Novel-length review time....
My family has used Firestone since ~1987. Over all those years, we've had hiccups along the way at various locations, which is to be expected. Today however, blew my mind. Enough so that we are now very likely not return to any location, most certainly never this particular franchised one.
We recently purchased a new vehicle, and got a separate set of wheels for it. Made an online appt to have our stock Contis on the new car swapped over to the new wheels, mount/balance. Selected the Balance option, as well as the Other Services option where you can free-text what work needs to be done. Selected a slot 8 days away where I could take a half day off work to get it knocked out. Quick and easy tire swap. (New wheels already had TMPS installed, so literally a demount, mount and balance). After receiving our confirmation email, I called and spoke with a woman who confirmed the estimate price for me for the work we had put down.
Fast forward a week, (and a second email confirmation), and I show up at 0740 this morning for my 0800 appt. Only other customer left after dropping off his truck, just myself and the male employee/manager. I go to check in, and he pulls up the appt. He immediately says, "We're not going to be able to get you in today, might be able to do sometime next week". Excuse me?!? During a 10 min back & forth, he first blames 'corporate', stating the online appt system is horrible and they can't control how many they get so they get overbooked. (Umm, if that were true, slots wouldn't be blocked out). I asked if they review the schedule daily, and he says yes. Well, that should negate overbooks and you'd be able to call before to reschedule even if what he claimed was true.
He decides to go a different route and blames me for selecting 'Balance", and that they also have to demount and remount the tires, and that's "a lot" of time consuming work. After I point out the 'Other' option, and the freetext which clearly describes what was to be done, and being very clear the woman I spoke with also knew, and he literally just told me they review online appts made, he said if I leave it all day long, they can 'probably' get to it.....
I call to to try and get a ride, and during my convo on the phone, (away from the manager and with no other customers in the store), I explain to my spouse something to the effect of, "...yes, I know, but apparently their online system is F'd up, but they said if we leave it all day....". I didn't even finish my sentence, and I am literally being yelled at. I'm told, "Get out of my store right now, I won't have that type of disrespect". While still on the phone, flabbergasted, I try to respond, as he gets louder stating, "There is nothing wrong with our system, you need to leave right now!".
I get not everyone is comfortable with language, and that's on me after several decades in an occupation where it's used routinely. But when a manager freaks out and becomes argumentative, (or rather, more so than he already was), when it wasn't directed to them, and to overreact to that extent, there's obviously something else going on. I suspect it was his excuse to get me out of there so they didn't have to do the minor work order. Also likely one of many reasons the brand's reputation has diminished the last decade with treatment like that.
Considering I've survived 4+ decades without any major altercation with any business of any service, I guess I can check it off my list now? I do know I felt very uncomfortable, and as mentioned above, we'll be taking our vehicles elsewhere, there are plenty of competitors both franchised and mom & pops. I'm sure they won't miss their cut of our CFNA account that we always use, since they're so busy. /sarcasm.
(Went literally a few blocks north of them to a competitor, and despite the long line of folks, was still in and out in under 2 hours. And we opened an account with them while there. Oh well, guess I know where our business will be going to now).