I took my car to Sonic after a car accident on a Wednesday. I had been rear-ended pretty hard core and my back window had been blown out. It was taped up with some plastic and a ratchet strap when I dropped it off. It took a few days for the insurance company to come and look at my vehicle to determine an estimate. I got an estimate communicated to me the following Tuesday from the insurance company. The next day, so one full week since I'd originally dropped off the car, I went to pick up my remaining items in the car and sign it over to the insurance company (the car had been totaled). When I was there to pick up my few personal items out of the car, I saw that the car was parked with it's broken back window facing the green space behind the land that Sonic Collision is situated upon. The car was dirty, and the key didn't work, it was a bit of a mess. The plastic on the back window had been ripped. I looked inside the car for my personal items, and several of them were missing. Things like a tape-deck adapter, a cell phone holder that attaches to the windshield, a water bottle, the ratchet strap, etc.
I approached an employee near me and asked him if there was somewhere they might have placed my personal items and who I should ask about that. He told me he'd get someone from the office. Out comes Cameron. I told Cameron some of my stuff was missing and before I could finish my sentence he said, "Well my techs wouldn't steal anything so we know that's not what happened." I was shocked because I hadn't accused anyone of stealing anything. I merely thought they had taken my items out of the car and placed them somewhere and forgot to put them back. I told him which items I was looking for and his response was, "Are you sure those were in there? Are you sure you didn't forget?"
As a woman, the question was hard to swallow, but his condescending tone is what made it feel horrible. He clearly thought I was some forgetful woman. There was this man, supposedly working in customer service, not only invalidating my reality, but completely not believing my concern or even caring that insult had been added to injury here! I just got in a horrific car accident, and now my stuff is being stolen out of that same car. The stuff wasn't super expensive, I don't actually care that much about the items. But the way in which Cameron spoke to me was unacceptable, rude, and sexist. I told Cameron that I was sure the items were in there when I left the car with Sonic. His response to that was, "Well that's why you sign a waiver. We're not responsible for your personal items on our lot. You know, we've had problems with homeless people coming down through the green space and it could be that they climbed in through the plastic sheet and took all the items you claim to be missing." I was SHOCKED to discover that Sonic has REGULARLY had a problem with non-authorized staff entering the grounds owned by Sonic Collision where they are storing their clients property. If this was such a regular problem, it would behoove them to tell us this when we sign the waiver that we should be METICULOUS about clearing our personal items from the car. I couldn't believe he was telling me this as though it would make me feel better. He disdainfully offered to pay me back for the few items after I spoke with the other staff in the front office. He made it clear that if he was going to pay me back, he'd pay me back out of his own pocket. I was so insulted, invalidated, and feeling violated that I asked for his card, told him I would get back to him tomorrow, and left.
I told my husband the story and he called their office and spoke with Cameron. Cameron reiterated to my husband that he thought that I must have forgotten or somehow was mistaken. My husband asked him, point blank, if he actually thought I, his wife, was lying. Cameron said that he didn't think I was lying, but thought that I must not be remembering correctly because his techs would never steal from a client. My husband tried to point out to him that this invalidates my reality. Cameron didn't care. He, again, offered to pay out of his own pocket for the items but my husband, too, felt the offer was dripping with disdain. The offer was not genuine.
Other than my interaction with Cameron, Sonic was great. The front desk staff is fantastic and sweet. They coordinated my rental car so easily and well. If I hadn't had this interaction with Cameron, and if some of my stuff hadn't mysteriously gone missing, I would likely have recommended anyone to them... but because of all this, they get 2 stars from me.
Ladies? Send your husband to this office if you want them to take you seriously. read more
