is it just me? or

[flat6rick]

is there just no one in the service sector that wants to make any money any more? I mean just go to a parts store or lumber yard and try to give 800 or 1000 away. some times you cant give the **** away. No one knows any thing . we only have whats in stock can't or will not take the time to even try. most times the person at the counter is shakeing there dam head no before they even hear what you are saying. I have been walking around with 800 in my pocket burning a whole for over 3 weeks. figure i just blow it on some thing totaly not responsible for a change. Can't do it seriously I cant do it.
I know you'll take it right?

 

[Sam_Fear]

Good rant! ....but I have no idea what your saying.....[S

 

[earthman]

I'm being dead serious here. Something is out of synch with you. Instead of rowing gently down the stream, going with the flow you are getting sideways.
My diagnoses is too much ego and mental chatter and not enough fishing on the riverbank just you and your dog

 

[rainman]

I think its crabs.

 

[bob w]

DWI (Diatribe While Intoxicated) ???

Seriously, along with what Earthman says, one of the best pieces of advice I ever recieved was, "Don't sweat the small stuff". We all have some major challenges in our lives. Save your energy for those occasions.

 

[donsrods]

Well, sorting through your post the gist seems to be that you are dissatisfied with the service businesses provide these days. You are preaching to the choir on that subject, as I'm sure we are all turned off by the lack of employees who will go out of their way (or even get off their butt) to do something for us consumers any more.

Like I've said before, we only have ourselves to blame..........we liked WalMarts prices better than Joes Hardware, who had been right in town for 20 years, and was staffed by people who actually KNEW what they were telling you and who cared. So Joe folded up because he couldn't compete, and now we are stuck with all these Super Stores where you can save a lot of money, but you will never find anyone to help you, or if you do find them, they don't know squat about the products they carry or how to use them.

Even Sears used to be very good, you could go in and the guy in plumbing knew plumbing. But that all changed, and a while back I went in for some plumbing item and needed help. I got an Associate in that area, and when I asked him how something went together he said "I don't know, I was working in Shoes until just yesterday."

We did it to ourselves, Bud, we did it to ourselves.

Don

 

[Sniper]

I think you have it right on both counts Don. On what Flat6rick is saying, and the dismal state the service sector is in and why it's gone that way.

 

[flat6rick]

this rant started over ties

i have been trying to get a set of wwwtires local. and not so local. no one has any thing with a stripe larger than 1". now they are the tire people there to help you find the tire you want right? how many 1000's of tires are made in the world? every one tells me to go to cooker tire. they want to send all my and all every one elses money to cooker. why do they not want that money? seems like if a tire is made there dist should be able to get it right?

 

[CR55]

i have been trying to get a set of wwwtires local. and not so local. no one has any thing with a stripe larger than 1". now they are the tire people there to help you find the tire you want right? how many 1000's of tires are made in the world? every one tells me to go to cooker tire. they want to send all my and all every one elses money to cooker. why do they not want that money? seems like if a tire is made there dist should be able to get it right?

You're correct in thinking they should be able to get it, but they won't because they only work there to get a paycheck, No one wants to do anything extra anymore, just the bare minimum to scrape by!.

Excellent analysis too Dr. Eman!.[cl..CR

 

[42chevy]

I do see alot of people who won't even try to help you. In my town most places act like my money is a different color than other people's. If they have it they want 50% more than smaller town's sell stuff for. Oh, I will take your $800 since no one else offered.

 

[bob w]

While I agree in general about the service at many establishments, as an individual you don't have to suffer those indignities. I drive past 15 auto parts stores to go to one where the help is excellent. There are still real hardware stores out there. I feel guilty everytime I go to a big box store instead of the local hardware store just to save a few bucks.
On the other hand, one of the big home improvement stores here just put in a massive nut & bolt section.
I can understand why clerks/sales people don't know as much as in the old days. Many grew up not having to perform maintenance and repairs like the older generations did. The ones that are capable of performing maintentance and repairs for people are too valuable to be stocking shelves in a store, they are out there plying their trade.

Also, I don't expect a 19 year old kid to know as much as a 69 year old customer.

