American workers suck
Yeah, they do. Something has gone damn haywire in this country and the level of workmanship and service has gone in the toilet. About half the time when I take my car in for service / repair, there's a problem with it when they're done. They forgot to tighten this or that, they forgot to fix something (funny how they never forget to bill you, even though they forgot to fix it), or the repairs are done half-a s sed.
Every flipping time I got to JiffyLube or Valvoline or whereever, it's always a screw job. One time they'll tell me tramission fluid is totally shot. I have to change it. I point out that it looks and smells fine, and that a change isn't due for another 40,000 miles. Oh. And the next time I go in, they don't even mention the transmission fluid. It has magically healed itself? Lately I've been told several times that according to my manual, I have to replace / service this or that. Are you sure, I ask. Oh yes, they reply. I dig out the manual and show them that it doesn't say that at all. Oh, they reply, must be muffed up in our computer.
The same is true for services done around the house. I recently moved into a new place. We had the cable TV guy come out to fix our cable signal, and he lied and swindled my wife out of $60. After a week of calling the cable company I finally got an executive who'd listen, and he refunded the $60 (note: no letter of apology or free service for a month or two, just my money back).
When we were getting the home inspection before we bought the place, the inspector commented that there was a lot of rotten trim work. He showed me how if he gave a bit of a push, he could probably push a pen right through some of the boards. The lady we bought the house from had paid a guy $2500 to replace the rotten boards and paint the trim before she sold it. He'd smeared putty on the rot and slapped paint over it.
I did have a guy come out and fix the trimwork and painting for me. He also installed some windows. He did absolutely beautiful work. He is Mexican and has been in the country for about five years. I guess he hasn't learned not to care.
I could go on and on with examples of just crappy, lousy work. I do NOT hire the cheapest guy, and I try to find out who has a track record of good work. I try to patronize the local businessman who, one would think, needs to develop a good record of customer service and has ties to the community.
And I have had good service, but about 4 times out of 10 it's bad. I mean, think about that: 4 times out of 10 it's totally fouled up. You know what would happen to me if I did a bad job 4 times out of 10? I'd be looking for a new place to work.
Oh, and when there is a problem, I always politely and quietly bring it to the man's attention. I don't swear, I don't curse, I just quietly bring it up and ask if it can be made right. Maybe that's what I've been doing wrong. Maybe I need to threaten to sue or to throw a brick through his plate glass window or something else like that.
A significant percentage of American service industry workers are lazy, incompetent, and dishonest. I'm sick of it.
Every flipping time I got to JiffyLube or Valvoline or whereever, it's always a screw job. One time they'll tell me tramission fluid is totally shot. I have to change it. I point out that it looks and smells fine, and that a change isn't due for another 40,000 miles. Oh. And the next time I go in, they don't even mention the transmission fluid. It has magically healed itself? Lately I've been told several times that according to my manual, I have to replace / service this or that. Are you sure, I ask. Oh yes, they reply. I dig out the manual and show them that it doesn't say that at all. Oh, they reply, must be muffed up in our computer.
The same is true for services done around the house. I recently moved into a new place. We had the cable TV guy come out to fix our cable signal, and he lied and swindled my wife out of $60. After a week of calling the cable company I finally got an executive who'd listen, and he refunded the $60 (note: no letter of apology or free service for a month or two, just my money back).
When we were getting the home inspection before we bought the place, the inspector commented that there was a lot of rotten trim work. He showed me how if he gave a bit of a push, he could probably push a pen right through some of the boards. The lady we bought the house from had paid a guy $2500 to replace the rotten boards and paint the trim before she sold it. He'd smeared putty on the rot and slapped paint over it.
I did have a guy come out and fix the trimwork and painting for me. He also installed some windows. He did absolutely beautiful work. He is Mexican and has been in the country for about five years. I guess he hasn't learned not to care.
I could go on and on with examples of just crappy, lousy work. I do NOT hire the cheapest guy, and I try to find out who has a track record of good work. I try to patronize the local businessman who, one would think, needs to develop a good record of customer service and has ties to the community.
And I have had good service, but about 4 times out of 10 it's bad. I mean, think about that: 4 times out of 10 it's totally fouled up. You know what would happen to me if I did a bad job 4 times out of 10? I'd be looking for a new place to work.
Oh, and when there is a problem, I always politely and quietly bring it to the man's attention. I don't swear, I don't curse, I just quietly bring it up and ask if it can be made right. Maybe that's what I've been doing wrong. Maybe I need to threaten to sue or to throw a brick through his plate glass window or something else like that.
A significant percentage of American service industry workers are lazy, incompetent, and dishonest. I'm sick of it.
