anyone here work at an O'Reilly Auto Parts store?

The 3 hour drive to Owatonna to talk to someone who really knows car parts might be quicker than the huge amount of time it takes to get a part from my local monkeys.

I worked a parts store counter for about 3 years. This was before computers and everything was looked up in books. When I go to get parts now, I'm typically the one looking stuff up because the kids there can never find the right page.

Good luck on the job and discount.

 

Well, I almost went to work there. The district manager and I agreed on a wage. When I showed up to fill out paperwork, I was handed a paper with a number less than what we discussed. The manager tried to reassure me that I would make up the difference in "commission" sales. Luckily, I hadn't quit my previous position. I still use them cause they have one old fart who used to run a rod shop (Hi Harold!!!). They seem to have a high turnover rate though. Hard to keep up with who is who.

 

i used to work there for a few yrs the whole phone thing is fucked up they want you to answer no matter what before 3 rings if i had people in line i just answer and put on hold they can wait for me to get back or just get off their asses and get into the store

 

I work at Oreillys I have moved up rather fast because Im young and I know whats going on. Its all about customer serivice and knowing parts. I get 90% of the hot rodders and custom guy because they know that I can understand what they need so I might know what they are looking for when they dont know it.

I started as delivery and within 80 days I was on the counter. The phone deal is not that bad you have to be able to multi-task and toggle between the two screens in the system.

2 sets of books on in the front behind the counter and on in the back for Installer Sales. I love working for Oreillys. Im at a great store with a 18 year manager that know what is going on and is important.

The discount is great saves alot of money.

As for the parts in stock. We carry Cardone,Borg, Motor Craft, Bosch, NGK, Champion, Sachs, Fenco, Pioneer ( getting switched out to PTQ) Edelbrock, Holley, Mr. Gasket, Moog.

The house brand stuff could be any of these companys. We buy so much stuff and they sell it to us so low we stock pile it and if a certain brand is having problems in production or quailty the DC will switch out the part with other brands. So you could be buying a generic Master Pro box with a Borg, or Moog part in it. Its just a simple box and no avdvertisement so the part can afford to be cheaper.

 

The whole phone thing is a hard call to make, Customer in front of you spending money customer on phone shopping around going to spend money, maybe tring to save that 15-20 minute drive to find out you dont have it and could have ordered over the phone. Or maybe its that installer customer that spend $15,000 to $25,000 a month with you but you did not answer the phone because your waiting on a guy that is in there buying a oil filter and may never spend another dime with you.

Sometimes It helps to have customers give you the right info so you can get the part for them and get them done so you can go to the next person or phone. If you need a Starter for your 32 ford with a sbc and they ask what its going in Dont be cute by telling them its a 32 Ford. You know that its not going to help them out. just guess at a 77 chevy truck or whatever and give them a starting point to look for. There is a lot of starters for sbc and by you helping the parts guy from the get go will make your visit better and he will be able to help the next guy in a timely manner. You would be suprised how much one customer that dont know what he is driving can back up the counter real quick.

I have been in parts for 15 years and could help you guys out with your needs but that 22 year old kid that is driving a Honda I have no clue so I have younger guys that know that stuff.

When I hired my employees I looked at this kind of stuff,
Me into Hot Rods and older cars
My Asst into later model stuff and ATVs
Counter man later model cars and foreign stuff
Counter man into Road race stuff
P/T Counter Man into 4wd and off road stuff
Driver and Counter Man into dirt cars and big into Sprint Cars

So I have most stuff covered but The down side is we are not all there at the same time. So we try to learn from each other. Even that Young kid at the counter that none of you guys like because he is not into what you guys are, Will probably know something about cars that you guys Don't know and might be able to help you sometime on your late model

 

My favorite pet peeve is the counter guy dealing with some one on the phone while you are standing there in front of hm. I gave a store owner a real tongue lashing a few years ago over that and never went back, and made sure he knew I was going to the competition across the street. If it's a "big money" customer at least say something to me like "I'm sorry I have one of my major customers here, I'll get back to you as soon as possible" instead of just talking on like I don't even exist.
To me it is the most disrespectful thing you can do. I've laid parts on the counter and walked away halfway through the deal because of it. And if it happens I make sure I tell all my car part buying friends about it. So you don't lose just my business but theirs too.

 

called oriellys today for a stupid gasket was very clear it was the gasket that goes between the pick up tube and the gas tank

they tried gettin me the damn gasket that goes between the fuel pump and the block

called the auto zone commercial sevices they knew right what i was talking about
didnt have it anywhere or even show it available (no store does) they came picked up my pick up tube called their suppliers and hounded them till they figured out where to get it

yes its ten days out but no other store would even think of going the extra mile

any of you in central texas wants a parts guy willing to go the extra mile pm me ill give you my guys name

 

i don't know how it is at your jobs, but the management of ALL parts stores makes it a priority to answer the phone by the third ring REGARDLESS of what you have going on in front of you. their theory, right or wrong, good or bad, is that THAT sale might be the big moneymaker of the day while the guy in the store is virtually a captive audience. they're not being assholes, they're following the requirements of their job. be a real pisser if it was a commercial customer needing a reman engine and the counter guy passed it up to get you a U-joint. it MIGHT cost them their job. carry some positive vibe IN with you next time... it might make a world of difference. even at MY job i catch shit for not getting the phone... kinda hard if i got three or four techs at the back counter since i work alone.
nearly all these stores got a coke machine... grab a cool one and enjoy the wait for unhurried, uninterrupted attention.

 

OT TO THIS THREAD,BUT!!!

I am a commercial paint contractor.I started painting Fishers Auto supplies about 23 yrs ago Hi-Lo auto bought them out has did Oreillys bought Hi-Lo.Between these three franchises i have painted hundreds of units.Some of them has many has three times.The one thing i have noticed over the last 23 yrs is the counter help and managers keep getting younger and i keep getting older and older

 

Nice post Man...

The rest of you guys remember that poor smuck behind the counter could be a fellow Hamber.

As far as the "related sales" sometimes it is a help. Some people don;t have enough sense to clean up the terminal ends before they install the battery. Why not get em the right stuff to do the job right. Oil and Filter? Why not an air filter also along with a PVC valve if it is time?

 

Does O'Reilly require parts to be paid for in advance in person that need to be ordered?

I love and hate relateds. We're getting hashed on hard right now to have 50% related sales; that means that for every 2 customers you sell an air filter to, 1 of them better have a PCV valve. I enjoy getting people what they need though.

 

I worked at an O'Reilly in Columbia, MO during the spring of '98. I was in school, 20 years old and they let me drive their delivery truck FAST as hell. It was a lot of fun and the customers and shops were really nice. At the same time I helped a friend run his wholesale auto business. So...a lot of shops knew me and liked to ask questions when I dropped off parts. It was a great way to meet local mechanics and I got offered a few jobs. I never took the jobs, but fondly look back on those times.

If you can handle the pay, not much, you'll like it. The store I worked at had a LAWYER working the dealer counter. He told me O'Relly paid him more he could make as a lawyer in a town filled with other lawyers...there is a Law School at the University of Columbia...

 

I'm brining a pair of dikes next time to cut the phone lines I hate that shit !

 

Have several friends who work at O'Reilly's now and for CarQuest, as I did too, and others before this time. O'Reilly's is more retail oriented at about a 60%-40% than CarQuest at about a 30%-70%(or was when I worked there).
As time goes by the older generation is being moved out and replaced by the "I don't know"-"What?"-"Can't get it anywhere" generation and service in all corners is going down.

 

I don't work in an O'reilly store but I work in one of their distribution centers. I've been there for nine years know. I spent seven years in the returns side of things and you'd be amazed at the stupid crap that gets sent back in. The parts discount is a good thing until you get your bill midway through the month because mine is usually maxed out. As far as counter people go when I walk into one of our stores you just got to know who to talk to when looking for all your parts for your classics. I've been offered other jobs outside of the parts world making a little more in the last couple of years but decided to stay because I didn't want to start back over at the bottom and give up my three weeks of vacation.

 

I wish the O'Reilly store here had someone of the counter who knew SOMETHING about cars ... Car Quest does and that is WHY I go there. If Car Quest is closed ( 6PM most days ) ... I will go to O'Reillys. O'Reilly does have a better selection of car care products and electrical stuff ( butt connectors and such ). The closest O'Reillys to me has a exceptionally good looking 30 something female brunette with BIG HEADLIGHTS ... as a manager ... but she is not there ( usually ) when I go in. ( usually 7 or 8 in the evening )

 

I hate it when they put you on hold, Ill let them finish with a customer if they are on the phone when I walk up, But if it rings again I wont be the guy fuming, Isimply reach over the counter and hang the phone up and tell him I made the attempt to come to the store and I aint waiting for some fool on the phone. Spike

 

You just have to be willing to learn and meet every customers needs.

And the guys going in to get the parts have to make it easier on the counter guy b/c not ever one can know everything about every car produced in the last 100 years in some of our cases. Its not possible but between all the team members in the store each person will know a little bit more or a lot more on one era of cars/trucks. You just have to find the guy that knows what your dealing with and be sure to stick with them when you come in to get parts.

 

The problem with working at an auto parts counter, is that 99% of the people that walk in don't know the difference between a brake pad and an air filter. And they have just been sent in to buy a part, that someone that knows slightly more then them thinks they need. And they are already mad because they have to spend money on something that was working fine up until yesterday. The other 1% that actually know what they are talking about, may actually be worse. They are so taken a back, by you asking them about what year their small block chevy is, that the rest of the time they are going stand there in a huff, like you are so stupid that you don't deserve to live. But they will be the first to come back and jam the wrong part down your throat. eg. a stagered starter instead of straight. a short oil filter instead of long. a two piece gasket instead of one. i could make a list of small block chevy parts that are different over the years, that would fill three pages. Either situation, is difficult for everyone involved. And god forbid a phone should ring, while you're being told all chevy parts are the same. It's like a waiter picking up someones check, when you need a refill. Hes always the idiot!

 

I work at Advance Auto, and I love it. Not exactly your neighborhood O'Riley, but we had one that moved into Elkhart, IN recently. Honestly, I am one of the few people in my area that don't push the BS the company tells us to. It is much nicer as a customer to be told straight one time, and hear the same answer every week rather than get a different push item as an idea every other month. It pisses me off how these parts store jockeys (read as morons) can sling the wrong parts, pass out wrong information, and provide no reason for a customer to come back, all with a smile on their face. My store included! I have worked there for over 4 years, and can honestly say, I am the only person in my store that even knows what a Nailhead is. This job is also the cornerpost for my dislike of SBC's in general. The car guys that come to my store know who I am, and tend to come back. Lots of B.S.ing in the store, cause thats what a parts store is for damnit! Buy your parts, have a good time and shoot the shit. We are working on a monthly cruise-in.

 

I worked at AZ and I have a good friend that is a manager at O'Reillys. He likes it and tries to hire reliable, knowledgeable people, but the corp office puts some limits on him to keep cost down, so it's you get what you pay for. When I worked I tried to do the add on sales stuff just by asking if there was anything else that the customer needed. i.e.. if I sold a battery I would ask if their cables and clamps where in good shape, just kind of gentle reminders. Most times they where fairly appreciative of the effort and management would see that I was trying.
So It can be like any other job. It is what you make of it and how much manucha you can stand. Treat the customer like you want to be treated

 

you know...I wish that the customers who hate being made to wait while phones are answered would give corporate a call...it's no use complaining to anyone on the loxal level because they are at the mercy of their D/M who isn't there all the time.

CALL THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND MAKE YOUR CONCERN KNOWN, they wont listen to suggestions by employees. I know, I've tried. I've attempted to use gentle psychological suggestion taught in my college courses, using what their minds dwell on most often: INCREASED PROFITS from sales. If enough people complain about being made to wait while the employees are REQUIRED to answer the phone, and threaten to take business elsewhere, they will possibly consider changing their policy.

