Sears Auto Battery Sales in Minnesota Of Late

"I need a new battery RIGHT NOW and a cheeseburger with fries and Cream soda." No I didn't make an appointment. I it want RIGHT NOW.

"NO"... I replied. "Well, Hmpff, I want to to speak to the manager." the retort would be. "I am the manager." I stated.

Customers go ballistic angry. "But I NEED my car NOW because I have to be somewhere in 15 minutes". Sorry, so do the other 20 people who are waiting for a battery that I may or may not have in stock.

Two things that people REALLY get angry about are their cars and their houses. It is debatable as to which they neglect the most but cars have to be at the top of the list for right now. It is not my fault that you did not properly maintain your car. That is your fault. I will sell you the battery but you have to install it yourself. "But I don't know how to install a battery." That is not my fault either now is it?

Maybe people need to realize that preventative maintenance is critical when the temps drop to below zero. Maybe stop buying the the fru-fru Christmas crap and buy a battery for your one and only car that you rely on?

So we drive to the mall in the shartmobile to buy some overpriced junk that no one we are going to give it to wants anyway, for a pagan based tree holiday where everyone gets together, drinks and then argues. Now the car won't start after we wasted all of that time thinking of who might like a scented candle for re-gifting.

I have no sympathy nor the labor available to do what should have been done in October. They always ask for a discount too.

No. It's pathetic.

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One more day to go on the 9 day for 90 hour run. I am fine except for my sanity and the need of a chiropractor. I have stories. Not tonight though.

I work in Auto Service in SW Florida for Sears. The problems are endless. We are down to 3 mechanics to cover 7 days. One manager and 2 CSA's to cover the desk. At $7 per hour plus commission you just can't hire qualified help. District Manager says for December we have to be open from 8AM to 9PM. After 3PM the phone doesn't ring and no one walks in. District Manager is calling every day complaining that sales per hour are way down. No kidding! Sears keeps raising the price of batteries so high that customers just refuse to buy. Mark up on parts is 75-100% purchased from vendors. They demand we only buy parts from Auto Zone which takes an hour to deliver parts. NAPA is across the street and can deliver, for less money, in 10 minutes. The computer system we use operates on Windows 2008. It locks up all the time. There is no direct line to Auto. Customers have to call and then go through the automated system to ask for us. Now they are pushing us to sell high priced maintenance plans and Sirius Satellite subscriptions. Maybe we should start selling Girl Scout Cookies to raise cash!

My old store is in MN. Only the old people who mall walk shop in the malls in the burbs. They use to freak out at the register because one person was in front of them and they had a doctor's appointment two hours from now. The clinics were just across the highway and a less than five minute drive but jeez they would throw their little fits. I don't miss it. BTW, I had car in for oil change, tire rotation and inspection last month. I don't mess with a MN winter.

And that's why people will go to Pep Boys, Western Auto, O'Reily etc. Because they can get a free battery install within 15-20 minutes without getting a bunch of crap from the underpayed, overworked employees. Not bashing you people that work in Sears Auto, but this is what this company has left you with and then corporate wonders why they don't make money

Nothing new... I worked at a Sears auto in the 70s and 80s in Michigan and they were just as annoying then. "But it only takes ten minutes to install a battery... Why are you telling me it's a three hour wait?" "Because there are twenty other battery installs ahead of you".

One last thought on that post. Remember the Sears wishbook you got to look at as a kid? You had to plan ahead and you got to pick one thing and more than half of the time you would not get that thing you wanted. I remember long delivery delays. But that was then.

I will have a post on how the seniors are now expecting instant gratification. I see it.

ZHD

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Sears Auto Battery Sales in Minnesota Of Late

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