Joseph Long Assignment Two

The figured world I will be observing is where I work at Honda of Concord. I chose to observe here because I spend so much time there whether I'm on or off the clock. I work in the parts department and sometimes at the body shop also. This is a business that handles retail customers, wholesale customers, phone sales, internal sales (to the technicians), and does a variety of other things. We have numerous competitors, but our main competition is Hendrick Honda in Charlotte. It is not exactly a place people "frequent," although we handle a lot of counter customers over the course of a day, they don't stay there very long. There is always a lot of technicians and service writers constantly coming in and out the doors to the shop. Service writers also call back to parts numerous times in a short period when they are working on something and need help or checking up on the status of a part. There really isn't a huge list of rules that must be followed in this discourse community. Being respectful to co-workers, customers, technicians, managers, and any other employees is expected. Being loud and using profanity is highly frowned upon and is a good way to get sent home early. Joking and having fun is allowed as long as work continues to get done and things dont get out of hand. Giving your 110% effort while at work is expected, although it doesn't always happen. Many of the other employees in the dealership seem to believe that parts does nothing and we just sit around all day. Part of this observation is to combat this stereotype and show that we, in fact, do a lot and stay quite busy throughout the day. Discourses include but are not limited to: import/tuner enthusiasts, workers of the dealership, technicians, people who work on cars as a hobby, and small business owners such as body shops and family owned repair facilities.

There are many things that a customer coming to the parts department at Honda of Concord could do to get the most out of their experience. First, a customer coming in prepared knowing exactly what they want and need makes it much easier for us to help them. In my opinion this is the most crucial part of helping get the most out of buying things from us. Coming in with a list of items they need, their VIN number off of the vehicle, if they already have part numbers giving them to us helps, and also knowing what the part is used for. The next thing they can do is understand that our parts department is just like any retail store. We do not have every single part for every car in stock, and the parts we do have, we sell. Being upset with us because a part is out of stock or having to wait a few days for us to get one in does not make their experience any good. The third thing that customers must understand, and should come with prior knowledge of is how much things cost. We sell only genuine OEM parts and the workers do not make the prices up. OEM parts are always the best choice for a car because that is what came from the factory, and this quality comes at a cost. When customers come in and flip out over prices they aren't helping themselves out. We pride ourselves at Honda of Concord on selling top notch quality parts, along with the best service and accuracy possible. Quality parts and service come at a cost, thats just how it is.

My observations were over the course of a Saturday while I was at work. While I tried my best to keep writing everything that happened as it happened, I got busy at times and had to write some approximate times and the things that happened after I got a chance. Observation set 1 10:00- Tech Michael brings in a basket and sets it down on the table. When parts are pulled, many times we put them in a basket to help techs carry multiple parts out to their bay. 10:01- Donnie is typing away furiously like always as he bills out some parts. He seems to have anger problems and always is pounding on the keyboard. This isn't unusual, his anger is normal to have at work, in fact, without it the department wouldn't seem the same. 10:02- Service writer Larry walks in an yells," YO JOE." The service writers are actors in the discourse community of parts, their job is to sell people services for their cars that include parts when they come to the dealership. Without them we likely would not sell near as many parts. 10:02- Eric walks in to get automatic transmission fluid and says "four quarts and a washer." Eric is one of the workers in the quick lube department. Quick lube does most of the oil changes and minor repairs. 10:03- The phone starts ringing, Tim puts them on hold. 10:04- The parts director Neal says holler if we need him as he heads back to his office. 10:05- Donnie checks his numbers then lays his head down. This isn't unusual, occasionally he used to lean against the wall when his desk was in the corner and close his eyes dozing off. Nobody will say much but this would be frowned upon highly by management if it was seen, especially by a customer. Checking your numbers is going into a certain function on the computer and putting in your employee number. This displays how much money in parts you have sold so far that day, month, and year. 10:06- Tim is checking his Facebook. 10:06- Donnie gets mad as a service writer calls wanting information about something. He always seems to flip out over minor issues. 10:07- Paul brings in a basket and sets it on the counter, a normal practice by technicians when they return them. I picked it up and threw it back on the rack where we keep them. Baskets are an artifact to the department, because when we pull parts, especially orders with many small parts, we put them in the baskets and carry them out to the table where we put orders. A lot of money in parts go through the baskets. 10:07- Tim changes to msn.com. Sites such as MSN, Yahoo, Gastongazette, Facebook, and Craigslist are very common to see employees on when they have free time. 10:08- A counter customer comes in and Tim hops up to help. Not only do we have the tech counter to take care of, but we also have the retail counter which is a figured world in itself. 10:09- Donnie continues to complain about something while checking his numbers again. Everyone whines about things that goes on around parts, but Donnie doesn't just complain about work. He is always complaining about his life and personal problems

