The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Kragen

I know this has been covered a bazillion times before, but I need to vent. I just returned from Kragen Auto where I purchased, for a good price, an item for my son's S-10 p/u.

I am convinced that the Kragen human resources department goes from state to state raiding insane asylums for its employees. I hope I don't step on anyones toes, but the guys at this store were clueless.

Is there absolutely NO TRAINING for these
people..how to greet a customer, how to find a part, how to say thanks...NO NUTHIN!

I am a very low impact type of customer. I actually had a copy of an online store item I was after, complete with pictures and part number. The "manager" told me to bring it so he could honor the lower, online price. I showed it to the BOZO with the dangling backbrace. He looked at it, then at me and said, "I don't know where they put these things". I wanted to plug him, then do myself. Where the hell is this world heading. Is this what you should expect when you shop the big chains. Next time,I will use my neighborhood parts store.

Stuart

My wife always says, "Ya pay peanuts, ya get monkeys". The Kragens and Auto Zones here are really bad. In fact all the parts stores are really bad. Well, I take that back, there's a CarQuest not too far away where they've actually provided decent service. I wouldn't say it was outstanding or even excellent or even friendly but, decent. The problem with them though is their prices are always higher.
I wish to heck there was a good mom and pop store where the people were actually on the ball and gave a crap. I feel your pain. Ya just gotta go in with the mindset of expecting crappy service and then the 1 time out of 100 when you get OK service, you'll be amazed. It's sad but true of most retail nowadays. Unless you're shopping for shoes at Nordstrom or for a suit at Neiman Marcus. And if you shop there, you're probably just paying a mechanic to order and install parts with a 300% markup.
I've been ordering more parts online so I don't have to deal with the bozos.
-David

not many stores now days know what service is anyway,, you wonder how some of these folks got their jobs,,,in my town Napa is still pretty good and o'reilys is ok,,,, depending on when I go in, seems like I get better service in the morning hours,, not much help but I understand where you are coming from,,makes you just wanna to tell them that you are about 2 weeks behind in telling them to kiss your a..

Here in Elko we have NAPA,Carquest,Checker and Big A. Maybe I've just been lucky,but I've had really good experiences at all of them. the people actually take pride in their work,and work to give the right parts. As far as customer service,I think a lot of it comes down to "You get what you give." I've noticed that when somebody gets all jacked up about the questions the counterperson (there's several females here) asks,it doesn't encourage good service;they ask because the computers need the info,even if it doesn't relate to the part they're looking up. No answer,no next screen...Also,a good many of the customers here are ranchers,and they get REAL hostile if they drive 100 miles to get a part,drive 100 miles to whatever field their truck's broke down in,and find it's the wrong part. When I worked the parts counter I got along well with the ranchers,because I learned how to work more info out of them to be sure I got the right part;i.e. "Is it a heavy duty charging system?" "I dunno." "Well,does it have Air conditioning,power windows,that kinda stuff?" "Yeah,all of that." "Okay,it'll be a high amp alternator,then." A lot of times,they'll send their wives in to get stuff. That's sometimes enough to bring on the aforementioned lack of customer service. "Hi;I need that round thing on top of the engine,for a green Ford pick up." The other counter people always sent those to me-I was the only one who was willing to play detective to get the right part.
I have to agree though,on the average,customer service is getting worse. Seems these days working in a parts store is the gearhead equivalent to working fast food.Maybe part of the problem is the lack of accountability. Used to be when a parts person sold the wrong part,they'd probably looked it up (in actual books)wrong,it was (usually) their mistake,and thay'd try extra hard to make up for it;they didn't want to lose a customer,and they didn't want it known around town they screwed up. Reputation and skill meant something. That's why the old timers are so knowlegeable;they'd been looking up parts for so long some still remember the numbers for smallblock chevy points,or a Pontiac pushrod,or a Buick 300 top end gasket set.Now,if you get the wrong part,the kid behind the counter will probably just say"Huh-the computer's wrong."shrug and give you tour money back. No big deal. No accountability. And I'll bet a computer equipped parts person could work for 20 years and probably not remember a fraction of the part numbers they used every day.
Okay,I'm done now. Carry on.
Speed

Pretty much the same here.Auto Zone,Advance,etc.very poor help.Especially if you are building a street rod.couple yrs ago I needed new shocks for a Fo-- coupe streetrod.took one of the old shocks in with me.The guy said what is it off of.I told him it was off of a modified car,so that would not help him.Showed him the shock,complete with brand name,stock no.etc.He said I cant help you unless you tell me what kind of a car it is off of.Told him a 1931 Model A,and he just gave me the blank stare.Went home called my favorite hotrod shop,told them what I needed.Brown delivered it the next afternoon.I do very little business with the chain auto parts stores.There is a NAPA store in town,locally owned,and it is a pretty good place to go.

The girl at Advance Auto in my town lets me go behind the counter and look for the stuff I need.

The last two times were for bolts and belts.. she guided me back to the section where they had the stuff and pretty much said, "good luck!"

More recently I went to NAPA looking for some bolts on a Saturday (my preferred place, Pronto is closed on Saturdays) and the guy went in the back, found some bolts to match, and when I asked "Whats the damage?" he said, "Don't worry about it.. i'll get ya next time."

