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 Boycott Pep Boys Auto Parts & Service
Posted Mon March 24, 2008 12:00 pm, by daniel v. written to Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack
Write a Letter to this Company
To Whom It May Concern:
Let me start by saying I have been a loyal customer for a very long time. My father and I have been going to your store for many years now. I have spent more of my hard earned money with your company than I can count. With that being said I have never written an email to a company to tell them about the service I received from my experience at their store until today. I needed to get my car fixed because my car would not start or keep a charge. My father drove me by early in the mourning to see if the store would be open and saw a sign that said the store would open at 12:00 because of the Easter Holiday. That was fine because I understand that your workers would be with their families in the mourning as well as I. I wish I could have the luxury of missing work on Monday to take care of fixing my car but I do not due to the line of work I do. My experience started at 11:55 am when I called the store to find out if the service department would be open to work on my car today. A worker then picked up the phone and said "Pep Boys we open at 12:00 hang on" and I had to wait as I heard in the background a conversation between the person who picked up the phone and another co-worker. After about 45 seconds to a minute later the associate then said, "The system is not up and running yet, we cant look up any part requests yet, call back at 12:00". I then said but I just need to know if service is going to be open so I can get my car looked at and fixed. The associate then replied, "Nobody from service is here yet I don't know what to tell you". I then replied but it is twelve and the associate then replied and said "No, it's 11:57,were not open yet" and I then said so then I'll call back in a few minutes when your open ok and hung up the phone. If the store was not open yet why did the associate pick up the phone? Was it just to annoy potential customers? I then told my dad that we just need to go over there now so he gave my car a jump and I was on my way. Now when I got there I said to the service desk representative that "I was told by friend of mine that if I get a diagnostic on my car and fix what ever the diagnostic tells me that the diagnostic charges would be dropped correct" and the representative laughs in my face and say's "No", turned to a co-worker and asked "Have you ever heard of a diagnostic being waived" and the co-worker say's "Never" and turns back to me and say's "No, the charge for that is like a hundred bucks" and looked at me as If I were just some idiot and had a look as if I were wasting his time and say's "So what are you gonna do?" and I just walked out of there because I was insulted. Now I was pissed! We popped the hood of my car and started the car and my father said take the positive cable off of the battery and we can tell if the alternator needs to be changed. So we did and the car stopped. Now we have an idea of what is needed to fix the car. We called the other store location on Military Trail and Belvedere Road but they were only doing oil changes. I went around with my father looking for some other mechanic to fix my car. After no luck we had to go back the store that offended me anyway. Now this time I walked up to the counter and avoided the worker that insulted me and went up to another associate. Her name is "Arley". Now let me tell you first of all there was no thank you for coming to Pep Boys. There was no hello how are you. There was no Can I help you. There was no kind of pleasantry at all! I got a "Next!" and that was it! I told her what my problem was and that we pretty much know that the alternator needs to be changed. She then replied "The jobs not gonna be guaranteed because other things go wrong with a car, we need to find out what else is wrong with the car". I felt like I was talking to a robot. No emotion. No well were going to take care of you. No reassurance that the job would be done right at all! She said that the battery, the starter and alternator had to be checked and that it was like twenty bucks to do the check or the jobs not guaranteed. So I said "I guess I have to get it done then, my car doesn't start so you need to jump it" and she replied back and said "Don't worry we got a way to jump the car" then proceeded to do the paper work and when she was done said that "The job is in so you can sit down now". Now I'm not a third grader and you don't have to talk down to the customer in a demeaning tone of voice and make the customer feel small. I need my car fixed so I said nothing and walked outside where my car was. After a while someone finally came out and walked toward my car with no cables and just my keys and I told them that "The car is not going to start, I told the girl at the counter that it needs a jump" He the proceeded to try and start the car anyway. The car did not start as I told him and he said that "Your gonna have to wait, we need to charge the battery to our jump kit" and walked away! After waiting and waiting I decided to walk up close to the bay to just tell the guy that "We can just jump the car with my cables I have in the car, That is how I got it here" and looked at me as if I were bothering him and said "We can just push it in the bay". I'm thinking to myself, is this guy for real? He then walked up to my car