that he has brought upon himself. When he does this it basically "goes in one ear and out the other" to anyone he's talking to. 10:09- Henry Cooper comes in to get some license plate screws and stands around talking. Henry is one of the senior sales representatives who has worked at Honda for over 20 years. 10:10- Jeremy comes in talking about what's for lunch then starts talking about food. On Saturdays since the dealership is so busy, they provide us with lunch. Most of the time we either have Harrisburg Family House, Jimmy Johns, Bojangles, or Pizza of some type. Until lunch is served it is always big talk about what we are going to have and how much people hate what they give us some days. 10:12- Donnie gives out a cargo tray to Jeremy. Jeremy is one of the PDI, or pre delivery inspection, guys who inspects new cars and puts on the accessories before sending it to the lot to be sold. They work out in the main shop and are a necessity for the sales and parts departments. 10:13- Robert comes in to get a interlock recall. Recalls are a lot of the time what technicians come in to get parts for. 10:13- Daniel calls back to tell me the door was locked outside, it was not. I'm assuming that the customer tried the wrong door. 10:15- An Asian customer came in, I had trouble understanding what he want at first then I figured out that he wanted brake pads so I sold him some. Working the retail counter means dealing with a very diverse crowd of people, this can be challenging because many that come in are hard to understand or dont speak English at all. In these cases we have to try our best to understand what they are saying, occasionally we get one of the Hispanic service writers to come translate for us. You don't want to upset a customer or constantly ask them to repeat themselves so you must pay close attention to them. The retail counter is also sometimes referred to as the "cultural corner." 10:19- I heard Donnie say he's going to the bathroom. 10:20- Mark walks by with sun visors in his arms. He is moving them off some of the shelves in the back as we are re arranging and taking out that set of shelves. 10:21- Tim started singing to the song on the radio. If it weren't for the music playing on 99.7 it would be extremely quiet in there sometimes. Music in parts is definitely an artifact, people will randomly start to sing along or start talking about how much they like a song while working. 10:23- Eric came in to get some oil, I got it for him from the back. 10:24- Mark gave Eric a funnel he found in the back and said to take it to quick lube. 10:25- Yellow copies are printing off the printer to be pulled. When a service writer sells a job they do what is called SGing a part. This sends a list of parts and locations over to the parts department where it prints off on a yellow paper. This way we know we need to pull and bill these parts. 10:25- Another counter customer comes in. 10:28- The customer wanted to fill out the form to change his account to tax free cause it was a business, Tim helped him do this while I got him his parts. 10:29- I finished up with the customer, invoicing out his parts, then having him pay. 10:30-45- was all nonstop work phones ringing, techs coming in, and counter customers. I was not able to take notes on what we were doing I was so busy. It isn't uncommon for

us to get busy like that where we can't stop, there will be phones ringing off the hook, people on hold, technicians lined up waiting for us to help them, and sometimes even counter customers. Observation set 2 1:15- Donnie is with a customer at the counter trying to do a return on a part they bought. 1:15- Dylan comes in looking for paper for the oil change sticker printer. Parts also ends up being storage for many things for other departments that is why we keep the printer paper here. 1:16- Another dealership called looking for a part. When we or another dealership needs a part that same day we can run a locater and find who shows to have one in inventory. We then call the dealership and buy the part off them, then send a driver to pick it up. 1:17- My part I had picked up arrived I took it to the tech and finished the paperwork on it. I had to pick this part up because a service writer didn't thoroughly do their job ahead of time and check that we had the part on hand. 1:18- I copied the paperwork for a warranty airbag and took it to where it went. Certain parts such as airbags and hybrid car batteries have paperwork that have to go along with them. 1:19- Tim took the part I picked up from the other dealership out to Melvin, one of the technicians. He did this because I was busy handling multiple other things at once. 1:20- Tim went and started to help Donnie with the return, they were having trouble crediting back the customers money. 1:21- Mark is sitting on the computer billing out parts. 1:21- I'm pulling yellow copies and billing them, this is an all day thing. Just as soon as you think you are caught up from everything going on, another yellow copy prints off to be pulled. 1:22- Eric from express came to get some supplies. Express, also known as quick lube, comes and gets things such as brake clean, washer fluid, and brake fluid throughout the day as they need it. 1:22- I billed out the supplies on an internal ticket. We bill these parts out on the shop ticket, this is an internal ticket that the service department pays for. 1:23- Corbin came to get a light bulb for a car in express. Minor jobs such as tail lights or headlights out get sent to express to save from a technician wasting his time on a job of low importance. 1:24- Matt came in and got a oil filter. This also happens all day but goes pretty unnoticed. 1:25- Donnie is re-boxing the returned part and then taking it and putting it back in inventory. 1:26- Dylan came in to get a power steering feed hose and oil filter. There is a recall on power steering hoses on certain year and model cars so we sell a lot of them. 1:26- Jeremy brought back a set of step rails that he had to take off a new car. He wasnt too pleased that he had to take them back off just as we were annoyed to have to put them back in inventory and un-bill the parts.

