Common Sense, or lack there of...

For those of you who work in retail or have to deal with the public on a regular basis, you will know exactly where I'm coming from.I will do my best to keep the sarcastic comments to a minimum.... no promises.
With that said, I'll start off by saying that I work in the Parts Dept at a Dodge Dealership. The following stories and examples are TRUE as I have experienced them first hand repeatedly over & over for the last 11 years. I am aware that most customers just have basic knowledge about the vehicle they drive. They know that by turning the key in the ignition it starts, applying pressure to the pedals will make you go faster or hopefully stop you, and they know enough the put gas in their tank when the little gas gauge needle is close to "E"
But what they don't realize is that when they go into a parts store or in my case a Parts Dept looking for a price and the availability of a part, Some people are completely clueless as to what they ARE driving. And trying to ask for more information is like pulling teeth. Quoting a line from Jerry McGuire... "Help Me, Help You"! Plain and simple.
If you don't remember the year of your vehicle, fine... if you're not sure whether your truck is a Quad Cab or Extended Cab, fine... The vehicle's VIN is your new best friend The VIN is the Vehicle Identification Number and consists of 17 letters/numbers and can be found in various places. You can find the VIN on your Title, registration, paperwork signed when you bought the car, insurance policy, the driver side dash close to the windshield, and the sticker on the driver door/ panel.
Please, I beg you to have this information handy when you call us or stop in. The mere fact that you bought the car from us when it was new in 2000 and you have had your car serviced here a few times before the Warranty expired in 2003, DOESN'T mean we have you on file and NO I can't just look you up. The program we use looks up parts by application/ VIN only not by your first name and when you think you bought the car.
All parts are NOT created equal. Meaning, if you come in looking for a blower motor resistor for your 2003 Dodge Dakota and we tell you we are out of stock, we can get another one for you in 1 day.... Don't ask us if we have a blower motor resistor for a 2004 Dodge Durango stating they both are the same.... If that was the case Sherlock, then NO we still wouldn't have one, would we?
In most cases all I ask is that you provide the Last 9 digits of the VIN... You wouldn't believe the responses I get. People will count back from the end find the 9th from the end and ask, " Does it start with 3"? The answer to that... I don't know genius, you tell me since I can't SEE it through the phone of course I can't say that out loud, but that's what the inner voice is saying.
Seems in some cases counting back 9 places and reading from there is a bit too much for some people... Many times customers will read the last 9 backwards starting from the end *sigh*In doing this for so long I know that 95% of the VIN look like this 12R345678 or 1BC234567 so it's easy to see when it's being read to you properly.
But the #1 thing that customers do... Men this applies to you! For fear of sounding .... stupid on the phone, some of you get the little lady to call instead only telling her that she's looking for a price on a senor for your 2004 Dodge 4x4. Your little lady is playing monkey in the middle now because I'm asking her questions, she turns around and asks you and I can hear you answering. Get off your ass, grow a pair and make the call yourself. We are there to help you, believe me I've seen it all, not knowing doesn't make you look stupid. Pulling a stunt like that does.
In all honesty, I do my best to better educate customers about their vehicle, and give them tips to save them money and in many cases I will go the extra mile. but having to deal with customer like I mentioned on a daily basis really takes a toll on you.
And Finally.... You don't have to agree.. I firmly believe that the Customer is NOT always right.