Polo Motorcycle: Selection top, operation flop?!

Today I made my way to Polo Motorrad in Oftringen to look at and try on a few motorcycle jackets that I had discovered on Polo's website. The way over the highway is very easy and after the Oftringen exit it only takes a few meters, then you find yourself in front of a shopping complex with Lidl, Fressnapf, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Polo. The choice of parking spaces on a Monday morning is correspondingly generous. Everything is fine, one would think.

Impressive sales area

After the sliding doors open, an impressively large exhibition area opens up with countless motorcycle items on two floors. Selection seems here, not to be the problem. I begin to work my way forward, because how I want to find the individual jackets that I had picked out, I do not know yet. A logical arrangement does not open up to me and a signage does not strike me. But I have time and lo and behold, after a little searching among all the countless motorcycle jackets, I find the first model that caught my eye when I browsed the website. I slip in - it is the only model - but oh shock, it does not fit. I make a mental note of the size. Now it would be helpful to know if the jacket was available in another size and in which one. What a pity, there is no one who could or would serve me. And that although practically no customer is present. I think there is still an older couple, but that's it. There it should be nevertheless in it that someone serves me. Maybe they don't like me? Who knows? Maybe they can choose their customers? Who knows?

Service is not known here today

I keep looking and find the second model of the four models that I printed out from the Internet. It is a textile jacket from FLM and it has two sizes. The first jacket, no chance, but the second almost fits, one more size larger and it might work out. But there are different prices, which do not match the reduced prices on the Internet. I wonder if anyone might join me now? I would like to know what the prices are and if there would be a size that would fit me. But again, I can wait a long time for a waitress, no one to see or if then someone busy with other things flits past one.

I'll be honest, when I go into a store like this, I actually expect a waitress to approach me, but that doesn't seem to be the modus operandi here. But even when I move to the counter with the female employees, all the female employees are busy and do not dignify me a glance, they are busy with notes, the customer should probably wait obligingly. And I have no desire today, since it is me who wants to spend money, to address the employees to my needs. That is actually their job. But as I said, today the employees probably have better things to do than to serve me as an interested customer, so let's drop it. I have memorized the information and can search the Internet for the information I was missing.

Poor service not for the first time

That seems to be a trademark of Polo Motorrad. After all, I've been to the Horgen branch on Lake Zurich as a customer and had similar experiences. Spacious premises, but the employees are not very motivated to advise you, especially when it comes to clothes. I guess you have to look for yourself. When I was looking for an accessory last year, with which I could attach the cell phone to the handlebars, an attentive employee was on hand and had advised me quickly and competently. But when I came back another time to try on a motorcycle jacket, I only saw an employee chatting with his colleague, who had everything but to serve me or even advise - chatting with colleagues, is also much more fun. The whole behavior of the team in the Polo reminds me very much of discount stores, where the staff is also always difficult to grasp and has no great desire to give great information, for a discount store is not there.

The answer from Polo Motorcycle

I got in touch with Mr. Tobias Höfer, Communcations & Content Manager of Polo Motorrad, to understand why this was so. To my astonishment, he informed me that they do not see themselves as a discounter, but as a specialist market that advises customers. Customers should come to the stores to get competent advice. However, he himself did not know the conditions in Switzerland and therefore referred me to a colleague who is responsible for Switzerland. I learned from him that some of the old team had left the store in May and that the store management was not there today. It was not the perfect day. They receive a lot of praise from customers and external industry evaluators, but know that they have to fight for excellent quality employees in individual stores every now and then.

Overall, today was perhaps a special day and there are certainly better days at Polo, but my experience suggests that employee motivation is not always at its best. The point is not to put Polo Motorrad in a bad light, that would be cheap, unprofessional and unfair. Polo Motorrad has its absolute right in the biker market, but this is to be understood as feedback to the company and as feedback to existing and potential customers. Who has had similar experiences, who has had better experiences? With pleasure I expect your feedbacks to it. I hope that I may experience more attention and commitment again on another visit to Polo.