“I just don’t expect the pimple popping highschooler working at the parts store to be able to tell the difference between the head and ass of his own pet dog, let alone know all the subtle nuances of my specific vehicle.”
I found that cute little sentiment while digging through the Internet for a recent horror story involving a parts store. I won’t bother to give the author any credit…it was on a forum and dates from 2010…and other than saying that I corrected their spelling, that’s all the acknowledgement that they should need. If not, well, tough.
For over a year now I’ve tried to showcase the dysfunction of the relationship between clerk and customer as best as I can, through humor, but this one-liner struck a nerve on a couple of fronts. First off, it’s incredibly self-aggrandizing. While a lot of customers come in knowing a lot about the vehicles they work on, you acting like you are the all-knowing master with the attitude that I’m effectively Beavis or Butt-Head in the store’s uniform is bullshit. Yes, there are people that don’t know a lot behind the counter. What the hell did you expect for a job that pays about the same as a fast-food restaurant? You want 100% knowledge about your vehicle and the ability to deal with your shitty attitude with a permanent smile? Buy a Rolls-Royce and let them service it. Those that are honestly knowledgeable behind the counter are either just biding their time, ready to move on to bigger and better things, or are ready to find any other line of work after dealing with you and the masses like you with the “bow to me, peasants” attitude. Second, it is a two-way street when it comes to service: we only know what you are telling us. You say 1986 Jeep Comanche, we are going for a 1986 Jeep Comanche. Not my damn fault if your brain confused “Comanche” with “Cherokee” and now you’re angry because you asked for tailgate struts and I’m telling you they don’t exist for your application.
Now, let’s take on your age-aversion issue regarding the “pimple-popping high schooler behind the counter”. First off, I’m willing to bet that you are the kind of ass that blames society’s ills on the lazy generation coming out of high schools now, but you are willing to crap on the kid who is actually working? Nice. Even some of the more moronic people I shared counter space with were at least present and functioning in some form, which beats the hell out of sitting at home playing Xbox all day and dreaming of becoming a YouTube star while ordering pizza on their mother’s credit card. Chances are good that the kid might have an interest in automobiles, might want to learn something, or if nothing else, is willing to work to put a few bucks in their pocket, yet you are dismissing them because they might not know every last nut and bolt on your Olds Cutlass? Twenty-to-one they do a better job of parts hunting than you ever would if I dragged you behind the counter by the nape of your neck and had you look up some obscure part. At least the kid knows they are at a disadvantage and would go for the catalogs, ask the old guy in the corner, dig through websites, maybe even whip out their smartphone in a last-ditch attempt to find your part. What would you do? Run the parts program on the computer and piss and moan when it didn’t come up for you, I’m willing to bet.
Retail transaction relationships are always going to be strained. Each side of the scene will think the other is a moron if things don’t go perfectly. The idea and hope is that both sides have enough information to assist the other as they move to a satisfactory outcome. You, as the customer, are responsible for giving me correct information to your knowledge and asking for the proper part. The counter clerk will fulfill their responsibility by getting you said part, or assisting you with said service. THAT IS HOW THIS WORKS, PEOPLE. If the parts store metric is too much for you to handle, buy every last book you can on your vehicle, order from Rock Auto or wherever the hell else you choose to, and do everybody a favor and keep your troll ass at home. As for the ones who have to suffer you, well, this shot’s for you.
Amen.
Well said, Bryan.
Even when I was a dumb kid in high school and couldn’t tell a water pump from a fuel pump, the folks at the parts store I frequent always treated me like a human being and I do my damnedest to repay the favor in kind.
I work in a repair facility consisting of 3 buildings on a large lot. the mechanic brings a repair estimate that the shop foreman filled out for a major front end overhaul for a 86 chevy caprice. take 15-20min to fill out and price estimate and give back to mechanic. they bring it back a few minutes later to get all parts on estimate, the major front end overhaul that I quoted. they load up said parts on a cart and haul it next door to start the work. they bring the cart full of parts back 45 minutes later saying ” nothing is matching up to the old parts” so with a puzzeled look on my face I pull the book back out to show them, yes I looked everything up correctly and do not understand why nothing is working. so I take a stroll next door to the 15 bay shop with only 1 vehicle in the whole building. the 1 vehicle sitting in an otherwise empty building was a 1985 ford ltd. well no wonder nothing is matching up, you gave me the wrong info. but it was all my fault so says the shop foreman. I know how you feel upcg. and this has happened several times since then.
