Yesterday took the Ceed to have 2 new Primacys fitted to the front - yes I know opinion is that new tyres should go on the back but I like them on the front. Anyway the fitter did not even offer up the advice which brings me nicely on to my main point.
The tyres had to be ordered the previous day and I went around 4.15pm after ringing to check they had arrived. Greeted by the fitter who enthusiastically informed me he was off at 5. Now that sort of remark from someone I am spending my money with immediately gets my back up because it says to me that I am potentially preventing them from leaving on time. This was a local outfit not one of the nationals.
Moving on. Wheels and old tyres removed and new tyres fitted. I now had two yoofs on the job. Second yoof managed to fit the tyre and then, accompanie by a profanity, realised it was on the wrong way.
Now the balancing really wound me up. The muckiest rag you have ever seen was used to wipe away some dirt before sticking on the weights. Now I would have cleaned well with some solvent to ensure the weights remained stuck for the duration.
Second yoof made an attempt to remove the stuck on weights, spun the wheel up, used the aforementioned rag before fitting new weights and completing the job.
Today I removed the wheels to give them a good clean inside out and return the slightly kerbed one back to its rightful position on the nearside. I saw that the second yoof had only managed to remove one of three weights on the inside and a clip on weight remained on the inner rim edge.
So he had balanced a wheel with previous weights still attached so there are now 4 areas where weights are fitted. I might add that there are however no signs of imbalance.
Is it me or is this just symptomatic of a general malaise, lack of professionalism and lack of attention to detail I tend to find with most people I pay to do work for me or am I just a grumpy old man? Given the current labour market there must be people out there who are prepared to give that bit extra.
|
>> Is it me>>
No.
>>or is this just symptomatic of a general malaise, lack of professionalism and lack of attention to detail I tend to find with most people I pay to do work for me >>
Yes.
>>or am I just a grumpy old man? >>
Probably.
>>Given the current labour market there must be people out there who are prepared to give that bit extra.>>
Agreed.
|
If you'd done that to Cromwell's car you'd have been hung, let down before you were dead, your innards pulled out and burnt in front of your eyes, broken on the wheel and then told not to do it again. You Scots don't know your English history.
John
|
|
Cromwell drove a Cavalier apparently.
|
|
Granted, we Scots, in main, know only the sketchiest details of English history but as an observer, I do note that the towns where Cromwell had a stronghold remain to this day populated by a mean spiritedness less prevalent than that found in the erstwhile royalist enclaves. Another sociological nuance being that you se more driving aggression in locations where the local accent eschews the use of the letter "H" for some reason.
|
|
Cromwell came from Huntingdon. No more need be said.
|
"or is this just symptomatic of a general malaise, lack of professionalism and lack of attention to detail I tend to find with most people I pay to do work for me"
On what basis did you choose this outfit?
|
|
They are the local agents for the internet players and I thought I would cut out the middle man. The price was right and I have used them before.
|
>> They are the local agents for the internet players
I made that mistake too...used someone off one (very good) internet sellers site.
Who proceeded to charge me nearly three times as much as quoted on the tyre site for fitting, i complained to the internet seller who after receiving proof refunded me the difference and adjusted the fitter's false advertised price list on their site.
I used a local indy for supply and fit for some time but their approachable and capable manager went to pastures new and the younger replacement just doesn't have it...pity cos the lads that do the work are good.
|
It's not just you FC, but it's a growing problem and see no end in sight.
I speak from experience here, not as an employer but as someone who takes a pride in a job i've had over 35 years at.
The problem for this country is that many companies don't value good staff, despite them being in many cases THE most important asset they have.
It matters not a jot how good/reliable/punctual/honest/competent/polite/presentable you are no one gives a fig...you're just a number.
I work with some very good people, blokes i've worked with over the years, and we've found ourselves scrabbling round on agency work.
I also work with some of the most miserable useless bunch of wasters you'd find, if you paid 'em a grand a week to lie in bed, they'd winge and whine about that till the cows come home.
