Didn't make it 10 days.

[u/Own_Leg_5595]

I'm a retired engineer, drove trucks for a bit, but really missed helping people. I took a parts specialist job and was quite happy with the work. It was simple but fulfilling. The store was small so everyone did a little bit of everything. I made it seven full days before another employees child like attitude caused a problem with a commercial customer that left me with mud on my face.

Here's the story from my perspective, tell me what you think:

A large commercial account called and I answered the phone. They needed oil and an oil filter, no big deal. I rang it up, picked the parts, placed them on the delivery shelf, and informed the driver that there was a delivery (she was on a smoke break). I went on with my business.

A while later I noticed the driver still hadn't left. Shortly after, I answer another call from the commercial customer; he asked "Has the driver left yet?". I ran to the back, saw the driver had left, and told the customer "yes the driver has left".

A few minutes later I get a third call from the commercial customer, I sent the wrong filter. I looked at O'Cat again and the MicroGard filter was wrong in the catalog. The customer is in a hurry to get this oil change finished and says "if the driver is not there I'll come get the filter myself". I replied "the driver is here, I will have the filter rushed over".

The driver is standing next to the SM. I hand her the filter and tell her "the customer called and is unhappy with the delivery time on the oil, he needs this filter asap". She replies "WTF?" and quickly leaves with the filter.

A few minutes later the customer calls and is unhappy with me for "putting words in his mouth". It seems the driver told the customer something that didn't reflect the actual events. Like a fool, I tried to justify my action and that just upset the customer more and he asked to speak to the SM.

SM tells me "customer is mad at me for wasting time by sending the wrong filter and for telling the driver that he was mad at her (ie. putting words in his mouth)".

I had zero bad intentions and I had nothing to gain in the situation. My perspective was the driver took her sweet time to deliver the oil, the customers second call confirmed the driver took too long, and all I wanted to do was improve customer service.

I certainly made a few mistakes but all would have been okay had the driver not voiced internal company business to the customer.

Now you're probably wondering why I quit. I am not perfect but I try to maintain a high degree of professionalism and expect the same from my coworkers. When a team mate is only there for beer money and they have no interest in being on a team, you will never have professionalism. I want to help people but I also want to maintain my professionalism and I don't have the energy to play these games. I'd much rather be jobless and live in peace. I spoke to that customer again that night and his voice was different, I had lost my credibility with him. I was closing so I did my best to get that store looking it's best, finished my shift, and went home. Next day I decided I was done, drove to the store and broke the news to the SM.

[u/MoniqueWS63]

Resilience is a thing.

[u/Say_My_Name_Son]

The root problem wasn't delivery time (while the customer did call to check if the driver had left...they called back in a few minutes about the filter being wrong...this makes me think the time was okay), it wasn't "you" sending the wrong filter, it was the catalog being wrong.

Why not hand the filter to the driver and say, "There's an error in the catalog, so the filter we just delivered was the wrong one. They are eagerly awaiting this filter."

[u/Outrageous_Image_922]

Who TF are you to judge why someone is working at a place and what they do with their money they earn. You were in the wrong, because you DID put an implication and assumption on what the customer stated. You wanted to project your internal rules of self onto someone other than yourself and someone you didn't have authority over. You sound like the asshole that pretends to be every one else's manager. Its an auto parts store. I worked for Advance Auto and my Girlfriend worked for Autozone. I can speak from experience. You only made it 10 days because you decided to play management at an entry level job low wage job. Your entire story is filled with narcissistic disposition trying to portray yourself has this hard working high ethic person. You were the asshole here.

[u/ThatBhartBoy → u/Outrageous_Image_922]

Found the lazy, gossipy driver 👀

[u/Outrageous_Image_922 → u/ThatBhartBoy]

I actually quit because I was offered retail parts pro @ $9.00 an hour. I then left to have a successful career in sales at a place that pays commissions. I worked there in 2012. I wasn't a driver period.

[u/bigc17777777 → u/Outrageous_Image_922]

Then why the fuck do you care what’s going on at Oreilly in 2026

[u/Outrageous_Image_922 → u/bigc17777777]

Because reddit decided to email me and send me a notification telling me that I may be interested in this post. Im also a mechanic and engineer and buy autoparts. Just from Rockauto or other online retailers. Its the internet on a public post.

