Today was one of the toughest work days I've had in a long time. It was my Saturday on the retail parts counter at work. When I finally got home I was hungry, thirsty, and absolutely beat down. We didn't have time to get a drink of water, much less eat lunch.

It really made something clear. This is an incredibly tough time of year for those who work in customer facing positions.

As you scramble and rush to get those last minute gifts, gather festive trinkets, and prepare everything for that trip to visit family and friends please go easy on the workers you encounter. They have probably been beat down by the holiday rush and are heavily stressed. For many, this is the absolute worst time of year to work and the equally hellish return/exchange season is yet to come.

Before creating a fuss, put yourself in their position for a moment and do your best to get the best outcome for everyone involved.

Use words like please and thank you. Show appreciation for their assistance. It just might make a difference for both of you.

Good thoughts.

I actually did just that twice today when calling 2 hardware stores and asking if they had some items, one didn't, one did. I do prefer to thank them for their time and effort even if they don't have what I want.

I really try to help out the clients I deal with. My expectations of myself are tougher than those I place on my coworkers. Catch the phone before the third ring. Don't let calls sit on hold. Get numbers and keep your promise to call back. Be sure the person you are helping knows what they want and need. It goes on and on.

Today, one of the hardest problems was a couple from out of town that got hit on the freeway. The body damage was minor but the suspension was bent and the wheel was broken. The car needs expensive work to make their 5 hour trip home. We can't get the parts until Monday afternoon, we are out of loan cars, and the rental office was closed.
I ended up playing collsion estimator, service advisor, parts guy, and personal concierge. That fell at a time when the phones were going insane and people were lining up at the counter.

The two of us were having such a hard time keeping up that I gave away some small items with a "Merry Christmas" and a smile. It was easier and faster to bill the stuff to the shop at the end of the day than to go through the normal transactions. To be perfectly honest, it was a bit selfish too. I really needed some kind of positive feedback to offset the day we were having.

dude just keep being the best you can be, and continue doing what youre doing. people recognize and so do the others around.. keep leading by example at youre work, customers and co workers notice.. good things happen to good people.. i feel you because im in the service buisness too. practice the old golden rule, and try and turn it off when you go home to chill.

I was so tired today that I didn't realize that I posted this in the handling section.

Oopsie.

I noticed, but I wasn't going to cry about it. lol

Customer handling is handling too.

well said !

I had this experience yesterday at the local VW dealership redeeming some of my TDI Goodwill money at the parts counter. The parts guy was having a bit of a tough morning, computer wasn't working, couldn't find the nav update in his system, and things were just plain not jiving. It took 3x as long as it should have, but I remained very easy to work with and it wasn't holding me back from doing much. Been there before, different shoes, but the same situation.

I think you find most people that become a pain in the...dana...have never worked a day dealing directly with customers.

I've worked retail and wholesale parts most of my life with a 4 year stint of body shop management thrown in too. I know all too well about how difficult people can be at this time of year plus the rest of the time too. You just have to put your head down and plow through it the best you can and pray that the customers understand that you are just one person doing their utmost best under the circumstances. It still blows when you get some richard cranium that wipes out the day. Unfortunately, I remember them more than the people who really appreciated what you do or did for them. It is rewarding though when you see a person who was thankful in a different location who still appreciates what you did for them. When I was at SEMA, we stayed at Harrahs. At the little coffee stand of theirs one morning, the lady was working it by herself with a line of a dozen customers, when the day before she had 3 helping her. She was keeping her cool but moving as efficiently as possible. I made sure when it was my turn that I praised her for what she had to deal with and that she rocked the house because of that. I also made sure the others in line behind me heard this. Too many people, as you know, think the world revolves around them. Something to think about, for everyone, if you are in a line waiting your turn and some richard weed is giving the help a hard time for no reason other than selfishness point out that the person helping them is doing their best and maybe they should take a chill pill or vacate the premises. It also helps when the Lord is on your side.

Working automotive service can be brutal. Some of the customers you deal with are having a pretty crappy day by the time they get to you. I enjoyed helping most people, but some can be obnoxious.

One situation at Montgomery Ward (23 years ago), a customer was browbeating one of the service writers. It was going on for a while. At the time I was working on the floor as a mechanic six bays away, and I had finally had enough. I walked up to the front and stopped her. I let her know that (1) the situations was mostly her own doing, and (2) the poor young lady that was trying to help her was doing as much as she was allowed to do and being punished for the effort. She is trying to help you, be gracious and let her... she froze... the service desk was packed with other customers and employees but it was real quiet all of a sudden. Sometimes I think people get on a tear and don't realize how they are acting. I then turned, walked away, and went back to the car I was working on. Of course there are some people who think that kind of behavior is acceptable, I think this lady had simply lost it and needed a good shaking.

That night I was closing. When I was punching out the young service writer gave me a kiss on the cheek and said thank you. The customer was better behaved towards her after my reprimand and even apologized to her later when she was closing out her ticket and picking up her car.

I actually was at your place of employment Saturday right around closing time on the sales floor, you were probably already gone. Maybe not, did not occur to me to check I just assumed you were off. Next time I am in the area I will check. My brother was looking at a $140k toy. The inventory here on the high end is probably a bit more stocked than the store where he is from. He could probably afford it, but I think he just likes to look. He has been talking about buying something like that for a while but never does. I think he is waiting for FCA to start allowing orders again on Hellcat Challengers. He wants an automatic and a particular color and missed out on the last run.

-Michael

It's cool that you were there. Feel free to stop in and say hi. I'm there till 6 during the week and work every 3rd weekend until 5.
Be sure to ask for Kevin Alexander because we picked up another Kevin a while back.