Halfords

Ordered a bike to collect in store and was advised to contact to advise them to build it. Have been calling for 4 days in a row at various different time and have been unable to speak to anyone. Either rings out and says they are on other calls or it just rings and rings and no answer. Terrible customer service!

After checking on line for tow ball i walked miles to get to the mile end shop only to b told they were not stocked. i could have one ordered in or go to another store. not my problem that stock control is not up to date i was told. I would have found a chocolate tea pot more helpful. i would not waste your time with halfords.

It might help if they actually provide the service that people pay for..totally disgruntled this morning to find the puncture I had asked to be fixed (and was told was fixed yesterday) still on my bike!

Really good experience. Snapped a chain nearby so they fixed that and got me back on the road for no charge. Booked a service for later in the week and that was very thorough. The bike guy I spoke to knew his stuff and gave good advice. Not snooty like most bike shops in London!

Looking at the previous reviews they must have had a complete change of staff. They were quick and incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. The website had messed up my order so they got a replacement assembled in 40 minutes and fitted the height and seat position of my bike for me. Very friendly and professional so I guess you can ignore all the other reviews!

It would be nice to be the lone voice of endorsement in a crowd of criticism but, sadly for Halfords Mile End, my experience was hugely dissapointing too.

I bought a bike there through my bike-to-work scheme. I spent over 500 pounds but was poorly treated, the bicycle was not professionally put together and the customer service was almost non-existant. I had some extra parts fitted with my order such as pin heads to deter theft of wheels and the seat, and discovered that the original quick release parts had been casually disgarded, some of them could not be located. My new bike lock had no key (only discovered when I got home), the staff were unable to fit any mudguards, this dispite persuading me to upgrade from the ones I wanted to more expensive ones because they would "fit the bike better". What really gualled me was that I placed an order, gave the shop two days to put the bike together and still had to wait two hours in store for them to finish my bike.

The staff are unhelpful and try to avoid your gaze. The bike mechanics are underskilled, they missed some obvious things on my new bike, and the bike service desk is a disordered mess. The only person in the entire store who seems to be on the ball in the security guard on the door. Promote him to store manager I say.

One final criticism, no-one seems to have any idea what is in stock and what is gone. Trying to get some extra parts for my new bike was reminiscent of the Monty Python cheese-shop sketch.

In short, avoid.

update to my last review - i ended up going into halfords six times to pick the same bike up, over the space of 5 days. twice i tried to leave with my bike and something broke on the way out.

I have to be fair, they ended up having to give me the next bike up in price for no extra charge, which is worth quite a bit more, but even that took a LOT of stress and I ended up insisting on not leaving the store after 5 days unless they gave me SOMETHING. i then had to take the bike to another shop (E1 cycles) down the road, to have it set up again, as the saddle and handlebars were unsafe. this setup was done in 2 hours, and the guy was polite.

Unbelievably bad service. I actually came across this site while looking for an alternative phone number for the place, as they're not answering the main one. I've been in 3 times over the past 2 days to pick up my newly-bought bike, and have been faced with complete disinterest by the staff. Had they bothered to contact me, I wouldn't have travelled in to pick up my (not yet built) bike, and saved myself time and money. I'm now sitting waiting for a callback as I was meant to pick up my bike at the re-arranged time the following day, and when I called to check if I should head in, they didn't even know, and promised to call me back 5 minutes later (2 hours ago).

To be fair the first guy I spoke to when I first went in was very polite and helpful, but one I dealt with the bike-specific staff it all went downhill.. really regretting buying from such a rude, unhelpful and unprofessional bunch of people.

I ve been buying stuff in Halfords Mile End for more than 2 years since it is my local car shop, and during two years same story, when you enter the shop all the sales assistants are avoiding any eye contact probably praying for not having to work and when you finally succeed to corner one for a piece of information, here is the most rude, unwilling, unskilled, useless lump of laziness you can think off telling you to actually read the description!!! Comparing their customer service to their TV ad is laughable. By the way PC World and Currys next by are as bad as...I came to spent £500 this morning in Halfords and PC world, I still have my money cause I couldn t find anyone to sell me anything, and since Navigators and PCs are locked away I just couldn t buy them...after 1 hour trying...

I totally agree with the above comment. The staff at halfords Mile End are probably the rudest I have ever come across. I went there to have my bicycle fixed. I waited for an eternity to be served while they stood around talking complete and utter rubbish to each other. When someone eventually bothered to notice me it was as if I was asking them for the world. They refused to fix my bicycle and i left. Never to return to to there again. They dont know what it is to work. The world owes them all a huge favour. Who hires these people!

this is the worst halfords i have ever visited. the workers spoke in the rudest way to myself and family. they were lazy and talked about us thinking we couldnt hear. we arrived seeking assistance to fix a bike and literally had to wait 10 mins before they noticed we were waiting at the till. i tried ringing 5 times in the past two days and no one has answered their phone. finally when i got thru, they answered the phone in a really unfriendly rude manner. i needed to change the date of my service and he was very unhelpful. i do not recommend this store to any member of the public until all staff are changed!