 

I work at oreillys and i hate and i mean hate my assistant manager but other than that is pretty good im just out of high school and its a decent job im doing alright i got 10000 in sales in my 1st month so im satisfid espically since technically im a driver but i hate driving the trucks they have NO suspension and ride like a horse and buggy but the discount is freaking amazing but the 3 ring answer deal is a joke if someone actually got off thier ass and came into the store im serving them 1st and the customers that come in or call and think all chevy small blocks take the same starter alternator etc piss me off like the guy that called and wanted a torque converter for a 350 turbo on a 1999 chevy truck hello doesnt exist oh but then he decides to tell me its a drivetrain swap that would have been nice to know to begin with but anyway its a good job

 

This thread makes me glad the guys/gal at the local NAPA are so great. The HUGE discount I get on stuff makes it even better.

 

At the "not-Oreilly" store I used to work at, the garage customer calling on the phone equalled several thousand dollars a month in sales.

 

Do they have one wire alternators there??........and can you get me a discount on one???

Just kidding

 

my brother is a commercial salesman there. He works 50 hours a week gets paid every other week and he hates it

 

See, here is the deal. I dont buy my parts from a suit in a corporate office. Its not my job to call them. I frankly dont give a shit about them. Its the local owner/operator/managers job to call corporate. he is the only guy who cares if i go somewhere else (and sometimes he doesnt care).

Corporate will get the clue when people shop elsewhere. The problem with that is you generally get more of the same crap when you go elsewhere. The guy that picks up the phone on you this week will likey be the same guy that you see behind the counter at the competitors place the next week.

 

almost all the parts stores have a "look-it-up-yourself" website into which you can load all your pertinent data and get at least a workable parts list and find out if your local store has it in stock. one step better is hoarding paper catalogs and keeping track of what your car has on it. i don't know of any parts guy that won't be at least a LITTLE more helpful if you bring them a part number that they can at least cross-reference.

and here's a small, valuable piece of advice; don't be the guy with the badass attitude once you get to the counter. i have and will walk away from the counter when the attitude comes out. the boss doesn't pay me to take shit from you; and he'll do exactly the same thing IF he doesn't throw you out himself. when my techs need parts, they're expected to have THEIR ducks in a row; a VIN, a diag sheet, and to be present to answer questions if needed. if the tech walks away, then i wait for him to return and do something else in the meantime. no point in guessing what he needs. no info, no part.

 

Because of this thread I went and checked out our new Orielly's round the corner from my house...

Two counter folks in there....one dude, and one attractive chick...

Good lookin store, well layed out, had the manuals in the filter isles and another rack behind the counter on a turn table so you could get to it from either side of the counter....

I was the only guy in there and I conducted an "interview"

Me:
Nice lookin store....been open two weeks now?

Them:
yes sir.

Me:
Dont call me sir, I work for a living...

Them:
uhhh...

Me:
It was a joke.

Them:
Oh, (nervous laugh)

Me:
You know, I been trying to remember who made the nailhead.

Counter dude:
Blank stare

Counter dudeette:
Buick, their smallest displacement nailhead was the 264 and the biggest was the 425.

Me:
hmmm hmm........Whats the firing order for a 429?

Counter dude:
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8.

Me:
impressive (they knew what time it was at this point.)

Me again:
You mind if I look through your manuals and look up my own parts?

Them:
nope, that's what they are there for.

Me:
Sweet...say I bring in a peice of bent up coat hanger or a mangled brass fitting, you willing to let me look through your stuff in the back to find something that will work for me?

Them:
Nope, we dont mind, you seem like you usually know what your after anyway...

Me:
Who's Eddie Hill?

Counter dudette:
Top fuel driver, first person to hold the water title and land title for speed, retired in 1999.

Me:
Your hired, and if I wasnt married I'd be asking you (counter dudette) on a date.

So today, I was right next to auto zoo, needed to pick up a el cheapo filter to slap on prior to painting the block....I walk into the filter isle and no manual's....tucked into a corner they have a computer that I cant figure out how to work....

I walked out and went to Orielly's used their manual (paper no less) and walked out with my cheapo paint masking filter....