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If it's so bad, I'm sure there would be plenty of countries happy to have you.[:D] 0 -
If your going to rant about poor workmanship, don't forget Microsoft Windows. Got to be worst in quality. 0 -
It's no better, even in a small community where reputaion should mean everything...they know you'll be back.[B)][8][:(] 0 -
...picky, picky, picky. Move to North Korea and your problems solved, ours too...[;)] 
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lincoln does make an interesting observation. As the economy of the country moves rapidly away from the production of consumer items and over to a service based economy it is vital that customer satisfaction be the number one priority. 0 -
Lincoln what you say is very true. What else is true is if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. That's why I do most everything myself. It's not easy though, no time ect. But it seems to beat the alternative.
Yes I went to Effy lube years ago. It was winter with snow on the ground. I usually change the oil myself but this time I said f it. I told them all I want is an oil change. Then I saw the tech removing my breather and air filter. I said what are you doing? He said you need a new air filter. I said that's ok I change it myself. Then he said you need a new PCV valve this ones all oily(which they should be). I said shake it. So he did and it rattled. I then said hear that rattling noise? That means it's ok. Now put everything back together all I told you guys is I want JUST an oil change. So he did and I paid them and drove off.
During the next few days I was getting about 5-8 miles a gallon from my 2.8L V6 blazer. I couldn't figure out why. I even checked the breather and associated hoses from nimrod doing what he wasn't asked to do. Couldn't find anything. After about a week of constantly stopping for gas I checked again and found that nimrod pulled a vacuum line loose from behing the throttle body causing my lousy mileage. Cost me about $40 extra dollars in gas for that oil change. Needless to say I've never went to an oil change place again. I'll change the oil if it's -50*F outside if I can't find a garage to do it in.
I know exactly what your saying and your right. Lazy POS that will lie cheat and steal to make a buck. Not the way it used to be as I see it. People will work harder avoiding work than doing the work.[:(]0 -
Sir, the American worker are the finest most quality minded workers on the planet. The people they work for however are so greedy that they cut corners and furnish them substandard materials to build the products with. Now that we have that cleared up are there any more myths that you need you butt straightened out on??? 0 -
Easy fix. Do it yourself. 0 -
"I did have a guy come out and fix the trimwork and painting for me. He also installed some windows. He did absolutely beautiful work. He is Mexican and has been in the country for about five years. I guess he hasn't learned not to care."
No...you just have not figured it out yet. While the ILLEGAL worker was fixing your stuff at a significantly reduced rate (or full charge if you are dumb), his entire family is SOAKING up your tax dollars and mine on various freebies that our government hands out.
Did you withold state and federal income taxes? Nope...did not think so.
Did you check his business license?
Did you check to see if he has current business insurance in case something happened while he worked on your property?
It is one thing to rant, but when you look at the big picture and what you contributed to....THEN come back and rant.0 -
This thread brings two American gun manufacturers to mind. Kel-Tec and Kahr. Both have been repeatedly praised and exhalted for their wonderful, friendly and responsive customer service - including free replacement parts - with regards to addressing problems with the guns themselves. And IMO, we Americans have demonstrated a penchant for turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to their mediocrity as we continue to patronize them and the many other underachievers out there. I believe it comes down to the affordability of a problematic gun (in this case) that needs additional work and attention versus the often unaffordable cost for many folks for a properly functioning one.
Just my 2 cents.0 -
I have to both agree and disagree with the notion that American workers suck.
And why and how I can do both is because it depends upon the situation.
For example - Toyota. American parts. American labor. Work beautifully.
Vulcan Arms, aka Hesse? American-made, American manufactured - wouldn't give one of their products to my worst enemy.
I think it boils down to the fact that some people think being American is all about birthright, that an accident of birth automatically makes one the best and beyond reproach.
America is and will always be about honest labor and a desire to succeed. And success does not ride on the back of slipshod work or poor customer relations.
And the fact is some remember that and some don't. It is obvious to all who believes what and where we will spend our money.0 -
No reputable mechanic will work at Jiffy Lube or Walmart oil change express. Who would work there for minimum wage with a large workload? I wouldn't nor would anyone else with common sense.
Even dealerships don't put a real mechanic changing oil on vehicles...it's some kid right out of or in high school.
You need to search the private garages to find the good mechanics, not at Corporate express lanes.
Many garages and dealerships are swindlers and con artists. I'm a GM/FORD/ASE certified mechanic and I ain't working as a mechanic. They don't pay squat and I can't deal with the corruption that goes on under managements order. I get paid more to drive than fix them.
American workers don't suck. You're just a sheeple for thinking they employ competent folk to work on automobiles at Corporate Express shops. I work on my own crap...and learned long ago not to trust someone else wrenching on my vehicles.