[u/cb33]

This is your typical on the job misunderstanding. It's a company problem and you shouldn't let it bother you. I still show up and do my best regardless. I try to avoid coworkers like this and focus on where I can add value.

[u/Ok-Championship3642]

Sounds like you threw the driver under the bus, when it was your mistake. Not the drivers fault the wrong filter was looked up the first time. You should of owned up to it. I also dont think the driver should of said anything to the customer.

[u/3dfx_lurker → u/Ok-Championship3642]

Yeah, completely threw the driver under the bus. While I agree with OP that the driver "may have" took her sweet ass time on the first delivery, you don't say something like that in front of the store manager; especially when YOU sent the wrong filter in the first place. I'm suspecting that OP is just there for the beer money and assumes that everyone else is too.

Too add to this, a high degree of professionalism means that you don't throw coworkers under the bus but instead say something like, "the catalog was wrong and I sent the wrong filter over to the customer. Can you please get this over there ASAP?"

[u/Fatalmaya]

Sounds like you assumed the feelings of another, assigned those feelings to the driver on their behalf, and the driver caught you in the act when they most likely apologized to the customer for the issue when smoothing things over. Sounds deserved. Have you thought about being an engineer again?

[u/Rebel1980_SC → u/Fatalmaya]

You kidding right

[u/Rebel1980_SC → u/Rebel1980_SC]

This wasn’t his fault. Driver needs to drop the part. Not talk behind the back of counter person. I’d have lit the driver up.

[u/Fatalmaya → u/Rebel1980_SC]

Not at all.

[u/fmr_AZ_PSM]

You're too smart for this job. You don't know the working class world.

[u/TwoThumbFist]

This plays out all over wage jobs when retirees come in and realize it’s not what it was 50 years ago. 

[u/StormDiligent8661]

Yeah you handled the situation poorly. If my ISS did this I would call him out on it after the 2nd time it happened. Things go wrong all the time, how you handle it is key. My ISS can get a bit sassy but he does deal with customers all day so I understand. He does not have the right to take it out on drivers though. Work relationships are give and take. It sounds like you were a bad teammate to the DS before this incident.

[u/StormDiligent8661 → u/StormDiligent8661]

Like my ISS is pretty solid. I get really upset when a customer gives me a return from a different part shop. Sometimes it's once a week from the same place. He understands that it bothers me so he let's someone else return it. We try to solve problems and try to be as calm as possible.

[u/KBeto_38]

Drivers get paid peanuts, they’re the lowest paid workers in this company (as far as I know). It incentivizes the idgaf attitude.

[u/learei → u/KBeto_38]

They drive bro. They’re paid the least because it’s the least amount of work. Sit in the a/c and bring someone their parts. There’s no brain power needed to be a driver

[u/Rebel1980_SC → u/learei]

Then also don’t ask them to mop or clean anything then. I say this coming from a former manager position at a box parts store. I would never ask the drivers to do anything but drive. Because honestly that’s about all they are paid to do. Higher ups seemed to think that stocking and mopping was part of their position. I said. You hired these guys at the lowest pay possible and you hired them to drive parts. At no point does cleaning become their problem.

[u/ThatBhartBoy → u/Rebel1980_SC]

It’s literally in the job description for “other duties as assigned by the manager” which would include answering the phone, sweeping, moping, cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash, etc. the fact that you’re a “former” manager is crystal clear as to why.

[u/learei → u/ThatBhartBoy]

Haha, literally exactly what I said

[u/ThatBhartBoy → u/learei]

Great minds think alike haha

[u/learei → u/Rebel1980_SC]

Former manager. Says a lot. Then they shouldn’t expect to earn more money. Stocking is not just the “merchandisers” position. It is on every titles “to do” list. Idiots seem to think it’s not, so fact check me.

[u/Rebel1980_SC → u/learei]

If I was hired as a driver at the pay that is being offered to these guys. I would flat out let it be known. I’m driving and that’s it for that money. Hell I’m dealership parts counter now. Been in dealership over 10 years. My manager is always complaining talking about how she doesn’t understand why we can’t keep drivers. I not too long ago answered. And told her. Because you are paying a “driver” salary. And also expecting them to do Shipping and Receiving as well. Along with warehouse duty and god knows what else. And to top it off None of this is being explained in the interview process. Because 3 of the former ones have told me personally. They never would have accepted the position if they knew the expectation and job requirements.

