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by Jon Mikelonis
Introduction
More often than not, the Ford enthusiast's trip to a major
auto parts
retailer, like Kragen, AutoZone, Advance Auto, or Pep Boys,
leaves something to be desired. The event is typically initiated
by a walk through a parking lot bathed with every known automotive
fluid, acknowledging a welcome sign that says "No Oil
Disposal Today", weaving around a maze of out-of-place
mini-bikes, and wondering why the basic social cues of eye
contact and "just a minute sir" are absent from
the retail experience. All of this and the enthusiast hasn't
even requested stock and price for the parts they're after
or dared to ask the counter person a technical question.
A Devolving Parts Counter
Complaints resound from serious do-it-yourselfers (DIY'ers)
about the
general lack of knowledge exhibited by counter people at major
auto parts retailers. Most likely you have experienced the
dissatisfaction first hand. While it isn't objective for guys
like us to expect every teenaged counter worker to visually
distinguish the difference between a 351C and 351W, it is
reasonable to expect them to navigate their way through their
employer's own inventory system, acknowledge your existence,
and call an audible if the situation requires one.
The performance aftermarket has trained serious DIY'ers and
performance enthusiasts well. For instance, Summit Racing
Equipment opens the virtual carpool lane if we have our part
numbers ready during a phone order. So why is it that retail
store counter help demonstrates resistance to the serious
DIY'er by insisting he or she provide vehicle make and model
to locate a part, even when the customer has their part numbers
ready? Why is it that the employee freezes when a performance
enthusiast shows up with a used part for a custom application
and simply requests a matching replacement? A matching replacement
that isn't logically found by a query on make and model.
Take these actual scenarios for example. Have you had similar
experiences with major auto parts retailers in your area?
Sorry, We Don't Accept Part Numbers Here
A Ford enthusiast approaches an AutoZone parts counter one
Saturday and requests an axle seal for his 1966 Mustang. The
clerk can't find the part in the system and begins an unnecessary
customer inquisition about ring gear, carrier bearing, and
pinion diameters. Unable to answer those
questions the customer walks down the block to O'Reilly's,
another major retailer, and requests the same axle seal. Within
three keystrokes the O'Reilly's counter person finds the correct
part in their inventory management system but O'Reilly's is
out of stock. The customer writes down the part number, goes
back to AutoZone and hands the part number to the counter
person. Let's pick up the dialogue from there:
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Customer:
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"Here's
the part number I need." |
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Counter Person:
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"What
part are you looking for?" |
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Customer:
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"The
one on that piece of paper I just gave you." |
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Counter Person:
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"What
make is your car?" |
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Customer:
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"That's
not important, by reading the part number you'll know
what part I need." |
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Counter Person:
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"I'm
sorry, I need to know the make and model of the car to
look up parts." |
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Customer:
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"I
don't need you to look it up. Can you just enter the number
I gave you into the little box that says part number on
your computer screen?" |
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Counter Person:
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"I
guess. Here it is, it says wheel seal on the computer,
not axle seal. That's why I didn't find it the first time
you were here. We've got two in stock. Do you want them?" |
Fan Belt Sales Resistance
A DIY'er enters Advance Auto to get a new fan belt for his
1974
Datsun 240Z with a 460 Big Block Ford . The customer offers
the used belt to the counter person and simply says he wants
a new one of the same size. Here's the dialogue:
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Customer:
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"Can
you measure this belt and give me one of the same size?" |
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Counter Person:
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"What
kind of car is the belt from?" |
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Customer:
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"It's
a custom application, can you just get one the same size
as this one?" |
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Counter Person:
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"I
need to know the type of car the belt is going to be
used on?" |
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Customer:
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"OK
fine, it's a 1974 Datsun 240Z with a Ford 460" |
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Counter Person:
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"Just a stock belt for a 6 cylinder Z motor?" |
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Customer:
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I'll
try somewhere else, thanks for your help. |
The scenarios sited here are by no means the rule for all
parts counters. Whether you are at AutoZone, Kragen, Advance
Auto, or Pep Boys the dedication and quality of individual
store management can create both superb and poor customer
service levels within the same chain. However, occurrences
like these are happening often enough to warrant speculation
that major auto parts retailers are not focused on training
those behind the counter to think for themselves. Combine
your countless unsatisfying shopping experiences with the
fact that independents are struggling to survive in today's
marketplace and there can only be one answer.
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