Automotive Parts Counter

[Zebrafive]

In person customers should come first!
They should have an answering machine that states: If your call was not answered all sales people are currently serving customers, please call back later.
If no customers are waiting to be served answer the phone.

 

[sixdogs]

I don't mind them having to take some calls, what pisses me off is when I'm at the counter and they don't even acknowledge me between calls.

I went into a local chain store parts place--Advance Auto I think--and the guy picked up the phone during my ordering something with him. It was just for a second so OK. Then he did it again and the call started to drag on with someone just checking prices. After too long, I just nodded to the guy and said I'll stop back later. I just mail ordered what I wanted elsewhere (Summit Racing I think) and it was cheaper and came right to my door. Lesson learned for me to avoid people and places like this.

A few of these parts guys are good but most are there because they have little gumption and work cheap. Go where you are treated best.

 

[brain55]

A few of these parts guys are good but most are there because they have little gumption and work cheap. Go where you are treated best.

I was a fleet manager for a landscape contractor during the housing boom. I was spending $40k a month on parts spread out over a few vendors. My local auto parts store was getting $7-10k of that. There were 2 full service (non AutoZone) parts stores in town. My go to store started making it difficult to get the right parts in a timely fashion. They went to a central call center (they had several stores in the area) so I was no longer speaking to a person in my local store and I never knew when I was going to get parts because I never knew which store(s) they were pulling parts from. So I switched stores and never looked back.

I will say that even though I was not likely the biggest customer, I had no problem throwing my weight around if I needed to. I expected a certain level of service. I had a 100 trucks and over 100 pieces of equipment I was keeping in operation, it was a 6 day a week 12 hour a day job, not getting the right part or not getting it on time was a real issue.

Brian

 

[pat32rf]

Any bussiness has to cater to the biggest dollar customers. We had one guy who looked after walkin customers, four more out of sight on the phones......

 

[Blaneypark]

I must be lucky or have a great owner of a parts store. I have always been waited on. If the phone is ringing they answer it and say hold please. Never been a problem in my neck of the woods.

 

[Mace Canute]

Years ago at a local dealership the counter guys would serve the walk in customers ahead of the phone in customers on Saturday only; Monday to Friday they answered phones first. Their rational was that during the week business would be calling and on Saturdays it was almost always backyarders pricing stuff out. I don't know if it's still like that or not but it was a nice and appreciated practice.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day I will always answer the phone but if I have a counter customer I will always excuse myself to answer it and will ask them to either hold or ring them back, most don't mind.



Jon