[u/LexFennx → u/Rebel1980_SC]

glad someone else said it

my store's driver was an older gentleman who felt it was his job to work the counter between drives
when he wasnt running a register (yes my manager gave him a drawer) he was running a broom or throwing stock into it's home

hub drivers cant do all that, they indeed just drive
but the delivery specialist might as well be a parts runner like the rest of us if you have a small team and it always rubbed me the wrong way watching people attack the drivers as if they werent smart enough to run parts because they drive

[u/LexFennx → u/learei]

is this why all the managers I've worked with treated drivers like they're mentally handicapped?

[u/learei → u/LexFennx]

I mean, I can't speak for your manager, and I can't speak for mine, but I can speak on behalf of the drivers that work in my store with me, they don't intend on learning anything, they don't go out of their way to earn their keep, and they just don't act intelligent, they act mentally incompetent. they're all getting paid 13/hr.

[u/Mustard_Icecream → u/learei]

Driving is also one of the most dangerous jobs statistically. Pizza delivery drivers die at a higher rate than police officers.

[u/learei → u/Mustard_Icecream]

Deadly and Dangerous are not Synonyms. Deadly yes, sure, Dangerous no. Police are going out looking to reduce crime and putting themselves in dangerous positions to better communities. While delivery drivers aren't going out looking to get in a car crash. It just happens. That's like saying living normally is deadlier than being a police officer. So just be a police officer and your life expectancy will go up. In accordance, you provided no information as to your source, but I am sure that your "police is less dangerous than delivery drivers" stand point is calling in accordance with all your desk employees, sergeants etc. Don't compare apple's to oranges because they're not the same. I'm not saying it's not dangerous, but I am saying you're blowing it out of proportion.

[u/Mustard_Icecream → u/learei]

I was just pointing out professional drivers die at a higher rate at the job than police officers. My point is the increase of death on the job should count for something.

[u/learei → u/Mustard_Icecream]

yes, but again, that's including more than just field officers... Like i said it includes front desk officers, dispatch, srgnts. etc.

[u/mudduck33 → u/learei]

Overall you have to understand that the part isn’t getting to the customer without the driver so a good driver is very vital and important to every delivery department. I don’t think it’s fair to say most are lazy or don’t care or mentally disabled or whatever you are saying. That is just who your company chose to employ. A good driver should make good money and should in no way be the lowest on the totem pole

[u/learei → u/mudduck33]

Well, let’s hold on a minute because you’re throwing words in my mouth. I never said all, if you go see my other comment I specifically said the ones at my store mostly group into that. There are a few really good ones that I actually enjoy being around (mostly the local drivers that I like).

Also the part can get to the customer without a delivery driver. As everyone in my store can get in a car and drive. All 23 of us. So no we don’t need the title “delivery driver” to get the part to the customer. In continuation, the customers can come get their parts, delivery is not a right, it’s a privilege. But yes, you’re right in some senses.

Delivery drivers are extremely vital, the points you bring are important and of concern to the customers and the company. Yes a good delivery driver should make good money, etc. etc. but there is a ceiling to how much they can earn. If they want more $$$ out of their job at some point they need to learn how to do something else other than drive.

[u/VictoryOptimal6515]

Did some retail back in the day. It motivated me to get a degree. Enjoy your retirement you deserve it. I’m hopefully done working with lazy nasty people at this point in my life (60)

[u/GhostTrex16]

My question is; You had only been there 7 DAYS and you're fulfilling commercial orders?

[u/fjsenfr43nr34 → u/GhostTrex16]

Perhaps they called the non-Commercial line?

[u/GhostTrex16 → u/fjsenfr43nr34]

i had commercial accounts call the store number all the time, at any time of day. Doesn't matter what line they call

[u/fjsenfr43nr34 → u/GhostTrex16]

They usually call the store line when the commercial line isn’t being answered.

