Washington Bizarre experience at Discount Tire

[aldo98229]

I’ve been a good customer of Discount Tire over the years. They’ve treated me very well and I have spent more money in tires and wheels than I should have.

But today it was different. I went in looking to see if I could swap my relatively new tires for different ones. My tires have less than 200 miles on them.

I set up an appointment online and drive there. Before I can pull into the parking lot, a young guy “checks me in”: takes down my info —which I had already entered into the system when I scheduled my appointment online. Then tells me to go find a place in the empty lot, and to wait inside the vehicle.

Last time I was there a couple months prior, one was allowed to walk into the store, provided you were wearing a mask and kept your distance from others.

When I ask why the change, I’m told “It’s the new mandate from corporate.”

I park and wait inside my Jeep. A few minutes later a sales rep comes out and we have our conversation right there in the empty parking lot.

He asks what brings me in today. I explain that I got these tires a couple months ago and want see if I can get a different size. Right away, without even checking my odometer, he shuts me down with “I can’t give you much for these tires.” That’s a very different attitude from a few months ago when they bent over backwards to get me into these tires. They even gave 50% for my year-old KO2s!

But not today: this guy is low balling me without even caring to know how many miles are on the tires, or showing any interest in helping me swap tires.

Having this discussion out in the empty parking lot doesn’t help one bit.

With regards to corporate: I don’t know why the extreme new measures, given that the worst of COVID is now mostly behind us. But this entire new setup takes much of the fun away; is just too transactional, too impersonal and offputting.

In any event, it was a short, sobering but disappointing visit.

Not sure I have a reason to keep going back to DT to get the same hard-nosed treatment I can get anywhere else.

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[JL MADDOG]

I too am a long time Discount Tire customer and experienced the same process recently. I had a brand new OEM set of tires on the new JL and wanted to upgrade to something a bit more appropriate for my wheeling needs.

I connected with @Discount Tire here directly to find out what I needed to know about what form of social distancing was going to happen, how the pricing
all laid out for me, I got my appointment, I was correct in figuring the contact (and the trade value of the OEM tires) was going to be minimal and I went with it.

I walked into the deal with my eyes wide open and I wasn't put off by the experience one bit.

We live in interesting times....

 

[aldo98229]

I too am a long time Discount Tire customer and experienced the same process recently. I had a brand new OEM set of tires on the new JL and wanted to upgrade to something a bit more appropriate for my wheeling needs.

I connected with @Discount Tire here directly to find out what I needed to know about what form of social distancing was going to happen, how the pricing
all laid out for me, I got my appointment, I was correct in figuring the contact (and the trade value of the OEM tires) was going to be minimal and I went with it.

I walked into the deal with my eyes wide open and I wasn't put off by the experience one bit.

We live in interesting times....

Indeed. However, times of crisis provide a real opportunity for outstanding businesses to differentiate from the rest.

Something of the original vision at Discount Tire has gone missing through all of this.

 

[JL MADDOG]

nawwww...that can't be it.... Too many companies have had to make significicant compromises to insure the health and safety of their workers and customers.

No good business model would dictate that you add costs to continue to operate your business or that you make changes to inconvenience your customers.

 

[aldo98229]

Sorry, that doesn’t cut it for me.

After this last interaction, I have little reason to keep DT as my only go-to place for tires.

It is less about the COVID changes; more about their lack of interest in earning my business.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

After 2 bad back to back visits with Discount Tire last year, I’m done doing business with them. Don’t know how many sets of tires I bought there over the decades. Too bad, because I have to go out of my way to go elsewhere now.

 

[aldo98229]

After 2 bad back to back visits with Discount Tire last year, I’m done doing business with them. Don’t know how many sets of tires I bought there over the decades. Too bad, becuase I have to go out of my way to go elsewhere now.

That’s just it.

They still have an advantage over other retailers due to their physical locations. But if and when I go back in there, it will be out of need, not out of want.

 

[AlgUSF]

My Discount Tire experience was completely different earlier this month, when I had some Rubicon takeoffs mounted on my factory tires. They were happy for the business, I wore a mask inside even though ~25% didn't. I'm not much of a mask person, but they had the sign and I threw the mask on real quick (even though it has never been required in Florida). No tire shop in my part of town wanted anything to do with a wheel swap. Bummer if @Discount Tire is changing their business model.

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