Common Courtesy Rant

[jpdocdave]

I'm just sick of someone showing up at lunch time, or 30 mins before quitting time for an oil change or something stupid they want right away, day after day.

 

don't do it, if you are going somewhere to get a service that you need to wait for, don't go at lunch time, or just before closing, its just a pain in the arse. i can understand the few people that have absolutely no other choice. at least if i have to do something like that, i acknowledge the fact that i'm a pain, and i'm appreciative for the service and explain i'm sorry but i have no other option. and thats rare if ever i do that.

 

the problem today is its all please me now, no consideration for anyone else. jiffy lube is what really made everything stupid, and i don't work in a lube shop, i work in an automotive repair shop.

 

consider the people that are working. i actually eat lunch to. i work 10 hr days, and i want 30 mins to myself. consider it may be a small establishment, where i have to stop my lunch, put down my food as it gets cold, to help some inconsiderate person.

 

or consider that someone like me has about 15-20 mins worth of work to get things closed up at the end of the day, so by showing up just before closing, i have more to do than just your need before i can leave. most people have other options to take care of these things, they don't have to do it at these times. it just pops in their head and with not thought, just say, oh, i'll go do that. every oil change i do like that is already a couple months and a couple thousand miles over due anyway.

 

rant over

[Oizarod115]

hear hear!

 

totally hear ya, I'm in the same boat. theres only 3 of us and we lock up and leave for lunch.

 

my main pet peeve is people who make appointments then show up 4 hours late for them... just don't make a friggin appointment if you're not going to keep it.

[jpdocdave]

hear hear!

 

totally hear ya, I'm in the same boat. theres only 3 of us and we lock up and leave for lunch.

 

my main pet peeve is people who make appointments then show up 4 hours late for them... just don't make a friggin appointment if you're not going to keep it.

 

i'm jealous....you guys lock it up and go, we don't. can't afford to pass up any business.

 

and when they show up for the appointment 4 hrs later they say "i made it" :waving: with a dumb grin, i feel like saying "so effing what" :dunno:

[mjeff87]

can't afford to pass up any business.

 

therin lies the clue....

 

Jeff

[jpdocdave]

can't afford to pass up any business.

 

therin lies the clue....

 

Jeff

 

therein lies the problem. my shop has a rediculously high customer loyalty, our repeat business in a year is in the 90 percents, and thats almost unheard of, BUT, if i'm not there to please them now, they'll go down the street to jiffy lube, or the stealer. there's just no real sense of loyalty anymore.

[HOrnbrod]

Hey man, you're dealing with the public, the customer is always right. If customers come in ready to pay you $$, anytime is a good time. If it annoys you because they don't always come when you are ready for them, suggest you find another line of work mate. Not trying to be an @$$, but that's the way it is. And I do understand; I did service work for about ten years; hated it. I got out of it..............

[jpdocdave]

yap, my attitude isn't great about it, but its just adding up. i think it reflects a larger problem i see in society as a whole in my generation. the entitlement generation.

[Automan2164]

I hear ya Dave, but the truth is, until people change... It is what it is. I once made the mistake of turning a customer away when I worked for ford. I worked in back during the day, and came up front to manage the quick lane at night. I had plans one evening right after work, and a lady came in for a 1.0 HR job 5 minutes before closing time. She said she was told we would do it, I said that I was sorry that we were closing in 5 minutes, and I wouldn't have the time.

 

She called the service manager and left him a very rude message. So he gave me and the guys very rude talking to.

 

Times is tough. Take what you can get, because there is a guy who can't even afford to eat, who would be happy to give up a lunch to gain some work.

Rob L.

[jpdocdave]

^there ya go though, you're the a hole because you aren't gonna take on a 1hr job when its time to go home. and that customers attitude is you gotta do that for them, who cares if you close at 6, and you won't be able to get home till 8 because of what they're demanding, because they want it now. luckily, all my customers that actually get work done, drop off and are fine with how long it takes, and are always amazed they get their car back so quick. i would not be expected to do what you were expected at least rob. that stinks

[Sir Sam]

Wanna know what gets me? People at the diesel pump!

 

There is usually one damm diesel pump at the station, which also happens to be the easiest one to get to - for those of us pulling a trailer we don't have to wind all around the station.

 

Well I don't pull a trailer often, but I still can only use that one pump. There are all these empty pumps over there, but no, you had to goto the diesel pump.

 

The other day I was kinda cranky and getting close to loose it on a guy with a prius at the diesel pump. Thankfully a guy pulled away from a different pump before that could happen.

