Just when you think you've heard it all......

[desertdweller]

I have a couple of houses I use regularly and they let me rummage the shelves on my own cause I usually buy more than what I came in for, but when I was a greenhand my service manager took me there and introduced me properly. BTW I really do appreciate the guys behind the counter they help with everything from a joke and a cold drink to the part I came in for.

[counterflunky]

tough crowd counter flunky. this might be "well you had to be there to understand" situation.

Exactly. My partner offered the "tech" several options. He hemmed and hawed on each one and was not able to make a decision. I don't know if he was offered a TURBO 200 or not...I don't think he was, becaure I think if he had seen one, his head would probably have exploded. When he comes back...we'll do our best to take good care of him, but as someone posted upthread, it's always best to come into the supply house as best prepared as possible. You would be surprised how many times seasoned guys will come in looking for parts for equipment we dont carry, or OEM stuff and when we ask "Did you get the model number?" or "Who is the manufacturer?" They look as if we've asked them to perform open heart surgery. "I didn't think I would need that." Is the most common answer. Trust me....that stuff helps.

[vmc1161]

About thirty years ago I walk into a supply house with my helper. I have all the info, we get to the counter and there is a new guy there. I give him the info, he tries to look it up and finally says I'm not sure about this. He tells me to go into the office and see a certain guy. I know the guy he is talking about so I go in and he gets the part numbers for me. I go back out to the counter and make a big point of going back to the new guy. He saw that I have made a bee line to him and he asked "what did he say". I tell him he said see the A-hole at the counter...everybody there burst out laughing...as it turns out he was the owners son. He had a good sense of humor and we ended up getting along great...oh I got the right part too.


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[model m-man]

Counterflunky;
We know it's a tough job having to deal with all us ornery rascals. (those of us that are married hear that pretty often. LOL) Sometimes we forget to write something down & we think we'll remember, but CRS kicks in. Sometimes we don't have (and can't get) all the information, but we depend on you to help us figure it out. Sometimes we think { It doesn't really matter for this part} & it doesn't if we get the right counterman. We ask about things we know you don't carry because we know you'll find it for us one way or another. The bottom line is we depend on you & most of us are very loyal to those countermen that are willing to help us out even on those day's when we are a PITA. Believe me, there are day's when you are the PITA too, but we bear with you just as you do with us. Respect is a two way street.

I didn't think much about the (its an R-22 system). Half the time when I go into the supply house I am buying parts for more than one system and if I forget to write everything down (happens sometimes) I end up talking to myself trying to remember what it is that I'm forgetting. If I'd said (it's an R-22 system) I might be thinking, do I need a drier?, pressure switch?, guage?, refrigerant?, oil?, etc. My comment may have nothing to do with what I just bought. That's how I took it, but I have been wrong before. LOL