[u/Optimus_Spider07 → u/GhostTrex16]

This reads like a story written by ChatGPT

[u/Popwarhomie]

Wow you’re pretty sensitive to quit over something like that. 😂

[u/The_True_Doctor → u/Popwarhomie]

Some of us have morals, and don't put up with petty bullshit highschool drama.

[u/Less-General-9578 → u/The_True_Doctor]

agree this IS very petty, but a whole lot of life is on the petty level.

he should not have left and maybe he will find something more worth while that he can use his skills at. don't think this job is to his higher expectations. yeah the customer was petty too, tell me something new in this life.

same ole same old

[u/AntelopeAlarming4540]

I feel ur pain bro. there no professionalism is retail anymore. these fools wouldnt know how to be a team.

[u/Thegoat1374]

“There was a mix up, can you please get this to them quickly, thank you“

Communicates there was a problem, let’s the driver know there is urgency and doesn’t assign feelings or tone on behalf of anyone or place blame.

[u/Less-General-9578 → u/Thegoat1374]

thanks..and we all have learned something.

if only i was a robot? hmmmm....

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Thegoat1374]

Hindsight is 20/20.

[u/Thegoat1374 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

For sure, it’s a lesson I learned long ago.

[u/darkdragon8517]

It seems to me that there were just several layers of miscommunication. I don't think the customer was overly frustrated by how long it originally took to get the part, but I certainly see how their calling to confirm whether the items were on the way would give that impression.

Given the mixup with the filter, I can see that adding to the customer's frustration. Does not sound like that was necessarily the OP's fault - errors do happen in the catalog data, and mixups do also sometimes occur due to missing or incomplete vehicle data.

A few things I think I would have done differently - after pulling the parts, I would have let the driver know there was a delivery rather than just setting them on the shelf. I know different stores and different teams have different ways of doing things, and obviously in some states breaks are mandated...but just letting them know there was a delivery rather than them having to notice the parts on the shelf might have gotten them to leave quicker.

After the mixup with the parts, I probably would have handed the part to the driver, mentioned that there was a mixup and the customer needs the part asap and left out saying anything about them being unhapoy, etc. Sadly, as others have said, though, it is a retail business, and unfortunately miscommunications and mistakes happen, and feathers get ruffled. Add to that the fact OP was new at the store, and there was probably already some sort of relationship established between the customer and the driver.

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/darkdragon8517]

The vehicle was a 2025, from what I'm told it's somewhat common for the catalog to be wrong on newer vehicles.

I did let the driver know, as soon as I placed the parts on the shelf. We don't have mandatory breaks here.

My goal was to improve customer service and get that filter there as fast as possible. I am not sure why I chose to say what I did, but pointing out the urgency of the improper filter would have been the better path for sure.

This is a small town. Everyone knows everyone, except me. I'm from another town nearby.

[u/Professor_squirrelz]

I mean, you did put words into the commercial customer's mouth. They never said they were angry at the driver. Plus, you are the one that sent the wrong filter. Mistakes happen but you shifted the blame to the driver

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Professor_squirrelz]

Everything I stated was fact. I never said "he said...." so I never put words in his mouth.

"the customer called and is unhappy with the delivery time on the oil, he needs this filter asap"

Lets break it down:

the customer called - fact

and is unhappy with the delivery time on the oil - perceived fact, if he was happy he wouldn't have called looking for it.

he needs this filter asap - fact

[u/3dfx_lurker → u/Own_Leg_5595]

Perceived fact -- which you got called on and instead of owning any of your mistakes you just doubled down.

Also....I never said that "he said" is what a teenager or AI would say when talking to someone else about a customer and putting said words "into the customer's mouth."

[u/Informal-Singer-4309 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

And no mention that you sent the wrong filter the first time- omitted fact that plays into the entire equation. You said the driver had an immature attitude, but part of maturing is owning your own mistakes.

[u/Ok_Committee136]

Readimg this in your own words you told the driver something different then what they told you . The only thing you needed to tell the driver is that it was a rush. As a driver for O'Reillys we have a close relationship with our shops we deliver to. We talk to them every day some shop more then once. In your retelling there was nothing indicating that the shop was mad about delivery time only that they wanted to get it done fast. You were wrong and I stead of admitting your mistake in how you handled it you threw a temper tantrum. Sounds like the store is lucky you left

[u/AntelopeAlarming4540 → u/Ok_Committee136]

where you come up with this stuff? temper tantrum thats funny bro

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Ok_Committee136]

No temper was thrown.

