SC unhappy about getting what he asked for.

[Jadedcarguy]

I had to work the retail counter today, due to call-ins. I have started to refer to it as the "remedial counter". Morons and nothing but. Gah....

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I never get a customer or tech what they need, I get them exactly what they ask for. This is important.


About two weeks ago I had a customer come in and ask me for a power steering pump reservoir cap. He even gave me a part number, which I verified by application to be correct. I had to order it, and he gave me a ration of shit because we require prepayment on all special ordered parts. I told him to prepay or piss off(nicer than that). He paid and went on his merry way.

Fast forward to today. SC comes in to pick up his cap. I got it for him and he says it doesn't look right. I double checked by application and it was indeed a power steering cap, the only one listed. Off he goes only to come back in in a couple of minutes cussing all of us and our mothers. I triple checked it and it was still the only choice for a power steering cap. I went out to his truck, he pops the hood, and points to his brake fluid reservoir, and screams "SEE!?! That's the one I need, not this piece of shit!" I was holding back giggles at this point. "Sir, that's the brake fluid reservoir. That<points at steering reservoir> is your power steering." His response? "Why the hell didn't you come look at my truck the last time?"


Several reasons. Let's go over them.

1) You didn't ask me to.

2) You gave me a part number and asked for a steering cap, which the part number was for.

3) You didn't ask me to.

4) Unless I want to go crazy, I must assume that when someone asks for a part, they know what they're looking at and what they're doing.

5) You didn't ask me to.


Savvy?

Needless to say I got him a brake cap. He was of course butthurt that it was triple the price of the steering cap, and wanted me to explain why. I said "It is what it is." He didn't like this reason.

The lesson here is if you're going to work on your car, know what you're doing, and know which systems are which. Steering and brakes are different systems, and take different fluids in different places. I honestly hope this numbnuts has been pouring power steering fluid in his brake reservoir. That will be an expensive repair.

[powerboy]

I am glad that I am not that stupid

[Pedersen]

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I never get a customer or tech what they need, I get them exactly what they ask for. This is important.

Stupid question: What if you get someone like me, who knows enough to say "I really don't know what I need, other than help." What happens then? (and yes, I have been known to say that to store employees. If I start out by admitting I'm an idiot, it seems to make things go smoother

[ebonyknight]

Stupid question: What if you get someone like me, who knows enough to say "I really don't know what I need, other than help." What happens then? (and yes, I have been known to say that to store employees. If I start out by admitting I'm an idiot, it seems to make things go smoother

Then, you would be asking for a mechanic and they like to be paid for their advice.

Auto parts stores are different. If you need parts, you should know what you are doing/talking about otherwise, next thing, they will be asking you for help on how to put it in.

[Geek King]

Stupid question: What if you get someone like me, who knows enough to say "I really don't know what I need, other than help." What happens then? (and yes, I have been known to say that to store employees. If I start out by admitting I'm an idiot, it seems to make things go smoother

I love to help people like you. You're bright enough to know what you don't know, and ask for help when you realize you're in over your head. You won't try to argue, and you will describe the issue as best you can without trying to tell me what you think the problem is. If the issue is a major one, you probably won't freak out and start screaming. You will listen to advice, and probably take it. There is a good chance you will not have the same issue over and over again.

Don't worry. As long as you can describe the problem, I'll be happy to wait on people like that.

[donruss]

Damn, my knowledge of cars could probably only fill a teacup but damn he is stupid.

[Emrld]

I have to give props to the young man at the chain auto parts store I went to the other day.
I was in my new to me car and it was raining . . .so I turn on the wipers . . .well the rubber part that pushes the rain off the windshield is slidding off a smidge with every swipe.
So I pulled in to get a new blade.
I was dressed up as I was heading to a meeting.
He was able to tell me which blades to chose from - (size and type needed)
I went and paid with another clerk . . .he meets me at the door in a rain slicker and says "Ma'am I would be happy to install the wiper for you so you don't have to get wet"
(Yes, I sent an e-mail to corporate and even had his name to give him credit)
That was nice customer service . . .and it really helped as it was a little different of an install from my last vehicle.
But yes, normally I go to a mechanic for work on my vehicle. A few things like battery, wipers, floor mats, and bulbs I will buy and change myself.

[chainedbarista]

same here, pedersen; i'd rather have questions than someone order something different from what they actually want, then get pissy with me because 'I' didn't know what they were after.

questions are good, unless they're stupid (ex. i put down the drink in front of someone as they watch, call it out and then they ask me not a second later, 'is this x?' wtf? yes, moron, it is indeed x; had you been listening and not mentally attempting to contact the mother ship *and getting ignored,* you'd know that...pay freakin' attention to what's going on!!); then i get rather annoyed.

a person's inability to pay attention/think/act accordingly is not my problem, period; i'm not a babysitter and i won't hold your hand.

[Peppergirl]

Stupid question: What if you get someone like me, who knows enough to say "I really don't know what I need, other than help." What happens then? (and yes, I have been known to say that to store employees. If I start out by admitting I'm an idiot, it seems to make things go smoother

Since Jaded is probably at work, I'll chime in till he gets back.

My ex-husband is a low level manager of a dealership parts counter. I've been there a few times where he was stuck working the retail (remedial - awesome description) counter. There were quite a few times where people came in and didn't know what they wanted. If they were cool about it, the ex walked out and helped them. If they got shitty about it (like that guy) they were basically told to piss off and go to auto-zone.

Bonus points if they asked for the manager because the ex was shittier with SC's than the counter help was.

The higher ups didn't care, as long as the profit margins remained sky-high.

[Jadedcarguy]

Stupid question: What if you get someone like me, who knows enough to say "I really don't know what I need, other than help."

Then you would get help.

I've never had a problem helping someone in need of advice as long as they can provide me with enough info to do so, such as what they drive. You'd be amazed at how many people don't even know that!

[Jadedcarguy]

Since Jaded is probably at work, I'll chime in till he gets back.

Yes, I was at work. And I was on the remedial counter yet again due to call-ins. I don't like to pull up CS when I'm up there because too many higher-ups can sneak up behind me, and I don't want them to see me reading a page that says CUSTOMERS SUCK! at the top of it.

[Pedersen]

such as what they drive. You'd be amazed at how many people don't even know that!

Yeah, see, I've got this big car, with a place for carrying big stuff in the back, like refrigumataters, and dressers, and stuff. And it keeps giving me this error message.

So, um, what do I do?

[Jadedcarguy]

Yeah, see, I've got this big car, with a place for carrying big stuff in the back, like refrigumataters, and dressers, and stuff. And it keeps giving me this error message.

So, um, what do I do?

Pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, press the horn, wipers and heater buttons all at the same time, reopen all of the windows. If that doesn't fix it, drive backwards to where you where two days ago and restart it.

[garth1]

Pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, press the horn, wipers and heater buttons all at the same time, reopen all of the windows. If that doesn't fix it, drive backwards to where you where two days ago and restart it.

See, this is what we would have if Microsoft built cars, and we get the "blue screen of death".

[Jadedcarguy]

See, this is what we would have if Microsoft built cars, and we get the "blue screen of death".

Yay!! Someone got the joke!!