 

Damm inconsiderate gas drivers.

[Automan2164]

Meh. I played it to my advantage after that. They were cracking down on OT at the time, and watching lunches to make sure you were taking them it got so bad. So I stuck it right back to them, and tried my hardest to upsell towards the end of the night. My fondest memory of that was a good customer with a really nice F250, who I sold every thing on the menu to. (Oil/filter, trans service, coolant flush, air/fuel filter, tire rotation... yadda yadda) I invited him onto the shop floor and showed him everything we were doing, as well as showed him why we did it. Even all sat around and had the girlfriends run and get us some Wendy's while we were all waiting for the coolant machine to finish... The dealer closed at 6. We were there until 10:30. :D

 

From then on, that guy asked for me every time he came in. 8)

Rob L.

[jpdocdave]

Wanna know what gets me? People at the diesel pump!

 

There is usually one damm diesel pump at the station, which also happens to be the easiest one to get to - for those of us pulling a trailer we don't have to wind all around the station.

 

Well I don't pull a trailer often, but I still can only use that one pump. There are all these empty pumps over there, but no, you had to goto the diesel pump.

 

The other day I was kinda cranky and getting close to loose it on a guy with a prius at the diesel pump. Thankfully a guy pulled away from a different pump before that could happen.

 

Damm inconsiderate gas drivers.

 

stupid gasohaulics.

 

ooh ooh, since we are digressing, what about this, i've noticed a lot lately. people pull into a gas station to purchase something other than gas (cigarettes, loser tickets, i mean lottery tickets....) and where do they park? not in a parking space, but in front of a pump during a busy time of day where people are actually trying to get gas. :fs1:

[jpdocdave]

Meh. I played it to my advantage after that. They were cracking down on OT at the time, and watching lunches to make sure you were taking them it got so bad. So I stuck it right back to them, and tried my hardest to upsell towards the end of the night. My fondest memory of that was a good customer with a really nice F250, who I sold every thing on the menu to. (Oil/filter, trans service, coolant flush, air/fuel filter, tire rotation... yadda yadda) I invited him onto the shop floor and showed him everything we were doing, as well as showed him why we did it. Even all sat around and had the girlfriends run and get us some Wendy's while we were all waiting for the coolant machine to finish... The dealer closed at 6. We were there until 10:30. :D

 

From then on, that guy asked for me every time he came in. 8)

Rob L.

 

nice......but you obviously did not have to pick the kids up from the sitter, cook dinner, get to the bank, pick up a gallon of milk, and fix the kitchen sink that evening....which is basically every evening for a happy home owner and father, lol. quittin time is quittin time when i have a 10hr work day.

[terrawombat]

It's easy to see both sides of this argument. When it's closing time, you want to do just that, close. Go home. Take care of your other "job" as a husband, father, homeowner, etc. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

However, I will be one of those guys that shows up 10 minutes before closing asking if you can do this and that. Why would I do this if I know the people I'm asking to do these things want to go home? Because I have no other time to do it. So many places in my area simply do not cater to the regular 9-5 working Joe like myself. Their operating hours directly conflict with mine and it makes it incredibly inconvenient. My paid time off from work is precious to me and when I take a day off, it's to RELAX, not to run all of the errands I missed because Bob's multi-service shop is only open limited hours on weekdays. I'm not saying your shop is at all like what I've described above, nor do I care, as I'm making a very general blanket statement and trying to give you some insight as to why a fellow might come in 10 minutes before you close. Granted, I'm not an @$$ about it either. If I know I'm cutting it close on closing time to the shop I'm going to, my first question out of my mouth will be, Do you have time to do blah blah blah today? If the answer is no or if I get a yes with a hint of 'I really just want to go home, buddy', I'll ask them when would be a better time.

 

I run into this problem a lot with a local NAPA dealer. He's only about 10 minutes from where I work and on my way home, but he closes right at 5PM on weekdays. We've gotten to the point where he'll stay open until about 5:30PM if he knows I've got a part to pick up. It's not really a big deal for him, though, as his house is right next door.

[Eagle]

and when they show up for the appointment 4 hrs later they say "i made it" :waving: with a dumb grin, i feel like saying "so effing what" :dunno:

Or, "No you didn't. That car on the lift had the slot 2 hours after you were supposed to be here. We'll get to yours as soon as we take care of the people who got here on time. Take a seat in the waiting area if you don't have a ride."

[JeepcoMJ]

Working in the service world SUCKS.

 

 

I work on coke fountain equipment, sara lee coffee equipment, etc.

