Question for chain store mechanics.

Econo-box from Hell · June 18, 2009, 01:23:58 PM

I recently got a job in a tire/service store in the Saginaw area. This company amazes me in how ruthless it treats the customers. A guy will come in for a $20 tire repair and they try to shove $500 worth of flushes, filters, repair, tires, etc, down the person's throat. If the customer says they don't have the money they then beat them with a store credit card application. The customer runs away never to return again. This chain does this with every customer!

The store does all types of service work and a mechanic can make a good living as long as "service" comes in and not just tires, wheels, rotations, LOFs, inspections, etc. Even if a person comes in for a $300 brake job, the store still tries to ramrod more stuff down the customer's thoat. This repair shop/tire store has almost no repeat business, only first timers that take the coupon bait and then (most) run like hell when they see what's going on.

I guess what I'm asking is if all chain service centers are like this? I've always tried to do the best quaility work I can and try to keep a customer for life. I sorta feel like a whore working at this place because they treat the customers so bad.

Just looking for your thoughts.

Ranger Dave · June 18, 2009, 01:27:31 PM

that why i don't go to them places anymore did 1 time and won't go back.

Bo Duke · June 18, 2009, 02:18:48 PM

Yeah agreed the chain's suck at customer service and get almost no return biz...

dsJeep · June 18, 2009, 02:59:26 PM

I've never had that happen before

Slick · June 18, 2009, 03:30:17 PM

If I don't wrench on it at BD's barn with Josh & Uncle Tom, then I go see Uncle Steve at Muffler Man.

Here's a good one! How many times Auto Zone try to shove the little packs of lubricant down your throat for a buck. They should hand it out free when you walk in the door to ease the pain of the scewing they are about to give ya.

J.C. · June 18, 2009, 03:37:04 PM

Quote from: Slick on June 18, 2009, 03:30:17 PM
How many times Auto Zone try to shove the little packs of lubricant down your throat for a buck. They should hand it out free when you walk in the door to ease the pain of the scewing they are about to give ya.

i agree with that statement, but when you need a dealer only part, thats when you should get free lube.

mudbrat71 · June 18, 2009, 04:05:46 PM

worked there 1 week 10 yrs ago could not sleep i dont treat my customers that way so i got new job

TBigLug · June 18, 2009, 05:10:27 PM

The few I've delt with all did that. That's why most everyone around here, if they have to have a repair done they can't do themselves, go with the old school mom and pop outfits. Like Smith's Service!

burl · June 18, 2009, 05:22:08 PM

i agree those places try to screw you out of everything and i dont kno why thats a one time deal with a customer for life possibly idk i couldnt tell some one they need all this

done when they dont and if i need somthin done i do it my self i work on all my familys stuff if something goes wrong i fix it and pretty much for nothin

burl · June 18, 2009, 05:25:08 PM

oh and fast eddys is a good one for that...you go in for a 15 dollar oil change and they want to put detergents and grease and everything else not just do a frikkin oil change my mom when in there once for a 14.99 special and she ended up payin like 45 bux thats rediculass

creepyjon · June 18, 2009, 07:52:16 PM

I used to work for firestone a few years back, and they were the most dishonest place I've ever seen. The biggest thing they would do is if we couldn't find a leak in a flat repair, we would poke a hole in the sidewall so the customer had to buy a new tire. Other common thing was to quote parts you have to take off to fix another part. Like if a alternator was bad, quote the belt even if is perfectly fine. Then you get paid twice for taking it off basically since you are already taking it off to fix the alt. Also they would let any jobs that were hard and payed bad go without mentioning they were bad. When when doing a set of tires, we "gave" the customer a free alignment check. Well you take a small screwdriver, and tip the alignment sensor out a bit, and oh you need an alignment. Reset the sensor the proper way and get paid for an alignment. The saddest part is everything the guys there did, they still couldn't break even on hours most week because of flat rate.

On the other side of the coin, they expected mechanics to do things that always took 3 times longer than they got paid for. Like .4 hours for an oil change, tire rotation, full checkup and paperwork that took you .75 hours and then you got 4-5 of them a day. Flat repair paid I think like .2 or .3, but you had to put the customers spare tire back together and put every bit of crap back into their trunk, most repairs ended up taking .5 hours, and then you get several of those a day. Things like this MAKE people dishonest. You have to feed your family, and you go to work to make money. When you get shafted on everything you do, you have to make it up somehow. I just wasn't cut out for it, I'm too honest, but other people don't have much choice.

On a side note my girlfriend took her car to sears for an oil change because I was too busy to get to it. They shafted her and took advantage of her until they got her to pay for some overpriced bs service the car didn't need. They kept berating her with all kinds of things, and pressuring her into buying something or her car would blow up. Ended up paying over $100 bucks to get the oil done, and a fuel system service. What a fuel cleaner, I get that at the parts store it's $3 bucks a bottle.

dsJeep · June 18, 2009, 09:24:59 PM

I guess I've been lucky, my dad owns an auto parts store and has alot of friends that own or run shops if I can't do the job my self, reading some of these posts make me very glad about that...

damn_ford · June 18, 2009, 11:51:34 PM

been there..worked the comission repair shops, lost sleep, made little old ladys eat cat food for
the month after tellin them they were gonna die in a firey crash if they didnt spend there pension
check on there car, we had to, you dont sell u dont get paid. iwork 60 hours a week for
$150 its the shop owners that are forcing techs into this. theres a 5 store chain in flint and at
one time i was top tech for the year.

i wont do it anymore. now i work hourly, run my store and fix peoples cars

my motto now is "you only get all of someones money once"

econo-----> ive been looking for a decent tech..preferable undercar experience
but my underhood guy is slower than dog doo and i get the impression hes
just workin to recharge his unenmployment
pm me for details,

ps....the long hours make up for the crappy pay

tcb · June 19, 2009, 06:16:15 PM

I hear ya, I went in for a oil change by my work at a shop I never been too, no prices listed anywhere, they guy tells me after they are almost done it's going to cost over $100 and I ended up talking him down to $100 even but it still pissed me off considering I have the oil and filter at home, I just didn't have time to do it. Screw chain shops.

There is a little shop by my house this guy owns and does all the work everything and he does it right the first time and it's like $25 with a car wash for everything and he talks to you and takes care of his customers, I just hate I don't get off work in time to stop by there.

Econo-box from Hell · June 20, 2009, 12:44:09 AM

I was in commission this morning so I no longer get a base pay. I worked 12 hours today and made $11.70. That's 97.5 cents an hour boys and girls.

Hammerlane · June 20, 2009, 12:45:33 AM

I've found that with a little tact and some creative thought I can exact some recourse from people like that..

AAA (yea, the insurance co.) my wife has it and the AAAplus coverage.. she's on her way home from up north... 11:30 pm E of lansing on I-96
gets a flat tire.. no prob.. she calls AAA, they tell her they need a cross street.. she says she's on I-96 at mile marker 107.. they tell her again they need a cross street.. she has to walk 1 1/2 miles to the next overpass (and back) before they sent service (my wife is 5'4" and petite)

needless to say I went sideways!! I started with my insurance contact and within 2 hours I had the president of AAA on the phone, every person I spoke with, names, locations etc... by the end of the conversation we had 6 months full coverage insurance, and a years free AAA+

Do some research on these places, find the upper managements names and locations and get a (tactful) letter in the mail

P.S. a hand written letter will get more of a response, if your writing sucks.. get someone else to write it.. don't cuss and swear.. don't make
threats etc.. but tell them that the service your getting is unforgivable.. and you will tell everyone you know to stay away.

and if that don't work, put it in big words on the Wal'mart bulletin boards..

Econo-box from Hell · June 20, 2009, 12:55:47 AM

Quote from: Hammerlane on June 20, 2009, 12:45:33 AM
I've found that with a little tact and some creative thought I can exact some recourse from people like that..

AAA (yea, the insurance co.) my wife has it and the AAAplus coverage.. she's on her way home from up north... 11:30 pm E of lansing on I-96
gets a flat tire.. no prob.. she calls AAA, they tell her they need a cross street.. she says she's on I-96 at mile marker 107.. they tell her again they need a cross street.. she has to walk 1 1/2 miles to the next overpass (and back) before they sent service (my wife is 5'4" and petite)

needless to say I went sideways!! I started with my insurance contact and within 2 hours I had the president of AAA on the phone, every person I spoke with, names, locations etc... by the end of the conversation we had 6 months full coverage insurance, and a years free AAA+

Do some research on these places, find the upper managements names and locations and get a (tactful) letter in the mail

P.S. a hand written letter will get more of a response, if your writing sucks.. get someone else to write it.. don't cuss and swear.. don't make
threats etc.. but tell them that the service your getting is unforgivable.. and you will tell everyone you know to stay away.

and if that don't work, put it in big words on the Wal'mart bulletin boards..

What I really need to do is get right out of the automotive world and back into equipment repair.

Hammerlane · June 20, 2009, 01:50:43 PM

We are supposed to be hiring another wrench by the end of the year, kind of a long commute though. (Wixom)
and you'd have to work for me...

Econo-box from Hell · June 21, 2009, 01:48:58 AM

Quote from: Hammerlane on June 20, 2009, 01:50:43 PM
We are supposed to be hiring another wrench by the end of the year, kind of a long commute though. (Wixom)
and you'd have to work for me...

What type of repair?

mudslayer2008 · June 21, 2009, 04:18:45 AM

My brother-in-law took his Ford explorer to the Valvaline (spelling

) oil change in Mt. Morris to get an oil change and fliuds check. Ok he don't know that much about vehicles but, I trying to teach him. anyways a $25.00 oil change turned into a $65.00 bill because they changed the fluid in the transfercase he didn't have. The vehicle is only 2wd. Not sure if he ever went back and confronted them about it but, you definitly need to be careful where you take your vehicles to be serviced