*Off Topic* I start my new job tomorrow!

Well my days at Braum's are over as of tonight, my two week notice expired!

Tomorrow I start as an Autozone Parts Sales Manager

I can't wait!

Any tips/suggestions for working in settings such as this?

 

Yes, be very tolerant of stupid people.

 

+1

Also, learn spanish, although maybe that's more of an issue here.

 

Don't be afraid to hit the books when the computer draws a blank.

 

You are referring to the employees aren't you?

As far as learning spanish, all you need to know is "That's not in the computer".




Mutt

 

Books? Parts stores still have books and people who know how to read them? Okay, real parts stores maybe. But we're talking about Autozone.

Yes, but certainly not limited to.

 

go get em, its a start to bigger and better.

 

give all your friends discounts!

 

Learn to sell from the top down. Learn to listen to what customer wants, always try to solve the problem only if the customer will let you. You are there to sell parts not work on cars. Be prepared to see some of the most inept people in way over their head, on both sides of the counter. Learn what you regular customers expect, and always give them 110%. Above all else learn the phrase, I dont know. Let me find out. Find all of the technical support lines in the catalogs. Use the catalogs when you can you will find many things that will help you as you do. Good Luck Jay

 

learn that a 302 is a ford not a chevy, the people at our autozone always seem to forget that...oh and have some knowledge of cars and not just what the computer will tell you, be able to offer ideas on part swaps for different years and sizes of motor

 

Agreed. Good luck. If People know there is a car guy there you should do allright.

 

you shoulda kept your other job.....now you`ll just learn to hate people....

 

WHAT!?!?!?!

 

I'd keep up on things with new cars, also if you can or if you don't allready have it get your ASE certification in parts, that will help alot. And learn to deal with dip shits, you'll get alot of them.

 

Hope you have better luck there than I did working for Advance Auto!

 

Woa... don't tell 67 Camaro guys that there wasn't a 302 Chevy.
They'll freak on ya!
Good luck with the job

 

be able to count change for a dollar in your head, ive waited a good 2 minutes on kids trying to do so when their computer doesnt tell them

 

or 68 or 9's


aw shit!
i better go tell a friend of mine he has ford motors are in his 2 z-28's!


p-billy,maybe you're qualified to work at vato zone....

 

Sorry tomslik.. I forgot about the 68s and 9s. I'm gettin old.
Sorry punkabilly1306.. didn't mean to dis you in any way for your comment.
Scrible, I agree with the folks here.
I made a very good living in retail and in two service industries.
Now I teach people computer "stuff" at college.
It's SO important to say you don't know when you actually don't know but follow it up with "but I'll find out" and then FIND OUT!
Provide quality service (sales, repair or training.. no diff.) and people will always want you. It will pay off in spades. Maybe not today but later on for sure.
I've tried to learn something from each client. It's really amazing what people know.
Don't try to BS your way out of stuff. It shows on most people.
Best of luck.

 

Boynamedsue hit it on the head,sometimes after the cashier rings up my parts i hand them a 20 and they put the amount into the register and they start to get my change ill reach in and hand them the change to round out to a larger bill on purpose.Most of the time you get a blank look and they start to shake like mike tyson at a spelling contest.I even had a 18yr old girl stop and get help from a manager she got totally flustered.Just a pet peeve i have i dont think they teach this skill in school anymore.Its almost like a pop math quiz.

 

Good luck to you in your new endeavor.... One thing I learned in the parts business... Or actually what I liked to teach people is.... that all small block chevys and fords aren't ALL the same..... I can't tell you how many times I have heard. "Give me a waterpump for a small block Ford." I ask.. "What year??" His reply. "It doesn't matter, they are ALL the same." I must have sold the same pump 20 times. I had one in the back that that fit an early 260, they would return it everytime. And I would always say... I thought that all small block Ford waterpumps were ALL the same.....

 

That and don't act like a know-at-all. And tell us which one so we can come get discounts. Congrats.

 

You've got a good sampling of the kind of people you'll have to deal with right here! GOOD LUCK!

 

Treat your regular customers right. I've never been an Autozone fan, but the manager at the one by my house is a SBF guy, so he's been very helpful when I need certain things. I still go to NAPA for the bigger stuff, but I wouldn't go anywhere near this Autozone if it wasn't for the manager. He treats his regulars right, comps small stuff for me on occasion (like grade 8 hardware) and is generally a good dude.