c. 2018 Rod Ice
All rights reserved
(11-18)
Retirement.
For many, reaching
this point in the life cycle may open an opportunity to pause and
reflect upon family, friends and past accomplishments. But for one
such as myself, with a dual career path of professional writing and
business management, I have found such days filled with a different
concern. To be specific, the urge to do more work.
I felt this need
recently, when attempting to secure repairs for my aging Ford F-150
pickup truck. After a visit to the local mechanic in Geneva, it
became clear that new treads were needed for my mule. I had
patronized a megacenter in the county with past vehicles, and decided
that this depot would once again fit the needs of my fixed budget.
But, an unexpected roadblock appeared during the visit. One that, in
the end, actually served to help me maintain frugality for the
holiday season. The young mechanic involved could not remove lug nuts
from my truck. So the sale was declined.
Later, I felt glad
to have been forced to choose a less costly option. Yet the urge to
share my story lingered. What about other customers that might
encounter a similar bottleneck? What about lost revenue that might
hinder the progress of this company operating in my neighborhood? I
felt no particular loyalty to the megacenter, itself. But what of the
manager in charge? Did they not deserve to know what had transpired?
If I were still on duty as a salaried supervisor, wouldn’t I want
to be made aware?
Finally, this sense
of responsibility overwhelmed by reluctance. I composed a letter to
be sent via postal mail:
To: Megacenter
Store Manager
Re: Auto Care
Greetings,
I want to share a
story with you regarding my recent experience at your auto center on
November 15th. I offer this not as a traditional
complaint, but instead as a FYI for your use in overseeing the store.
Because I am a retired supermarket store co-manager (33 years in
retailing) it is my belief that you would want to be aware of any
such situation. In my own career, I faced this sort of problem on
several occasions and made it a point to use each one as a learning
experience.
On Thursday
morning, I arrived at your auto center about 6:50 a.m. with the
intent of purchasing a set of tires for my Ford F-150. I had
repeatedly been a customer at this location in the past, and felt
that I could get a good bargain and professional service once again.
There was already one other customer ahead of me, parked by the
entrance. The shop itself was completely dark. We waited a short
time, until someone appeared and began to open up for the business
day.
Customer #1 was
very talkative and kept your opening employee busy. But I was soon
able to make my request, as the second customer of the morning. My
primary concern was for the left, front tire which had an issue
discovered during front-end work, earlier in the week, at a repair
facility in Geneva. I had wanted Goodyear Wrangler tires, but they
were unavailable in the proper size. So I chose a different brand. A
clerk who arrived quoted me a price of $607 for the set of four. I
agreed, was given a number, and decided to look around the store
while waiting.
When I returned,
shortly afterward, a young mechanic approached me to explain that he
had been unable to remove the wheel from my truck. He said the lug
nuts would not ‘free up’ despite his use of an impact wrench. I
explained that the truck had literally just been serviced, and that
this seemed impossible. He agreed to try again. Meanwhile, Customer
#1, still very gabby, literally offered to help this young fellow. I
declined of course, as it would have been ill-advised and not
permitted.
Your mechanic
returned a second time to say that he had only been able to remove
two lug nuts and that he feared breaking the axle studs. He described
the procedure for towing damaged vehicles to an off-site repair
facility, with much familiarity, something which rattled my
confidence a bit. I again repeated that the F-150 had just been
serviced, but calmly accepted his assessment. If it could not be
done, I would go elsewhere with no hard feelings. He asked if I
wanted to buy the tires and take them home. I replied in the
negative, as this would not solve my problem. He shrugged and pulled
my truck out of the repair bay.
Bottom line: A
sale of $607 lost to your business.
On November 16th,
I visited a local shop in town. I explained the immediate need for a
left, front tire. While pondering that the holidays were near, and
that I would require all my available resources for Christmas, I
decided to replace only that tire for the moment. The proprietor
offered a discounted tire which was perfect for my needs. We also
agreed for a follow-up visit after the holiday season, for a full set
of replacement tires. There was no issue with removing the wheel in
question. Though they were quite busy, and I had appeared without an
appointment, he got me in and out with less than an hour spent
waiting.
My thoughts
regarding this incident can be simplified into three questions.
First, was your mechanic’s inability to remove the truck wheel an
issue with equipment? Second, was your mechanic’s inability to
remove the truck wheel an issue with training? Third, is it typical
to speak with customers about damaged vehicle procedures, which
seemed to give the impression that such incidents have been somewhat
common? As a store manager, going forward, I would want to know.
Your crew was
courteous and I have no issue with their conduct. My desire is not to
complain or cause a disciplinary incident of any kind. I expect no
coupons or gift cards or apologies. I will continue to be a customer.
Please accept this letter as a friendly word from a veteran of the
industry to someone who, like yourself, is still active.
My thanks to you,
for kind attention in this matter.
Regards, Rod
Predictably,
some friends pondered what things of value I might receive in
response. Yet my own intention was more humble. More pure in nature.
Remembering the rush of holiday operations that I had endured, over
decades of service, I simply wanted to tell my story. To inform those
in charge. To assist them in their important role overseeing the
business. And perhaps, to help in their personal quest for
excellence.
As
a retail manager, I would have desired the very same for myself.
Comments about
‘Words On The Loose’ may be sent to: icewritesforyou@gmail.com
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