1:27- Donnie started talking about how was going to see how it was outside then go to the restroom. He takes probably ten restroom breaks a day, I'm not exactly sure why. 1:28- Tim and Mark are talking about what they are going to do with some of the parts upstairs. We are rearranging many parts from upstairs outside to our new addition to the department. 1:29- Bob came in and was asking for us to check to see if we had a set of brake pads. Bob is one of the service writers. Sometimes they come back to check availability on a part before they try to sell the job to a customer. 1:30- Donnie came back in from outside and headed for the bathroom. He seems to take his time doing off task activities. 1:31- Tim is playing games on his computer. This isn't unusual to see in the afternoon or when nothing else is going on. While there is always things to be done around the department, there is this laziness that goes on where people just sit on the computer instead of looking for more work. 1:31- Mark is off pulling a part for one of the salesmen, sometimes salesmen will sell accessories that aren't on the car already to a customer as part of the deal. 1:32- Sam came in to get a power steering hose. 1:33- A lady called to ask how much a new key would cost. I have taken tons of this same exact phone call since I started working there. Most people flip out when they hear that the key is $79.95 plus another $100 dollar charge to have it programmed out in the service department. They get even more upset when they lost their only key and find out that the car has to be present in the dealership to have it programmed. Customers get mad at me, but really I could care less. Should have been more responsible. 1:34- A couple techs are in here getting parts and talking about the games. Talking about the game or a current TV series happens all the time. 1:35- I had to go pull interlock kits for Chad. Interlock kits, just like power steering feed hoses, are another current recall that are constantly being replaced on cars. 1:36- I picked up a stack of yellow copies off the printer and pulled them. It's pretty sad that I have to keep grabbing stacks at a time. This either indicates that we are short handed or nobody is helping me. 1:38- I pulled some fender liner clips for Ryan. Clips are almost always a pain to deal with. There are so many on a car and finding the exact one can end in a headache. 1:39- The parts director Neal was leaving. I enjoy working with him. He always puts in a lot of effort and doesn't go hide in his office. When we are busy he is on the front counter helping, even if he has other important things to do. 1:39- Blake got a oil filter. 1:40- O'reillys called to say the part we called for wont be here till Monday. O'reillys is typically our choice when we have to get a part aftermarket for a customer. 1:42- Donnie started complaining about how he felt like usual. He always says he has something wrong and limps around, really he just wants attention. 1:43- Tim went a got a new case of oil filters from the back and cut it open. 1:44- We all got on the topic of yoga pants cause mark read about a recall on yahoo. Current news articles and things going on in the news get talked about quite frequently also. 1:46- I had to run upstairs and get a oil pan.

1:47- Everyone is talking about food Tim is surfing the internet Observation set 3

3:20- Blake came in wanting a battery stamp. We stamp the paperwork for the technicians to show that they returned their battery, which we have to have back because there is a core charge on them. 3:21- Donnie complained because he was going to have to find one of the salesmen for a we owe. We owes are when the dealership makes a deal with a customer as part of selling a car. We owe typically can be things such as floor mats, trunk trays, or even a jacket. 3:22- Mark is helping a customer on the counter. 3:22- Tim is just staring at the floor. Sometimes staring into space when you get a free moment happens. 3:24- Jessica called back to get two tires. She instructed me to pull them and make sure a certain technician got them because she was in a hurry to finish the car. 3:25- I had to go pull the tires. Pulling tires can be quite annoying when they are at the very top of a tire rack. 3:30- I just got back from pulling the tires and making sure Jesse, a technician, got them. 3:31- Donnie is whining about people not texting back. Honestly the reason he isn't getting a reply is because he needs something. 3:32- Mark is talking about phones because he is soon getting his upgrade. 3:33- Donnie and Mark are standing around talking. It being after 3:00, typically after this time work begins to slow down and we have more free time. 3:35- Paul came in and said to take inserts off a ticket. Wiper inserts are an alternative to purchasing whole wiper blades. If you have OEM Honda blades on your car you can use inserts, if not you have to buy new blades. Technicians bring back blades isn't uncommon, in fact, I hate pulling them because they almost always get returned. 3:36- Jesse is standing filling out a parts requisition. Parts requisitions are where a tech writes what he needs and we then look the parts up, put down the part numbers, and then the prices. Requisitions could definitely be considered an artifact because they are used all day for anything from an oil filter to pricing a whole engine. 3:37- Donnie pulled a set brake pads for someone. 3:39- Mark is talking about how to play quarters. It is funny that he brought this up because I was playing last night with my friends parents. 3:40- Tim and Jessica came in, Jessica said dont yall work back here. These are the little comments that I hate people say. While some of the people can be lazy at times, we typically do stay busy. It just happens that when we are slow people walk through and thing we are just sitting around all day and make comments hinting that we don't work. 3:41- Tim showed Jessica a picture on the internet he found that looked like her. 3:42- A customer came in and Donnie went to help. 3:42- Tim's phone rang and he is helping a customer over the phone. 3:43- I went to check with Jesse and make sure he got his tires for Jessica. 3:44- Donnie talked about how he sold more antifreeze today than he has recently. 3:47- Paul and Ryan came in, Ryan asked me for the wiper inserts that had been SGed.