with the keys and put it in neutral and we pushed the car into the bay! I couldn't believe it. 1, I'm paying for a service, 2 you don't expect the customer to do your job, and 3 it is just plain unprofessional! Now the car is finally in the bay and is going to get looked at to finally see what the job is. After they do the check on all three components I was told something I already knew. The alternator had to be changed. So there was my time and twenty dollars gone that I wasn't getting back. Now I had to talk again and nothing has changed. She still had no customer service. She still talked to me with a chip on her shoulder. She still was not treating me like a human being. I have feelings. In my line of work if I were to treat a customer the way I was being treated do you know what would happen? You loose a customer for life!!! Now while at the counter I see two displays of signs that said "Book Today! Call our service department to schedule your appointment. Free Pep boys Auto Car Care Check Up". So I ask why did I not get offered this free check up on my car? She then replied in a demeaning voice again "You have to call the number and set it up, it's not a coupon". I can't believe how I was being treated but I still kept my cool. So I call the number to schedule a check up and the phone rings and a guy answers and I explain to him that I wanted to schedule a free check as the flyer says. He said to me "That was yesterday, you missed it and I don't know when the next one is" I then replied and said but I just got one of these flyers and It say's call to set up your free check up. He then tells me "Sir, this is the third time I am explaining this to you people, I need to put the phone down and take a deep breath before I start to raise my voice at you". In my head I'm think I'm in the Twighlight Zone or something. He say's "I suggest you let me take a deep breath and then I can help you". I say, "Sure go ahead do what you have to do or we can talk to the manager or something". He puts down the phone and takes his deep breath, waits a little bit and picks up the phone and say's "Ok, now I'm level headed and can help you, the flyer you have was for yesterday! It's over! See the date that's on it?" I say, "No, there is now date on this flyer". He then replies to me and say's "Sir do you know how busy the service area is? We don't have time to take those down. Just call and speak to the managers tomorrow, but they are out today". I then reply "Do you need me to just set them behind the counter for you since you guy's are too busy and would want this to happen to someone else" and believe it or not he said YES!!! Unbelievable!!!! This has got to be one of your worst run stores in the country!!! I then tell that I just tried to schedule this Free check up on my car and she say's " You just called the store sir, we don't know when the next one is". Just minutes before she told me to call the number to set it up. What is going on? I explain to her that it's misleading to have that display out and it should not be out if the customer can not actually set up this free appointment. She then grabs the displays one by one and slams them underneath the counter!! Wow! Is this really happening? So I go outside to wait for my car to get done and decide to walk to Pollo Tropical, which is in walking distance from the store, and get some food so I can cool off and get out of that environment. On my way to get some food I see a coupon on the ground that says "10% off your next service ". Picked it up a kept walking to get some food. After a while I get a call. "Your car is done". I say, "Ok, I'll be right there". I wanted to end my experience with your company as soon as possible. I get to the counter and she is working with someone. When she gets done she takes her time does a few things and says to me" That's $325.18, Cash or Credit?" I don't know about you but where I'm from most people don't carry that much cash. When I worked behind the register the question was "And which charge card would you like to pay with today?" assuming that was how the transaction was going to be paid because of the amount of the total. I say "Charge" and she starts to process my sale. As she is doing the transaction I remember I have the coupon in my pocket. I then proceeded to give it to her and she takes it. Looks at it and say's "This was for customers who attended our clinic yesterday". In my head I'm thinking how does she know if I attended the clinic or not? I say to her "What makes you think that I was not here?" She replies "First of all I would not have had to explain to you earlier about how the check up works and second I heard you calling before trying to set yourself up with the check up". I then said "I found it in the parking lot, now who's not to say that a friend of mine was here yesterday and then gave me the coupon to use, you wouldn't know that". I say, "So you're not going to honor the coupon?" She replies "No!" in a nasty voice! And say's "I could, it only depends on the situation". I then say, "So if you wanted to you could but your not cause you don't like me or something?" She then replies "No! I'm just not gonna honor the coupon for you and that's that!" I even asked to get the coupon back because I did find it on the floor and it should be mine and she said "No!" and kept it! The coupon was for ten percent! Do you think that the $32.52 would have saved my life? Do you think this amount could make or break me? No. I do think that this young lady has a little power trip with her position, thinks she has a safety net, thinks she knows it all, and gets off on doing things like this! You NEVER tell a customer that you could do something and don't do it!!!! Don't say you can do something and don't deliver! You know what? You have just lost my father and I as a customer for LIFE!!!! I am going to tell everyone I know to boycott and stop spending money with your company! I am paying for a service. Customer Service IS A BIG PART OF WHAT I PAY FOR as well!!!!! If this is the kind of people you want in your organization I am going to do my best not to ever have anyone in my family or any of my friends experience what I have experienced today!!!!! I could not even tell a manager about the incident because THEY BOTH WERE OFF!