Parts counter help

[spasm3]

I knew that the parts counter knowledge is going downhill, but i had no idea it was this bad.

So i go into the parts counter, and a guy with a bright red shirt asks me what i need. I tell him i need 3 feet of 5/32 vacuum hose.
He stares at me " Vacuum hose?". Yes i need some vacuum hose, 5/32 and i need 3 feet. He looks at me puzzled, " This is for a car right? " he asks. Yes I said vacuum line hose. He starts to type on the computer and starts asking what make and model.

Look i said its vacuum hose, somewhere in the back you will have several rolls of different sizes. He says walk back with me. I walk back , find the reel with 5/32 hose. There is a ruler built on the the shelf. I measure 36" and cut it. He says , "hey we measure it on the floor, your need 3 feet right?" He proceeds to measure the length of the hose on the floor and it equaled 3 squares of tile in length.

Unbelievable. This tops the look i got a year or two ago when i asked for a banjo bolt.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Had trouble at NAPA ordering my WIX UOA kit. He never heard of it, googled it for the WIX number and ordered.

I had another problem at NAPA, ordering nylon fuel line(repair kit)

Another local CarQuest smoker(yes they still smoked openly, old school autoparts store), I asked if he could order a oil pump priming tool for a SBC 350 (I explained JEGS sells them) he said, "sure no problem!" Came in next week, "has not arrived yet." He was BSing me. They were regulars and Las Vegas jokers.

Same store another time got a RUSTY transmission filter.

I went into AutoZone one Sunday afternoon, and the Counter guy was going through dozen of boxes looking for a U-Joint for a customers bush hog!(they had no way to cross reference it) He wasted his afternoon.

 

[Merkava_4]

Don't you know ... 36 inches on the shelf ruler is longer than three 12 inch floor squares ... he thought you were ripping them off.

 

[HankMcMauser]

Heck thats how we measure rope and chain all the time 12" tiles. But I hope all my guys reallize the tile is the same as a foot on the tape measure

 

[Doc8404]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
. This tops the look i got a year or two ago when i asked for a banjo bolt.


Awesome, you play an instrument. I played alto saxophone in HS.

 

[Toaster_Jer]

Had trouble at O'reilys once when I needed a power steering hose, long story short I went to Napa and he knew immediately what to order when I showed him the hose.

 

[expat]

I'm amazed he did not ask what year and model car it was for!

 

[bdcardinal]

I cringe when I hear the kid that works the retail counter in my department ask questions that could end up on a forum. He isn't a car person at all so people will ask questions about parts and he just stares at them and asks me for help.

 

[bvance554]

In defense of the parts counter guy... I'll assume he's young, and who knows how long he's worked there. He filled out an application, they hired him, and 'trained' him. All he knows is how to look up parts on the computer. It was a learning experience. Next time someone comes in and asks for some hose he'll know where to go.

 

[OneEyeJack]

A cashier rang up my purchases and the total was $10.16. I handed the counter person a 20 dollar bill, a dime, a nickel and a penny. I was handed the change back with the statement that the 20 would cover the purchase. I then said that I wanted a 10 dollar bill back but was told we would not be able to know what the change would be until the purchase was rung up. I said go ahead and ring up the 20 and the coins. When the change window showed $10.00 the counter person was totally surprised and said, "How did you know?". My answer? Magic.

 

[Tomioka]

Same for me when I was looking for fuel filler hose. Had to go to the back and had them cut to length. Most important was they had that specific hose as specialty parts are hard to get here already. When I go into certain stores I feel relieved when I see an older guy vs a young buck.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
A cashier rang up my purchases and the total was $10.16. I handed the counter person a 20 dollar bill, a dime, a nickel and a penny. I was handed the change back with the statement that the 20 would cover the purchase. I then said that I wanted a 10 dollar bill back but was told we would not be able to know what the change would be until the purchase was rung up. I said go ahead and ring up the 20 and the coins. When the change window showed $10.00 the counter person was totally surprised and said, "How did you know?". My answer? Magic.


Was that cashier male or female ? Curious.

 

[bmod305]

I bet if you said I need 5/32" washer fluid hose, he would have known what you wanted. Very little items are vacuum controlled anymore. No vac HVAC, no vac mod on transmission, no vac cruise control and most cars use hard plastic vac lines or high temp silicone hose. If young person is new on the job, probably never been asked for vac hose before.

I worked in the parts industry for 34 years-Napa & GM. Last 10 or so years, I can count the number of times I sold vac hose on one hand. Cut the kid some slack. Selling parts is all about experience. Now, he knows what vac hose is. Do to extremely low margins, parts counter pay is terrible and turn over is high. Web based retailers with no physical stores, parts proliferation, and lack of car repair skills are killing the industry.

Just wanted to give the "other" side of the counter view. Boy, could I tell some stories of clueless customers-its always a two way street in life. Retail pay sucks and most employees are just working it for a short period of time. Doesn't matter if its auto parts or fast food-be positive with the worker and it will be a better experience for both of you.

Dave

 

[rat]

Retail parts counter help is difficult for both the customer and the person behind the counter. For every time the parts guy doesn't know what he is doing, there are 10 other times the customer has no idea what he wants. I can't tell you how many times in my early days I heard some guy say "My car won't start after its been sitting for 2 days. What parts do I need to fix it?" And don't get me started on the women that call attempting to get prices for parts with the husband yelling instructions in the background.....

 

[OneEyeJack]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
A cashier rang up my purchases and the total was $10.16. I handed the counter person a 20 dollar bill, a dime, a nickel and a penny. I was handed the change back with the statement that the 20 would cover the purchase. I then said that I wanted a 10 dollar bill back but was told we would not be able to know what the change would be until the purchase was rung up. I said go ahead and ring up the 20 and the coins. When the change window showed $10.00 the counter person was totally surprised and said, "How did you know?". My answer? Magic.


Was that cashier male or female ? Curious.


Difficult question. Either a very feminine male or a very masculine female. Not my problem.