3:49- Tim is looking at the bracket online. Everyone recently has been talking about the bracket because sports are widely talked about. 3:50- It is slow and everyone is looking on the internet.

Interview with Corbin from quick lube Corbin is one of my friends who I have known since I was little. He works in the express department and is one of the hardest workers, in my opinion, out there. He comes to parts on a regular basis to pick up things such as supplies, air filters, batteries, and light bulbs. I thought he would be good to interview because he comes at random times throughout the day and sees what the parts department at all those different times. Me: Corbin when you come into parts what is the first thing you think? Corbin: I'm sure they're doing their own thing on the computer, but it's usually awkward cause there's three people on the computers who toss around who is going to help me instead of asking me if they can right away. Me: Do you think that parts really does nothing all day, if so why? Corbin: I wouldn't say, "nothing," however I do feel like that from what people tell me the job isn't too bad. Me: You seem to think that parts has it fairly easy, but do you ever come in there when they are completely slammed? Corbin: Yeah, it isn't uncommon for me to come in there and there be a line of people and them be busy. It may not necessarily be fairly physically demanding, like quick lube, but at times it can be quite mentally demanding. I'm sure you really can't judge anyone's job though till you walk in their shoes and do what they do.

Interview with Mark a parts specialist and ex parts manager Mark is a friend of mines dad who I really didn't know very well, just had seen around, till I started working at the dealership. He trained me the main things to get me started and then from then on I taught myself by asking questions and observing other people while at work. Mark's roles include but are not limited to, checking in the stock order, handling logistics for getting parts delivered, running the retail and technician counter, answering phones, placing stock orders, and filling in when our manager is gone. Me: What role does parts play in the dealership? Mark: We take and service all the departments in the dealership. We take care of the mechanics and their parts, the service department, we take care of all the ordering parts, sales and make sure we have accessories for the cars when they come in so when the sell they have everything on it the customers want. We take care of our body shop when there's cars up there that are wrecked we make sure we have the parts for them.

Me: Alright, why would people think that parts doesn't do anything? Mark: Cause they think that everything's just there and you're at the counter all day. They just think your there just standing around handing out parts all day, they dont see parts coming in the back and unloading trucks, and checking it in, and putting it up, and answering phones for body orders and how busy we are all day. Me: What are some of the activities and things that go on behind the scenes that make things appear to operate so smoothly, so that people would assume we dont even do anything? Mark: Just having everything coordinated like, having everything for your outside deliveries and all the runs set up for drivers to go out, shelves stocked, have everything in order so that it goes smooth. There's also having to put together stock orders, do perpetual inventory, having to fix all the problems, and just a whole bunch of other stuff

There are a ton of people who could be considered actors in the parts department. The main parts personnel are: Tim, Derek, Chris, Bryan, Tanya, Kevin, Mark, Donnie, Craig, Darrell, Neil Rusty, and Me. The service writers are: Dan, Donna, Daniel, Isaac, Patrice, Eric, Hunter, Larry, Bob, and Jessica. The technicians are: Ryan, Ryan, Shawn, Sean, Wynn, Wes, Matt, Daniel, Chad, Jeremy, Dylan, Michael, and Chuck. Just as the actors, there are tons of artifacts used in the parts department. Main artifacts are: computers, printers, pens, parts requisition sheets, oil filters, fluids, the parts themselves, baskets, the fork lift, telephones, the online parts catalog, and many other things. There is a ton of specialized language used on a daily basis in the parts department. Much of it goes unnoticed to parts personnel as we use it so often. Examples include: "RO" which means repair order, "Reynolds" which is the computer program we used to bill parts and such, bill out means to add the part numbers to the open RO, "pull" means to go get the parts out of the bin, "bin" is the shelf in the department the part is located on, "I.N." is the Honda interactive network where our online catalogues are, a "hot shot" is when a driver takes a part from the dealership straight to a location in an emergency situation. This is just some of the specialized language that is used on a daily basis in parts.