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!! What type of service orientated store gives both managers the day off??? How does it affect the work place? I'll tell you how, PURE CHAOS!!! Everyone showing his or her true colors!!! The associate you think is a good worker is really a goof off, irresponsible, and not even worth giving a paycheck. Do you even spot-check the service with secret shoppers at this store? I bet if you did, this store would fail every part of the questionnaire!!! The Service was horrible! The people unprofessional! The environment Chaotic! No sense of store pride or even showing that they like their job or what they are doing!!! I love my job and that is why I do it. If I didn't then I would go find a job that made me happy! BOTTOM LINE, This was the worst experience I have ever had at any store! I had to write and let someone know about this! That is why I am sitting at my computer at 3:05am Monday mourning typing this. I have to work tomorrow but could not sleep until I wrote this and hit the send button. You have better believe I am going to start a blog about this! Who knows maybe start a website dedicated for customers who have had a bad experience with Pep boys to all come together and show you how bad your service is! Maybe then you will realize you have a big problem with the culture at your store! Only then when I am able to get a buzz all around the Internet about this and get some people to help with the cause you will see WE ARE FOR REAL! I am going to forward a copy of this email to all of my contacts. I have some good contacts TOO! Once this starts rolling and gets big like a snowball going down a mountain heads should roll in your store. How does this even happen? "Parts, Service and So much More". Please. How about Horrible service and the so much more must mean a headache, stress, treated poorly, and a bad taste in your mouth! You get a ZERO on the score from me. You may think that this ends here. It doesn't. You will hear from my contacts and I soon. Might not be tomorrow, might not be the next day. But you have definitely not have heard the last from me! I will recommend to others to speak up about their experiences and see where this goes. For now just know that you have lost a loyal customer who has spent a lot of money with your store but no longer. I will take my business elsewhere! And I know that your company is big and that maybe losing me as a customer will not even make a dent in profits, but I am going to try my best to get the word out and see if I can at least make this one stores numbers go down the drain. Maybe who knows even get it shut down because the locals will be going to your competition. Thank you for giving me the chance to vent and have a place where I can let at least one person know how I feel. All I can say is you, the one person that is reading this email, get this in the hands of Pep Boys President & CEO Jeff Rachor and let him know of this. If he still is the President & CEO by the time I get done with my campaign! They say Pep Boys has over 560 stores and approximately 6,000 service bays in 35 states and Puerto Rico. Well If I get my way soon it's going to be 559! One store at a time! Starting with the store on 4301 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth Florida 33461. A Store Where managers have let the stores culture and integrity of a place to get good service be replaced with horrible service, crappy training, and just plane lack of respect for the customer. As I end this email now and it is approaching 3:15am I have one more question, What ever happened to the customer all way's being right? I guess at Pep boys the employees think they are always RIGHT!!!!!!
boycott pep boys
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by Robert H. Posted Wed May 28, 2008 @ 11:29 AM
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I can't help but wonder why, since your father knew so much about it,
you didn't just go to a parts store and buy a new alternator. You
could have replaced it yourselves in no time, and saved a bundle of
money in the process.
As for Pep Boys, their inflated prices are enough to keep me away. I
always give 'em a chance when I'm looking for a part, yet it's usually
a waste of time, admittedly. They're often the most expensive option,
if they've even got the part that I need in the first place.
At $325 for an alternator replacement, you got raped. Since you've
apparently got a history of doing business with them, you should be
aware that they keep a record of these transactions. They've seen that
you like getting "bent over" on service charges, since you keep coming
back. And yet, you're surprised that they "gave it to you" again.
There's the big shocker of this tale....
