The saltiness of auto parts stores

[GarbageGoal]

I occasionally drop into auto stores like Advanced or Auto Zone to get random stuff like replacement lights, wiper blades, etc.

Is it me or is everyone in these places miserable and vulgar? I see stuff you’d never see in a bookstore or a grocery store or most retail places. One day I was looking for some exhaust tape to try and patch a hole in the muffler temporarily and I witness two women dropping f bombs on one another with one behind the counter and the other I guess visiting on her day off while the other employees are laughing it up.

I find a good portion of them feel the need to address you as “chief” or “boss” in that condescending way. One guy last week after I asked for wheel covers pretty much grunted and pointed at them and could not care less to maybe assist in getting some of them down from a high shelf with a step stool or something.

I had never been to the new O’Reillys that opened up before....I was in the store 15 minutes and neither guy at the counter bothered to say a word to me in an otherwise empty store.

Aside from one real sweet girl at my local Advanced Auto Parts, I cannot recall a positive experience with a person in one of these stores....

Anyone notice this?

Click to read more...

 

[NyQuil]

I don't know if there's a lot of pride, ambition or prospects in that career path.

 

[GarbageGoal]

I don't know if there's a lot of pride, ambition or prospects in that career path.

I worked in a bookstore for a few years and while I never saw myself as a managerial type, I never felt so angry or depressed as to completely treat the job, the store or the customers like crap.

I suppose if you work in a place like that and know enough about cars you should just be a mechanic and make real money but if you don’t have the skills you’re just mad all the time.

 

[NyQuil]

I worked in a bookstore for a few years and while I never saw myself as a managerial type, I never felt so angry or depressed as to completely treat the job, the store or the customers like crap.

It sounds like you don't work there anymore. Did you see it as a temporary thing?

I worked on a computer helpdesk during my summers through college.

My demeanor was much different from my colleagues because I was 10-20 years younger in a lot of cases and I knew that I would not be doing this once I got my degree.

Mind you, this isn't an excuse but rather a potential explanation.

 

[Cloned]

I occasionally drop into auto stores like Advanced or Auto Zone to get random stuff like replacement lights, wiper blades, etc.

Is it me or is everyone in these places miserable and vulgar? I see stuff you’d never see in a bookstore or a grocery store or most retail places. One day I was looking for some exhaust tape to try and patch a hole in the muffler temporarily and I witness two women dropping f bombs on one another with one behind the counter and the other I guess visiting on her day off while the other employees are laughing it up.

I find a good portion of them feel the need to address you as “chief” or “boss” in that condescending way. One guy last week after I asked for wheel covers pretty much grunted and pointed at them and could not care less to maybe assist in getting some of them down from a high shelf with a step stool or something.

I had never been to the new O’Reillys that opened up before....I was in the store 15 minutes and neither guy at the counter bothered to say a word to me in an otherwise empty store.

Aside from one real sweet girl at my local Advanced Auto Parts, I cannot recall a positive experience with a person in one of these stores....

Anyone notice this?

Marriage material?!

 

[GarbageGoal]

Marriage material?!

I’m sure for someone in their early 20’s she’ll be great.

 

[Cloned]

I’m sure for someone in their early 20’s she’ll be great.

Age is just a number.

 

[HansonBro]

I've found the odd employee who engages in some shop talk or was genuinely helpful. But I must agree the overall feel of those stores is a bit like a dungeon

 

[CRM 114]

Most of those people probably have enough problems of their own. Can you imagine making minimum wage selling f***ing spark plugs?

 

[ArchAngel55]

I've been doing auto glass for almost 20 years. I dread every time I have to call a parts department at a dealership. They are always miserable and want to do the least amount of work to help you. Most are condescending and talk to you like they already know what you are asking for. It is rare when they are cool.

I think some of it at a local parts store is training. When I have to show the guy how to look up a part on their computer when I've never seen their system before it pretty bad. They also deal with a lot of impatient people who want to pay nothing or don't know what they are talking about.

 

[Bring Bak Damphousse]

I’ve never noticed any excessive “saltiness” in the parts store, retail in general seems to be full of people who have no business dealing with customers though.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Nothing I hate more about Auto Zone is going in there when it's a little bit busy. It's an ordeal to check out. Understaffed, lazy and overworked isn't a good combo for good customer service. I also cringe when asked if I have a rewards card. "No, I don't have one, and I don't want one."

 

[Nalens Oga]

They hire assholes I guess, you see it at certain stores. Victoria Secret for example is full of bitchy teenage girls, Sport Chek hires a lot of jock types, Marks Work Warehouse has more mature types, H&M would be normal college/uni students, etc (from what I've noticed after working in retail and also doing inventory at various stores).

Customer service isn't all that important to auto parts stores or that profession compared to a retail mall type store, the managers themselves are probably like this and hire staff that is as well. Screw them, do your best to get auto parts online when possible or go to smaller mechanics.

Also if there's one thing people in retail like to do from what I've noticed, it's to whine. Mostly whine about customers and how difficult their mostly easy job is, they lack maturity.

 

[Chonged]

There are two reasons

1 they do not get paid hardly nothing
2 they are constantly expected to know how to fix every thing wrong with every car its like people dont understand that they are just trying to make money and they not a mechanic

 

[GarbageGoal]

Also if there's one thing people in retail like to do from what I've noticed, it's to whine. Mostly whine about customers and how difficult their mostly easy job is, they lack maturity.

Hey, I worked retail as I said. Didn't really whine about customers, but fully recognized how stupid they can be.

 

[whatsbruin]

I don't know if there's a lot of pride, ambition or prospects in that career path.

Soon to be $15 an hour in the US.