Very bad experience at this store on 11/30/19 with somebody whom I think may be the manager.
I returned to the store after being given the wrong replacement battery for my wife's car. This is not an problem - it happens, and I said so. The staff member working there barked at me as soon as I walked in with the return battery: "that's not a receipt" (before I even had a chance to explain why I was there).
We found the correct battery. I was then asked for additional money. I politely showed the gentleman my receipt which was for $174 and change, and since I was now returning the core battery for disposal ($22 back), I pointed out that the new battery plus tax means I am to get $2.14 back.
I was a gentleman, and remained polite throughout what was a 30 minute episode of enduring patience where I was systematically accused of "purchasing the battery online which causes problems" (the younger man who sold me the battery pointed out I was there two hours earlier and bought in the store). After what was clearly an issue processing my return, I was then told "you have to come back and do this tomorrow". It was now 7 minutes after closing time. I then offered to just take the replacement batter and they can keep the $2.14 that I was owed. Here was the response: "that battery can't leave the store".
This left my wife without a working car, and since her car has an automatic transmission, I had to reinstall the dying battery in it to at least get the car into neutral in order to push it to a safe location.
I work with the general public and I have managed a store. I get it. Here are two easy solutions that this individual could have done, but was either too lazy to engage or didn't care enough to think of:
1 Ask for help. Advance Auto Parts is a big company and big companies generally care about their public image. Call up your colleague, friend, or supervisor, and ask them to walk you through how to process a return if it's not working. Because this is how you prevent customers from being stranded without their car. Your problem, you fix it. That's a reasonable suggestion.
2. Take the customer's details, release the battery so the customer is not stranded. Then on your time (not the customer's time), you process the receipt, and then settle the difference in the bill. Most people are decent and honest, and it's a battery... This is a reasonable compromise.
I could have caused a scene but I didn't. I believe in treating everyone well.
I immediately sensed that this transaction was going to be hostile and against resistance by the way I was treated as soon as I entered the store and before I opened my mouth. I can't be the only customer to have experienced this at the Solon location, and I won't be the last. I don't want anyone to lose their job, but I am entitled to an explanation and a sincere apology for the way I was treated.
Here is what I did today: I drove to the Twinsburg shop which is 18 mile round trip and they processed the return and gave me the correct battery with the refund in under 4 minutes. It was that easy. BUT, it took three trips and I estimate an additional 2 hours of my time that I don't have much of and this should not have happened. I am interested to see if Advanced Auto cares enough to reach out to me. read more