, would be more like the $40, not the $50. $50 is an unattainable level they want you to aim for and you won't get to unless you excell in the role for years.

I disagree:

• It does not ask for any qualification.
• Experience is not essential - but highly regarded.
• They are looking for a person with passion for bikes.

As jrewing says the ad is embellished, no problem at all with that. Read between the lines its a customer service role, and no big salary is necessitated there.

 

[moorey]

I disagree:

• It does not ask for any qualification.
• Experience is not essential - but highly regarded.
• They are looking for a person with passion for bikes.

As jrewing says the ad is embellished, no problem at all with that. Read between the lines its a customer service role, and no big salary is necessitated there.

Who says the ad is embellished? (Aside from JR's claim)
I can't see anyone experienced enough to do this well, wamting to work for $40....so they will settle for someone who can't do the role well and the circle repeats.

 

[Big JD]

it was the same in the past with Intense. The service up until Moonman/ Monza put so focus/energy in and came on board was a shocker. Same with Turner after DH Direct Bill was great to deal with) up until Mr Bullant recently. Much easier to deal with the head office in the USA.

 

[j5ive]

Its a constant catch 22.

As a store that stocks and moves quite a bit of hope gear I actually find Bikesportz quite good to deal with. I can come close to OS pricing, there is generally plenty of stock available, and I get everything sent air freight. I don't expect a whole bunch of knowledge as most wholesalers (gross generalization) are run by roadies or pencil pushers and we often have to educate them on their own products. People with enough bike knowledge are smart enough not to be in the industry!

At the end of the day I think we have to ask if its really the Australian distros job to provide support and information for a consumer who in turn buys online. The result is Distro staff held up with non buying customers, which only increases the running costs for the Distro. Then we obviously get further away from OS warehouse prices or we get less experienced Distro Staff. Catch 22.

 

[markgab]

There are so many variables to this, imo the pay is below average!

With a degree expect 50-55k starting and without a tradie/cleaner could get 50-100k or more!

Qualifications really don't matter, it's the attitude/ethics of the individual.


This is basically = Birds of a feather will flock together.

Got a fool as a manager, he'll hire another fool and so on.

 

[markgab]

Its a constant catch 22.

As a store that stocks and moves quite a bit of hope gear I actually find Bikesportz quite good to deal with. I can come close to OS pricing, there is generally plenty of stock available, and I get everything sent air freight. I don't expect a whole bunch of knowledge as most wholesalers (gross generalization) are run by roadies or pencil pushers and we often have to educate them on their own products. People with enough bike knowledge are smart enough not to be in the industry!

At the end of the day I think we have to ask if its really the Australian distros job to provide support and information for a consumer who in turn buys online. The result is Distro staff held up with non buying customers, which only increases the running costs for the Distro. Then we obviously get further away from OS warehouse prices or we get less experienced Distro Staff. Catch 22.

Being a distributor = one should obviously know the info.
Being a regular guy at a bike shop = no, that's why they call the distributors to ask about the parts. But yea if the mechanic is street smart, that's a plus.

Knowning info doesn't cost them any $, don't tell me they sell stuff they don't know?

*Sales: Da hello would you like to buy hope hub?*
*Bike shop: What's the POE?*
*Sales: I don't know!*
*Bike shop: ??????? wtf?*

The question wasn't like what is the diameter/surface area of the pawl/spring...
It's just basic axles, took me 1hour to figure the parts out with the help of google and forums.
Don't tell me them behind their desks pushing to sell their products for months/years wouldn't have a clue?

Btw, i was a buying customer.
Spent $300+ buying Hope parts.
Buying from AU would be cheaper as shipping was 20pounds.
Due to the shitty response from Hope-AU i decided to buy from UK, who cares about savings!
It's all about the customer service!
I support my LBS whenever i have the time.

 

[moorey]

People with enough bike knowledge are smart enough not to be in the industry!
This I agree with

Australian distros job to provide support and information for a consumer who in turn buys online.

This I don't. I busted my arse trying to go through them, numerous calls and emails, offered them all the part numbers etc. They refused to help even though they could could have, and Hope UK said that they (aus distro) could and should help....but weren't surprised that they didn't.

 

[markgab]

People with enough bike knowledge are smart enough not to be in the industry!
This I agree with

This I don't. I busted my arse trying to go through them, numerous calls and emails, offered them all the part numbers etc. They refused to help even though they could could have, and Hope UK said that they (aus distro) could and should help....but weren't surprised that they didn't.