Go to any GM dealership and get a price quote for a part. Drive to the next GM dealership and get a price quote for the exact same part. You will find they have different prices....why is that?
They mark up prices on parts for Honda's, Nissan's, GM, Dodge, Ford,etc....and charge pretty much whatver the heck they want and claim their profit. It don't matter what you drive your going to get shafted.
Thus why I drive an old chevy with an aftermarket parts source that is vast and I can get cheaper parts than Corporate issue.0 -
quote:Originally posted by nemesisenforcer
If it's so bad, I'm sure there would be plenty of countries happy to have you.[:D]
There ya go. That being said, there are lots of people who just don't give a crap about the work they do, but if you're getting porked at a place like that it's not the worker's fault, the managers and owners want it done that way.
One can get good work done if you want to pay for it but I just eliminate potential problems and do stuff myself. Cheaper that way too.0 -
"I did have a guy come out and fix the trimwork and painting for me. He also installed some windows. He did absolutely beautiful work. He is Mexican and has been in the country for about five years. I guess he hasn't learned not to care."
No...you just have not figured it out yet. While the ILLEGAL worker was fixing your stuff at a significantly reduced rate (or full charge if you are dumb), his entire family is SOAKING up your tax dollars and mine on various freebies that our government hands out.
Did you withold state and federal income taxes? Nope...did not think so.
Did you check his business license?
Did you check to see if he has current business insurance in case something happened while he worked on your property?
It is one thing to rant, but when you look at the big picture and what you contributed to....THEN come back and rant.
dcloco, I'll take it REALLY, REALLY slow and use VERY small words so you can understand.
The FIRST guy who came over was a licensed, bonded, good old American guy with fancy forms and all the rest of it. He was the guy who slapped putty over the rot. He was the guy who was paid to take out his saws and tools and replace all the rotten wood and did not do so. When the owner called him to complain, he was the one who did not return five phone calls and finally responsed to a letter with a response that he was leaving the state.
The SECOND guy was he Mexican guy. I don't know if he had papers or green cards or whatever. He came well recommended, we agreed on a price, and he quickly did beautiful work. He also charged about half what the American guy did.
So, if I understand you correctly, you're saying that I should only hire lazy and incompetent Americans who have no pride in their work. And if a hard-working immigrant who will do a good job offers to do the work for thousands less, I should not hire him because it will protect the job of the lazy American "worker". Do I have you right on all of that?
Oh, and to all the people who tell me to do the work myself, well, I'd just like to apologize to all the auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, handy men, and painters I've been insulting all these years for offering the work and money to pay their rent, put food on their table, and clothes on their back.
You see, I was using that old, out-moded idea of division of labor, how people develop specialities and do better work and the idea that working hard and doing a good job and getting a good paycheck might actually be vastly important for our country and economic system.
I didn't realize that so many here on Gunbroker are so offended by the idea of offering to pay others for work. I suppose I should adopt their thinking, vote Democrat, and just have the government tax and pay for everything.0 -
There is truth to Mlincolns original post, however it should not be a blanket statement. I find many examples of outstanding American craftsmanship and quality work, some of it even at a bargain price, and much of it better than anything in the World. The best has never been cheap.
"You get what you pay for"
John Arbuckle0 -
The FACT is that the American worker is the most productive worker IN THE WORLD and by a pretty wide margin. http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2004/07/productivity_or.htmlYes, for task oriented work there are certainly folks out there who take alot more pride in their work. This is partially because we, in America, have made it that way. We no longer respect, as a culture, the line worker, the electrician, plumber, carpenter, cet., until we need one and then all we do is beatch about how much it costs.
A fair price for a fair job, is all I ask and frankly, far more times than not, I get it. Problems with 'chain' outfits like laffy lube are more a function of the company's greed rather than the workers' incompetence.0 -
Two things, and then I'm off my soapbox.
(1) In my original post I pointed out that 4 times out of 10 I have bad service. By extension, 6 times out of 10 I have good or acceptable, or even very good service. To be fair, that does mean that the majority of the time I get service, it's good. At the same time, and this is what my whole post is about, 40% of the time it's lousy, unacceptable, crappy work. Nobody, nobody should be allowed to consistently do crappy work 40% of the time and still keep his job.
(2) I ALWAYS respect the person doing the job. My first inclination when the price is quoted is to accept it. I know materials cost money and that he has to make a profit to eat and keep his house. I have tried to dicker on price twice in the past 15 years. When the guy shows up I have food and drinks waiting for him, show him where the toilet is, and I don't hang over his shoulder while he's working. I work a second job and I extend more hospitality and respect to the guy coming to paint my living room than 95% of my clients extend to me.0
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