Auto Shop Owners (1 Viewer)

[Jenn]

Am I the only one blessed with the sort of customers who leave their car some where else, and then call me, demanding that I have their car on my lot?

This has happened a few times, but today I had a customer call and tell me her car was supposed to be ready yesterday, but she didn't get a chance to pick it up. So could she pick it up today?

Not wanting to say right off the top of my head "I don't have your car" I told her I'd check the status of it and looked through the repair orders and walked the lot looking for this Sentra.

I look on the schedule and see we have her car scheduled and marked off as a no show. So I call her back and say "I'm afraid I don't have your car, are you sure you dropped it off with me?"

Of course, I know that no matter how I can think of saying this, she's gonna flip her lid over it, and she does, saying that she's going to be right over to talk to me face to face.

So while I'm waiting, I call the other auto shop here in town and sure enough, they have her car. So I called her back and I said "I found your car, it's at this other shop, here's the phone number, and it's ready to be picked up."

She was apologetic afterward, and based on experience it really wasn't that big of a deal.

A few weeks ago, I had my closed sign up but I was here catching up on work and a customer pounding on my door that I shouldn't be closed when I'd told him to bring his car by for fuel filter change. He was yelling at me through the door which was not going to get me to open the door. I was really getting kind of nervous especially because I knew that I hadn't taken any calls in over two hours.

I asked him who he talked to, he didn't have a name, I asked him when he called, he gave me a vauge time, so my suspicions were up anyway. I asked him for his name, and he gave it to me, and told me I should have known because I'd just talked to him.

He continued to go off that he wasn't even sure his car was going to start again, and I had told him to bring it by at noon (btw, he'd shown up 15 minutes after noon to begin with).

So I picked up the phone and called the other shop and sure enough, he had called the other shop. Since now he was 30 minutes late and getting to the other shop would have put him there in 15 more, they'd taken in a walk-in and could no longer get him.

Needless to say I wasn't going to tell him that, I just gave him directions to the other shop and bade him goodbye.

I can't be the only one that gets these?

 

[Alan]

Oh I've had those who call here asking if their car is done, then I scratch my head and tell them I don't have that car here. Then they go ballistic until they relaize maybe, just maybe, it isn't a conspiracy and they made a mistake when dialing..........

It takes all kinds....

I will say that we are swamped today, and everything is running hot, straight, and normal, with zero problems....<knock on my service desk> Anymore, easy, busy days are few and far between!

 

[FABMAN]

Oh I've had those who call here asking if their car is done, then I scratch my head and tell them I don't have that car here. Then they go ballistic until they relaize maybe, just maybe, it isn't a conspiracy and they made a mistake when dialing..........

It takes all kinds....

I will say that we are swamped today, and everything is running hot, straight, and normal, with zero problems....<knock on my service desk> Anymore, easy, busy days are few and far between!

HEY ALAN, HOW DID YOU COME OUT ON THE CENTERLINE WHEEL PROBLEM?

 

[Mike]

Jenn, trust me, you not alone.

 

[Alan]

HEY ALAN, HOW DID YOU COME OUT ON THE CENTERLINE WHEEL PROBLEM?

Supposedly they should be back at my shop on Monday or Tuesday......

And they are supposed to be straight now...

 

[Nitrohaulic]

You gotta love people who get angry with you over something that you couldn't even have a motive for wanting to happen in the first place! Like, you really know the person and have a reason for wanting to screw their life up! You get it in your shop. I get it in traffic. Take the same attitudes and put them behind steering wheels.

 

[Butch]

The other side of the counter.
I'm at work and my cell rings, I answer it. We checked out your car and everything is ok , but our records show that you have not had the fuel injection serviced. That only runs $350.00 Oh I say yes go ahead and do it.
To bad they called the wrong number. And did not ask for Mr. ? I'll bet that was fun explaining to the customer.

 

[Jim]

Stupid people and those who know it all are all over the place.

As a Passenger Railroad Conductor we too get some people who think they are always right. A passenger come up to me the other day and asks if we got to Stoughton. I tell him we do not. He then asks if we stop at Canton, I tell him we do. He then says very snottily "well same difference." I said "not it isn't" and he said "yes it is." I said "tell that to anybody who wants to go to Stoughton right now." He quietly walked away.

One time I was working a train that I normally did not work. I usually worked a train that left at 545p and that day they needed me to work a train that left at 550p. As I was walking to my train one of my regular passengers asked me if it the 545 to Lowell. I told him it was not. He said "very funny" and got on the train anyway. I made 3 PA announcements on board as to where the train I was working was going, which was Beverly. After the 3rd stop guess who appears to talk to me? He said "hey you were not kidding were you?" I asked him why he would think I would lie to him? He had no answer. By not listening to me it took him almost 2 extra hours to get home.

