Thought I would share this with you all.

Animal

Well-known Member
I went to the local O'Really parts store today, needing eight foot of 5/16" brake line. I am quite accustom to them not having anything but oil and car wax in stock, but I did figure they would have brake line. A twenty something young fellow was helping me and I told him what I needed so upon telling him he wrote5-1/16 on a sheet of paper and disappeared, he returned shortly and said they did not have any brake line that size, being curious I wrote on a pad 5/16 and asked them if he had any in that size to which he returned with a smile and 5/16 fuel line. I told him he was getting closer but I wanted metal brake line, he turned and asked a couple of gals that worked there if they had metal brake line and they replied they did not know, so asking another coworker he pointed to where it was, he returned and told me they did not have any 8 foot pieces, so then I asked him if they had 2 four foot pieces, he asked how much is that in inches,and I told him two pieces 48" long, he left and returned and said he did not have any pieces that size, but I was welcome to look at what he had, so I got a 60" stick and a 36" stick and then I told him I needed a brass union, he then asked what was a union and at that point I handed him the two pieces back and walked out of the store. And this is the future?
 
That is why I have trained more then one person in my local O'Reilly's and I only ask for and go to a few in the store since I know they can help me if they have it or can get it. The local store even calls me from time to time when they need answers or even where to find this or that part. And if I get a kid who says this is an auto parts store and I say something to the manager that kid get sat down and chewed on big time. But then I have had an account with them for 30 plus years now
 
HAHAHA I am laughing cause that is what I usually what happens to me. If it isn't a goofy looking guy with huge holes in his ears (you can't make this up) a guy might as well go home or find another store. How a guy with huge holes in his ears knows what you are talking about really puzzles me!
 
The help here comes and goes like a revolving door! That outfit is making plenty of money off us fools, let them pay some real money and hire good help, or at least that can read and write. Mean time do I get to blame this on you for training them? lol
 
It is sad. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday in the mall. Looked like no one was working. I finally found someone in a referee shirt. I asked if they had stop watches. "I don't work here." Just walked out the door. Don't stores realize they are losing sales/customers because of their employees and service? Or don't they care?

Larry
 
Can not blame me for it I do not get up your way to train them and the ones I have trained have been working at the same place for years and I hope they stay
 
Good customer service (knowledge, and experience) costs money. Part of being cost efficient to make things cheaper, the stores have slipped in this area. They only higher low skilled workers. Only capable of putting inventory back on the shelves and look something up on the puter. Not to mention that that is about the only skills our younger generation has. Its not really their fault either. That's all they have really needed to have, to get by in life. Life has kinda got made to be that way by the older generation. For what its worth, my bigger go to town to shop is a college town. The store employee's come and go in most of them places about as fast as the shoppers do. At best, they might only be there a year or two.
 
Reminds me of what the call planed obsolesence your not supposed to fix just get a new one .maybe thats the future disposable cars
 
We were just talking about this yesterday at the Clay County fair.

Relatives and I all had similar examples.

Then we were waiting at the fair to get some pricing and technical info from one of the display places. The guy that would know was playing a few rounds of golf, the person manning the booth really didnt know much at all but to hand out fliers, had to wait for a return phone call from the fairway....

Not sure that is a good way to represent a business that is selling multi-thousand dollar items and at a farm show where people come to ask questions......

Vendors might want to consider the image they present at these shows.....

Paul
 
Large diameter washers with a small center hole. Real handy for spreading the load, grip, etc. Chances are you"ve used them without knowing their real name.
 
What really concerns me is, as we get older we are going to need assistance for many different things, most of all health care. The quality of knowledge that our younger generations are getting in my opinion is very poor. Do away with writing cursive, [longhand as I was taught] you have got to be on the far side of crazy to accept this! What type of idiots have we created that will camp outside of an Apple store for the next new gadget. You know they do not have a job or they could not be there, and how can you afford those expensive toys without working? I just do not get it! Priorities....
 
Hi
I have never heard the term fender washers, But I have asked for repair washers, and got a large diameter washer, with a small hole in.
I wonder if different places call them different things. And yes there will be some don"t have a foggy clue what ever you call them working in a store!.
Regards Robert
 
The problem starts at the schools. Now days they do not teach reading writing and math they teach. They teach computer key board and other such things that dump down the kids and leave out common sense. Plus the no fight thing has made wimps and fags out or many
 
Guess you have never remove a fender off an old car. Large diameter washers with small holes so as to not let thin metal to pull away easy.
 
In my local town we have Advanced Auto store right next to a NAPA.
Advanced has a lady that knows more than 'most' of the guys! I only go there as the prices more in line with my reality thinking but if it's something off the wall I need I pay NAPA prices. At least NAPA still have books to look in and not just a computer.
Too bad niether place carries plugs for a Dodge slant-six ~what???~
 
In your example I can give you what I feel is the real problem. You could show the kid what a union is, but he will not even try to retain the information. Next month a guy will come in and ask for a union and the kid will not know what it is. Takes no pride in his work, doesn't want to learn and resents that he has to work at all.
 
There's a local carquest in the next town over that all there employees that I've dealt with knew what they where doing. Lot of the time you'll even get the owner. They have a machine shop in the back to do most things but a stepped flywheel has to be sent up to another location. The napa that is closer to me has idiots working for them plus napa seems to be over price on a lot of things.
 
I believe that. Sad but true. When I asked an employee at another auto parts store about getting colder plugs for a car I was working on he looked at me weird and said all of his plugs were at the same temperature. :p I almost couldn't take it.
 
That happened to me at WALMART. yes I know but, I was looing for the packages of recirc toilet packages. I had gotten them for several years at this store. I asked 3 differant employees and NO one had a clue what I was talkinf about then they said the guy that worked in that area was at lunch and would not be back for a 1/2 hour. So guess what? I went to Menards and aske 1 person where they had that stuff and got it and went camping. I havent been back to that WALMART since..... Kenny
 
Talking about washers.
I need some 1/4" flat washers, they don't seem to exist anymore.
I have 3 hardware stores and 2 auto parts stores and one bolt house in my area and none carries them, 5/16 is the smallest they have and they are in the bin that says 1/4" :?

They telling me that 5/16" is the today's 1/4" :shock:
 
It will get worse. With Amazon and other online retail outlets driving price down minimum wage will be all that stores can afford to pay. A lot of people are staying home and living off Uncle Sam.

How many times do you see kids out working and learning with their fathers. I am forty one years old and still work with/for Dad more than twice a month. We team up when hay season hits and I spend more time with him than my wife.

I bet the kid at O'Reilly's knows what new games are coming out for the X box.
 

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