PARTS MAN'S LAMENT

[ToyotaNSaturn]

I worked in Ford/Lincoln-Mercury parts for several years.

from 1991, lady comes in to the parts counter, says she has a 1982 Lincoln Continental, needs a cigar lighter. About $4.25 at the time.
She asks: "Is it covered under warranty?"

Some times it took everything I had to not strangle people.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: expat
Quote: And if said person who was sent gets lippy, said person is guaranteed to get the wrong part, causing the lazy SOB who should have come down in the first place to come down, return the wrong part, and give me the info I need to get him the right part. Logic, he wasted my time, I'll make [censored] certain waste his time, anyday of the week.


Quote:
Q) Who's time does this waste?

A) Every body's


Good way to get fired as well. I would NEVER have done that not even with the most difficult customer I had.

 

[Maritime Storm]

You have patience of a saint my friend. Your right it wastes everybody time and energy if you don't provide the proper info to the parts person so he can get you the part your need to fix what you're working. If you don't know what you're driving or what you're looking for, how do you expect the parts person to know?

 

[Maritime Storm]

You misinterpreted what I was trying to say in first post. If you ask for an alternator and cannot provide with the year/make/model and engine size or insist I give you a standard "insert make" alternator, I will sell you an alternator, because that is what you insist I do. Afterall, the customer is always right even when they have no clue. However, without giving me the information I need to get you the right part, you will, in most cases not get the part you are looking for. Which means you will return it(creates work and wasted time for customer service), then you will come back to my counter,hopefully this time with the info I need to get you the right part,so I can get you the part you need. I say to one of my more mature techs at least once a day, "It isn't 1970 anymore, their is no standard anything, on any make, get me the info I need". Regarding firing me, the customer always gets what they ask for, even if it's not what they need. My boss has this point made to him at least once every six months. He comes to my window and says "give an oil filter" I turn around and hand a CPH3976A filter for a Cummins B series, everytime. He looks at it, looks at me with a [censored] look, then I polite ask him what he working and get him the filter he would actually like. Information makes all the difference between getting what you need and getting what you ask for.

 

[GeaugaFletcher]

Oh, I've been behind the counter for some of those parts-getters-errant. In very nearly all instances, the issue with the 'fixer' wasn't saving time, it was laziness.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Maritime Storm
You misinterpreted what I was trying to say in first post. If you ask for an alternator and cannot provide with the year/make/model and engine size or insist I give you a standard "insert make" alternator, I will sell you an alternator, because that is what you insist I do. Afterall, the customer is always right even when they have no clue. However, without giving me the information I need to get you the right part, you will, in most cases not get the part you are looking for. Which means you will return it(creates work and wasted time for customer service), then you will come back to my counter,hopefully this time with the info I need to get you the right part,so I can get you the part you need. I say to one of my more mature techs at least once a day, "It isn't 1970 anymore, their is no standard anything, on any make, get me the info I need". Regarding firing me, the customer always gets what they ask for, even if it's not what they need. My boss has this point made to him at least once every six months. He comes to my window and says "give an oil filter" I turn around and hand a CPH3976A filter for a Cummins B series, everytime. He looks at it, looks at me with a [censored] look, then I polite ask him what he working and get him the filter he would actually like. Information makes all the difference between getting what you need and getting what you ask for.


Unless you take the time to explain it to the customer along the lines of what you did above, and they continue to insist on the part, you are wrong IMO. I would do everything in my power to convince the customer to get me the info I needed. Matter of fact I am not sure I could sell a part I know is wrong? I would have to call the manager over and explain the situation and say I can't sell this person a part because I don't know what one they need.

 

[RacerE7773]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509
When I used to work a parts counter, I had a sign next to my catalog rack that read:

"If you make me look through 750,000 pages of catalogs for a part that doesn't exist because you got the make, model or year wrong, I will unscrew your nose with an air wrench."


God, I love that. I'd seen people complain the part wasn't the right one and say the parts guy didn't know what he was doing (when he was looking right at the info on the computer) when in reality they didn't know how to put a wiper blade on in the first place. Morons.

 

[Bluestream]

Found my old post....

