Returning loan-a-tools at Autozone

[jeepman3071]

Well I stopped at Autozone after work. The manager wasn't there but I spoke with the assistant manager. I mentioned what happened to him and he said that they often won't do returns that are this expensive if they haven't had very many customers within that hour. He said that a $200 return will make them look bad for that sales hour, so they have to wait until the later part of the day when they have had more sales.

I will be calling Autozone Corporate because this is just B.S. I had to waste an hour of my time, and go all the way back there on a different day (or later on the same day) just because the store would have "looked bad" for that sales hour. I can't believe they think this is a good way to treat customers. If loaning out tools hurts their sales quota that much maybe they should state that there are only specific times you can bring back the tools.

To top that off, I mentioned that the gauge I borrowed had buggered up threads and didn't work. He replied "yeah, most of the ones we have don't seem to work all that well".

Edit:

And it was a credit return. I didn't even have to slide my credit card, they just gave me a receipt saying the funds had been transferred back to my card.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
He said that a $200 return will make them look bad for that sales hour...


This part is true, if AutoZone does indeed track that stuff by the hour.

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
...so they have to wait until the later part of the day when they have had more sales.


And this is not true...emphasis is mine. They don't HAVE TO wait to process the return. They are CHOOSING to wait to process the return. They are CHOOSING to put their store's sales figures ahead of their customers' convenience, and that's certainly not a good sign.

I'm usually not much for calling corporate offices, but I have to agree with you that a call to 1-800-AUTOZONE or whatever it is would be appropriate here. They have to know either that, A) their employee at store 1234 is misinformed about their return policy and that it would take precedent over customer convenience, or B) if it is their policy to deny returns until a time that is more convenient for THEM (especially for a credit card return), then you would be taking your business to a store more accommodating to their customers.

A cash situation would probably be understandable. But there is not a good reason for denying a credit card return like this. I'm sure they thought they had a reason, but it's certainly not a GOOD one...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Sounds to me like the person working the register had no idea what they were doing and tried to make up an excuse to get you out of there.

Bingo. Even if she was there for a while, she obviously doesn't know how to properly operate the terminal, or the store has certain functions locked down from general staff members.

 

[andyd]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm gonna need to borrow a vacuum pump someday when I get a round tuit. I wouldn't get too angry with the clerk. Everybody has to earn their daily bread. They are trying stay good on a company policy designed to screw them. If you want to complain ,write a nasty-gram to corporate. They make these policies, not anyone in a store. Easy for me to say, the nearest AZ is only 2 miles away.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
He said that a $200 return will make them look bad for that sales hour...


This part is true, if AutoZone does indeed track that stuff by the hour.

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
...so they have to wait until the later part of the day when they have had more sales.


And this is not true...emphasis is mine. They don't HAVE TO wait to process the return. They are CHOOSING to wait to process the return. They are CHOOSING to put their store's sales figures ahead of their customers' convenience, and that's certainly not a good sign.

I'm usually not much for calling corporate offices, but I have to agree with you that a call to 1-800-AUTOZONE or whatever it is would be appropriate here. They have to know either that, A) their employee at store 1234 is misinformed about their return policy and that it would take precedent over customer convenience, or B) if it is their policy to deny returns until a time that is more convenient for THEM (especially for a credit card return), then you would be taking your business to a store more accommodating to their customers.

A cash situation would probably be understandable. But there is not a good reason for denying a credit card return like this. I'm sure they thought they had a reason, but it's certainly not a GOOD one...


Agreed.

I haven't worked for AZ, but I have worked for a competitor, and it is almost certain they track metrics like these by the hour. Often times employees have goals set based on store averages, so there is some incentive to make the numbers look good.

But there really isn't any kind of good excuse for this happening. Corporate would not stand behind them doing something like that, so why do something corporate won't back you up on? If corporate asks why sales were negative or poor during one hour, just say "some guy returned $200 in loaner tools and we had to take care of the customer." That's it. It's a lot worse to create a situation where a customer feels compelled to complain to corporate, so why even go there?

Where I worked, loaner tools did count as returns and did "look bad," but it wasn't so much of an issue that we wouldn't take them back at a certain time of day. And if corporate got wind of someone refusing to return a rental deposit, that would be a write up at least.

It sounds like the store is poorly managed, or the manager's intentions were poorly communicated to/understood by employees. I can see where the idea to tell a customer to come back later came from, but it's a stupid, poor way to conduct business and I am sure corprate will not stick up for the store on this one. This situation would get somebody's [censored] chewed at the competitor I worked at, so I am sure it is the same for AZ.

 

[jeepman3071]

I want to make a follow-up post about this issue.

I sent an e-mail to AutoZone Corporate using the AutoZone Customer Service link on the website. There is a link where you can e-mail the headquarters about customer service issues. I sent them an e-mail while I was on my lunch break at work, and expected to never hear back. I planned on calling them the next morning anyway. I briefly described what happened in a polite manner.

The next morning before I could call headquarters I received a phone call from the district manager for the local AutoZone. He asked me who I had dealt with at the store, and made it clear he would talk to the staff about the policy regarding loan-a-tool returns. He also told me to see the manager of the store I went to for a $25 gift card for my trouble. He was very nice and professional, and told me to call him if I ever have any issues or questions.

To be honest, this was a few weeks ago, and I haven't even picked up the gift card yet. I'm not concerned with getting any money out of the deal, I just wanted to see management make the staff aware that this lack of customer service was unacceptable. The management has spoken to the staff, and they were very professional and pleasant to deal with. I can safely say that I will continue to shop at the local Autozone because of this experience.

 

[FocusTi]

Expect the "can't be done" response when an employee just doesn't know how it's done.

No business that uses a credit card processor (Paymentech, etc.) is "unable" to run a refund on a card. She just hasn't been trained, or didn't pay attention during training.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

We have a newly opened AZ in our town. Doesn't appear that they will be able to compete with AA a few blocks away. The help didn't seem to know squat about car repair(or anything else for that matter).Blaring,[censored] music didn't help things. NAPA will still be the first choice for me.

 

[babbittd]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
I want to make a follow-up post about this issue.

I sent an e-mail to AutoZone Corporate using the AutoZone Customer Service link on the website. There is a link where you can e-mail the headquarters about customer service issues. I sent them an e-mail while I was on my lunch break at work, and expected to never hear back. I planned on calling them the next morning anyway. I briefly described what happened in a polite manner.

The next morning before I could call headquarters I received a phone call from the district manager for the local AutoZone. He asked me who I had dealt with at the store, and made it clear he would talk to the staff about the policy regarding loan-a-tool returns. He also told me to see the manager of the store I went to for a $25 gift card for my trouble. He was very nice and professional, and told me to call him if I ever have any issues or questions.

To be honest, this was a few weeks ago, and I haven't even picked up the gift card yet. I'm not concerned with getting any money out of the deal, I just wanted to see management make the staff aware that this lack of customer service was unacceptable. The management has spoken to the staff, and they were very professional and pleasant to deal with. I can safely say that I will continue to shop at the local Autozone because of this experience.


I am not surprised to hear about this part of the story. If people have a bad experience at one store, they should absolutely do what you did.

FWIW, I borrowed a tool from the local store last week, paid with a debit card, and they refunded with cash without hesitation.

 

[spasm3]

I am disappointed with who they hire in an autozone store. I went in and went to the counter, a young man about 25 asked if he could help me. I said yes i need a banjo bolt for an 03 Z-71 Chevy Avalanche. He repeated Banjo Bolt? He was lost he had no idea that that even was. How can someone work at a parts counter and not know what a banjo bolt is?

 

[babbittd]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
I am disappointed with who they hire in an autozone store. I went in and went to the counter, a young man about 25 asked if he could help me. I said yes i need a banjo bolt for an 03 Z-71 Chevy Avalanche. He repeated Banjo Bolt? He was lost he had no idea that that even was. How can someone work at a parts counter and not know what a banjo bolt is?


I think this is going to differ, store to store, state to state.

Where I am, it's Autozone > Napa, Advance, OReilly...