Euro Car Parts - I'm Not Long Enough On The Planet

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developer

MB Enthusiast
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Volvo V90 D5 AWD
to waste any more time at your counter :devil:.

Three times recently I have been to ECP for bulbs, screenwash etc.

On each occasion I have stood around and waited for the single counter person to deal with people in front of me, whilst behind the glass, 4 or 5 other staff are manning headsets, presumably taking orders.

The first time, after 10 or so minutes, I lost the will to live and went elsewhere :fail.


The second time, after another decent amount of waiting, I asked the single counter operative, serving someone else, if there was anyone else available, to which he replied "yes, as soon as they have finished on the phone".
About 5 minutes later a guy got up, walked towards the door and nearly made the counter, but his phone rang and he retreated to put his headset back on.

Again, I lost the will to live and went elsewhere :fail.

Today, just shopping for screen wash I was greeted by a 7 person queue and the single counter operative. This time the guy opened the office door himself and asked for help, clearly flustered by his inability to cope.

Nobody from headset office moved (presumably because they were all dealing with phone orders).

Having learned from visit 1 and 2, I went elsewhere :fail.

I should add that the guy on the counter also goes into the stockroom to pick the parts for the customer he's just dealt with, lengthening the process even more.

So ECP, it's either a counter service (like the other place I had to travel to on each of the 3 occasions) or it's a phone based/internet based service.

You're trying to do both and failing miserably on the counter service.

A shame as you're closer than the other place I end up giving my business to :fail.

4 fails in a short post - I hope you can learn from your customers :doh:.
 
If ECP was a town it would be Slough.

Entirely my experience too, although I do find the week is better than the weekend where you do seem to get a lot of hobbyists who seem to be clueless as to what they want, which then is matched by the person on the other side of the counter who is clueless as to what they have got.

I only go there for want of better locally.
 
Nobody from headset office moved (presumably because they were all dealing with phone orders).

From my understanding the guys on the phone, their salary is primarily sales driven thus the situation you encountered. I've experienced the exact same in a Greater London branch, in that instance (again three/four guys on phones) they were dealing with trade customers, so little hope of service for the average punter.
And when somebody does serve you it's like having a rapport with a block wall.
 
Aren't they free delivery? Order on line, drop at a neighbour if out, job done.

If not, then GSF are. Or Amazon, etc.

.
 
It's exactly the same story in their Sheffield branch. I had the misfortune to have to visit to return an incorrect part they had sent me, another thing they do way to often. A couple of the guys in the queue swore loudly then walked our.
 
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Same in Milton Keynes, I lasted about 20 mins in the queue and went to GSF and got served straight away. Don't need the hassle for a £2.50 wiper blade :D
 
But the phone calls might be an important customer ;)

You could try phoning the branch while you're standing in its queue :)
 
Great bit of constructive criticism developer.

How long will it take to get a response from ECP I wonder?

Quite a while I guess if it's anything like their track record with queries in the 'How much is this' thread.
 
+1

I agree.

I've given up on them now.

You have the clueless person who does not know what he wants, you then have the sales assistant who goes off to collect the item and can be gone for 5 minutes a time, you can have 8 or 9 in the queue.

Even if you have reserved online for collection it's the same queue and wait to get your items and pay. :fail

I have a decent MB Dealer who supplies my parts by post and I get a nice discount so I only use ECP for bulbs and screen wash etc. but they are just not able to handle counter sales.

The website and the discount seems little poor these days, always have a so called half price sale or similar that never is and the Forum discount is of no use. :fail

Apparently I am told you need to arrange this by posting on that thread, waiting for a reply, phoning the order and then collecting it, which takes you back to that ridiculous queue.
 
Thanks for that.

Today, and on the other occasions, what I wanted was a counter service.

ECP offer it, but (for me) haven't been able to deliver it.

I can't be bothered to drive 30 minutes to queue for something like this. I'll get enough from my local petrol station then order as above...
 
Used to go to Partco before their demise. Plenty of counter staff, always had part in stock, good price.
 
Exactly the same in their cambridge branch... It's SO annoying, one time I actually complained to the manager as aswell as queuing for a while with my two kids aged 2 and 4, they had the pleasure of Listening to the staff round the back shouting f'ing this and that!
 
I'm a bit surprised to read this. I've not used them for 2 or 3 years but I thought they had a good reputation. Is this anything to do with the sale of the business by the original owner to some kind of investment company?
 
On the three occasions that I've used ECP the counter service has left much to be desired.

My most recent (and last) visit;

Reserved item online, went to collect it. No queue, one person being served when I arrived, one person serving but several manning the phones. Waited 10 minutes while the person in front, who had ordered a 2006 exhaust for a 2001 car (or some such) and couldn't understand why it would not fit, was served.

Finally, my turn, "I've come to collect this item, please". Paid up, given receipt and waited while matey went on to serve the next person. And waited, and waited... finally after 15 minutes I asked how much longer would I have to wait.

To which the reply was, with a nod towards the office/telephone area, "It depends when they can be a*sed to go and get it". I handed over my debit card with the words "I can't be a*sed to wait any longer, please can I have a refund?"
 
Oh yea I didn't say about the time I queued up for some window wipers I had reserved online... Sorry they are out of stock!! How are they out of stock, I've reserved them and driven 20miles here!!! Guy on the tills just said something along the lines of the system isn't very good and they will get them delivered for free ASAP...

To be fair they did get them sent to my house that evening, shame they sent the wrong bloody ones :/!!!
 
In fairness , I've used the Glasgow branch ( old premises then current ones ) since they opened 15 or so years ago , and the Bellshill and Kilmarnock branches since they opened a year or two back .

I've always had good service , sometimes had to queue for a few minutes if they were busy , but never any inordinate delays .

Can't recall any wrong items , even if a a Bremi dizzy cap turned out to be rubbish once .
 

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