 

[Mitch]

I worked at CARQUEST stores from 1977 thru 1991 and I thought I heard them all. The old I need a 710 cap(oil upside down). Do you have ac (they need a belt) yes, but it doesn't work.
The store down the street sells it for $ less but they are out of it, answer : mine is $ less when I am out of it also.
The city manager who would come in a couple times a week for the free coffee (dressed in a bathrobe)

The best one was a guy needed a trans filter /gasket for an early th400. Yes I have it. He comes in and tells me this is just like everyone elses that isn't right. I show him the slip of paper in the box telling you how to reuse the extension tube. I got a funny look and then he told me nobody else in this town could figure that out. He then left to buy the filter elsewhere because mine was $2 more.
I kind of miss it now, like it feels so good when you quit hitting your thumb with the hammer

 

[artificialist]

I worked in auto repair, but I had to help coworkers with ordering replacement parts. The cars that fascinate me the most are Nissans, and water cooled VWs and that has helped out.

One time a 1987 Nissan 300ZX came in for an oil change, someone installed the wrong filter, and it was blown off. It took the pressure sender with it.

I made sure the guys ordering the parts knew it was a non-turbo version with an analog gauge cluster. There are 4 different kinds of senders:
1. NA engine with analog gauge cluster
2. NA engine with digital gauge cluster
3. turbo with analog gauge cluster
4. turbo with digital gauge cluster
I also helped out someone with a 1992 Maxima. From 1992-1994, there was a rare DOHC engine option, and I had to make sure the guy ordering parts knew. It is common practice for parts guys to ask for the engine displacement, but not the variant. In the 1992-1994 Maxima, the common SOHC and rare DOHC engine were both 3.0L

An auto teacher said the best thing to do was find the engine code on the car.

Meanwhile, I was regularly saved by guys who were passionate about other cars. I knew a large number of people who quit working at Ford dealers, but brought their knowledge back with them.

There is one problem that isn't always solved. Sometimes an auto manufacturer will change something in the middle of the year, and not make it obvious that there was a change. In 1998 and 1999, the VW Cabrio and Beetle had some MKIII Jetta/Golf parts and some had MKIV Jetta/Golf parts. Some VW enthusiasts called them MK3.5 cars.

 

[VNTS]

Originally Posted By: Zedhed
Originally Posted By: Maritime Storm
The one that annoys the [censored] out of me, is the guy who'se to lazy to off his duff to come to our parts counter and ask for what he needs, rather he sends his wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/bestfriend/ 15 year old down to my parts counter with 1/10th of the info I need to get him the part he needs. And if said person who was sent gets lippy, said person is guaranteed to get the wrong part, causing the lazy SOB who should have come down in the first place to come down, return the wrong part, and give me the info I need to get him the right part. Logic, he wasted my time, I'll make [censored] certain waste his time, anyday of the week. Always help your partsguy help you and you'll rarely make a second trip to parts counter.


Yeah, that's when I vote with my wallet and order it online and it gets delivered to my door at 1/2 the price and no lazy moron parts-looker acting superior or like an asz. The reason AZ, AA, O'Rielly's and all the others do so well is because at least their parts-lookers are polite and don't hand out a bunch of manure to the wives or 15 yr old kids.

I've very seldom been to a "stealer" part dept and was treated even half-way decent. Always condescending, surly, slow, talking on the phone with GF while you wait, apathetic, etc.

My money walks when I get treated that way. Only polite, knowledgeable, and interested get my money for way over-priced parts.



My local Dodge store, I call and ask for the manager of parts dept, he picks up, takes part # confirms it is what I need, checks inventory or orders and has next day and only marks up my stuff 10% and no shipping! All electrical or specific stuff I need I go OEM.

Most people in stores try to help but I can see some folks dont have a clue and the parts guy or gal is at the mercy of the computer.

I have all .pdf files for all my cars on my computer and I can see on the newer stuff they do need the VIN to confirm stuff.

 

[JetStar]

I worked at a parts store back in the late 70's early 80's when I was in college. It was fun back then since GM had just started corporate engine swapping. AMC's and International Harvester vehicles were fun too since you had a list of suppliers for engine accessories (starters, alternators, carbs, distributors) that kept things entertaining.

 

[hattaresguy]

Any job dealing with the general public is painful; remember the average person is a moron.