Today I had one of the most disappointing experiences as a customer that I have had for many years.

Pro Cycle Hire is a business based in Puerto de Pollensa on the island of Majorca, the shop is close to the Pollensa Park Hotel.

Earlier this year, on the 6th of May, when out cycling on Majorca I visited the shop, I was looking for somewhere that would be willing and able to fit some parts to a bike I have out in Majorca which I was planning to ship out from the UK. I was assured that there would be no problem at all in getting the parts fitted and the agreement was that when the time came to do the work and with the parts available I should revisit the shop and arrange a suitable time, the work would take about half an hour with the appropriate tools.

This all seemed very satisfactory so when back in the UK I duly ordered the parts I required and had them shipped to my accommodation so that they would be readily to hand when the time came. The parts were delivered and held in store for me and as far as I was concerned things were going according to plan and as agreed.

The next stage, when back out in Majorca, was to visit the shop, confirm that I had the parts and arrange a suitable date and time for the job to be done. So far so good, I duly visited the shop and it was agreed that I would take the bike and the parts in today after 16:00 and the work would be done. I have to confess that I was slightly concerned that nothing was written down but it was not for me ask questions about that.

The next and what should have been the final stage was for me to turn up at the appointed hour with the parts in hand which is exactly what I did. My expectation was that the work would be done and that I would either be asked to wait or to pick up my bike the following day, I had scheduled things so that I would not need the bike the following day to account for this.

What I was not expecting was to be told that the job couldn’t be done and that "circumstances had changed", in spite of the fact that it had been agreed, confirmed, and arranged that the work could and would be done.

I was absolutely astounded that a company would let someone down in this way having agreed to do the work not once but twice, agreed a time and a date for the work to be done and for a customer to have gone to the effort and expense of having all the required parts shipped out from the UK. All this suddenly counted for nothing. To finally be asked when I was going back to the UK, presumably in case the job might be fitted in before I went home, was just the icing on the cake.

This was by far the worst customer experience I have experienced for many years, in fact probably ever.

Contrast this with the experience I then had at 2GoCycling, also in Puerto de Pollensa, where the staff could not have been more helpful. Without an appointment the work was completed in approximately half an hour at a most reasonable price and I highly recommend this establishment if you find yourself in need of help or bike hire. The staff here even cleaned up the parts that had been removed from my bike before I took them away, this was really excellent service.

This will be where I will head in the future: