I love Les Schwab.
Not the man (is he even alive anymore?) but his tire stores.
When you buy tires from Les Schwab, it's a full-service affair. Everybody there is busting their ass to ensure you get the absolute best service possible. Buy their tires? Free mounting. Get a flat tire? They'll fix it for free. Need to have your tires rotated? Free. Just want to have your tire pressure checked? Also free. No appointment necessary, and they're motto is "if we can't guarantee it, we won't sell it."
And nobody at Les Schwab ever walks anywhere... they run to service their customers. "May I help you sir?" they say, after having sprinted up to you at Olympic speed.
Now let's contrast my impeccable experience at Schwab for tire rotation today with my experience at the local Radio Shack thirty minutes later...
I walk in and notice they've remodeled the store. Not wanting to waste my time, I decide to ask for help at the counter. "I'm looking for a CD storage binder" I say. "It's over there" the Radio Shack minion replies as he waves his hand in a non-specific direction. So "over there" I go. But I don't find them. "Hey, all I find over there are CD sleeves, I'm looking for a binder" I say. "Then you didn't get it here. Try Office Depot" the minion responds. "But I DID get it here" I insist... "it is a Radio Shack branded binder!" Without even looking up from the paper he's reading, the guy tells me "well I guess we don't have them then!"
Well thanks for your "help", f#@%er!
The guy never left the counter, and wouldn't even acknowledge I exist until I talked to him. No running to serve me. No helping me look. He didn't even bother to check his computer to see if it could be ordered. He just didn't give a shit.
I hate that.
I mean, it's not like I'm walking in wanting to get blown or anything... I just want reasonable assistance when I shop in your f#@%ing store. Is it really too much to ask for you to put down your newspaper, haul your ass around the corner, and at least TRY to help me out?
No wonder I buy everything online.
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..yes , I also admire the work ethics of Les Schwab tire Company and it’s workers….that’s why I’ve tried to apply the same devotion and workmanship at my workplace. The benifits are overwhelming…trust me!
The only problem there is the “Free Beef” does you no good. Although you are right, Les Schwab does rock.
Uhhh… yes Harold, but aren’t you RETIRING this month?!? Some work ethic! 🙂
Yeah, and I still find it odd that FREE BEEF is the promotional item of choice at Les Schwab. Kind of wacky. Yet it is unique, I’ll give them that. I love how they always show half a cow in the ads, but really all you get is like a couple of hamburgers or something. I was in getting a puncture repaired, and some guy walked out with his teeny-tiny little box of “free beef” and I thought it was pretty funny.
I don’t know about the Les Schwab. But the Radio Shack I can relate to. It must be a hiring requirement.
Wanted: Customer Service Associate – Must have no drive to help customers.
I wonder if they have a reward program for being the most worthless customer service person in the store.
I concur! Yea, Les Schwab! I love ’em so much I dedicated 2 postings in a row to them on my blob when I got my new tires in October…
In fact, I still like to just sit in front of my truck and gaze at the tires’ monster treads. Aaah!
I’ve been to the local Radio Shack three times recently. Each time I’ve had people go out of their way to help.
One guy went so far as to give me Guinea Pig advice (the boys and I were on our way to the pet store.)
And, while this isn’t the Guinea Pig advice the guy gave me I’ll leave it with you: Don’t get one.
I can related to your Radio Shack experience: CompUSA. OMG!! You could be having a heart attack inside the store and no one will move a finger.
Next time go to a store you know they pay commision. Then you’ll got the help you deserve.
Your Radio Shack story reminds me. I made a purchase at QFC this morning and when the checker handed me my bag, I said, “Thank you.” He said, “You’re welcome.” Wait a minute, shouldn’t HE be thanking ME?
Radio Shack sucks.
But, I can one-up you…
While I like Win-Co, and enjoy their deals, my old neighbor informed me of this gem.
She went to apply for a job (she’s 17), and they told her that under NO circumstances would she be allowed to help a customer. EVER. She would be fired if she did something UNFORGIVEABLE like help a handicapped person get something off the shelf.
Seriously.
How’s THAT for customer service??
I worked for Les Schwab for one loooong summer. I could dish a lot of dirt here but I won’t. My advice to people is go to Les Schwab if you want for tires and/or wheels, and maybe batteries, but not for any of their other services such as shocks/brakes/alignments. The best thing about buying your tires there is no matter what little podunk town in the PNW you blow a tire near, there’s probably going to be a LS tire center close by.
maybe they should call it radio slack