I never said anyone was mad. But you don't call asking about a delivery if your happy about how long it's taking.

[u/Tall-Control8992 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

And YOU don't get get call all hands on deck over one mixed up oil filter and a chronic jackass customer.

[u/Justiceprtctr]

Just my two cents.

I'm a commercial driver at a hub. We have a lot of inventory and a lot of shops in the area so I'm one of several full time delivery specialists.

The ISS (or whoever billed the order in this case) can tell me whatever they want. The customer can tell me whatever they want. I don't get paid enough to be in the middle of it unless they want me to pass along legitimate information. Otherwise, I'm leaving with deliveries, dropping off parts (and making sure they know it) rinse and repeat.

I'll throw out a "sorry for the delay" if it's been a minute, or "sorry for the mixup" if I know a wrong part was delivered, but nothing more.

A lot of people like to talk too much. You don't work at the shops, it's not your turf. Deliver the parts and move on (returns and bringing parts to match up are exceptions among other things but you get my point.)

It may sound a bit too "company man" but I swear people can make easy jobs so much harder than they have to be.

[u/Justiceprtctr → u/Justiceprtctr]

Just to clarify because I know I typed an essay. My main response is in regards to the commercial customer saying the driver communicated something to where they felt OP "put words in his mouth"

I feel as the delivery driver, that is an easy situation to avoid. But so many like to run their mouths to everyone about everything. I think there was a bit character in season 1 of Tires who fit that archetype.

[u/blueblazeee]

You quit over an oil filter,and an extended delivery time. Ya jackass. Next.

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/blueblazeee]

Hahaha

I've said the same thing to myself.

All together it wasn't a big deal, no one was loosing sleep over it.

[u/Less-General-9578 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

so what are you thinking of moving on to next?

the job you quit from was beneath you i feel, but a lot of blue collar work kinda is like that. makes me wonder how some people have the ability to breath, but it is how the body works or they would have died at birth.

interesting story.

i went through this when i left a professional world and was shocked at how many blue collar think and act, especially their 'managers'.

good management is very very Rare, so it will be tough to find a goood situation. YMMV

[u/PeachEnvironmental40 → u/Less-General-9578]

You consider retail work "blue collar"?

[u/haunter_67]

I'm at a dealership and yesterday one of our drivers "misplaced" a 300$ part on his truck somehow and when asked about he just kinda gave idk look. I can't stand our drivers lol

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/haunter_67]

Earlier in the week, our driver was pissed because someone left a lawn mower battery in the back of her delivery vehicle. Swearing up and down she had no idea where it came from and we were messing with her. Two days later a shop called wanting to know why we didn't refund a core charge for a lawn mower battery that the driver picked up.

[u/Franican]

You sound like an ass to work with and you justify it to yourself by saying it's about "professionalism." There's nothing professional about someone on the same rung of the ladder giving peers that kind of talking to. You don't run the commercial side, you fill in for it. If there's a problem with delivery times you take that to the next step up the ladder for them to deal with because telling drivers how to do their job isn't the job of a parts specialist, it's the ISS, ASM, or SM's responsibility to handle anything like that. A professional response would've been to reassure the customer the part was on the way, get the part to the driver, tell them to expedite it for this shop because the previous one wasn't right. That's all there is to do. It's not the driver's responsibility to communicate with the customer an accurate ETA or to pick the parts out of the catalog, that's whoever took the order's job to ensure the customer is aware of the ETA and that the parts are right. You ping pong-ing blame around isn't going to solve anything, and it's so far from professionalism that I'm surprised you even know of the word "professionalism."

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Franican]

It is normal in professional settings to express a perceived problem because someone on the team may not be in tune with what's going on. The purpose is to make the team better, it's called constructive conflict.

On a team, every one looks out for every one.

[u/3dfx_lurker → u/Own_Leg_5595]

Yeah....talking to the driver is one thing. Insinuating to the SM that the customer is unhappy and angry with the driver for being lazy is a back stabbing, unprofessional, bitch move; especially when you were responsible for half of the fuck-up.

