Bad parts store employees (was: fuel leak at carb filterhousing)

[dave stragand1]

On the subject of bad parts store employees... A few years back I had the following exchange with an AutoZone parts counter employee.

ME: "I need front and rear transmission seals for a 1958 Plymouth with a Torqueflite."

AZ: "Hmmm... The computer says there weren't any Plymouths built before 1962."

ME: "The computer is wrong. Do you have a -book- that shows the seals? I can look it up myself, if you'd like."

AZ: "Are you sure it's not a '62?"

ME: "Yes. Very sure."

AZ: "Then it's not a Plymouth. They didn't make them until 1962. What model is it again?"

ME: "A Savoy. A PLYMOUTH Savoy. 1958."

AZ: "I thought you said it was a 'Witchy Tork Fly' or something..."

ME: "WITH A TORQUEFLITE. The transmission is a Torqueflite. Torqueflite. 3 speed. PLYMOUTH. The model is a Savoy. 1958."

AZ: "Hmmm... 58... 58... Oh! It's an Oldsmobile, not a Plymouth."

ME: "No, I'm very sure it's a Plymouth."

AZ: "Well, it's an Oldsmobile, actually. Like the Ninety-Eight."

ME: "Do you have a manager around here somewhere? Anywhere? Please?"

AZ: "Hmmm.. The computer isn't showing any 3 speed transmissions for a 1998 Oldsmobile... and they don't list that model, either..."

ME: "1958... PLYMOUTH... SAVOY... WITH... A... 3... SPEEED... TORQUEFLITE... TRANSMISSION..."

AZ: "I'm sorry, sir, they didn't make the Plymouth until 1962..."

ME: "LISTEN CAREFULLY. Do you have a manager around here somewhere?"

AZ: "Why? Is there something wrong?"

The thing is, I don't expect younger folks to know a great deal about older vehicles. I understand that. The sad thing is so many young folks today have a complete and total dependence on the electronic information systems, and can't use common sense if the computer don't provide the correct information.

Another example: I bought a drink at a convenience store. It was $1.99. I gave the cashier $2 but he punched in $20 cash tendered by accident. He was insistent that I now give him a $20 instead of the $2 because that's what the computer said. I told him keep the penny but he threatened to call the police on me unless I stayed until he called his corporate help line to get things straightened out. He was convinced I would be "stealing" $18.01 and no amount of common sense could get override his total dependence on the computer.

If you have a good parts store guy or gal near you, bring them donuts some morning or a 6-pack some evening just to say thanks.

-Dave
1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh

 

[emerystora]

I was at a NAPA store yesterday and I asked the employee at the counter if they had a tube of the conductive grease to use under a distributor module. He pointed to a counter and said it would be there.
I looked over the whole counter and didn’t find any. I then asked him if he could come over and find it for me.
He came to the counter and pulled off a tube of Permatex RTV . I told him that is not what I wanted and then asked him if he knew what I wanted. He said yes I know. So I said where do you keep it.
He said “right here”. So I said ”where is it”? He said “that’s all we have”. So I replied “but you don’t have any?”. He then left me and went back to his cash register. So I walked out and went to a nearby O’Riellys and bought some there.

Apparently good help is hard to find!!

Emery Stora

>
> On the subject of bad parts store employees... A few years back I had the following exchange with an AutoZone parts counter employee.
>
> ME: "I need front and rear transmission seals for a 1958 Plymouth with a Torqueflite."
>
> AZ: "Hmmm... The computer says there weren't any Plymouths built before 1962."
>
> ME: "The computer is wrong. Do you have a -book- that shows the seals? I can look it up myself, if you'd like."
>
> AZ: "Are you sure it's not a '62?"
>
> ME: "Yes. Very sure."
>
> AZ: "Then it's not a Plymouth. They didn't make them until 1962. What model is it again?"
>
> ME: "A Savoy. A PLYMOUTH Savoy. 1958."
>
> AZ: "I thought you said it was a 'Witchy Tork Fly' or something..."
>
> ME: "WITH A TORQUEFLITE. The transmission is a Torqueflite. Torqueflite. 3 speed. PLYMOUTH. The model is a Savoy. 1958."
>
> AZ: "Hmmm... 58... 58... Oh! It's an Oldsmobile, not a Plymouth."
>
> ME: "No, I'm very sure it's a Plymouth."
>
> AZ: "Well, it's an Oldsmobile, actually. Like the Ninety-Eight."
>
> ME: "Do you have a manager around here somewhere? Anywhere? Please?"
>
> AZ: "Hmmm.. The computer isn't showing any 3 speed transmissions for a 1998 Oldsmobile... and they don't list that model, either..."
>
> ME: "1958... PLYMOUTH... SAVOY... WITH... A... 3... SPEEED... TORQUEFLITE... TRANSMISSION..."
>
> AZ: "I'm sorry, sir, they didn't make the Plymouth until 1962..."
>
> ME: "LISTEN CAREFULLY. Do you have a manager around here somewhere?"
>
> AZ: "Why? Is there something wrong?"
>
> The thing is, I don't expect younger folks to know a great deal about older vehicles. I understand that. The sad thing is so many young folks today have a complete and total dependence on the electronic information systems, and can't use common sense if the computer don't provide the correct information.
>
> Another example: I bought a drink at a convenience store. It was $1.99. I gave the cashier $2 but he punched in $20 cash tendered by accident. He was insistent that I now give him a $20 instead of the $2 because that's what the computer said. I told him keep the penny but he threatened to call the police on me unless I stayed until he called his corporate help line to get things straightened out. He was convinced I would be "stealing" $18.01 and no amount of common sense could get override his total dependence on the computer.
>
> If you have a good parts store guy or gal near you, bring them donuts some morning or a 6-pack some evening just to say thanks.
>
> -Dave
> 1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[sgltrac]

