The Engleson Files

One day for an estimate on fixing my bike??!! Are you kidding me? I was absolutely dumb-founded after I walked into a local bike store and asked them to fix a couple of minor problems with my bike and was told to wait a day for them to check it out. The work that needed to be done was literally 10 minutes worth once all the proper pieces were purchased. I couldn’t believe it! I brought the bike into the store, told them what was needed to be done, purchased the small items, waited, watched these people walk around the store and do everything in their power to try and prove they were busy (which they were not), waited some more, and then watched them come back and tell me that they would look over the bike and get back to me with an estimate by tomorrow - and it is still not even fixed yet!! Unbelievable! Now, I realize that I have been in China for a long time and that I am a little out of the loop, but geez people, what is going on over here where you cannot get same day service for services required. Why could these people not look at my bike as soon as I walked in? No one else was in the store and no one was doing anything. I am absolutely beside myself right now and can’t believe how backwards we are with regards to the service industry. Back in China, I would have taken my bike down to my bike guy, told him the problem, waited 10 minutes, paid him 5 rmb and then went on my merry way on my repaired bike. Now, I realize that sometimes it takes time to get things fixed but what I brought in today to these bike people should have been done right in front of me. Whether it be a quick fix for your vacuum cleaner or bike, this type of service needs to be re-instituted back into our society because I know there was a time in Canadian history when it was prided upon. Automatic phone messaging systems, one day estimates for minor problems: people, this has gone on too far! Canadian service sucks and I am officially fed up - and I also want my bike back!!