Eurocarparts Farce

[Mickyboy]

Working Class Heros I'll second that, well said👍

[vacuman]

We create the problem by always looking for the lowest price, often online businesses with lower overheads than local motor factors. Those lower overheads include those guys on the minimum wage.

If you ran ECP or similar, would you risk paying higher wages to get perhaps more experienced, more knowledgeable staff if it meant that you would have to sell at a higher price than the other guy?

Market forces are generally a good thing. On the whole there's a world of products now cheaper than 20 years ago, cars included. But as someone looking for parts for an old car from a defunct manufacturer I guess you either have to risk getting the wrong part, or essentially telling them the part no. (doing their job)...or paying a premium (perhaps) to the truly passionate experts who know our cars and their bits n bobs?

[steve-45]

Must admit I've never had any problems with my local branch (Crayford Kent), the guy on the counter is very knowledgeable and helpful.

I always get my oil from them when they have a buy one get one free offer on .....

[kc13661]

Originally Posted by mss

I must say that I don't see anything unsatisfactory about ECP's response in the first post. It they don't have the part in stock - they have to secure it from their supplier - they cannot create it instantly.

Obviously the point I was making is that they advertised it was in stock and available for delivery, they also took payment for premium next day delivery on the item in question, so why then decide it is not available

This is not about been impatient, it is about designating a set time to work on the car and ordering the parts to suit that set time, only for that to be destroyed by the lack of competence in managing their stocks and advertising.

[topman]

I don't use ECP but i do use there sister site carparts4less. There's no collection option but that doesn't bother me at all, as I don't need to use it. Ordered dozens of items over the years from them, never had an issue.

[clf]

Originally Posted by vacuman

We create the problem by always looking for the lowest price, often online businesses with lower overheads than local motor factors. Those lower overheads include those guys on the minimum wage.

and there is the reason for the never ending cycle. It used to p me off when I would interview new staff, that were maybe over qualified for the minimum wage job that was on offer. Then not give a toss about the job or the customer because 'why should I, it is only minimum wage, I will be leaving the first chance I get' . Do a decent job and take pride in it, then move on without causing damage to the reputation of the job you are in now. It is hard to stop that rot setting in, in high staff turnover jobs.

The ones who were 'qualified' only came to the interview to satisfy the job centre! Though I have worked with some thoroughly decent a loyal colleagues, who like me (I like to believe) have no shame in checking my wage packet

As well as the consumer looking for cheaper deals (and therefore the employer in the necessity to cut costs), the problem also lies with the employee too. No pride in their work, or the moral desire to do a good job, leads to a bad customer service/experience, and therefore a lost customer and reputation. Less customer footfall, more cost cutting, less staff, less morale, and it goes on.

If everyone worked to the bigger picture it could be turned around (unfortunately over a very long time now). Better customer service/products/build quality, more custom, more sales, better prices from suppliers for larger quantities, because of increased sales etc etc. I think this is where industry started to go wrong in the 70s in Britain. People are greedy and impatient. But why should we for minimum wage? (I know there are more influences to all of this, inflation, longer life, leading to more pressure on NHS and pension funds, increase tax to cover it and on and on).

If it wasnt for human nature communism could have worked lol.

for retail, this is quite an accurate and funny portrayal

Rostered On (WARNING crude and rude)

[MSS]

Originally Posted by clf

and there is the reason for the never ending cycle. It used to p me off when I would interview new staff, that were maybe over qualified for the minimum wage job that was on offer. Then not give a toss about the job or the customer because 'why should I, it is only minimum wage, I will be leaving the first chance I get' . Do a decent job and take pride in it, then move on without causing damage to the reputation of the job you are in now. It is hard to stop that rot setting in, in high staff turnover jobs.

