Daily Remarks

We went to a restaurant over the weekend and had some lunch. The waitress came over and asked us what would like for lunch. We ordered lunch and the waitress went away to get our drinks. At no time during this conversation did the waitress show any positive emotion in any way. She was very monotone and she obviously didn’t want to be there. She was just going through the motions. The interesting thing was that on the window of the restaurant they were looking for help. I wonder if there is a correlation between the help wanted sign and the waitress’s attitude. Makes you think. Have you had an experience like this?

We went to the McDonald’s in Wilcox Arizona over the weekend and tried to get a drink, just a drink. It took over 15 minutes just to get a drink. There was at least 8 people working and they weren’t that busy. The counter was staffed with one person who was at the cash register. She was taking orders and putting the tickets to the side for the rest of the staff to fill. The rest of the staff was running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I can’t believe how long it took. I didn’t even order any food. I know McDonald’s is a franchise and they have specific ways of handling things so that the food gets out quickly, but not this time. So much for fast food. Has this ever happened to you?

I took my Honda Fit in to be serviced by Chapman Honda in Tucson Arizona. What had happened was that the rear tow/camber on the rear passenger side of the car had been out of adjustment and it had eaten a tire. The inside of the tire was cupped because the adjustment was off. I took the car into Chapman Honda to be repaired and they said I would need an alignment for $89. I said ok to the alignment and they proceeded to take the car in for repair. I was told it would be ready by 1:00 to 2:00 o’clock.

We called them at 2:00 in the afternoon and they said it was at the bodyshop being looked at. I asked them why it was at the bodyshop and they said they needed to figure out a way to adjust the tow/camber on the car because it didn’t have an adjustment for the tow/camber. I said ok and left them to work on the car again. I hadn’t heard from them by 4:30 so I called again. They basically said that they couldn’t do anything for the car and that I could come pick it up.

I started thinking about it and I asked them why they couldn’t replace the part under warranty since it couldn’t be adjusted. The service person said “the car is out of warranty”. I asked what the mileage was because I knew it was under the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. The car has 35,383 miles on it and it is still in warranty. The the service rep said “oh, let met talk to the service manager”. Then of course the service representative said the alignment of the car is covered only by the first 12 months of 12,000 miles it isn’t covered by the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

I said this isn’t a problem with the alignment, it is a defect because it can’t be adjusted. If it could be adjusted it could be aligned, but this car can’t be adjusted so it is a defect. Cars can be aligned and the Honda Fit obviously can’t be aligned so it is defective.  We went round and round and they kept saying it wasn’t under warranty. It is pretty convenient that the car only has a 12,000 mile warranty for alignment seeing that it can’t be adjusted. So basically they make a part that can’t be adjusted with a very limited warranty and don’t support it within the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.  Have you ever had a problem with Honda? I will never buy another car from them.

If you are going into a store and you know that you are going to be needing your wallet, why do you leave it in the car? A customer comes into the store and they need to leave their computer to be worked on. We charge a small diagnostic fee because people have us do the work and they don’t claim their equipment. (thats another post) Anyway the customer has to run out to the car and get their wallet to pay the diagnostic. I would never leave my wallet in the car. Do you leave your wallet in the car?

A customer walks into the store and they get on the phone while you are trying to help them. The hold up their index finger to indicate that they need a moment and that they are more important than you are. We try to provide good customer service, but when someone does this we walk away and let them come to us when they need further help. I don’t have time to stand around and wait for someone to have a conversation with someone else while I am trying to help them. It is just rude and my attitude towards them changes. If you walk in a store and ask for help and you and I are in the middle of a conversation and you take a call and proceed to have a lengthy conversation with the person on the phone you don’t deserve my help. The right thing to do would be to say to the person on the phone I will get back to you or put the call through to voice mail. Has this ever happened to you?