Canadian Tire Sucks - again!
Hello,
I would like to write an official complaint about the service I received today at the Canadian Tire in Kirkland Quebec.
Here is what happened (and take into account my extra source of frustration - I have a 1 month old baby):
1. I called yesterday to find out prices of summer tires, to get a quote. First I called and asked the service department - of course they transferred me to the parts department. After waiting a good 3 minutes, I got hung up on. I called again, again got transferred, but this time the lady gave me a phone number to call in case the same thing happens. And of course I didn't get through again. So I called a third time (this time to the new phone number) yet the same lady answered (not in the parts department). She then asked me to leave my name and phone number and what I was looking for. I told her, and then she said she would check for me the price of the tires, as long as I had the size (which I did). She then found the price and gave me an estimate of $494.35 with tax and balancing and installation. (Why couldn't she do this from the start, and save me the three phone calls and the waiting?). Since this was a good price (I called around to other places also) I decided to come to Canadian Tire to get this done. But she told me she couldn't make appointments (first come first serve) for tire changes. OK, but I still decided to come and get my tires changed.
2. I came to Canadian Tire today at 8:30 in the morning. Instead of the $494.35 quoted yesterday, the man at the service counter gives me a quote of $525. Another service mechanic gave me a better price than $525, so I would have gone there if I knew, if the original quote was correct, but I thought "I'm already here, might as well get it over with".
3. The man said there would be a 2 and 1/2 hour wait for my car. I asked if they had a service to drop me off at home, and he said no. So then I decided to wait out the 2 and 1/2 at the store, shopping and just hanging with my baby.
4. At 11 o'clock (2 and 1/2 hours later) I came back to the service area. I realized that my car hasn't moved from where I parked it still with winter tires on it.
5. I asked the man at the counter (on his tag it said "director" so I thought he would be in charge and know what's going on): "How long is my car going to be?" He looked at the list, and said there was still one car before mine, but that he asked the mechanic to do my car before his lunch. "Good, at least I'll be able to get home for lunch, feed baby, etc."
6. At 12 o'clock, my nerves getting stretched to the maximum (baby crying, I'm wasting many many hours), finally I see that my car is driven into the garage. I realize that putting on new tires doesn't take long, so I now know that I'll be out of there by 12:30, 1:00pm at the most.
7. At 1:00 I decide to check out what's taking so long, and I look in the garage, and see that my car hasn't been touched! The car is parked in the garage, but nobody has done anything to it, and nobody is working on it at all! I was so furious. The mechanic went on his lunch break, and I was stuck at the Canadian Tire service lounge without a lunch, with a new born baby, with hope that I'll be out of there 1/2 before! The nerve! And the "director" specifically told me the mechanic would do my car BEFORE his lunch break.
8. I complain, cry, everything I can. At 1:15pm finally someone starts to work on my car, and at 1:35pm my tires are finally changed.
9. I come home with tears in my eyes and have to write this letter. I am so unimpressed!
Not only was the original quote incorrect, but I wasted my whole morning and half my afternoon. On top of that I had a newborn to deal with, and nobody seemed to tell me the truth. If I new from the start that it would be 5h, maybe I would have decided to go home (by taxi) or possibly I would have opted to come another "less busy" day. I don't know. All I know is that I wasted 5h and I am very unhappy with Canadian Tire right now.
And this is not the first time! Last time we changed tires there, you guys "missplaced" our lock nut. We had to get a new one. I can't believe I trusted you guys again. What's wrong with me? Why don't I learn? It's better to go and pay fifty buck more somewhere else and not waste my whole day and fill myself with anger. I don't have these problems with my other mechanics. What's wrong with you guys?
Unhappy!
Beaconsfield, Quebec
If Canadian Tire screwed up
If Canadian Tire screwed up the first time, maybe you should consider going somewhere else rather than giving them repeat business.
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Canadian Tire Auto Services is by far the worst in the industry. Although their store is good, avoid the auto services at all costs.
I often wonder if it would
I often wonder if it would help to SCREAM for service. Would the store pay attention or would they call the cops? I hope you at least send the above to the owners of Canadian Tire. They waste their $ advertising when they treat customers so poorly.
I have to say that it is
I have to say that it is terrible what happened to you.
However, before I submit any resentment for the employees and service of Canadian Tire, I submit that much of it has to do with the business model of Canadian Tire. There is a disconnect between the garage and the service desk, because the mechanics work on commission. At the same time, the employees of Canadian Tire are desensitized to complaints, because the stocking/information system is outdated and they don't have the tools they need to do their jobs (I'm a former employee).
I was often apathetic when being complained to, because I was only making minimum wage, and lots of customers would complain about prices, warranties, ordering systems, and other things that were beyond the control of me, or (often) anyone else working in the store.
What poor experiences people have with customer service, are without a doubt a result of a general lack of respect, which society has developed for those who work in retail. I would often feel that people were only complaining and yelling at me, because their own lives were pathetic, and they had nothing better to do. Any real issues that existed with the store and stock, prices, advertising (thats a big one - where the flyer is confusing to customers and they become upset with the employee, even though the flyer was designed and printed by someone else, long ago, and far away), went unfixed because the customer expected me (an employee, not on commission and making minimum wage) to take such matters into my own powerless hands.
Almost any situation of poor service can be explained by a long history of customers who believe that:
1. The customer is always right
2. Those who work in retail are lazy and dumb
3. The employees who work for minimum wage, somehow have an invested interest great enough to inspire them to scam or mislead customers, despite the fact that their pay will remain the same regardless.
4. The work that people in retail do, is easy
5. The employee should know the location and price of every one of the millions of products for sale in the various departments
6. The employee, who is making minimum wage, has vast knowledge of how every product in the store works, and has tried every single one of the products in the store.
7. It's no problem to rip open products, carry them and leave them around the store, or try them (especially spray paints you ass holes).
8. The employee should know everything in their flyer off the top of their head, despite the fact that a new one comes out every single week.
9. It's ok to hold up the staff of a store 45 minutes after closing.
10. It's ok to try to scam the employees, or steal.
11. Insulting, harassing, or attacking employees is ok.
12. Employees don't have a right to take breaks or lunches when customers want their help (even if the customers never stop, and lunches must be taken at a certain time to avoid disturbing the schedules of other employees).
13. If you bought something from the store 8 years ago, it is unacceptable that it not still exist for sale today.
14. It's not rude to tell jokes about women, because your at Canadian Tire, a man's store full of sympathy for the male predicament...
15. If you ask someone at the automotive service desk where pool supplies are, and they tell you "I think sports, but I'm not -- (and then you walk off), it's ok to complain to a manager since they were actually in seasonal.
16. It's ok to let your kids wander around free, even though behind the automotive desk is dangerous, and busy employees don't have time to be baby sitters.
THERE'S JUST A TASTE!
Honestly, if we could accomplish the insane expectations of you lunatics, we wouldn't be working at Canadian Tire, because we would be over qualified to work for NASA.
In any case, I'm not saying your experience was your fault... I'm really just taking this opportunity to explain how customers determine customer service. Don't blame the people behind the desks, before you question the manners of the people they deal with for hours upon hours. In your case it sounds like a lot of miscommunication took place (completely Canadian Tire's fault, and not yours), and for sure the people serving you weren't on the ball. My apologies on behalf of my former employer, and I wouldn't blame you one bit, if you decided to never walk into a Canadian Tire again. I think the repeat offence, is just a result of random chance, rather than a true reflection on the store. People do make mistakes (often big ones), but you're one of the rare complainers, who have a legitimate reason to be upset. From an employees point of view, you valid complaint is tainted the sea of winers who surround you.
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