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by guess w. Posted Fri April 4, 2008 @ 10:22 AM
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it has my experience that a small independent shop has NO guidelines
for any type of customer service. the only thing that happens at the
small shop is you get taken to the cleaners as the guy smiles at you
and tells you no problem. I have had smaller shop ROB me blind and
laugh at me when I was out raged, Pep Boys is a larger shop and
hundreds more people visit them a day and your wait might be longer
but the service and the price is all ways CHEAPER in the long run, and
how happy would you be if you had to work on easter, have even thought
about the fact of disgruntled employees were unhappy about their
positions that same day as well, and I also under stand that their
stores were only doing oil changes that day, and one more
question.....? have you ever thought about any one besides your
self????????????????
There are alot of people like you out there in the world and all you
want to deal with is the free stuff, as for the cost have you looked
at the price for a gallon of gas lately can you not read how expensive
things are in this day and time. most people spend almost 100.00 to
fill up a tank on there vehicle to get back and forth to work, and you
must be clueless when it comes to anything mechanical, cars are
expensive to up keep and with your 300.00 bill you got off cheap, Mr
cheap skate. I work in customer service and you are the kind of people
that make everyone life in the world harder and one more question are
you a preacher???? because it sounds like you might be!!!!!
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by starla Posted Fri March 28, 2008 @ 12:17 AM
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Okay, I have a headache after reading this nightmare! Note to OP:
Paragraphs are your friend!
That being said, you should have known better than to take your car to
Pep Boys. Places like that will charge you out the a$$! Find an
independently owned shop next time.
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by joelunchbox Posted Wed March 26, 2008 @ 11:00 AM
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Anyplace that worries about 10% has issues. Probably get paid on
commission and you would be taking money out of their pockets. I work
at a parts store and I have juggled prices to help someone in need get
a part to get them to their job. I suggest you find a privately owned
shop, get to know them and then support them with your business.
Chain stores are usually rip offs. Oh, I work at chain parts store
but amazingly our manager has a grasp of the situation and really does
work with people. Even then, there are other stores in our area with
A**H*** managers who wouldn't cut their mothers any slack. Find
someone you can trust and give them your business.
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by Richard S. Posted Wed March 26, 2008 @ 10:35 AM
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Dude, when you write a letter you need to use paragraphs, be direct
and to the point. This letter is very hard to read as it is written.
I have to agree with you on some points - namely the signs being left
up. Usually retail stores will honor signs that are left up beyond
there sales period.
With that said you are also being petty on some of your complaints.
My suggestion is next time do not expect your car to be serviced on a
holiday. You were lucky a store was actually opened to help you.
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Usually?
by Keith C. Thu March 27, 2008 @ 4:07 PM
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Wrong
by Richard S. Thu March 27, 2008 @ 4:35 PM
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Paragraphs!
UR DOOIN IT WRONG!
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by d0rkiishchris Posted Wed March 26, 2008 @ 2:15 AM
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First of all, its Easter, get off people's backs. You waited til a
holiday to take care of something that was obviously foreseeable.
When I'm at work on a holiday, I'm going to give adequate service, but
sorry if I'm not the nicest person.
Anyways, when you pull the line off the battery, you've killed the
circuit. The car isn't going to run without the battery connected
unless you run a bypass line. Thats no test whatsoever to see if the
alternator is bad. From what I can tell, you probably just need new
belts and a NEW BATTERY. If you were able to jump it, then the
alternator is probably fine. People replace alternators all the time
when 9 times out of 10 that wasn't the scenario. And no, usually
diagnostics aren't free. They gotta pay the guy to do it, and the
computer didn't exactly cost pep boys 0 dollars.
Just like your dad, people at Pep Boys don't know crap about cars.
Don't listen to the guy behind the desk or the guy behind the desk at
any auto parts store. They're for the most part idiots, no offense to
the ones that do know what they are doing. Take your car to a real
auto repair place, and don't do it on the weekend or a holiday, do it
on a business day and not 10 minutes before they close.
If you gotta be at work all the time and can't take time off, get a
more reliable car. If all you can afford is a beater, then get a
repair manual for the car and learn a few things. Working on cars
isn't hard. Theres a million guides online to tell if your battery or
alternator is bad. Its called Google.
