Halfords NL 2-hour Repair Service Brings Competition for Dutch IBDs

VEENENDAAL, the Netherlands – Halfords in the Netherlands (completely separated from Halfords UK) has started a 2-hour bicycle service for small repairs at its 150 shops which makes the retail chain in one go the biggest competitor for Dutch IBD’s.

‘QuickFix’ is the name for Halfords NL 2-hour repair service. Under this name the current workshops in the 150 Halfords stores will be refitted of will be provided with such shop-in-shop format. “A puncture or a broken chain always comes at the wrong moment”, says Willem Marcelissen, GM of Halfords the Netherlands (photo). “We want to provide our customers professional assistance without having to wait for a day. This is common practice today at most professional bike repair shops.”

“Convenience is an important element of our service to our customers”, continues Marcelissen. “People don’t want to wait too long or make an appointment these days and we distinguish ourselves from IBDs with the 2-hour repair service.” In the recent past most Halfords stores were equipped with a workshop. For several reasons these workshops have never been very successful. People were complaining on the service level, high rates and the existence of the workshops was unknown among the public. Halfords’ new concept is all about changing this perception.

The re-launch of the QuickFix workshops brings Halfords into direct competition with the strong Dutch IBD sector. According to the Halfords GM quick service does not have be expensive and he claims that all repairs offered at the QuickFix workshops are always 20% cheaper than at IBD’s. Most repairs go at fixed rate. For the more complicated repairs Halfords has equipped a Bicycle Service Centre in Veenendaal. “This is a modern equipped and very efficient repair shop where we can offer very competitive rates.”