Lack of ethics loses customers

Last week I was telling my wife about a bike shop I had visited once before. I was really impressed with the staff there because they were interested in learning about me as a potential customer more than they were interested in selling me a product. The one time I had been in the store previously they did not have what I was looking for. However, they took the time to teach me a couple of things about bike maintenance and explained where some good local bike routes were. I was very impressed.

My first visit with them was over 6 months ago. I was back in the area last week which is why I brought up the subject of the bike shop to my wife.

We had an opportunity to drop by there this week while looking for an adapter for a 1-1/4″ bike rack to fit in my 2″ hitch. This is something that is typically included with a new bike rack. I bought mine used off of Craig’s List and it did not have the adapter.

The man in the bike shop suggested that I go to Wal-Mart and tell them that I bought the rack from them and have them pull an adapter from one of their in-store displays. I told the guy I did not buy the rack from Wal-Mart. He said, “It doesn’t matter. They rip people off all the time, they might as well get ripped off occasionally.”

That type of mentality shows a lack of character. It doesn’t matter what a person thinks about another company or individual, they can’t suggest that stealing from the business is justified because that company isn’t fair. This tells me that the man in the bike shop would probably take advantage of me if it easily benefitted him.

While the good experience I had when I first stepped in the store carried enough weight to send me back there, the lack of character and ethics will keep me from ever going back to that store again. Be careful what you say to your customers, it could cost you many dollars in the future.

2 thoughts on “Lack of ethics loses customers”

  1. Ethics and morality grow and decrease at frightening speeds during our aging process. It’s too bad that the sales rep at the bike store had ulterior/non altruistic motive at heart.

    However, we are presented crossroads in character everyday, it’s never too late to right the ship.

    I’m happy to have stumbledupon <– rss get it? 😛 this blog. Starting a new one of my own for the first time it is refreshing to see a healthy blog whose sole purpose is to share “their own views and interests”. I like the schmorgusborg of topics rather than the same thing over and over.

    Kudos, Props, High-Fives to you!

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