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by Keith C. Posted Tue March 25, 2008 @ 6:11 PM
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Other than being overly wordy (and a bit over-emotional), and lacking
paragrpah breaks (OUCH! MY EYES!) what did the OP do that was wrong?
Granted, I didn't read the last roughly 10%, but I don't see it.
[I just went back and read the comments again]
Oh... nevermind... the only real complaint I saw, other than stylistic
complaints, was from Harley. 'Nuf said.
The reality is--the OP was treated like crap. And this apparently
wasn't the first customer to be treated like this by Pep Boys. They
first went on my radar, when I read a news story about a customer who
was so enraged by Pep Boys, that she tried the burn the store down.
Funny and crazy, I thought, but it put Pep Boys in my mind. Since
then, the complaints I've heard about Pep Boys are LEGION.
For those who insist that consumer complaints don't work, you're
wrong. I won't set foot in a Pep Boys after what I've heard and
read--and I've warned others away from them too.
The only thing the OP did wrong was in GOING BACK after they'd
mistreated him.
In my experience, the most friendly and reputable of the chain auto
service centers has been Goodyear. I can't speak for all of them, but
I've had good experiences at the ones I've been to.
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agreed
by SuzieCat Wed March 26, 2008 @ 12:50 AM
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I have really tried to read this letter. I got to the part about why
they answered the phone if they are closed. I got dizzy and stopped
there.
Good Day
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by calm Posted Tue March 25, 2008 @ 3:39 PM
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I think it's a pretty safe bet that if you had been at the clinic they
would have remembered you.
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Good one
by Rhet C. Thu March 27, 2008 @ 4:32 PM
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by smokinaces Posted Tue March 25, 2008 @ 1:10 PM
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One bad experiance out of all the time you've gone there. This proves
a point that everyone overlooks all the good and ONLY notices the bad.
You took the time to write all this about your exeriance but I doubt
you could write anything this large regarding a good experiance you
had.
You know, Advance Auto Parts is in your area and offers FREE
diagnostics. They price match too, as do a majority of competitors.
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So...
by Keith C. Tue March 25, 2008 @ 6:12 PM
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by Gino Posted Tue March 25, 2008 @ 2:08 AM
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Huh? You're going to break a family tradition over this?
*shrug* What happened to "Family Values"?
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by olie Posted Mon March 24, 2008 @ 8:08 PM
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Where to start?
Contact PF to get your personal info removed from your letter. Then,
invest in a new "Enter" key for your computer, so you can use a little
something we like to call "paragraphs".
They did fix your car.
As for answering the phone before the stated opening time: Employees
are often in stores before customers are allowed in, so that they can
clean or set up displays or be in position when the doors are
officially opened. I can imagine that PepBoys was getting a lot of
calls, and it was easier for the employees to answer than to listen to
a constantly ringing phone.
"Most people don't carry that much cash." While I agree, some people
do not use credit cards. Some get cash from an ATM before going to a
place where they expect to pay a lot. Some people like to try to
"impress" others by flashing a wad of cash.
You tried to use the coupon fraudulently. You knew it, and so did
Arley. Your trying to intimidate her into allowing you to use it
clearly didn't work. And apparently, $32.52 could indeed "make or
break" you. It kept you up until 3 a.m. even though you have to get
up and go to work.
I'll let others handle other aspects of your letter.
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Fraud?
by Keith C. Tue March 25, 2008 @ 6:17 PM
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by S W. Posted Mon March 24, 2008 @ 7:59 PM
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Several points come to mind when reading this letter.
1. Paragraphs are your friend. This leter is extremely difficult to
read as it.
2. Mourning is what you do when someone you know dies. The proper
spelling is "morning."
3. Your statement "I have some good contacts TOO!" makes me wonder
how old you are. I have visions of a small child having a temper
tantrum complete with foot stomping and a pouty lower lip.
4. While you may not have gotten the best customer service, the
impression you give in your letter is that you were difficult to deal
with as well.
5. To complain because the clerk asked if you wanted to pay cash on a
300.oo tab is ridiculous. Many folks carry cash. Just because you
don't doesn't make it wrong to ask.
6. Somehow I don't think they'll miss you or your "good contacts."
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Is there a Cliff Notes version of this letter?
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SHARED LETTERS 
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