Those guys at the auto parts store . . .(long)

[GrimmJeeper]

to the OP, well said. there are many many people working counters at parts places that * shouldn't* be there. its up to us to pick up the slack. and i completely agree on the customers expecting too much from the parts guys. there is a reason mechanics make so much money you know, just calling me on the phone and telling me the funny noise your car is making and where you think its coming from does not help me at all. please don't get angry when i can't diagnose your problem over the phone.

i don't mind changing a tail-light or a wiper blade for an elderly person or someone who obviously has no idea how to do it, but don't ask me to do it just because you are lazy. and please have patience when asking for some extra service. i need to clear the store of customers before i can help you. i don't mind helping, if you don't mind waiting.

i am very good at my job, and i strive to be better every day. when its slow i read the parts catalogs like novels, cover to cover, so i have a better idea of what is available and what is not.. i've found things that even my boss thought we stopped making.

i've been working on cars for over 20 years, since i was a kid helping my dad build engines for his hot rod buddies. i have gone through tech schooling, and hold ASE certifications for engine, transmission, and chassis/suspension. i also hold my ASE parts specialist certification. the biggest problem i have with customers is when they walk in and automatically assume i have no idea what i am talking about. i know there are a lot of people out there who shouldn't be working the counter (trust me, ive run into more than a few) but give the guy behind the counter a break... you just might get lucky and get some actual help with your problem. when people come in giving me an attitude i cant help but lose any desire to help them with their problem.

i guess what i'm getting at is a little more patience on both sides of the counter would make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable for both parties. i manage a NAPA store and if any of my guys are not up to par they don't last very long.

 

[thethinginthewoods]

I couldn't agree more with all of your comments (except for selling aresol cans to minors ). I have worked for a few years at a Schuck's (CSK Auto, recently purchased by O'Reilly's) and started out with just basic automotive knowledge like how to change filters, bulbs, etc. After basic training, working as a backyard mechanic and spending lots of time behind the counter and on the sales floor helping people with their problems, I have come to be very knowledgable. Myself and a few of the others are the folks that people talk to when they are struggling to find a part or need extensive catalog digging and interchanging. I am not afraid to call up the nearest competitor to see if they have a part in stock that i don't if it means that my customer will be happy and return just because of the excellent customer service.

The unfortunate part about autoparts stores is that service can be great or horrible depending on who you talk to. Sometimes I feel that some of other associates would be better suited working at Wally world or Micky D's. I always keep a positive attitude and provide the best customer service I can, but I have to say some customers really make me doubt that humans are the intelligent species. I saw a funny fridge magnet once that said "show me somebody that works in retail and I'll show you a deep loathing for all mankind."

As a backyard mechanic/tinkerer/hobbyist and Jeep enthusiast, I always do my research before going to the parts house. I even look up the part and price on the store's website so all i have to do is walk in and say "can you grap me this part, your website says you have three in stock." This eliminates confusion and room for error. And If I recieve good service and the person I am working with seems pretty knowledgable and like they truly want to help me, I am much more likely to come back and spend more money. I have been to way too many stores with terrible customer service.

As long as the customer puts forth a little bit of effort to at least figure out which kind of vehicle they drive, I am much more likely to help them get ALL the parts they need, although I always do my best to provide consistant excellent customer service. I often chuckle on the inside when a customer throws a fit because we can't install a part for them (other than wipers, of course) and they say "fine, I'll go next door to Autozone!" The guys from the "Twilightzone" and i are always laughing because they have the same policies and will tell the customer the same thing. "Go to a shop for installations."

 

[muduck18]

In your OP u mentioned nothing about him not selling u everything. Also agian federal law says u can not sell anyone under 18 inhalant type products such as spray paint, carb cleaner, brake cleaner and so forth. And all the parts stores I have scene u cant see out the front windows so how was the guy supposed to know ur dad is their with you. He did his job by not selling a substance to a minor that could have gotten him and the store in a lot of trouble.

my OP was not dwelling on the Dick behind the counter. it was dwelling on the fact that his store, and the store he moved to lost thousands of dollars of sales because he was a dick.

You obviously have some growing up todo.

Excuse me?
Would you mind elaborating on this one?
Cause Your really getting on my nerves.

 

[Backroads]

In your OP u mentioned nothing about him not selling u everything. Also agian federal law says u can not sell anyone under 18 inhalant type products such as spray paint, carb cleaner, brake cleaner and so forth. And all the parts stores I have scene u cant see out the front windows so how was the guy supposed to know ur dad is their with you. He did his job by not selling a substance to a minor that could have gotten him and the store in a lot of trouble. You obviously have some growing up todo.

Maybe this guy works at a parts store too, why such a shithead approach to all this? I mean seriously, hes talking 15years ago. Sure today you cant buy any kind of aerosol product without ID, but 15years ago? That was still a 'new' kind of high. Why be such a prick??

 

[BIgDaddyChia]

Maybe this guy works at a parts store too, why such a shithead approach to all this? I mean seriously, hes talking 15years ago. Sure today you cant buy any kind of aerosol product without ID, but 15years ago? That was still a 'new' kind of high. Why be such a prick??

U couldbuy an aresol product 15 years ago with out an id. and if this guy is holding a grudge after 15 years then he needs some counseling.

 

[warrpath4x4]

lol i have been buying parts for quite a while now and i also work at a parts store. as many stories as i have from buying parts, i have a ton more from selling parts. all i will say is three things.

1. if you cant speak english, your probably not gonna get the right part cause i dont know what your saying.

2. all 350 engines are not the same

3. the other day i had a guy come in with a body mount and tell me it was his tranny mount in a F150 and he had 2 of them.

 

[muduck18]

Maybe this guy works at a parts store too, why such a shithead approach to all this? I mean seriously, hes talking 15years ago. Sure today you cant buy any kind of aerosol product without ID, but 15years ago? That was still a 'new' kind of high. Why be such a prick??

I know... right.
have you had to deal with any of the guys at Morgantown AP?
There are some really nice, and smart guys there, but there is one guy, i can't stand. Not only because of the previous story, but because he has been rude to me and my dad for years. You know, come to think of it, he was rude to my wife once too...

U couldbuy an aresol product 15 years ago with out an id. and if this guy is holding a grudge after 15 years then he needs some counseling.

wow. Counseling? because I hate the guy at my local NAPA. (That I visit at least once a month)
Big daddy...
u need to chill.

Just like any other business an auto parts man has to take care of and be nice to customers.

 

[BIgDaddyChia]

I know... right.
have you had to deal with any of the guys at Morgantown AP?
There are some really nice, and smart guys there, but there is one guy, i can't stand. Not only because of the previous story, but because he has been rude to me and my dad for years. You know, come to think of it, he was rude to my wife once too...




wow. Counseling? because I hate the guy at my local NAPA. (That I visit at least once a month)
Big daddy...
u need to chill.

Just like any other business an auto parts man has to take care of and be nice to customers.

Then report the guy to the manager. There is no reason to put up with asshole customer service people. And if the manager wont do anythign keep going. That guy dosent need to be in the industry if he is gonna be a jerk.

 

[BajaCurt]

to the OP, well said. there are many many people working counters at parts places that * shouldn't* be there. its up to us to pick up the slack. and i completely agree on the customers expecting too much from the parts guys. there is a reason mechanics make so much money you know, just calling me on the phone and telling me the funny noise your car is making and where you think its coming from does not help me at all. please don't get angry when i can't diagnose your problem over the phone.

i don't mind changing a tail-light or a wiper blade for an elderly person or someone who obviously has no idea how to do it, but don't ask me to do it just because you are lazy. and please have patience when asking for some extra service. i need to clear the store of customers before i can help you. i don't mind helping, if you don't mind waiting.

i am very good at my job, and i strive to be better every day. when its slow i read the parts catalogs like novels, cover to cover, so i have a better idea of what is available and what is not.. i've found things that even my boss thought we stopped making.

i've been working on cars for over 20 years, since i was a kid helping my dad build engines for his hot rod buddies. i have gone through tech schooling, and hold ASE certifications for engine, transmission, and chassis/suspension. i also hold my ASE parts specialist certification. the biggest problem i have with customers is when they walk in and automatically assume i have no idea what i am talking about. i know there are a lot of people out there who shouldn't be working the counter (trust me, ive run into more than a few) but give the guy behind the counter a break... you just might get lucky and get some actual help with your problem. when people come in giving me an attitude i cant help but lose any desire to help them with their problem.

i guess what i'm getting at is a little more patience on both sides of the counter would make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable for both parties. i manage a NAPA store and if any of my guys are not up to par they don't last very long.

Which is why I drive 28 miles to Grimm's Napa even when there is a Pep Boys or AutoZone or Kragen on almost every corner here in Southern California (the nearest being 2.4 miles from home) :cheers:

 

[5-90]

Reading about wives/girlfriends/mums/sisters going in for parts with incomplete information makes me feel even luckier.

My wife has had no trouble running parts for me. This is probably for a few reasons:
1) I write down exactly what I want. She has a logical mind (and would make a damned decent mechanic in her own right, if she chose to,) but she does lack experience. I make up for that in my note.
2) She's usually going to pick up something I've called and arranged, or had ordered a day or two previously.
3) If I don't have the part number already and don't have the time to get it, I write down what I want, what I want it for, and what I'd accept. The better countermen at the local all know her (she's the short blonde with the halo,) and they'll work with her to make sure she gets what I need. Problem solved.

In short, if I send her to get parts and she comes back with the wrong stuff, it's my fault. We both know that from the start! I have been wrong once or twice (it happens to all of us,) but I'll take my lumps and figure out what I did wrong for the next time.

When I go in, they love it because they all know I've been on their side of the counter, and we can give each other a hard time and that lets them blow off some steam. When she goes in, they're very patient with her and she can get things sorted out rather quickly.

So as you can probably guess, much of it is a matter of approach (I like your approach. Now, let's see your departure.) If you approach the problem with a modicum of intelligence and logic, it's going to solve things that much more quickly. If you don't, it's only going to make things worse.

That doesn't mean that you'll be able to make up for the yo-yo behind the counter - you can get stuck rapidly doing that. But, you can also download catalogues from most manufacturers' websites these days, and just look the parts up yourself. Or, if you have a good working relationship with the countermen and the parts house, have them order paper copies for you - and look the stuff up before you leave the house. It's pretty much the same thing they're going to refer to as well, but I know I've always been happy with people who brought in their own part numbers, hand me a list, and wait patiently while I pillage around the stacks and get them what they need. Saved me so much trouble...

And, working on the backside of the counter gave me a new perspective on what they're dealing with all day, which changes how I do things for them. I take in as much information as I can (including drawings & photos, when necessary.) I tend to be rather patient, as long as they seem to be trying to move forward. I am very rarely in a hurry to get something done (you can try, but if it takes me forty-eight hours to figure something out, your harrassing me while I'm trying to do it is only going to make me take longer. It's a known fact - don't piss of the guy doing the figuring!)

But, in all the jobs I've had, I honestly think I just can't beat Tier 2 Tech Support for encounters with raw, WMD, weapons-grade stupidity.

(Tier 2 is unscripted, and the regular "brain-in-neutral" stuff doesn't apply. Every call that came to me was a cross between "How did you do that?" and "How did you do that?" I honestly once got to say "You did what to the entire RAID array? Cool!") Since I was also running production for the company at the time, we hired someone to do tech support, and a few of us got to write the scripted answers for what he could handle. He got good at it, and ended up expanding the scripts himself after a while...

 

[TiRod]

Input from last nite - while the telecom computer connection was down, no search, no credit/debit unless we got the 1800 line . . .

Lady comes in wanting to fix the little coolant return line boss on the radiator of her Kia - it had stripped. She says her dad - 35 year mechanic - told her to retap it and screw in a hose nipple to match. Fine concept.

She has it in mind to use brake tubing, and wants to thread it externally to match the new internal threads. Wasn't my customer to begin with, so I keep quiet until my coworker finally hands off so he doesn't have to say no alone (policy.) I suggest the brake line tubing isn't thick enough to thread externally without seriously weakening it.

"Oh, fine, you're just saying that because I'm a woman!" and storms out the door . . .

Playing the gender card to cover up mechanical illiteracy is pretty common now.

Last week another female customer wanted license plate brackets - her new to her car was missing the front plate hanger. She wanted to just bolt some on the lower air dam holes where it could scrape the pavement. I suggested those holes were spaced too far apart to match the license plate. Again, I'm a male chauvinist dissing women in general. What have I got against them, didn't I have a mother? Oh, obviously not.

I won't really argue that countermen may not even have the training of a pharm-tech, but after the service I was getting from that department at a big box, there's a reason we all try to find decent help whereever it is since the prices are mostly the same. There's no reason for either side of the counter to try to socially supercede the other. It's just two people doing business - and what each puts into the transaction is about what they get out of it.

Step up with informed and knowledgeable expectations, and you should get what you're looking for.

 

[WB9YZU]

Why can't you sell the customer what they want and leave the mistakes to them?

You are a salesman. Your job is to sell parts, not correct your customers.

You are not a doctor, not a pharmacist, you sell parts. So, sell parts and stop whining about your customers on-line?

-Ron

 

[wim hoppenbrouwers]

Hallo. I like to read the stories of TiRod.
I am not a counterman myself but I understand his problems.
In Holland I do my homework first when I purchase things.
I look into Haynes and google a little bit and ask , if the purchase has to do with the Jeep.
So please when is the next story, Tirod ? Sorry Zuki-Ron. :spin1:

 

[GrimmJeeper]

another delightful response from Ron

 

[ECKSJAY]

Why can't you sell the customer what they want and leave the mistakes to them?

You are a salesman. Your job is to sell parts, not correct your customers.

You are not a doctor, not a pharmacist, you sell parts. So, sell parts and stop whining about your customers on-line?

-Ron

A goal of any business is to minimize loss and maximize profit. By selling them 'what they want' and not what will work, you're flirting with the expenses of returned items and/or poor 'word of mouth' experiences. There are certain times to leave it to the customer and allow them to 'know it all'. That's when the return policy is thoroughly explained and when I like to mark the invoice with 'customer knows part is not for intended application' or 'customer supplied part number'.

 

[bjoehandley]

Why can't you sell the customer what they want and leave the mistakes to them?

You are a salesman. Your job is to sell parts, not correct your customers.

You are not a doctor, not a pharmacist, you sell parts. So, sell parts and stop whining about your customers on-line?

-Ron

A goal of any business is to minimize loss and maximize profit. By selling them 'what they want' and not what will work, you're flirting with the expenses of returned items and/or poor 'word of mouth' experiences. There are certain times to leave it to the customer and allow them to 'know it all'. That's when the return policy is thoroughly explained and when I like to mark the invoice with 'customer knows part is not for intended application' or 'customer supplied part number'.

Exactly Ecksjay, You can sell somebody the part they want, but then they'll come back to piss and moan about getting the wrong part even though you tell them it's the wrong part and won't fit and can't be made to fit.

 

[WB9YZU]

Exactly Ecksjay, You can sell somebody the part they want, but then they'll come back to piss and moan about getting the wrong part even though you tell them it's the wrong part and won't fit and can't be made to fit.

Selling an alternator for the correct application is one thing. Giving a customer a hard time about wanting to buy a piece of pipe or a bracket is yet another (which is what his last story was about). Why cheese off a customer just so you can feel good about yourself? I does not make good business.

One needs to learn when to back away from situations like that and to let the customer have their own learning experience. Because in the end, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't sell them the part they want.

-Ron

 

[ECKSJAY]

Selling an alternator for the correct application is one thing. Giving a customer a hard time about wanting to buy a piece of pipe or a bracket is yet another (which is what his last story was about). Why cheese off a customer just so you can feel good about yourself? I does not make good business.

One needs to learn when to back away from situations like that and to let the customer have their own learning experience. Because in the end, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't sell them the part they want.

-Ron

I think you're reading way too far into this entire thing...as usual. Do you ever wake up on the right side of the bed, or are they both wrong?

 

[WB9YZU]

I think you're reading way too far into this entire thing...as usual. Do you ever wake up on the right side of the bed, or are they both wrong?

:moon:

 

[goodburbon]

I have yet to find a parts counter guy who can successfully cross reference a spicer 1310 or 597X, and I've only found one that could find me a CV centering ball for the front drive shaft. Yes I am sure I don't own a Grand cherokee, and when I ask for rear brake parts for a late nineties ford explorer, just get them, because when you ask "what year, what engine, what is this going on etc.? and I reply "doesn't matter" and you insist to know what it is going on and I reply "97 Jeep cherokee" you're going to look at me like I'm stupid, and it will annoy me (yes I have gotten in the habit of just picking a random set of numbers for the poor guy behind the counter).

and X eleventy billion on the damn axleshaft u-joint.