I go to this store because it's close to my home and they recycle engine oil. I have worked in shops and behind a parts counter before. Saying this, I fully understand that parts stores don't pay the best, but I also feel like if a company is in business to sell auto parts, I'd hope they would put staffing with knowledgeable people in their business model, even if it means paying more to get better.
I've primarily shopped at this store for parts the entire 10 years I've lived in the area. For about the past 5 years they've had a woman working there with horrible customer service skills.
One time I was looking for a molded heater hose and was given the ok from someone behind the counter to go down their hose aisle in the back to match up what I was working on because they didn't have what I needed by application. While down the hose aisle, this female employee was stocking the shelves in the same aisle. I asked her if she thought these two hoses were the same diameter and she freaked out, as if I was trying to corner her and force myself on her. That's right, me standing 12 feet away on an aisle with openings on the each end apparently violated her space so much that she needed to have a full blown episode over it.
Fine. I continued to shop at this store, but avoided her as much as possible. Generally, she was outside smoking in front of the store each time I came, so never really had to interact with her too much.
Recently, I visited the same store to pick up an air filter. When I walked in, there was nobody at the counter, so I found the filter myself, then went back to the counter to pay. There was still nobody working the counter or on the floor. I could hear the same woman taking on the phone in the back.
Myself and a few other customers waited for a few minutes, then I called the store's phone number. It rang a few times then I heard someone pickup and immediately hang up. So I called back. The woman who freaked out on me a couple years ago answered. I said that I'm at the counter and would like to give her some money. She said "ooooh kaaaay, as soon as I have someone available they will be up" then promptly hung up.
I tossed my air filter behind the counter and left. I went to O'Reilly's and paid less.
I don't really see myself coming back. read more