Another time I get on my train a supervisor from a different department was on board and starts giving me a hard time about something he thinks I should not have done. It was not against the work rules and really none of his business, but this guy is a real A$$hole anyway. For every question I had the correct answer and he knew I was right. I could see he was getting pissed because he could not get me. We had not left the station yet so I finally looked at him and said "your going to 'Station A*' right?" He said "yes." I said well "we don't stop there." He said that's OK I will get off 'Station B*.' I then told him "we don't go either" we go a different route." Needless to say he grabbed his bag and stormed off the train. At first I thought of saying nothing and letting hims stay on the train but I did not want to out up with him. I figured for sure he was going to report me to my supervisor but never heard anything. I guess he was embarrassed about getting on the wrong train and it would have been difficult to explain why he was on the wrong train.


* generic station names to protect myself for the Ahole

 

[CDR]

People call my shop asking for body work, or asking if we are finished painting their car. Reason being, there is a body shop down the street called Art's Accurate Auto Body. My shop is called A-R-T Automotive Repair, and we only do mechanical work.

People call information and ask for Art's Accurate Auto Body's phone #. The lady says one minute, and gives them my number because my shop is listed as "Art Automotive".

The other common thing lately is a customer that makes an appointment and doesn't show up for a FREE oil change. I send out 100 FREE oil change coupons per month to new residents in the area. It says call for an appointment on the coupon. So what do they do? Call and make an appointment, and then don't show up.

 

[Jenn]

People call my shop asking for body work, or asking if we are finished painting their car. Reason being, there is a body shop down the street called Art's Accurate Auto Body. My shop is called A-R-T Automotive Repair, and we only do mechanical work.

People call information and ask for Art's Accurate Auto Body's phone #. The lady says one minute, and gives them my number because my shop is listed as "Art Automotive".

The other common thing lately is a customer that makes an appointment and doesn't show up for a FREE oil change. I send out 100 FREE oil change coupons per month to new residents in the area. It says call for an appointment on the coupon. So what do they do? Call and make an appointment, and then don't show up.

We have that problem too. Ours is Bosque Tire & Auto and we are in Bosque Farms, the other one is Bosque Auto Body and isn't in Bosque, it's in Los Lunas. When they call asking for Bosque Auto Body, I'm slightly more sympathetic, provided that they don't yell at me. Usually the people calling for Bosque Auto Body had their car towed away to a body shop because of an accident and they probably were concerned with other details at the time.

Chris, I have a customer who makes appointments all the time and never shows up on her appointment day. She'll call the night before, reschedule, then not show up, then call a week later. It's too the point where i put her down as tentative until the moment she shows but but her and her husband have been customers of my dad's for at least 20 years and they have three cars and busy lives.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

The other side of the counter.
I'm at work and my cell rings, I answer it. We checked out your car and everything is ok , but our records show that you have not had the fuel injection serviced. That only runs $350.00 Oh I say yes go ahead and do it.
To bad they called the wrong number. And did not ask for Mr. ? I'll bet that was fun explaining to the customer.

Reminds me of my grandpa coming home one day to find brand new attic vents installed! You know those big round balls that swirl around? Someone went to the wrong house number!

That reminds me of another wrong house number story. Someone in the northeast went to the wrong address to deliver heating oil (kerosene). The house still had the old pipe and fitting coming out of it's foundation. Some guy filled a basement that had been remodelled into a dwelling!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Stupid people and those who know it all are all over the place.

As a Passenger Railroad Conductor we too get some people who think they are always right. A passenger come up to me the other day and asks if we got to Stoughton. I tell him we do not. He then asks if we stop at Canton, I tell him we do. He then says very snottily "well same difference." I said "not it isn't" and he said "yes it is." I said "tell that to anybody who wants to go to Stoughton right now." He quietly walked away.

One time I was working a train that I normally did not work. I usually worked a train that left at 545p and that day they needed me to work a train that left at 550p. As I was walking to my train one of my regular passengers asked me if it the 545 to Lowell. I told him it was not. He said "very funny" and got on the train anyway. I made 3 PA announcements on board as to where the train I was working was going, which was Beverly. After the 3rd stop guess who appears to talk to me? He said "hey you were not kidding were you?" I asked him why he would think I would lie to him? He had no answer. By not listening to me it took him almost 2 extra hours to get home.

Another time I get on my train a supervisor from a different department was on board and starts giving me a hard time about something he thinks I should not have done. It was not against the work rules and really none of his business, but this guy is a real A$$hole anyway. For every question I had the correct answer and he knew I was right. I could see he was getting pissed because he could not get me. We had not left the station yet so I finally looked at him and said "your going to 'Station A*' right?" He said "yes." I said well "we don't stop there." He said that's OK I will get off 'Station B*.' I then told him "we don't go either" we go a different route." Needless to say he grabbed his bag and stormed off the train. At first I thought of saying nothing and letting hims stay on the train but I did not want to out up with him. I figured for sure he was going to report me to my supervisor but never heard anything. I guess he was embarrassed about getting on the wrong train and it would have been difficult to explain why he was on the wrong train.


