Well moving on job wise, so Pep-Tucky and I parted company,,,

[MonzaRacer]

So after over 2 1/2 yrs, many nights going overboard for my customers, I have parted ways with Pep Boys.
As I was dealing with newest service manager,who it turns out is a crooked person, the one that hired me was good, then one that ran us into the ground and two that have been good.
Now the old store manager(I think conflict of interest there,,,)now the district manager, has put in this guy and Larry(his idea was let them fight it out, see who works best), who is a good guy, smart, we all liked him. Dont know if he could have beat Jims numbers but heck he was ok.
Well new guy has rammed through stupid procedures, but wont follow them, they keep saying they want to have a shop so clean that people go WOW, yet could care less about doing the job right or for the lowest prices.And he is a crooked person.
We caught new service manager falsifying a brake inspection, lied to customer, tech and service adviser both tried to NOT do the job. so tech, who is newest guy in shop, fresh out of WyoTech, and honest was going to try to save pads and bring it up to district manager.
Well Blake throws pads in trash(supposed to go in junk box) then pulls trash bag, takes ONLY that bag out and when tech went to take pads out of dumpster, he found bag bottom cut open and pads missing,,,,VERY odd dont you think.
As for me I have no regrets trying to stay, but you know when you see the ship sinking, you just dont really care to polish the tarnished brass fixtures.
I have bent over for the company, made accommodations for many poor management issues and tried to give as good as I could, but to no avail I guess.
So I now have to look for new place to hang my hat, or see if I can open my own shop.
Not sure but my finances arent in horrible shape, my bills are all caught up, wish my emergency fund had gotten bigger.
BUT God put a peace over me when I figured out this new guy was trying to get rid of all entrenched, tenured people so he could trash the shop reputation wise.
Oh and some of the new rules are just wrong, lately we have been told no over time, if we run over one day we have to cut another day short or come in late.
Also now he has told service advisors that if a person comes in for ANYTHING right up till 8pm closing, we are to take it and if they want to wait the tech HAS to stay till midnight needed to finish it.
And now I think THAT is against all labor laws.
Guess time and law will tell.
Just wonder how bad they will rip me off on my accrued time off?
OK just had to vent, gonna go get some resume's printed and design some new business cards.
Odd, this job, it didnt choke me up to leave, just disappointed me to leave my friends and co workers, we were a tight nit bunch and worked hard to do good work.

[moreHP]

Thats a shame. But with your obvious work ethic and moral toward doing the job right, you will certainly land on your feet. Best of luck on the next adventure!

[SLO_Z28]

I used to be a RSM for store 562 before I started with the highway patrol, and I can tell you a few things. They will pay you for all time on the books, and within the time alloted by law. I would e-mail the regional manager and even Mike Odell himself with your concerns, you'd be surprised that he actually reads his emails and will respond. Falsifying diagnosis is a very serious and criminal offense, and will be taken very seriously.

You are supposed to take customers right up until, and even after, closing. Anyone that has read the company newsletter knows not only is that behavior expected, its rewarded. As a shareholder I feel that this company is a good place to work, and has a solid business plan. I will tell you that if customers stress you out on the service side, then do not move to the retail side. You should hang around though, the company is going through a drastic re-structuring, and your job wont be the same 1 year from now.

[NJSPEEDER]

If you are tight with some of your co workers and the manager that you liked why don't you talk to them about putting something together.

Sounds like this new guy can't see past the quick buck and that is a practice that has sunk many a company. Customer loyalty for anything service related is massive. If you show a customer you are giving them an honest deal and straight advice all along they are way less likely to go stomping off when something actually expensive comes up.

Good luck in the job hunt.

-Tim

[MrQuick]

....I think its time to open up "Abel Performance"

[MonzaRacer]

First of all, I understand taking cars in till closing but expecting a person to work 8 hours THEN stay and work MORE hours with NO overtime allowed (just got DIFFERENT story last week) is BS and even you should know it.
Now James, last year we hit a grand slam, our old SM made us profitable and got smacked down , he is no longer there.
The Asst SM we though she would be moved up,,nope, they brought in new guy, local , from area Volvo/Mazda dealer. Good guy.
THEN this guy Blake comes in, SERIOUSLY he may make money but is annoying, from what I have seen crooked, and is going to destroy what we built back up.
You say restructuring, yet they did that 2 1/2 yrs ago and are doing it again?
PUH LEASE.
OK so since last year, we get the word NO OVER TIME, period. Write up even for 15 min over.
Service writers cherry picking the work and spoon feeding specific techs. Area Director was old store manager and has basically told our previous, successful service manager he didnt like the fact we made his years at store look bad.
New Service Manager is shifty, dishonest, inconsiderate, wont listen, annoying, and just plain NOT suited to be in his position. I have had managers in my past jobs that come across much more honest.
when I started I was embarrassed to wear my work shirt to Wal Mart, and would get stopped and asked why and how and all the standard stuff about how crooked and dishonest and unreliable the place was, and how they got bad service/wrong service, etc.
when Jim came in we started rocking and rolling, we set records, made customer trust us again, people started bragging on us.
So now they get rid of him, they have this insane idea people care more about a spotless shop than quality work. They think that I or any other technician is going to work an 8 hour day THEN stay another 4 hours to do a job that came in at 5 minutes till closing?
You are insane to think this will end nicely!
As a shareholder, if you think dishonesty, unfair labor practice and hostile work environment is good business, I hope your money makes you happy.

[solarguy09]

Monza Racer.. I don't know you, but I wish you well in your Job search. A lot of Good Companies can be ruined by Bad management,favoritism,nepitism...All over honest , Quality work.... You should try to move on....The closed door,open window thing....

I have had Jobs in the past that you thought you should turn them in for OSHA violations, EPA violations.....I just moved on, and in the end, I was better for it.

It is very hard in this Economy to find a Company that won't give you the "Joe Montana ", is what I call it.. Where you can give all, and just be cast aside at a moments notice...

If you need to vent again, let it out. You sound too bright to let a loser get you down...Remember that you must do for your future..

The fact that you even mention being Debt Free and the words Emergency Fund, are quite encouraging.

I am that debt free guy with emergency funds, and multiple plans.... Sounds like you are smart enough to get through this.

Good Luck...Remember Luck is the meeting of Preparation and Opportunity.....Be prepared...

[406 Q-ship]

Abel are you saying that the manager is telling you to work overtime WITHOUT pay? Tell them to stuff it (I would tell them no pay, no work!) and complaint to the regional and the State Employment Board. That should get the new jackasses attention.

[MonzaRacer]

OK we were told way back in 2010, no over time period, if you work over for an hour today come in hour later tomorrow. Now they say if it comes in a 7:55 and closing is 8 pm they want the service writer to take it in and MAKE the tech stay to work on it if they have to stay till midnight. Uh huh they dont want good workers, just cowering dogs to grovel for scraps. Best analogy.
Heck they keep having us do work and not get flat rate for that work.Its all BS, wait a day or week and itll be a different story. I stayed because Ihad co workers I trusted and we all backed each other up, had nearly equal skills and complimented each other. My laundry list of issues will be going to CEO, we will see if he even listens or reads it.
no skin off my nose I have been looking and I also have been looking into starting my own shop.

[Tony_SS]

Lee, take the time to listen to this if you like and it might just benefit you.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8448018326921957619