Curmudgeon test: Do you all struggle with this?
 

I am a curmudgeon. I understand people in stores are there to help, so even if I don't need their help, if they insist, against my better judgement, I let them help anyway. 99.9% of the time, however, I find them worthless and that the time spent explaining what I need does not offset the time necessary to find it myself. I'm just stubborn like that, but I don't want to come across as a total ass, so I let them help. Case in point- An autozone sales associate offered to help find the correct oil filter for my car. By the time I had found the correct oil filter (by looking through the book next to the filters) and brought the oil filter to the checkout line, the entire Autozone staff had racked their brains on the computer trying to find the right oil filter, only to inform me, that not only did they NOT have the correct filter, my car DOES NOT EVEN EXIST. I thanked them for their help, and asked if it was okay if I bought the filter anyway, and drove off in my imaginary car. The car in question is a 2005 volvo xc70. They informed me that I have been driving an xc90 for the last 10 years.

Although it was humorous, it was also kind of annoying. While I was trying to remember the parts # for the filters and see if they were on the shelf, three members of the staff were asking me questions about my car. All I needed was a little bit of silence to remember the oil filter number and find it on the shelf!

I thought I handled myself fairly well, but I struggle with this kind of stuff! :)

What comes to mind is the old expression the customer is always right. You are not a curmudgeon. :)
Guy

Yes I am.

When I DO need help at the auto store I know what questions the clerk will ask and what sequence so I have my info ready and just rattle it off as they type.


I have no life......

Although I have to say (as I am getting ready - ahem - avoiding getting under the car in 30 degree weather by playing on pelican) is that if I DID buy the wrong filter- I sure as hell ain't going to admit or return it to them!:D

Oh Haha- The mentally preparing to let people go through the computer prompts is interesting- on an aside, when my 951 burnt, the insurance lady was going through her prompts, when the question "did your porsche 951 have the factory installed slantnose option?" came up.
She gasped and exclaimed "wow" and told me if my car had the slantnose option, it would add $5,000 to the value of my car.
As I was explaining to her that porsche 944 turbos did not have a factory slantnose option and it was a computer glitch, I stopped in my tracks, and then informed her, that technically on the 951's, ALL cars had the factory slantnose option as standard (well they do....) and maybe THAT was the computer discrepancy.

She didn't buy it though. oh well.

People! They're the worst!

The older I get, the worse I get. At Autozone, I just ask to go behind the counter and match up my brake line, hose, fitting, etc. They will let you once you demonstrate you have more knowledge than the monitor jockey, which takes about 10 nanoseconds.

Last week I bought tires for my newly powder coated 9,11x17 rims. Dude on the phone couldn't get past insisting I tell him the car so he could look it up. I humored him. "Sir, those tires are way to large for your 1974 911." Why, I asked. He stuttered. I was done. Just order them, here's my credit card number. Three days later I had my tires installed and they are on the car, fitting perfectly.

I will get that too when I am buying something like heater hose. When they ask what kind of car, I just point out to my Unimog truck and say "That one!" stops them from looking at the computer monitor!

Curmudgeon??

About 9 months ago I was assigned to a new team as their engineer. Now I have been in engineering going on 40 years. The group is an energetic, intelligent HIGHLY capable team that has two of the most capable leaders I have had the pleasure of working with. My team mates have reinvigorated my love of work.

Now this team has a very good reputation, but it was not always that way. Some of our executives and senior managers of lessor quality screwed with these youngsters ALL the time. The abuse shed on these youngsters did not sit well with me. Anyway, being the old guy, I would defend them in "a rather direct" manner (my team's nice way of saying it).

Anyway I overheard my team mates discussing a run in we had, and that I had "directly" handled. They were laughing about how it all worked out and said something to the effect "I love it when our curmudgeon sticks up for us". The term stuck and that is my "call sign". AND they have reinvigorated my energy for my work. What a great crew and I am their curmudgeon!

When I was younger, I worked at an Autozone for a part time job while going to college. It was my experience that they do not want people who are knowledgeable about cars on the staff. They want the lowest cost person who can stand around and occasionally search their database.

One of the reasons that was given to me was liability. If the clerk only goes by what is in the computer, then the liability is 99% on the customer who provided the information that was searched in the database, and 1% on the persons who programmed the database. ( I pulled those percentages out of my arse, but you know what I mean)

Another reason that was given to me is that there is only profit in selling parts, not is diagnosing problems. They don't want somebody on their clock giving out advice, diagnosing, etc. They want parts going out the door. Period.

But back to your original discussion - yes, unhelpful clerks are the bane of 'customer service'.

It's a marriage made in heaven.
Ignorant people and a computer, both operating on the "garbage in garbage out" principle.

Do you really want a curmudgeon on the loose around here?

I think that we, here on PPOT, need to just admit that we are the best and brightest shining stars of modern culture and everyone would be better off if they were as smart and as well put together as we are.

I hate, "what are you looking for?" None of your damn business! I leave stores when salespeople start talking to me. I'm here to look for something, not spend my time explaining my situation. If I need your help, I'll come find you.

I'm only 34. I can't imagine how much worse I'll be when I'm old.

That pretty much sums up how I got to be known as CrustyChief.

The above about sums it up.

For those of us old enough to remember walking into the locally owned / operated FLAPS and the guy(s) behind the counter were the owner and maybe a semi-retired mechanic who knew exactly what part you needed most of the time and if not, they looked it up in the giant rack of parts books... those days are long gone - never to return.

^^^^ Santa Monica Auto Parts circa 1960's was just such a place. They were the NAPA dealer, had a machine shop in the back, could get any part you needed, delivered to most of the gas stations and service shops around (my brother worked there one summer as a driver). You won't find a place like that now days.

To be fair it's the salesperson's job to help you find what you're looking for. Why take offense? My experience is that they leave you alone if you tell them you don't need help.


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;)Well at least we are as smart to the point that we realize when we come to a point where we are not so smart! Than we come here to get smart again.

expectations of the general population=disappointment and diminishment of life from one's own eyes.

I'm 23, but by about 18 I had learned that the monkeys at Autozone and the likes knew less about cars than my dog. I always look up the part number for what I need before I head to the store. Tell them I need part number xxxx. Doesn't matter what its going on!

it's kids working behind the counter. See the Wells Fargo thread. Same thing.

rjp