I am going to use this thread as a diary of things I see at the ope dealership. I'm a new hire as of this date, so these things, to me, are all new. I'll do my best to get you all some pics. Today, I failed at pics though. Today. Week one of the new job. Old man. 70s. Brings in a chain to be sharpened. Says he's cutting saplings at ground level. Chain looks like he tried to dig a hole with it. Put chain in rack to be sharpened. Sold him new stihl one to get him back to work. Installed chain on front desk granite countertops for him. He ate my peanuts while I did it. He was thrilled. Said it took him an hour to mount the last one. I bet that brand new chain is destroyed. Old dude just won't quit though. Gotta give him that. Today also. Older gentleman comes in. Says somebody told him about this magic in a bottle, mechanic in a can that he can add to his gas to stabilize it. I pointed him to our fuel stabilizer and he said yep, that's it. I asked him.....did you use this stuff last fall? Him. Uh......no. Me. Sir....this isn't gonna work. Him. Well, it's supposed to from what I hear. Me. I'll be happy to sell you a $9 can of stabilizer, but it's not gonna work. The old gas needs dumped, and should have been stabilized last fall. Him. #blankstare Me. I'm sorry to tell you that, but the stuff on this shelf isn't gonna help. Dump it, and try new fuel. If it won't work, I'll be happy to service it. He kinda thanked me, looking confused, hesitating, and left. I hope he knew I wasn't steering him wrong. I also hope he appreciates me not selling him magic mechanic juice that won't help old fuel. I can only imagine what's to come. It'll be fun, that's for sure.
Oh.....almost forgot this also from today. The younger 20 something millennial who had the push mower in the back of his car. Handle folded up. That's all normal stuff. Not unusual for here. He's proud he disassembled it enough to get it in the car. I unload it. Go to fold the handle back up. He undid the bolts with nylock nuts on there instead of the giant hand sized plastic wing nuts.
Nothing super crazy today. Some propane fills. Drove my first forklift. Got to pizz rev a husky homeowner saw for an owner that insisted it had to start before he left the shop. Met some more funny old men customers. I hope I live that long. Took in some return chains that our grinder operator jacked up. Half the cutter was gone. Rakers never touched. Ever. Guess I'm gonna have to give some people some chain grinding tips and lessons. (All of which I learned here btw)
Ahhhhhh the joys of customer service right bocefus78 . You oughta have some good stories by the 21st I bet. See ya soon!
Boy I'm glad you didn't recognize me when I brought that chain in to re-sharpen... And when I left, I just went down the road to that home cheapo place and got that stabilizer I wanted to buy. As for that kid, I think it was my grandson. I'm sure you will be entertained well in that job!
I think I would enjoy a job where I could impart some of my knowledge to others but based on what I have seen lately I fear it would be a lost cause.
I get quite a laugh when I am my buddy's shop and see what people come in with and what they want. I can only imagine what you'll see being behind the counter!
If you've never worked with the public before, you are in for a wild ride! Mrs. TD used to come home with stories like that every day! She actually considered writing a book...
Customer service: requires a rihno hide exterior, patience of a saint, ability to bite your tongue with out wincing, apologize even though you or the employer are not possibly at fault, not allowed to laugh at customer until out the door, and realize that trying to educate the public mostly falls on deaf ears. When you think you have seen it all and heard it all a new scenario will present itself. case in point -got a call Mon. Table (expensive cabinet type) saw running backwards, gentelman didn't notice, and attemped to make some cuts. 16" carbide tipped blade. In his defense he did figure out it was running backwards. Now the blade is not cutting properly ( dulled ). That was a new one on me. I"ve been around power equipment all my life. ( by the way cutting steel or aluminum siding or other very thin metal on a table saw it is common to put a fine toothed steel crosscut blade in backwards- less distortion of the material)