Good help is EXTREMELY hard to find Emery. Ask anyone in business who is
involved in the recruitment and hiring of employees and you will get the
same story. Prospective employees today will.....
1 Tell YOU when they can meet for an interview.
2 set up an interview and no show without a hint of remorse
3 claim competence and experience in job aspects which they truly have no
exposure let alone experience

Then once hired......

Show up late with excuses which in their minds legitimize their tardiness
but in reality all stem from not leaving early enough to ensure timely
arrival at work. “Traffic was really bad this morning”. It’s bad every
morning knucklehead. It’s the same amount of bad every morning.

Clock in for work and then spend the first 10-15 minutes getting ready to
work ( change clothes, make coffe in the break room, go to the bathroom etc)

Walk off the job without even actually quitting. ( you figure that one out
for yourself when they cannot be located. )

My #1 reason I look forward to retiring is the lack of reliable, competent
and quality minded employees who actually have standards that they evaluate
themselves by. I enjoy my trade. I do not enjoy being a baby sitter or
having to try and teach people to have drive for excellence and pride in
quality work. No matter what their position in the company.

And before you reply to this that I am not paying enough consider that we
pay more than market average in all positions.

Rant over.

Sully
Coachless
Bellevue.

> I was at a NAPA store yesterday and I asked the employee at the counter if
> they had a tube of the conductive grease to use under a distributor
> module. He pointed to a counter and said it would be there.
> I looked over the whole counter and didn’t find any. I then asked him if
> he could come over and find it for me.
> He came to the counter and pulled off a tube of Permatex RTV . I told him
> that is not what I wanted and then asked him if he knew what I wanted. He
> said yes I know. So I said where do you keep it.
> He said “right here”. So I said ”where is it”? He said “that’s all we
> have”. So I replied “but you don’t have any?”. He then left me and went
> back to his cash register. So I walked out and went to a nearby O’Riellys
> and bought some there.
>
> Apparently good help is hard to find!!
>
> Emery Stora
>
> > On Jun 3, 2018, at 8:47 AM, Dave Stragand

> >
> > On the subject of bad parts store employees... A few years back I had
> the following exchange with an AutoZone parts counter employee.
> >
> > ME: "I need front and rear transmission seals for a 1958 Plymouth with a
> Torqueflite."
> >
> > AZ: "Hmmm... The computer says there weren't any Plymouths built before
> 1962."
> >
> > ME: "The computer is wrong. Do you have a -book- that shows the seals?
> I can look it up myself, if you'd like."
> >
> > AZ: "Are you sure it's not a '62?"
> >
> > ME: "Yes. Very sure."
> >
> > AZ: "Then it's not a Plymouth. They didn't make them until 1962. What
> model is it again?"
> >
> > ME: "A Savoy. A PLYMOUTH Savoy. 1958."
> >
> > AZ: "I thought you said it was a 'Witchy Tork Fly' or something..."
> >
> > ME: "WITH A TORQUEFLITE. The transmission is a Torqueflite.
> Torqueflite. 3 speed. PLYMOUTH. The model is a Savoy. 1958."
> >
> > AZ: "Hmmm... 58... 58... Oh! It's an Oldsmobile, not a Plymouth."
> >
> > ME: "No, I'm very sure it's a Plymouth."
> >
> > AZ: "Well, it's an Oldsmobile, actually. Like the Ninety-Eight."
> >
> > ME: "Do you have a manager around here somewhere? Anywhere? Please?"
> >
> > AZ: "Hmmm.. The computer isn't showing any 3 speed transmissions for a
> 1998 Oldsmobile... and they don't list that model, either..."
> >
> > ME: "1958... PLYMOUTH... SAVOY... WITH... A... 3... SPEEED...
> TORQUEFLITE... TRANSMISSION..."
> >
> > AZ: "I'm sorry, sir, they didn't make the Plymouth until 1962..."
> >
> > ME: "LISTEN CAREFULLY. Do you have a manager around here somewhere?"
> >
> > AZ: "Why? Is there something wrong?"
> >
> > The thing is, I don't expect younger folks to know a great deal about
> older vehicles. I understand that. The sad thing is so many young folks
> today have a complete and total dependence on the electronic information
> systems, and can't use common sense if the computer don't provide the
> correct information.
> >
> > Another example: I bought a drink at a convenience store. It was $1.99.
> I gave the cashier $2 but he punched in $20 cash tendered by accident. He
> was insistent that I now give him a $20 instead of the $2 because that's
> what the computer said. I told him keep the penny but he threatened to
> call the police on me unless I stayed until he called his corporate help
> line to get things straightened out. He was convinced I would be
> "stealing" $18.01 and no amount of common sense could get override his
> total dependence on the computer.
> >
> > If you have a good parts store guy or gal near you, bring them donuts
> some morning or a 6-pack some evening just to say thanks.
> >
> > -Dave
> > 1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>