The ones who were 'qualified' only came to the interview to satisfy the job centre! Though I have worked with some thoroughly decent a loyal colleagues, who like me (I like to believe) have no shame in checking my wage packet

As well as the consumer looking for cheaper deals (and therefore the employer in the necessity to cut costs), the problem also lies with the employee too. No pride in their work, or the moral desire to do a good job, leads to a bad customer service/experience, and therefore a lost customer and reputation. Less customer footfall, more cost cutting, less staff, less morale, and it goes on.

If everyone worked to the bigger picture it could be turned around (unfortunately over a very long time now). Better customer service/products/build quality, more custom, more sales, better prices from suppliers for larger quantities, because of increased sales etc etc. I think this is where industry started to go wrong in the 70s in Britain. People are greedy and impatient. But why should we for minimum wage? (I know there are more influences to all of this, inflation, longer life, leading to more pressure on NHS and pension funds, increase tax to cover it and on and on).

If it wasnt for human nature communism could have worked lol.

for retail, this is quite an accurate and funny portrayal

Rostered On (WARNING crude and rude)

There are some good points in this post. Whilst this in-depth analysis of the working man's inner motivations and behaviours is interesting, I do not believe the stated characteristics apply to the majority of working people. I suspect the OP's issue arose simply because someone else also purchased the "out of stock" part at roughly the same time or the online stock indication was in error. It happens.

The chaps at my local ECP would give many on this forum a run for their money in terms of professionalism, helpfulness amd being generally cheerful and polite, despite being just "minimum wage monkeys" according to some descriptions.

As for communism, my theory is that mankind will one day conclude that it did infact work, and was the only system that worked for the majority, but we were all too busy worryng about our individual wealth to have recognised it.

Originally Posted by kc13661

Obviously the point I was making is that they advertised it was in stock and available for delivery, they also took payment for premium next day delivery on the item in question, so why then decide it is not available

This is not about been impatient, it is about designating a set time to work on the car and ordering the parts to suit that set time, only for that to be destroyed by the lack of competence in managing their stocks and advertising.

Therein lies the problem - lack of effective risk assessment and mitigation on your part. The level of precision assumed, without risk assessment and mitigation, would be justified for a co-ordinated military attack but not replacing the ignition leads on a car. That is the root cause of your frustration!

[coab]

I have used ECP hundreds of times and never had any problems. Like all businesses stock can run out thats common in all forms of service. As MSS stated a defunct car company that hasnt made a car for 12 years isnt going to have suppliers filling their shelves expecting a huge rush. Anyone should understand this.
If you need something sharpish do what I do and get the price online and ring the branch and they will get the part for you delivered to store for the next morning. If it turns out its unavailable they will call you on the day you ordered it. Local motor factors arent going to have as much choice as ECP are they?
Some stores are good and some seem to be poor but my local one is a good one and even the chaps on here who monitor the ECP threads are more than obliging if you pm them with a querie or problem.
As for minimum wage monkeys and foreign workers my parents came to this country and made a living often working 6 days a week. Just look at The Jeremy Kyle show and ask your self a question. Who would you rather have, a lazy bunch of drug addicts sleeping with each other and spending our hard earned benefits on tattoos and hair dye (not dentists by the look of it either!) of a chap from Poland working hard and paying his taxes. I know which member of society I respect.

[SCP440]

As much as I agree that there are obviously good and bad branches around the UK I did not see the sense in the branch near me sending out a part that obviously would not fit. In my book an alternative part is one from a different manufacturer not from a different vehicle.

In my book you are paid to do a job, if you get paid minimum wage I feel sorry for you but at least you have a job and if you don't do that job correctly you should find another job you can do properly. Maybe it is poor staff training or a lack of understanding but what ever the reason if I pay £x for a part I expect that part when they say they are going to deliver it, if it is not in stock say so, if it is mistake fix the mistake but to take money for a part and then either not deliver or deliver the wrong part in my book is just making more work and wasting peoples time.

[Kennyeth]

I went to a local branch and on arriving there was one woman being dealt with. Counter person disappears to get that woman's order and was away a full 15 minutes, all this time I could see into the office there were four males in there, one on the phone and the other thee throwing balls of paper at each other
Ken.