Regarding Coker. The antique/collector tire market is very small and specialized. The tire store I've gone to for 55 years is very oriented toward the hot rodder/car guy. They were a Coker dealer but didn't stock the tires. Too many varieties to carry. So all they did was order for the customer. The customer had to pay shipping and the same price as buying direct from Coker. They had quite a few problems with Coker tires and it wasn't worth it for them to be a dealer. They now sell Diamondback tires with much better results. However, Diamondback wide white walls are all (or were) radials made from new tires with a wide whitewall vulcanized on to them. So no problems as with the Cokers which are much more period correct.
Here's how I have purchased Coker tires: I ordered the tires and rims direct from Coker and they mounted and balanced for free. I used my Alliance discount from the PORK site. Since Coker sets up a display at Back to the Fifties in St. Paul, they brought my stuff there, so I paid no shipping costs. Also, no state sales tax since they were bought and paid for by phone.

 

[donsrods]

On the other side of the coin, I worked retail for about 15 years, in the marine industry. I was an Associate for one of the largest marine discounters, working the floor to help customers. When I started there we had 27 employees. Department heads in every department (clothing, parts, electrical, etc) Everyone knew their areas and also a lot about all the other areas.

Over the years the company started cutting back, and was eventually bought out by another larger discounter. I saw more and more full time people getting replaced by part timers because the company didn't have to pay them benefits and could call them in as needed. If things were slow they got sent home. They started even cutting my hours down. I had been a 40 hour employee for years, and the now they were trying to give me 19 hours a week.

Finally, I went in and told my Manager I was leaving because I couldn't survive on 19 hours a week, and after he attempted to keep me there and saw that I was going to go anyway, he said "well, I hate to see you leave but with what I pay you I can hire 3 part timers." I told him "yes, but they won't know what they are doing." His comment was "that's even better, that way they won't be distracted by customers and will be able to concentrate on keeping the shelves nice and organized!"

I just went into that store last week to buy an ignition switch for my 27 and the shelves look really nice...........but the store was totally empty of customers, except for one other guy looking at fishing gear.

Don

 

[LilD]

I was just thinking this last week when I was picking up lumber and drywall. The first place I went to I couldnt find anybody for help then went to a cashier and had her call for help and after waiting and waiting and waiting I left and went else where. The second place I was greeted at the door and didnt have to carry or load anything. They did it all! they now have a loyal customer!

 

[Willowbilly3]

Well, I live in an area where agriculture is the main industry and I get service above and beyond at everyplace from the C-store to the dealerships. I have the manager's cell phone to the big farm store and can call him out on Sunday if I need something (never have needed to). I called a guy who works at the Dodge dealer and got my sister a tire on Sunday. He opened up the store and mounted it for me. One of our local tires stores would order the cokers if I wanted to pay the price. I rarely go to Mal-Wart, never spent a dime in Lowe's or Home Depot, I keep my money in the local mom and pop lumber yard/hardware stores.
BTW, I think you might be wound a little too tight there pard. You get back what you put out.

 

[darkk]

since I live closer, the money should go to me. besides, I need it to help finish my garage addition...

 

[Sam_Fear]

Ok, now I get it. Yep. we did it to ourselves. Same goes for quality. Hard to find good craftsmanship anymore.

I'm starting to wonder how I can make money off all these part time employed kids that are heading into real life. Clueless and poor. I don't mean car related either. Last month my neighbor (24 yrs old) had to replace a house window -just the glass - old 1920's house. Didn't have a clue where to start. He's here going to school - welds good too.

I watched a kid once trying to dig a hole - didn't know how to use a shovel?! Pushing it in with his belly on the handle. He was about 15. I straightened him out, but how do you grow into a man if you can't even dig your own hole?

Kinda started rambling...

 

[ANNAMEL]

Ihear ya! There is a small hardware-parts store here in Rentz Ga and Mr george owns and runs it. He is 80 something and if no one has it in town then he does. He had new caps for my 39 plymouth on the shelf. That is 39 stuff. Everybody always says that when Mr George dies this store will go with him. It is ashame. Everything changes for better or for worse. Maybe its time for us to do the thinking and figuring.