Spot on!
You're totally right!

 

[DeBloot]

It's a customer service job FFS - doesn't matter what the pay
The guy who reads the email just needs to respond without coming across like a gormless fucktard

If they only want orders $500+, then just say so
If they are wholesalers and only deal with shops, then say so honestly - it would save all the bad mouthing they're getting here

The op wasn't rude or being a dick
he was obviously frustrated - and then it was dealt with in a 'I don't give a fuck because you're not a bike shop' attitude
Christ all mighty, what is it with these fucking bike people - the majority of them anyway
They have their heads shoved so far up their arses they can't see the light of day

The 'you are buying from us' days are over fuckwits
It's now 'we buy from wherever we want'

 

[jrewing]

There are so many variables to this, imo the pay is below average!

With a degree expect 50-55k starting and without a tradie/cleaner could get 50-100k or more!

Qualifications really don't matter, it's the attitude/ethics of the individual.


This is basically = Birds of a feather will flock together.

Got a fool as a manager, he'll hire another fool and so on.

Fella. Tradies are skilled, train for years, work big hours( the ones I know- I know many).

cleaners just work hard and long hours- what about job security, securing existing work, doing 8.30 to 5.00
The job mentioned would have that security of the job being there day in day out. It's not bread crumbs. No doubt they'd pay up to the 50k for the right person who proved themselves. Even at 40k ish it's good pay for no tertiary education and with little physical work.

Again shit CS.

 

[Duane]

I'm a tradie, I ask for a reasonable pay return. I did a 4 year 40+ hours a week, 48 weeks a year training course, called an apprenticeship. A lot of time spent learning my craft just as someone with a "degree". I also now have over 20 years of experience in my trade furthering my expertise in my field. It baffles me, and it's usually from the recently or about to graduate from university student crowd, how they presume that because they went to school and received a bit of paper, despite their usual lack of real world experience that they somehow place themselves ontop of the workplace pecking order above "blue collar workers" and complain about experienced tradies earning high wages or charging higher fees.

I've had my fair share of apprentices with similar attitudes to the Hope representative, without good customer relationship skills, they soon get moved on. Sadly it seems to be something that is lacking more and more in the "age of entitlement" youth.

 

[moorey]

I'm a tradie, I ask for a reasonable pay return. I did a 4 year 40+ hours a week, 48 weeks a year training course, called an apprenticeship. A lot of time spent learning my craft just as someone with a "degree". I also now have over 20 years of experience in my trade furthering my expertise in my field. It baffles me, and it's usually from the recently or about to graduate from university student crowd, how they presume that because they went to school and received a bit of paper, despite their usual lack of real world experience that they somehow place themselves ontop of the workplace pecking order above "blue collar workers" and complain about experienced tradies earning high wages or charging higher fees.

I've had my fair share of apprentices with similar attitudes to the Hope representative, without good customer relationship skills, they soon get moved on. Sadly it seems to be something that is lacking more and more in the "age of entitlement" youth.

I agree with 95% of what you said. Not all white collar workers look down on and complain about tradies, and many of them (not me, btw) also paid more than their dues with study and practical experience to get where they are.
Just as many of my tradie mates are equally judgmental about doctors, lawyers and scientists :whistle:

 

[markgab]

Fella. Tradies are skilled, train for years, work big hours( the ones I know- I know many).

cleaners just work hard and long hours- what about job security, securing existing work, doing 8.30 to 5.00
The job mentioned would have that security of the job being there day in day out. It's not bread crumbs. No doubt they'd pay up to the 50k for the right person who proved themselves. Even at 40k ish it's good pay for no tertiary education and with little physical work.

Again shit CS.

Fella?

Sup spud
I never did say tradies arnt skilled?
I said with a 'degree' and compared wage earned. (Favor went to tradies/cleaners)
Point being that even with a degree/skill or none , being paid 40k is unacceptable.
Its just unethical to be paid that amount 9-5, just above the 30k+ tax bracket.

I meet lots of people in my profession, am a nurse and am in property.
I meet lots of tradies/cleaners/chippies.
When i started, wage was in the fiftes.
I did have placements 'work for free - wellover 700hours'
And wonder why one need a degree for nursing, its just practical work.

