West Coast Powersports - Excellent Customer Service

I had the opportunity to drop by West Coast Powersports in Clearwater, after a Long Ride that put me back in FlatLand this afternoon.

I was dropping in to coordinate some upcoming service on the GL1800 to ensure all the bases were properly covered. As it shook out, the GL really only needed the Shaft Oil refreshed to be completely up to date.

While in the dealership, I spoke with Shawn J., the General Manager, about the Front End shimmy during deceleration. It occurs around 35 miles per hour during deceleration and stops instantly upon applying the throttle.

Shawn indicated that most, if not all GL1800's do this and that Honda accepts this shimmy as a normal condition produced by steering geometry, and that the run-out of the front tire can make it more noticeable.

Since I was already in the shop with the bike, he had it test ridden by their excellent service technician, Joe. He's the tech that's been servicing the bike and I trust his judgment.

After riding the bike he put it up on a lift to check everything out and found that the front tire has just a hint of cupping to it, which makes the shimmy more pronounced.

The tires are Metzeler Marathons I installed at 18,000 miles, and now with over 7000 miles on the tires, are still serviceable, but will require replacement in less than a thousand miles.

Shawn told me to bring it back for a checkup as soon as I mount the next set of tires, and they would check it again and continue documenting the issue(s) in case a warranty issue is building that may require replacement of the steering head bearings.

Since the bike was on the lift anyway, Shawn had Joe refresh the Shaft Oil so I wouldn't have to make another trip to get it done.

This is Excellent Customer Service, and I've been on the receiving end of enough Customer Non-Service to know, recognize and appreciate the difference!

Customer Service is a binary affair; it's either Good or Bad, with no middle ground or third choice. Delivering Excellent Customer Service is a Choice, and must be institutionalized to be maintained.

From my personal experiences; Shawn is Leading By Example and has a staff focused on delivering the high end, excellent customer service we should all expect from the businesses where we spend our money.

West Coast Powersports is doing it right, and has won my future business.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida