Parts Store Rant, the other side of the story

[duster340]

So, everybody has thoughts on what makes a good or bad counterguy, but what makes a good or bad customer?

i mostly do customstuff where i work but any customer that has the time to listen and maybe learn alitle is a good one! not saying im not learning from customers cause i am learning from customers all the time and some of them knows more than i will ever learn!

just alot easier to deal with people that are willing to take a few minutes to get the right parts the first time i realy dont care if it takes 30minutes to sell some small stuff for just say 25$ if it means the customer gets the right part in the first place and ends up a happy customer

from time to time someone comes that will buy some stuff and when i ask him what he wants to do with those parts i may have a simpler solution that will cost less and give him a better endresult even if it takes some extra time to explain why and how, most of the time its worth it
the few that wont listen just comes back and will buy more parts to get it right later when they realise there misstake and are most of the time alot easier to talk to the second time.

and i have no idea about how many times i have asked upset camaroowners if they tried routing the pipes above the emergencybrakecable and getting the answer no.. when that solves ALOT of trouble, i know i always try to give that advice when handing the exhaust to the customerin the first place and i just cant get why so few listen to it and then comes back to tell me the system wont fit right...

 

[moper]

A good customer is one that works with you. A bad one doesnt. Simple as that. There's a manager of a local Firestone who made a game out of riding parts guys to death. I took his **** for two weeks, then began hanging up on him when he got beligerent. He ended up driving over to the store and came in with a big smile and shook my hand saying I was the first guy to ever not take his crap and he could respect that. We got along great after that. If a customer is respectful of a counter person and what they know, and the counterperson is well trained, stocked, and motivated... You can't lose.

 

[ramenth]

So, everybody has thoughts on what makes a good or bad counterguy, but what makes a good or bad customer?

A good or bad customer? The good customer is just like the good counter guy. Knowledgable about his own stuff and able to help the counter guy, with patience, when the computer won't spit out the right info. And it's not just on antiques or muscle like we're on here to share, but on everything. For instance: "Sorry, Robert, but the computer is showing that part as being unavailable for this car..." Well, then let's see, I know they used this same part on the a different model and a different year, let's try this one..."Yup, it's coming up as a good listing on that." Or, "well, if it's coming up no good let's try the part number and see if we get something off that."

The bad customer? The guy who gets billegerent about every little thing because he expects everyone but himself to be an expert on his own car.

 

[0lddart]

customers that decided cause they broke their car that they are going to take it out on everyone else,people tring to scam me (had a lady try and return wires and plugs
duralast box and accel wires inside along with
NGK iridium sparkplug boxes with motorcraft plugs inside) and she got bilidgerant with me when i said im not returning them
also if you dont speak english dont give me attitude cause i have no clue what your saying you live in america learn the dam language(no mind you i try my hardest to figure out what you need still and even have a gentleman who speaks ukrainian and VERY little english and ask only for me to help him )

and yes i can personally tell you autozone hires as cheap as possible and usually people who have almost no automotive knowledge,and as pointed out we have to awnser the stupid phone even when already helping a customer,i also think it is beyond disrespectful but i have been written up twice for not answering the phone and sorry my job is more important than pissing you off...

 

[cannucky]

Here in Victoria we have a couple of real good stores the JB Autoparts store downtown is fantastic , the guys will come out oin the parking lot and look at your car and listen to it run or whatever you can't figure out and give you the best advice they can , the local NAPA however { and I've never had a problem with NAPA anywhere else } asked what a carb spacer was I told them they just answered their first question of " can I help you " and walked out , The Carquest stores in Lansing MI were like the JB here very smart car guys willing to help you even if it cost them a sale , one guy found me a used rear end for my brand x for 150 instead of trying to ream me for all the parts to rebuild mine -great guys in my book

 

[alsdemon]

when i would be at the napa store were we had are wheel bearings pressed in if the phone rang too many times i would pick it and say napa auto parts can u hold please. als

 

[slantsixdan]

I am a parts guy, but alas I'm a performance parts guy, Commonly what I will do is grab a part number head down to napa and give it to the guy. makes it easy.

Not always! How many of us have had an exchange like this:

You, to the guy behind the counter: "I only see one Anco 12-14 wiper refill on the shelf. Could you please check if you have any more?"

Counter guy sez "What year, make and model are you working on?"

You sez "It doesn't matter, I just gave you the part number. Anco 12-14. It's a 14-inch wiper refill like this what I am holding in my hand."

Counter: "I need a year, make and model."

You: "Fine, whatever. It's a 1972 Dodge Dart."

Counter: "Truck or car?"

You: "Dart. It's a car."

Counter: "What engine?"

You: "It doesn't make any difference! They all used the same wiper! Just pick one!"

Counter: "I need to know what engine. Does it have the one ninety eight three point two, the two twenty five three point seven, the three eighteen five point two or the three fifty five point seven?"

You: "There's no such a thing as a 350 in a Dart."

Counter: "Three fifty. Ummm...sorry, we don't have parts for that car."

You: "No, I said it couldn't have a 350 because they never came that way. A 350 is a Chevrolet engine, and this is a Dodge. It has a 225!"

Counter: "OK a 225...and does it have drum or disc brakes?"

You: "It has 14 inch wiper blades. Anco 12-14s. I can see them on the shelf behind you. Over your left shoulder. Can you please just grab me another one to match this what I have placed on the counter in front of you?"

Counter: "Uhhhh...I have to check with my manager...and he's on lunch...I could take down your, like, name and number...I guess...if you really want me to. That would require paper...and, like, a writing thing...we have these really kewl headlight blackouts, they look phat if you want to impress the chizzicks and, like, stuff. They're on aisle four."

You: "<unprintable>"

Counter: "Uhhhh...like...what-EVAH..."

 

[duster340]

Not always! How many of us have had an exchange like this:

You, to the guy behind the counter: "I only see one Anco 12-14 wiper refill on the shelf. Could you please check if you have any more?"

Counter guy sez "What year, make and model are you working on?"

You sez "It doesn't matter, I just gave you the part number. Anco 12-14. It's a 14-inch wiper refill like this what I am holding in my hand."

Counter: "I need a year, make and model."

You: "Fine, whatever. It's a 1972 Dodge Dart."

Counter: "Truck or car?"

You: "Dart. It's a car."

Counter: "What engine?"

You: "It doesn't make any difference! They all used the same wiper! Just pick one!"

Counter: "I need to know what engine. Does it have the one ninety eight three point two, the two twenty five three point seven, the three eighteen five point two or the three fifty five point seven?"

You: "There's no such a thing as a 350 in a Dart."

Counter: "Three fifty. Ummm...sorry, we don't have parts for that car."

You: "No, I said it couldn't have a 350 because they never came that way. A 350 is a Chevrolet engine, and this is a Dodge. It has a 225!"

Counter: "OK a 225...and does it have drum or disc brakes?"

You: "It has 14 inch wiper blades. Anco 12-14s. I can see them on the shelf behind you. Over your left shoulder. Can you please just grab me another one to match this what I have placed on the counter in front of you?"

Counter: "Uhhhh...I have to check with my manager...and he's on lunch...I could take down your, like, name and number...I guess...if you really want me to. That would require paper...and, like, a writing thing...we have these really kewl headlight blackouts, they look phat if you want to impress the chizzicks and, like, stuff. They're on aisle four."

You: "<unprintable>"

Counter: "Uhhhh...like...what-EVAH..."

i like customers like you that already know what you need,sometimes there is a better option than the one the customer asks for but i dont think i would ask more if there was just some wiperblades

you are almost right on that 350 sure they where never in a 72dart,but there is some old chryslers with 350´s i THINK around 58-59 biggest waste of castiron from any manufacturer i can think of sure it may be a good engine but you dont realy need a b-block to make that kind of displacement, or the RB383´s

something that can be pretty funny if its the right customer that just says he has a 350 is to ask if its a chrysler,buick,pontiac or olds 350 and just ignore the chevy option until they start smiling

 

[CanadianGT]

Not always! How many of us have had an exchange like this:

You, to the guy behind the counter: "I only see one Anco 12-14 wiper refill on the shelf. Could you please check if you have any more?"

Counter guy sez "What year, make and model are you working on?"

You sez "It doesn't matter, I just gave you the part number. Anco 12-14. It's a 14-inch wiper refill like this what I am holding in my hand."

Counter: "I need a year, make and model."

You: "Fine, whatever. It's a 1972 Dodge Dart."

Counter: "Truck or car?"

You: "Dart. It's a car."

Counter: "What engine?"

You: "It doesn't make any difference! They all used the same wiper! Just pick one!"

Counter: "I need to know what engine. Does it have the one ninety eight three point two, the two twenty five three point seven, the three eighteen five point two or the three fifty five point seven?"

You: "There's no such a thing as a 350 in a Dart."

Counter: "Three fifty. Ummm...sorry, we don't have parts for that car."

You: "No, I said it couldn't have a 350 because they never came that way. A 350 is a Chevrolet engine, and this is a Dodge. It has a 225!"

Counter: "OK a 225...and does it have drum or disc brakes?"

You: "It has 14 inch wiper blades. Anco 12-14s. I can see them on the shelf behind you. Over your left shoulder. Can you please just grab me another one to match this what I have placed on the counter in front of you?"

Counter: "Uhhhh...I have to check with my manager...and he's on lunch...I could take down your, like, name and number...I guess...if you really want me to. That would require paper...and, like, a writing thing...we have these really kewl headlight blackouts, they look phat if you want to impress the chizzicks and, like, stuff. They're on aisle four."

You: "<unprintable>"

Counter: "Uhhhh...like...what-EVAH..."

I've had some pretty fun experiences with parts people. I understand the catagories that parts are listed in. so once when I was getting asked about info completely unrelated to the part I needed, I walked away from the counter and left the guy stunned. I've had the dunce look from parts people before and I've walked away from the counter while they were in mid-sentence typing in a number. I order and buy every part that I can on my own.

In the recent weeks my favorite place to go has been Bumper to Bumper for parts tho. They guys are actual mechanically inclined people and have a clue where each driveshaft u joint goes.

Honestly I'm not a bad customer or a good customer, I'm an impatient customer. If I was in and I'm at the counter imo it shouldn't take the kid behind the counter more then 10 minutes to find the number and get me my part. any longer then that and your costing me time. I'm an *** to stupid parts people and I make no apologies for it, AND when I find a smart old guy I am loyal to that parts guy because I know when I go in and talk to him he knows what I want and won't have to spend time asking anyone what it is I need.

I frequently go into parts stores talk to the young guy(who in most times is my age) and they will need to ask the manager what this is or that is. I'd hate to be a Parts store manager because of the fact most I've seen work from morning to night because they need to babysit.