I know sometimes cleaners/tradies (don't want to point fingers) accept jobs and are paid cash in hand and tax isnt declared.
They would ultimately earn more, where as my wage increases uptil 8years and it'll be capped. I go through 12hour shifts am/pm/midnight roaster and cant choose my work hours but i love my job, always meeting new individuals, having chats, helping others and etc - giving back to the community plus that being said im not even born here.
Im a nurse, bros a nurse and sis a doc
We get stigmatised back home friends/relatives 'looked down upon' like - wtf you're a male nurse? Isn't a females job or are you gay... Do i care? Fk no am none of the above lol
Thats why i love Australia no one cares about what one works as 'open minded!'

My last supporting statement, i said QUALIFICATIONS dont matter....
Never did say grads > non grads.
I mentioned qualifications/ethics.

 

[pharmaboy]

Gee, lots of opinions about the job offer.

We still have a sort of free market, the money on offer will get a certain skill level, whether it's acceptable to bloke 1 on here or bloke 2 is completely irrelevant . Everyone has their own expectation and value in the wages marketplace. The only disappointed people will be those with skills/talent/ethic for 55k ( the median full time earnings) or less, but think they should be on 200k.

Average weekly earnings are a pointless indicator, it is hugely effected by people on 500k and up , of which there are far more around than the general public appreciate - so if you are earning average full time male earnings you are actually closer to the top 20%

 

[Duane]

I agree with 95% of what you said. Not all white collar workers look down on and complain about tradies, and many of them (not me, btw) also paid more than their dues with study and practical experience to get where they are.
Just as many of my tradie mates are equally judgmental about doctors, lawyers and scientists :whistle:

Sorry if I implied that, many of my friends are in "professional" industries and don't look down on trades at all, my criticism was directed more toward a growing number of our youth, which we really have ourselves to blame for as we are the ones that raised them.

 

[Nerf Herder]

*snip

http://mattcowgill.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/what-is-the-typical-australians-income-in-2013/

thanks for that ... interesting read. I can appreciate many aspects of that.

 

[mongoosemichael]

I have tried to get prices on a set of hope tec enduro wheels with hope pro evo 2 hubs for my Trance. But it seems even the bike shops don't want to deal with the distributor. Sucks a bit due to the fact I'm unsure of the specs i need in the way of measurements because my parents are i the uk now i could get them to pick me up a set.

 

[wombat]

How was i being a dick when i received this stupid reply?

Just go visit a shop. You can get a list of hope dealers on the hope website, or here: http://www.bikesportz.com.au/dealer-locator/Hope.

You just need the end caps.

Did he even read the email i sent?

My rear is a Hope Pro 2 Evo 135x10mm XX1/XD bolt on and want to convert to 142x12 thru axle.
I've been search online for shops selling a Hope Pro 2 Evo 12mm axle but no one sells them, i am from Australia.

Correct me if i am wrong, to convert to 142x12mm I would need a 12mm axle (HUB 229) and x12 (HUB 242) end caps.

The endcaps i can buy from crc/wiggle but NO ONE sells the 12mm axle for Hope Pro 2 Evo.
Where can i buy the (HUB 229) 12mm axle for Hope Pro 2 Evo?
Please help!

Also i was looking at your tools section, does that kit work for Hope Pro 2 Evo bearings? or just Pro 2?

Was i not pointing out the facts?
If you do a search Hub229 is fits both evo and pro3.
Hope Aus only states pro3, same goes for the tools.

Thats why i sent the email to clarify so i cpuld place an order.

Without wanting to defend the responses you got. Which I agree are pretty damn woeful, I daresay that part of the reason you didn't get more help initially was that they perhaps thought you were mining them for information so you could go buy the parts from their competitors, who you specifically mentioned.

Maybe that wasn't what you meant at all, but it could be read that way.

 

[jrewing]

thanks for that ... interesting read. I can appreciate many aspects of that.

Yeah thanks too. Good read

 

[floody]

At the end of the day I think we have to ask if its really the Australian distros job to provide support and information for a consumer who in turn buys online. The result is Distro staff held up with non buying customers, which only increases the running costs for the Distro. Then we obviously get further away from OS warehouse prices or we get less experienced Distro Staff. Catch 22.

I don't think this is a catch 22 at all. Spend a buck to make a buck, simple stuff. Play jaded industry hack and provide shit service on the off chance you won't make a transaction out of it and go bust in short order...well, unfortunately the hacks should go bust but most of the industry operates on this kind of defeatist attitude.

Bike parts distributors are in a death spiral.