I was tempted to say, "Man, i'm still walkin' funny from the LAST time ya got me!" but some folks don't fully appreciate my sence of sarcastic humor.

I guess the moral of the story is that sucky employees can be found anywhere.. the older folks have more pride in their work, and understand that the reason they even HAVE a job is because they can hook you up with the stuff you need.

sarcastic humor,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,never heard of that , just kidding, believed that I can sort of relate to that.Fred

I only go to the local Napa & Schuck's, etc. when absolutely necessary. I generally just try to avoid them altogether. Our local Napa has a great machinist working there, apparently. So I dropped off my 216 with him and told him what I wanted done. He said to give him a week and he'd have it done. About 10 days later I called to check on it and they told me he just left for a two week vacation. When I asked them to check on the engine they couldn't even find it. So I went down there and found it ... right where I left it 10 days before! They never even touched it. Actually, alot of it got scattered but I was able to find everything. What a mess! I've since found an awesome independent machine shop where I've had all my work done. I've also found a great independent auto parts store who does stuff like turning brake drums, flywheels, etc. He's always there, very knowledgeable, helpful, encouraging, goes out of his way to get you what you need. I figure I'd much rather pay a little more for my parts and supplies and get great service than give my money to the chains, where I'm just another bozo walking through the door looking at the crappy junk they try to pass off as "parts". Besides, have you ever noticed the clientele that those places attract? I always feel like I'm interrupting a drug deal in the parking lot! All I can say is the independent machinist and the parts guy know my name and they treat me like a human being. THAT's where my money is going, and believe me, I've spent ALOT of it with both guys lately. The machinist actually gave me $200 for my 216 after I found my 228 that he worked on. He may turn around and sell it for $300 but that doesn't bother me a bit. He's a good guy.

You guys are making me realize how good I have it. The AutoZone just blocks from my house tries to hire older guys that know their stuff. I don't know if they pay them extra, but those guys have been a real help to me. One of them, one day, drew from memory the circuit for my ignition, when I was having a problem with burning up points. He knew right away what the problem was and showed me how to fix it.

Once in a while there is a young kid working there, but they do not seem to last. A couple weeks ago the latest one tried to sell me a gallon of carb cleaner (you know... the really potent stuff that comes with the little basket in the can) for my parts washer. I told him that I need the other type, you know - parts washer solvent. He insisted it was the right stuff. I just turned to one of the older guys and started over. He told me they don't carry that particular product, but directed me to the nearest store that does. It was really kind of funny. He just laid back and waited to see how I was going to handle the kid. He didn't jump in and interrupt. I would hope he would have rescued someone who didn't know the difference.

The other place (where I get the trade discount) caters mostly to professionals, and they hire more young people. They seem to know their stuff, but do not have a lot of patience with helping me out. They expect me to know what I need. The two girls in there are more pleasant and helpful than the guys. I figure for 40 - 60% off, I can put up with that.

I wont spend any of my hard(ly) earned dollars at Kragen, and havent for several years.... after they refused to honor the warrantee on a set of $20 brake pads... then the "manager" turned around and walked off right in the middle of our conversation.... right after that, i noted that the warrantee had expired the week before... so I told the other counter guy that they had just blown a $400 sale.

I then sent a letter to Kragen's parent corporation (Southern Auth? or something like that) and expressed my opinions.. the district manager was all over me for two weeks trying to "make it right"....

I have found that Autozone really pisses me off. They have a company policy, at least in this area, that they will answer the phone before helping someone who is standing in front of them. Several times I have had to wait while they answer some guys question on the phone instead of them asking the caller to hold or call back. Not the way I would do it. They apologize when I call them on it and tell me they are under orders to do that. I find myself walking out the door and going to O'rielly's instead.

It's always a hoot when you go in and ask for a part, they ask what year, you tell them 1956, they go to their computer and then look at you with a blank stare and tell you that their computer doesn't go that far back...

OK, and continuing on with the chain auto parts stores suck fest, I'm officially done doing any business in person with any auto parts stores in San Diego.
Stopped at an Autozone on my way home from work yesterday to get lower ball joints. According to their website, they're normal store stock. According to the parts guy they're special order only but a couple other stores in the area do have them. No problem, I'll stop on my way home the next day and grab 'em.
So I stop off today. The guy brings out two different boxes with same part #. I open them and they're different. No thanks and I head off to the other store that has them. I get there (and not exactly on my way home) and the guy brings out two different boxes. Correct part# but, different joints.
As I'm standing there, a guy walks up and says he needs an air filter for a '95 Range Rover. Girl at parts counter punches keyboard and says, "What Year"? '95. Girl says, "What kind of car"? Land Rover. Girl says, "Yeah but what kind of car? You know, Ford, Chevy, Toyota"? The guy turned around and left and so did I.
On my way back home, I stop at an independant parts place. Guy says he can get them in 2 days and the cost............ $90 a piece! For lower ball joints! Just can't win around here.
Is it too much to ask to get 2 correct ball joints? Jumpin' John on a pogo stick!
I'm ordering all parts online now.
-David

David,

Sort of makes you want to eat yer young, don't it!!


Stuart