 

Right now I'm bouncing between night and day jobs. it SUCKS...when you get used to sleeping days, you're back to sleeping nights. That is, IF you have time to sleep.

 

the other night, we removed the old line in a mcdonalds in Escanaba, MI, and installed new insulated line so we could have spare lines left over. we also added doctor pepper and caffeine free diet coke (:ack:).

 

on startup, the multiplex (syrup chiller) in the back room would NOT run the carbonators or recirculator pumps, the refrigeration was seizing every once in awhile, and the syrup coils were froze up because the refrigeration was low or the ice bank sensor was junk...so the ice bank didn't build up properly.

 

it was 3am then. We didn't leave til 10:45am...we don't work on refrigeration, and we don't carry parts for multiplexes other than carb pumps, motors, etc. This is a situation where the service company will come out and fix their problem. especially because we DID NOT cause the problem.

 

 

but...NO. it had to be fixed here and now. no matter that we fixed 15 other problems while we were there. we didn't have the parts, the store owner didn't give a rat's @$$.

 

end result, we got screwed into a 15 hour night, and had to hodge-podge the machine together, just to get it to work. customer doesn't realize yet that it's pretty much going to be impossible to make it work without replacing everything electronic, including wires.

 

idiots....better to be down for half a day than to cost yourself money. serve soda from bottles.

[jpdocdave]

It's easy to see both sides of this argument. When it's closing time, you want to do just that, close. Go home. Take care of your other "job" as a husband, father, homeowner, etc. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

However, I will be one of those guys that shows up 10 minutes before closing asking if you can do this and that. Why would I do this if I know the people I'm asking to do these things want to go home? Because I have no other time to do it. So many places in my area simply do not cater to the regular 9-5 working Joe like myself. Their operating hours directly conflict with mine and it makes it incredibly inconvenient. My paid time off from work is precious to me and when I take a day off, it's to RELAX, not to run all of the errands I missed because Bob's multi-service shop is only open limited hours on weekdays. I'm not saying your shop is at all like what I've described above, nor do I care, as I'm making a very general blanket statement and trying to give you some insight as to why a fellow might come in 10 minutes before you close. Granted, I'm not an @$$ about it either. If I know I'm cutting it close on closing time to the shop I'm going to, my first question out of my mouth will be, Do you have time to do blah blah blah today? If the answer is no or if I get a yes with a hint of 'I really just want to go home, buddy', I'll ask them when would be a better time.

 

I run into this problem a lot with a local NAPA dealer. He's only about 10 minutes from where I work and on my way home, but he closes right at 5PM on weekdays. We've gotten to the point where he'll stay open until about 5:30PM if he knows I've got a part to pick up. It's not really a big deal for him, though, as his house is right next door.

 

i wish i only worked 9-5 :hmm:

 

i completely understand your situation, i'm similar to. but exactly what you said makes it totally tolerable and makes people like me more than happy to help. call ahead, and say hey, i can only make it 10 mins before you close, when would be the best day for me to get x done, i really appreciate you squeezing me in, i know its a pain. then i plan my closing for you being there, so i either start the process sooner, or delegate and make arrangements to get everything done. big difference from showing up when i'm in the middle of things i gotta do to leave, and have someone throw a wrench into everything, for something stupid.

[jpdocdave]

and when they show up for the appointment 4 hrs later they say "i made it" :waving: with a dumb grin, i feel like saying "so effing what" :dunno:

Or, "No you didn't. That car on the lift had the slot 2 hours after you were supposed to be here. We'll get to yours as soon as we take care of the people who got here on time. Take a seat in the waiting area if you don't have a ride."

 

thats exactly the way it should be, and the way it was i imagine 15 yrs ago. but no, can't do anything like that now pssh.

 

that idiot customer should call or show up and say, hey, sorry, i got all screwed up, held over whatever. i know i didn't make the appointment, can i get squeezed in somewhere, thanks a lot.

[Automan2164]

I love working for public works. I get the truck when I want it. Not when they have time to give it to me. :D

 

Rob L.

