Friday, January 23, 2015

Why Mechanics and Service Personnel Get A Bad Rap

Don't you hate it when others make you feel like you are stupid? Or you can tell they are not listening when you are trying to describe something to them.

I remember when I was growing up, my dad suggested that if I have to go to a mechanic, or buy a car etc, to have a man with me because a lot of them will try to stiff me, especially being a female and even more so because I am "handicapped." That's how they described the disabled back then.Well I still described my self that way.

Anyway….

He was right for the most part. Now, there are some honest to goodness servicemen and salesman out there. Don't get me wrong. And through the years I've become more confident and realize I don't need a man for those things. After all, my parents raised me to be strong and independent.

Also, both men and women both get ripped off by these same people.

Recently, I called the dealership service department where I bought my car to make an appointment because my glove compartment would not close. It felt like something was stopping it. The service manager, I'll call Bill asked me what was wrong and I told him the problem.

He said  it is probably something simple and I agreed. He continued to tell me to try to pull the latch and push a button. I told him it was not the latch, it was behind the glove compartment. We went back and forth with him telling me what I knew what was not right. He then suggested I get my husband to look at it. I told him he did. I was frustrated after 10 minutes telling this man it wasn't what he was saying. He was hearing but not listening. I wasn't getting anywhere. t told him fine, I'll tell my husband. However, I was going to my hometown 45 minutes away the next day anyway so I planned to stop there and show this man that I was not stupid.

When I got there the next day he checked it out, doing everything he told me to do. He was jiggling it totally ignoring the latch.

I exclaimed,"Wait! You said it was the latch!" He ignored me. I continued to explain to him that I knew he wasnt understanding what I was saying on the phone. He never responded. I was getting angry but then I knew he knew he was wrong and I was right. So I got quiet. He started talking more to himself than me, "There is something blocking it." I was thinking, "No s#$#$# Sherlock, that's what I was telling you! But I bit my tongue. He actually glanced under the glove compartment as my husband did and he said he didn't see anything.

I continued to press the point that he said it was the latch. I could tell he was uncomfortable because when I would say that he would totally ignore me.. If he had said that I was right and apologized, I would have let it go.

He then informed me that he was going to have to take it apart. Wow! That is a difference from pushing a button on the latch and I said so. He chuckled. I was not laughing.

I told him I could wait. He said his shop was full and couldn't do it that day. My blood pressure spiked. I told him if he would have listened to me and just made an appointment when I asked I wouldn't be making two trips. He just asked when I could come back. I told him I was not driving from Arnaudville twice in one week. We made the appointment.

The following week, I arrived for my appointment. Ten minutes after I sat down, he comes and tells me my car is ready. There was another customer waiting for her car that I had been chatting with. We simultaneously said, "Already?"

He pulls me to the side and said that for whatever reason the door of the filter behind the glove compartment was opened and that is what was stopping the glove compartment from closing.

Yep, I made two trips for a 10 minute job. If he had just made my appointment as I asked him to I would not have not had to make two trips.

Grant you I made the best of it. The first trip I spent time with my Mom and had my hair cut. The second time I was able to pick up my PrayersforPayton T-shirt.

Update. Payton and his family was able go home for 10 days. He enjoyed being with his brother and sister and new cousin. They did find out that his tumor has decreased so the chemo and treatments are working. They had to go back for blood work etc for a few days but they are back home again. God is working but please keep those prayers going and check out Payton's Page for the links if you want to donate. THANK YOU for those who donated and your prayers.


2 comments:

  1. Unbelievable! People don't listen. They're too busy thinking about what they are going to say next.

    --John Duhon

    ReplyDelete
  2. No, they don't John. You are so right. Thanks for stopping by and reading AND commenting!

    ReplyDelete

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