* generic station names to protect myself for the Ahole

Hey Jim. Your number still ends with 2966? I've got stops all around you this week. North Dartmouth, Somerset, Swansea, then up to Littleton and Ayer, not to mention several in RI first. I've found several Old Country Buffets around the south side of Boston at buffet.com. Always in a shopping center with room to park.

 

[Jim]

Hey Jim. Your number still ends with 2966? I've got stops all around you this week. North Dartmouth, Somerset, Swansea, then up to Littleton and Ayer, not to mention several in RI first. I've found several Old Country Buffets around the south side of Boston at buffet.com. Always in a shopping center with room to park.

Yes it does. I am off Tomorrow (Monday) and working Tue to Fri starting arround noon.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Arrgghh! I've got Jersey-New York tomorrow, New York-CT Tues, RI-Mass on Wed, then finishing up some Mass on Thurs.

 

[Too many to list here]

Our shop is about 30-40 yards from another shop ,names aren't even close.I've emptied the key box in the morning ,gone out to find the car and its parked right in front of the other shops doors!-Of course they are searching for the keys to move the thing etc etc.

A few Fridays ago there was a red Honda in the lot that no one knew about.It had a flat r/f ,and the rim was bent like the guy curbed it.So at 3:55 someone calls and wants to know if we got her sons Honda with the flat tire fixed yet.
I told her we didn't know anything about it until just then,and we were closing soon.But if I had a chance I'd see how bad it was and call her.She had a minor fit,so I asked her why she waited until that late in the day to call-she forgot.
Five minutes later the phone rings-The receptionist comes out and wants to know if the Honda with the flat tire has been repaired yet!The lady is again on the phone-I said Didn't i just talk to you? She says yes hows the car look?
I told her that if she kept calling I'd never get the chance to even look at it-she says-"You mean it's not even in the door"?Oy!!

So I get the POS inside-of course the stereo was on kill when i turned the key on-throw a used tire on it -take a pipe wrench to the lip of the wheel-set the toe-got another call from her-charged her $50 -and I was a prick for charging her and her kid that much!!!!!-Gotta love it.

Had another that dropped her car off -she was wearing latex gloves and a dust mask-when I asked her for her phone number-she said she couldn't give one to me because THEY were listening to her!!!!-I didn't inquire as to who THEY were !!!

 

[Jenn]

I have a customer who had a 98 Dodge 3500, she blew it the tranny over 2 years ago, we rebuilt it, new Hughe's HD Torque Converter with their shift kit, etc. Never had an issue with it for the first two years, and one day I get to work and find this Dodge blocking BOTH of my front bays. I get check the key drop box and find no keys, so I check the voicemail and there is a nice voicemail saying that her transmission wasn't shifting out of park and she deliberately put the dodge there because that transmission was still under warranty.

She gets to the shop, tells me in a more than haughty voice that it was under warranty and should be top priority (which it already was, and not because it was blocking my bays either, because I try to take care of my comebacks and warranties straight away). Hands me the key, and I walk it over to the tech. Guess what! It wasn't even the transmission! The steering column had 'fallen down' and it needed a new steering column.

GRRRR

 

[Larry]

Speaking of Brain Pharts a friend relayed to me he went to the Home Depot for some hardware.

When he came out he spent a full two minutes looking all around the parking lot for his custom VW bug .

After figuring it stolen he turned around and ran smack into his truck which he had been standing next to.

I'll never admit to being that bad but it's getting really hard to find my phone since I got a belt pouch.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

I worked at a performace shop for several years....

Amazing, no one ever "Got on it" when they broke.... it must've been the burn-out fairy that left them all that rubber in the fender wells!

 

[SST2096]

I worked at a performace shop for several years....

Amazing, no one ever "Got on it" when they broke.... it must've been the burn-out fairy that left them all that rubber in the fender wells!

I hear ya....
Whomever came up with "The Customer is Always Right" obviously never worked in auto repair... more like "The Customer Always Lies" (especially true in the speed shop biz).

My own personal experience includes fielding calls for Advance Auto Parts (my shop is Advanced Automotive, and apparently people cannot distinguish the difference)... after about 100+ calls trying to explain I'm not the parts chain and getting nowhere, my standard answer to them is "it's on national backorder... try NAPA"

 

[.]

I worked at a performace shop for several years....

Amazing, no one ever "Got on it" when they broke.... it must've been the burn-out fairy that left them all that rubber in the fender wells!

Right out of high school I worked at a Champion Auto store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We had one guy come in with a clutch disc and pressure plate that looked like hell so he wanted them replaced. My manager approved it thinking they just might have been bad. A few weeks later the same guy shows up with the disc and pressure plate and this time he wants a refund. "These parts suck!" We opened the boxes and it looked like somebody had taken a torch to them. All the friction material on the disc was gone and the pressure plate had huge amounts of heat discoloration so you just knew they'd been abused to hell. Turns out he was using a normal clutch disc and pressure plate for a passenger car in a '68 Camaro with a 327 roller motor, was launching it at 6000 rpm and couldn't figure out why the parts weren't holding up.