[terrawombat]

Common courtesy is fairly hard to come by these days. On a daily basis, I probably say to myself 'REALLY?' about four or five times when I see someone doing something (or not doing something) that just completely blows my mind. I hold high expectations of people and I'm usually let down...a lot. My latest rant dealing with common courtesy comes by way of my roommates idiot girlfriend. I'll give you two examples:

 

1) She doesn't work a 9-5 like everyone else in my house does (I live with two other people) and is normally home by 3PM. On recycling day, I took out the trash bins the night before (as I do 7 times out of 10). This particular recycling day was a nasty, wet, windy day and when I arrived home from work, I saw the traffic backed up in front of my house and people swerving to avoid the three recycling bins that had blown into the street. They had probably been like this for some time, too (thanks to everyone who couldn't stop for one minute and move the cans out of the road and into my driveway, but I don't really expect them to anyway so no big deal). So as I try pull into my driveway, one of the cans has conveniently placed itself right in the middle making it next to impossible to get into the driveway without going off on the grass (and it had rained hard that day so the ground was too wet to drive on), but low and behold, I see that my roommates girlfriend has driven on the grass, made some nice ruts, and is likely in the house lying on her bed searching the web (and I was 100% correct). I don't expect her to bring the trash cans back inside, but she couldn't grab these from out of the street and bring them in closer to the house where they wouldn't be causing a traffic jam? REALLY?

 

2) Again, my roommates girlfriend. She decided to order a daily delivered newspaper for whatever reason. She has NEVER ONCE read this paper. In fact, I don't think she has ever once picked it up from the end of our driveway. I know this because when five or six of them get scattered at the end of the driveway, I eventually get fed up and get them myself and throw them in the trash. I've commented several times that she needs to cancel the subscription or pick up the papers and throw them away and every time she agrees. But the papers keep on coming and I'm still throwing them away. REALLY?

 

I could go on with other little pet peeves that I have with her (leaving lights on, leaving laundry in the dryer for days, even weeks!), but I'll wait for some better ones that I'm sure will happen in the near future.

 

I'm not sure if this is just a lack of common courtesy, laziness, or stupidity. Frankly, I think it's all three.

 

/end rant

[Sir Sam]

2) Again, my roommates girlfriend. She decided to order a daily delivered newspaper for whatever reason. She has NEVER ONCE read this paper. In fact, I don't think she has ever once picked it up from the end of our driveway. I know this because when five or six of them get scattered at the end of the driveway, I eventually get fed up and get them myself and throw them in the trash. I've commented several times that she needs to cancel the subscription or pick up the papers and throw them away and every time she agrees. But the papers keep on coming and I'm still throwing them away. REALLY?

 

I could go on with other little pet peeves that I have with her (leaving lights on, leaving laundry in the dryer for days, even weeks!), but I'll wait for some better ones that I'm sure will happen in the near future.

 

I'm not sure if this is just a lack of common courtesy, laziness, or stupidity. Frankly, I think it's all three.

 

/end rant

 

I hear you on the roomates, I'm always fighting little issue's, I try to not let things bother me, and try to give subtle signs to em to do things different.

 

Some various examples(I don't mean to sound pissy here so forgive me):

 

-Putting a bowl in the sink drain that leads to the garbage disposal. Basically acts like a big plug and fills the sink up with water.

-Seriously, you can't close the front door completely?

-I am not interested in talking about my day, I am a man, If I've had a $#!&ty day I'll come home and drink a beer, if I've had a good day I'll come home and drink two beers. If I don't respond to the question, "how was your day?" with anything more than "okay" I am not interested in being pestered further, what are you a phucking woman?

-Don't phucking b*@$£ when I watch a home improvement show, I don't b*@$£ when you watch "the last airbender" on Nickelodean.

-I am a man, I fart. I also like wimmens with big boobs, is that offensive too?

-Is it so hard to get out the trash for trash day? Why am I the only one who can do it? Ya I don't remember all the time, which is why I need some gawd-damm help getting it out.

 

I would recommend the next time a pile builds up you go and place them somewhere where she has to deal with them, IE on her bed or something. Kinda drives home the point.

[Squeegy410]

well, all i can say is... you all forgot one of these .... so here we go :popcorn:

that should make up for all the forgotten ones :D

[HOrnbrod]

This thread has deteriorated into the ridiculous. Sounds like reruns of the great SNL routine The Whiners. :nuts:

[terrawombat]

This thread has deteriorated into the ridiculous. Sounds like reruns of the great SNL routine The Whiners. :nuts:

 

LOL :clapping:

 

I'm easily annoyed, as you can tell. I go out of my way day in and day out to make sure I've extended a bit of common courtesy to others and when I don't get it back in return, I get angry. I also usually let the issues boil up inside and if I didn't have CC to vent/rant, I may turn into Jim Carrey's character from Me, Myself, and Irene!

[JeepcoMJ]

hornbrod, not everyone is capable of bottling up everything...sometimes, they need to vent.