Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire So I called AutoZone at 8:30 tonight...

i use the mom and pop auto parts stores any chance i get. they are somewhat invested in your success so they go above and beyond. the one near my camp is excellent. i've bought parts and then called them later and had them walk me through figuring out how to install them when i had a problem. the one near my house is family owned and excellent. i went in there and they went through the books and layed out every part i needed to do a cat back replacement on my old ford. every nut, bolt, hanger, bracket, etc was exactly right.

To reduce down time on a work vehicle, if there are 6 possible parts that might be the right part, we have all 6 parts delivered, (or picked up). We deal with NAPA and whatever parts are NOT correct go back as soon as the job is completed. We get the service truck back on the road quickly as long as the true part doesn't have to be ordered in.

I was kind of thinking the same thing, but he may not have had any choice. Our days off get pretty busy, and I know mine will always be booked solid with other stuff to do, and I might have to make that last minute run to get something.

Nope! My day is over when the job is done.

When I was working retail as a second job, I had many folks come in at or close to closing time. If you give that customer 100%, regardless of the time, you will see a better customer in the long run. I have re-built a bow from a pile of parts to paper tuned at closing time before. Then the kid brought me pictures of the deer he killed the next week! I hated the people I worked for in retail, but the people I helped that had a genuine thankful attitude were great. And there were plenty of them.

Knowing it is a 50 mile round trip, you could call and order both left and right, but only buy the one you need.

This thread gives me memories of tour buses showing up at the fast food joint I worked at when I was still in school Five minutes to quitting time.

The way I have always worked and run my stores, is if we close at 8:00 PM that is when the door gets locked with a big Closed Sign. Anyone in the store at that time gets served, when the last customer has left we empty the registers, sweep, empty the trash, mop up if needed before we go home. Occasionally we have someone that thinks they are an emergency, but when you tell them the registers are down and the money gone, they are usually understanding. Those that aren't, I don't want as customers anyway.

I don't like to walk in at closing time,but, if I'm hungry and you are open until 11?
I will come in at 10:45. And I expect to not get eye rolls or attitude. If I'm treated and happy,
I will tip better than normal.

If you are cleaning up, turning other lights........I'm good with that.
Same thing with other businesses.

I guarandamtee that I would expect employees to take care of my customers the same.
And 5 minutes is the max on locking up early.
Now if you don't like that.
Close at 10:30. People will drop by at 10:15 though.

If you can't handle that,
live in Mom's basement and sponge off her.

Really, someone explain the logic of advertising being open, and having the door open,
if you don't want customers to enter?

I've dealt with this store before and they are usually pretty good to deal with. Simple mistake last night. Went back this morning and they exchanged and upgraded the pads for free, can't complain too much about that.

Lots of discussion here. After forty years working as a foreman over twenty five men, it is easy to see which I would desire on my production crew.

You have two types in the work force, the people who expect maximum pay and scream for more money, but constantly deliver subpar performance. They take allotted breaks, and then 20 minutes later have to head to the schitter. They start slacking off about 40 minutes before quitting time, "winding down". That is, IF they ever got wound up after last break. They work twenty minutes in the morning, and then go crowd the coffee pot for thirty. They bullschitt for half the morning and then can not figure out why they are rushed through the afternoon trying to get tomorrow's orders put together.

And then you have the other 20%. The men who work good and steady at whatever project is in front of them. It is no big deal if he works through break taking care of something urgent, because he knows I will send him early to lunch. And it is typical for him to hit the parking lot at 5:10 instead of 4:45 when you are being paid to work till 5:00.

As a foreman, I have to just get the most I can out of whoever management hires for me. I can do no discipline.

I used to have thirty days to tell management "No, can not use him/her. Get me another one." Can not even do that anymore.

I see that you enjoy the taste of spit and jiz in your food.

A couple weeks ago at the local Vato Zone I needed pads and rotors for my cousins 02 Toyota Corolla. He stood in line and to get the parts. They only had one rotor so we went to another where we were told they had a pair. Nope, only one so he bought that and pads. Back to the original VZ for the other single. We get them home and they are the wrong ones. Back to VZ and another counter guy asks for a VIN. Did I know when the car was built? Turns out the Corollas had a design change in February that year. None of the other counter goons asked that question and I'm sure they get a prompt on their computers. Anyway, a one hour job took 3 hours with running around back and forth to 2 different VZs. From now on it's Napa or drag parts to the counter with me.

Idaho,

That sounds like a very sound policy. Why no longer in use? New management?

Your second type of employee is the type that should be working in a business with "Open" hours. That one would likely serve the customer and try to meet their needs properly.

The first type bugs the everlovin' crap out of the rest of us.

Geno

New management at this location, anyway.

This company does not do hiring anymore. We contact a "temp agency" when we need additional help. The idea is that we use the temps for thirty days and then if they a desirable addition to our workforce, we offer them full time employment.

Until about fifteen years ago, I could call our HR director and ask for a replacement during that thirty days. But this facility was severely downsized (80% down) fifteen years ago, and HR was almost eliminated.

The plant manager is responsible for all production scheduling and personnel issues. Basically he has no time to deal with such issues. As long as they can pass a pizz test, and show up for forty hours the first four weeks, they are on full time.

Did you happen to make it to the road in time to call Sierra Bullets?

Conversely, management who expects me to work for free can kiss my ass. I'm not desperate for a job and don't sell my soul for a paycheck. I work hard for the hrs I'm paid. You want me to work, pay me. I don't owe my employer anything more than he owes me, which is work in exchange for pay. Most of those people staying late are doing it for free. I go out of my way not to make people work for free. You know, treat people how you want to be treated and so on. I put in plenty of 80+hr weeks in the military for the same pay as those doing less than 40hr. Civilian world is a bit different though. You want me to work, pay me. Otherwise I've got better things to do.

You want to be the kind of guy that makes someone stay late and work for free, fine. There are certainly plenty of them out there. Like I said before though, shouldn't really complain about the quality of work. As far as going to a restaurant a few minutes before they CLOSE, no way am I eating what that pissed off cook makes. To each his own I guess.

As far as buying parts goes, I always look it over before leaving the store to make sure I'm getting the correct part. Not always, but usually I know exactly what I need and what it looks like, so it's pretty easy to tell if they got the right part or not.

Lock the door at 10. then sweep count money or whatever needs done.

Worst I ran across was a fast food with a "special" until 4 or somesuch time. Problem was their clock was 20 minutes fast and they insisted that we had to go on their time. It is really easy to go elsewhere next time for most of us.

ON the other hand the days are long gone when you had Ford, Chev, and Dodge and the counterman knew virtually all the parts by memory; there weren't that many

Parts men days are gone.

Now days they only know what the computer tells them after you tell them all about your vehicle.

Need new wiper blades? Is it 4wd??

New tail light? V6 or v8 engine??

I remember going to the parts house. Long counter of books that the guy knew how to use in a blink.


Forget going to discount auto / autozone for equipment or tractor parts.
You’ll get a blank stare when Massey Ferguson isn’t listed under vehicle make.

Couple years ago i needed a carb kit for an old welder. Marvel shriever(sp)? Went on a continental in-line 4 cylinder.
Old parts guy said I don’t stock welder machine parts. But that’s the same engine in a such and such year Farmall. I’ve got those.

What if the person whom he said couldn't use was black, or a woman, or some other protected class?

+1 Haven't gotten the wrong part yet!


Jerry