I'm in town visiting my parents for Master's Week. On Tuesday, 4 April, I dropped off my car for an oil change and to see why the "service due now" light came on while driving down to Augusta.
When dropping off my car, we told the team (including the owner, Mr. Andy) that I needed my car back by the weekend because I needed to drive back to Virginia. He said no problem.
Thursday, we called and left messages asking if my car was ready/asking what work may be needed. Nobody picked up and nobody called back. On Friday, we drove up to the shop to see they were closed (it was Good Friday and the shop was closed in observance of the religious holiday). This shop is also closed over the weekend, so I couldn't return home and to work on time.
I have no issue with businesses observing holidays, especially those of religious observances, my issue is with not communicating to your customers.
Not only did Andy's Automotive not uphold their word of having my car back by the weekend, but they also didn't notify me when dropping off that they would be taking the holiday. If I had known that, I would've made sure to stop by in person on Wednesday. Or Thursday. Or take my car to C&C Automotive like I used to do before I moved away.
When I came to pick my car up, the lady manning the front desk said they didn't get a message. My mother told her she called a few times, I called, nobody called back. The lady said they didn't get any messages. Not one message was received? That seems like something else that needs to be remedied besides their communication practices.
So I asked for Mr. Andy. He came to the office and I asked him if we could talk about what happened with my car. I said I dropped my car off last Tuesday for an oil change and a service light but needed my car by the weekend so I could be back at work by Monday. He looked at me and said, "Well todays Monday!" I reminded him that I don't live here and that's why I asked if it would be done by the weekend. He responded that he "dropped the ball" and didn't know what to tell me. He said he's been in business for 37 years and he dropped the ball.
How about "I'm sorry?" How about "I'm sorry about that" and pretending to have empathy. I looked at him stunned that a business owner seemed to so openly not give a shit as to how his and his team's error not just inconvenienced a customer but cost them serious time away from work. I live in Virginia. Not just a trip over the bridge into North Augusta. Picking up my car today means that I can't leave for another day because of the ten-hour drive. He said he doesn't make up stories and excuses when he messes up and that if I "can't appreciate the truth that [he] doesn't know what to tell me."
The biggest F-You I think I've ever gotten from someone that actually messed up. So I told him that "I appreciate the truth but what I don't appreciate is the attitude." And I gestured to his receptionist and himself. He got in a huff and walked away into another part of the office and slammed the door.
As an employee that gets monthly vacation hours, I don't have the luxury to take a long weekend without penalty somehow. I don't have any problem with businesses taking the time they need for themselves and their families. What I have a problem with is when you tell your customers you can accommodate something and you don't. If he couldn't honor that he should've communicated before the weekend so I could've made other arrangements.
My other issue is that if my car was ready to be picked up when I called first thing this morning, how long has my car been done? When was Andy's Automotive going to call and tell me my car was finished? All my car needed was an oil change so it's been sitting in their fenced area since Tuesday, with no communication to me that my car was done.
TLDR: I dropped my car off for an oil change and a service due now alert, it took a week to get it back with constant unanswered calls. Take your car to any other shop in the CSRA, your business and time will be respected and appreciated more. read more