On one hand, perhaps the people ranting about kids behind the counter are pining away for the “good ol days” when the counterman at the mom and pop parts store didn’t have to ask you a bunch of questions to go to the back and grab you the oil filter or set of points that fits your car…
On the other, more psychoanalytical hand, when we put down other people to make ourselves feel better about ourselves it’s because we want to feel better about ourselves – which means we aren’t as awesome as we are trying to make you believe we are.
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I know if I go into a parts store and ask for an alternator belt for my old car, I won’t get the right one, because I don’t have the original setup under the hood… so I either need to know all the specifics of what vehicle would use the same belt – or better yet, I need to know the part number so they can cross it to their brand.
If I get the wrong part, it’s often because I didn’t supply enough information to the counter person… and sometimes things do get mis-boxed. It’s not just an excuse, I’ve seen it happen.
Another reason the counter people need to ask a bunch of questions is the proliferation of parts compared to the old days. I’d imagine it was a lot easier to remember parts off the top of your head when Chrysler had only three basic engine designs in production!
The Ford dealer I retired from has a parts guy who started as a salesman, never sold a car, then did oil changes on the lube rack. Never picked up the trade to advance to a full tech. Now he’s a parts guy. When I’d go in for a part, he calls NAPA. I actually agree with this ’cause I have a much better chance of getting what I asked for. You can draw your own conclusions from this being a slam or a compliment, ’cause it’s all point of view after all… (hope I didn’t misspell any words for ‘ya. Guess you used to be a school teacher)
Where to start…
1- I like the unknown parts counter guy. I’ve never worked at a parts store but I see what they go through everytime I visit the parts store.
2- If you treat a parts guy with the utmost respect, 99% of the time they will bend over backwards for you
3- Most that I have encountered actually enjoy digging through catologs after they can’t find it on the computer because the kid behind the counter digs cars and wants to learn what he/she can about them. Especially custom stuff like we all own.
4- Bad service is inevitable at any retail business. What do you do? Ask for another counter person!
5- Giving incorrect information. Personally, I have to research everything about my car, (66 dragbug with a nitroused subaru motor), before I even set foot through the door because nothing is going to come up in their system. They appreciate that. It’s not their fault that we have customized our cars and nothing shows up on their system. Research before you go in and give them the correct part number, and they’ll love you forever.
I was one of those young counter people waiting for better things in a rural kansas area. I knew quite a bit about cars since i was 20 something at the time and had been working on cars since i was 10. Had one of these customers come in that insisted that all small block chevy engines used the same plug. I of course knew better. After arguing back and forth i finally gave up and pulled a set of early small block plugs (14mm thread vs the newer 12mm threads.)
When this farmer finally returned home and found out his plugs didn’t fit he was livid. Of course i invited him back in. Showed him the catalog listing for the early small block and repeated his “They’re all the same” mantra. Once i finally pried the right application out of him (a 90s k1500) i happily swapped the parts.
After that, this customer always asked for me and always had correct application information. From his 1959 2.5 ton dodge grain truck to his fleet of ford vans, i always got the information and correct parts for him. I don’t think he ever shopped anywhere else or with any other counter person.
It’s often a tough lesson to learn (or teach for that matter), but can be an incredibly valuable and worthwile experience in building a relationship with a good counter person and a good customer.
What I expect at any parts store:
1. Know how to use the Compter system in front of you, and read all the info it shows. Don’t tell me X doesn’t exists because you only have Z ion stock (happened at O’riely’s 3 weeks ago, another Oriely’s store had X in stock).
2. Know how to use the paper catalogs. Don’t tell me it’s a ‘Dealer or Junk Yard Only Item’ when know your store sells them.
3. I expect Managers to be on hand when some one is too new to know the store. That way they can step in and help.
4. I expect the managers to be Part Counter Pro’s.
Anymore 80 to 85% of the time I already know the part numbers of what I am looking for before walking in to a parts store. If the part can be a,b or c I bring it with me, have a photo on my phone, or have memorized the specifics that identify which one it is.
I make my living Buying & Selling New-Old-Stock GM, Ford, AMC, and Moper parts. I have worked in 4 Salvage yards. I have worked the counter looking up parts in Interchange books, collision books and many different catalogs.