Customer Facing Employees - Please shut your mouths when customers are present!!

I had to stop at my local dealership because my low pressure signal showed up on one of the coldest days of the winter. It was about 1:00 pm and I thought I might as well get an oil change too since I was coming up on my mileage mark.

My dealership now has a “quickee change” lube shop attached to the dealership. I had been there twice before and did not find it the best experience but I went because it was convenient and I have a lease car and the dealership is right there if something goes wrong.

I still take my older cars to an independent quick lube shop that I have been going to for years. They know me by name and are always friendly.

The service agents at the quick change dealership lube shop have been different each time I go but they all must have gotten the same type of training in customer service.  That is because they all complain and bitch about their jobs, the service techs and one another when the other leaves the shop to check something out. It’s amazing that they don’t seem to care as a customer that I don’t want to hear it.

I know it is the American way to bitch about your job, boss and co-workers but at least do it among yourselves. Grocery check-out clerks are famous for this too. Post from 2007 - http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/04/to-grocery-store-managers-cashiers.html

Then they send me survey emails for weeks wanting to know if I was completely satisfied with my experience. Perhaps I should tell the about the time when I had a low tire and when I asked the service agent when cashing out if there was a problem and he said no just low all was OK. As the service technician pulled my car around I asked him about the tire and he said there was a nail and that he plugged it. Then he said did the agent tell you about the leaky seal? I said no and he said well I wrote it up and you should pull over to the dealership and set-up an appointment to get it fixed.

How about my most recent visit when it got very busy and there were six people in the small waiting area. The service agents sit in the same area so all conversations can be heard. Oh the complaining was non-stop. Customers were getting frustrated on how long it was taking to get their cars services. I sat quietly and observed. I had to move two times because the cleaning lady was cleaning the bathroom and then was mopping the floor and wiping down counters as the customers moved many times so she could clean. I loved it when the service agent was complaining so much about her job that she wanted to change positions with the cleaning lady.

One older lady who was two behind me in order to get her car serviced began to complain loudly and to whomever she was speaking to on the phone. As I sat and watched the service agent roll her eyes and then whispered (Not really since I could hear) to the other agent to give her 10% off for waiting.  Amazingly she got her car before me (As did two others). Now you might say I had more work to be done but that was not the case. I observed my service technician through the window stop servicing my car a number of times and chat with the person on the hoist next to my car. No one offered me a discount because I did not complain, bitch or yell.

As I pulled out I said no more answering surveys and no more shall I come to this establishment. I will take my new car to my reliable Mr. Lube shop where “Wild Bill” (I call him that) always greets me and talks to me as a friend and not a customer.

I will take my old Quality Consultant route and never go back but I will tell five friends about my experience and now I have told you.

Here is the real kicker. My old reliable shop owner Bill is of Middle Eastern decent and has owned his shop for at least 20 years. He works long hours and has added a muffler/repair shop to his lube businesses.

I should not even have to mention this but the American workers at the new flashy lube shop could care less. And, they just lost a customer for life.