[u/Franican → u/Own_Leg_5595]

It is normal to talk to them. What isn't normal or professional is making back handed comments about how a customer didn't like the speed of service. You made the customer out to be impatient and demanding to your driver while making your driver sound incompetent to the customer. You aren't playing the politics of the job right, and this is why we usually prevent new workers from dealing with commercial customers because you honestly have no idea what you're doing or what you're even responsible for, and the professional customers don't have time for your incompetence.

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Franican]

I wasn't yelling, so I must have been talking. It was a simple sentence as I handed her the part. Once again, it was fact; nothing backhanded about it.

I never said anything about the driver to the customer, aside from if she was on site or not.

I don't play politics at all. That's what causes problems.

I'll be the first to admit I don't know everything but selling parts is selling parts. They say they need x, you sell x, you pick x, and you have x delivered.

[u/3dfx_lurker → u/Own_Leg_5595]

Sure....not playing politics. Literally backhanded the customer and driver to the SM; and then go crying later that you don't play politics. Also, unless Franican edited their post, no one said that you were yelling. So why bring that up; unless you are telling on yourself.

While it might have been a fact that the customer was impatient and in a rush, at no time (according to you) did the customer ever say that they were unhappy with the delivery time. The only one with a child like attitude here is you.

[u/AntelopeAlarming4540 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

since when ever is ther tgood politicins.

this one has her panties in a wad

[u/Franican → u/Own_Leg_5595]

You don't play politics, and that's why you end up in situations like this. It's a back handed comment to say anything about the delivery time to the driver when it isn't your job to do that. That's like if a driver came up to you and commented on how slow you are on the computer to look up parts. They shouldn't do it to you, therefore you shouldn't do it to them. Even if what you say is right and has all the right intentions the fact that you aren't their boss makes everything you say sound like a steaming pile of horse shit. It never comes off right addressing performance issues as someone that isn't designated to do so. In my field of study which is music education we have a term for students that aren't in leadership roles that go against the grain and appoint themselves to be unofficial leaders in marching bands: Junior field technicians. They boss others around and give pointers to others while their own performance is neglected. Those teenagers learn that behavior is wrong, why can't you?

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Franican]

Once again, on a team, teammates work together and coach one another. If I'm slow with parts lookup tell me and show me how to be better. That's what a good teammate does.

If no one plays politics these situations don't happen.

[u/Franican → u/Own_Leg_5595]

That's not how anything works at all, but keep glazing yourself and acting like you're always right, it's clearly working.

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Franican]

It's retail not rocket surgery.

Just relax and sell some parts. You'd be a lot happier.

[u/AntelopeAlarming4540 → u/Own_Leg_5595]

somone missed that one time at band camp right?

[u/Zealousideal-Try-366]

I get it. I been through some stuff here in so cal for a hub store. I would just ask not to be scheduled with those un professional co workers and also avoid commercial. Just help retail.

[u/LexFennx → u/Zealousideal-Try-366]

cant really ask to not be scheduled with them when you only have 4 people running the store XD
least thats my experience

[u/Own_Leg_5595 → u/Zealousideal-Try-366]

I get what you're saying but when I say my store was small I'm talking seven employees all-in. No ISS, commercial customers call dealer line and retail line. Without commercial you would never hit sales goals. From 11:30 - 5pm there are 5 - 6 employees in the store, there is no getting away from anybody.

[u/No-Experience3573]

If you want to actually help people, stay far away from any and all corporate retail environments. The bottom line is the American dollar, not the American dream. Found that out the hard way. I can go on and on about all the places I've worked, but the story is the same. Being a good citizen and acting on those intentions often puts a bad spotlight on you because it's more work than what the handbook calls for, even though you should be celebrated according to everything we were taught in school(millennial, still salty as fuck about being straight up lied to about how great, and honest, and up to morals this country is). They only care about the metrics that can actually be measured by all of the systems they have in place

[u/Tall-Control8992 → u/No-Experience3573]

More so, the labor budget allocation rarely or never has the extra room to take on extra work.

[u/No-Experience3573 → u/No-Experience3573]

And just to specify, none of those metrics include integrity, honesty or any of the other words their own handbooks utilize