It matters not a jot the difference between the two types, as those responsible for decisions dont give a fig either....no one does any more.
|
in a scrapyard friday
2 men early twenties stopped me to enquire if a wheel on a picasso was the same as a pewgot 206 gti,no says i i doubt it
they go on to say we are groundworkers (ie we dig holes) we dont know about cars
i say well i taught myself,they ask how to undo the wheel nuts if they find the right size rim
they dont know how to take it off
as they leave they ask me is this how car yards are? ie you walk round and find bits and take them off yourself?
i suggest they go home and buy delivered via ebay
they leave
i get a wing in the right colour for £10
so i too dispair about yoof
|
You're a Grumpy, Fullchat. You should be proud of this status.
I was scolded by Madame Ted after a trip to Asda yesterday for walking round with a face that would make an onion cry.
I don't know the correct procedure, apparently.
You're very hard on these nice boys, after all, they are giving your car the benefit of many days, or possibly weeks of experience. :-)
I cannot stand sloppy workmanship. Nor can I stand being referred to as 'Mate ' every other word as did the window cleaner yesterday and a delivery yoof this morning ( who was late ! )
Actually, there's a whole bunch of things I cannot stand !
Ted
|
The tyres had to be ordered the previous day and I went around 4.15pm after ringing to check they had arrived. Greeted by the fitter who enthusiastically informed me he was off at 5.
To a point here i don't blame them as the comany probably does not pay overtime & this will happen often and the fitters are paid in bonus on sales per month but get fed up staying 20-30 mins extra. ( I know once was one).
The sloppy wheel balance no excuse they were rushing so take it back when you have more time.
Poor wages at these places and grumpy staff you can see why & the ever pressure for more bigger sales than last year.
As a customer you want the best & as staff you want a good wage.
|
Two problems here BT.
Does anyone not realise any more that without customers there is no work, he is not a nuisance, he keeps the wolf from the door, we want him to come back again and again.
In my tyre fitting days i used to do well in tips...by looking after my customers, if they didn't tip it didn't matter, they were still looked after.
These kids don't have a clue.
|
Yes they need the custom and the firm gets the money but when they don't pay overtime the staff won't want to stay over as i didn't.
Ok from owner point of view or manager on salary but not staff.
Remember through day it's been selling tracking, shockers, brakes, wheel balance, & by this time they have rightly so had enough.
Still no excuse for poor shoddy work and two of them really had enough time to do job even one should have.
It's a crap job glad im well out of it & i look back now i cringe it was crap money then not much better now.
|
>>Greeted by the fitter who enthusiastically informed me he was off at 5.
Upon hearing that, I would have rescheduled the job for an earlier time on another day, and if the tyres had not have been ordered, they wouldn't have seen me for dust.
|
And we can't put it all down to the youth of today.
Back in the dark ages when I was learning to drive I booked a 5.30pm weekday lesson with a local driving school, and I remember the grumpy 50+ instructor giving me a sergeant major type dressing down because my lesson was going to make him late for his dinner.
It's nothing new.
|
Lets be honest, tyre fitting as a career does not attract the brightest and most amiable flower of our youth, does it. And there really isn't a great deal of margin in fitting paired to the bone internet tyres, so something has to go by the board - no staff training here I doubt.
Having said that, I have always been served efficiently by the majors, one branch of which was always happy to "squeeze you in" if you just popped by on the offchance.
They have been mentioned on here by another actually, Kwik Fit at Oatlands in Weybridge, tiniest branch I know, and always super.
The fitters look like they beat the England rugby pack up for fun tho.
|
|
I used an outfit just up the road from me a couple of times. They used yoofs to do the fitting and balancing. Both times my car came out with wheel wobble. I learnt my lesson and found a better place. Others must have had the same idea because the outfit isn't there anymore.
|
|
Have to say, our local Kwik Fit is very good. Especially on Sundays when it is staffed by a couple of older guys who seem to know exactly what they are doing in between smoking roll ups, drinking tea and happily chatting about doing up old cars and motor bikes.
|
Is it just me??? - Hard Cheese
