I understand your frustration !  I would be ranting too.  I've had some really upsetting experiences in town too, but I've also received wonderful service at many stores!  I've also come home from Bakersfield just livid with the service I've received down there...  Sears in particular!  Please don't write off the whole town :) I guess trial and error will show you which stores are worth returning too. I have found the people at the scrapbook store to be over the top helpful!  I've never had any problem with service or food at McDonalds. I absolutely love to go in Nonie's gift shop !

I will say this though:

** Jiffy Lube forgot to put my oil cap back on once! They never admitted they were wrong, and kept asking me if I had taken it off. No refund. But they did drive to Bakersfield and pick up a new one from Toyota at their expense.

**  Movie Gallery will not be missed in our house. They sold me a prepaid card so all movies would be $2.20 (approx) but all we rent is kids movies which are $.99.  Wow... big savings there!  And now I have to contact their corporate office to get the remaining value on my card.

** Village Grill. I worked there for 2 years (1998-2000). If they still operate in the same way, a "B" rating was generous. I hope things have changed there, and I don't want to be accused of slander, but when I worked there the cook left chicken out to thaw and forgot it overnight. They still served it. Waitresses don't have anywhere to wash their hands and we were trained to grab a handful of lettuce when making salads... after picking up dirty dishes, handling cash, etc.  Yum!

From reading that I don't think I will be hitting the village grill anytime soon. Thanks for the info. Surely things could have changed but why take the risk?

I have had a few bad experiences shopping here. It seems almost everytime I shop at KMart I have to get a refund from customer service because they overcharged me by scanning single items more than once or the advertised price doesn;t register. I'd seriouslly recommend checking your receipt before you get  too far away.

I think it'd be a good idea for someone to start a blog purely for customer service experiences like these ones. It'd be interesting to know what experiences other people have had and where. I'm sure before long we'd notice some trends,

 

"Oh here is the complainer" is exactly what the nurse in the emergency room said when my friend Edith Rodriguez died on the floor of MLK hospital. 

Yes, K-Mart is very good at scanning wrong prices...both ways. My neighbor and I went there to buy a printer. It rang up at $4.35! The clerk just kept ringing the order up, she didn't care. And I've noticed if I need a refund after using my debit card, it never seems to show up on my bank statement. You really do have to watch them. I worked for a K-Mart back in the 80's, they've really gone downhill.

The service at Kelcy's is wonderful, the service at Kelly's sucks. Johnston's printing has fabulous customer service. So does Books n Crannies.

For the most part, I have no major complaints about Tehachapi. My husband, a contractor  always tries to give his business to the smaller stores in town, but has better luck with Home Depot, and even then he complains.

I don't mind driving down to "the city" of Palmdale to shop - they have great shopping malls and the big box stores. I'd prefer they stay down there.   :)

I know Walmart is inevitable, sigh.

Smokey, that's a great idea! Why don't you start the blog? I'm sure the TN would also publish it in their print edition which reaches over 11,000 people, Many more than just the few of us here. I was also thinking of such a thing and would like to see both the POSITIVE as well as the NEGATIVE experience so we could all share.

As far as Village Grill is concerned, I quite agree. Went there only once and will not return. There are too many good alternatives...and more coming. I ordered a Prime Rib and received a thin piece of flat meat they called something else. When I told the waitress that I ordered Prime Rib, she replied that this was all they had. (Like take it, or leave it.) No apologies and no comp. Bye-Bye from me!

On the other hand, I have been to Jiffy Lube several times and received nothing but superior and friendly service. I went recently for a Lube job and had a coupon for a $19.00 tire rotation. They did all the work and then called me over and said my tire treads measured the same on all four and I did not really need the change unless I wanted it. Saved me $19.00 they could have just charged me for.

I say, go for it and let's all benefit from sharing. What say you?

Jim Richards

Joty why do you drive to LA county to shop, why don't you drive to Bakersfield and keep your tax dollars in Kern county where it is much needed. And to the whiner jimr what did you expected from a greasy spoon dive, Prime rib is not a piece of meat anyone with any common sense would order in a dive like that. And yes K-mart sucks. Any store with twenty check out counters and only a couple open at a time sucks.

Welcome back........"gube"!

I have to say that to imply that Tehachapi is the only place in the state where rudeness and bad service exist is a little simplistic. I've been to plenty of places on any number of towns where the service was bad. I've also been to places where I was treated so well that I feel like family every time I go back.

It's not the town, it's the shop owner and management that make or break a business. As consumers we get to vote with our wallets every single day, so make sure your vote counts.

Here's one for the record --- took screens into Pioneer to be re-screened.  Said it would be a couple days.  Went back in a week - that's seven days - was told it took 10 days.  OK, no worries.  Went back after another week - still were not ready and that dumb Don took out his calendar and tried to figure that in two weeks time, 10 working days had not yet passed ---- because Halloween (of 2006) was in there --- but even including 10/31,  more than 10 business days had passed.  I laughed out loud because, honestly, is Halloween a holiday?  He told me that next time I should take my screens elsewhere.  I said, "Like you have to tell me that."  What a bozo.

And the idiot working K-Mart's return desk.  One time I was getting such a load of nonsense, I finally asked to speak with the manager.  He says, "I am the manager."  This response kills me.  I say "Get me the person you report to."  Just think about that for awhile - he's the manager?  Good grief. 

He calls over some other dumb dumb.  I get my exchange ..... that's right, not even a return, just an exchange .... dumb dumb carefully explains to me that the idiot gets a lot of returns so I should forgive him.  Honest.  Forgive him.  No need to tell you all the things that went through me mind.  Like - isn't that his job?  But - I was good and just took my exchanged goods and went home.

Sometimes it is exhausting.  But, ya know, when I get good service I give praise and if appropriate a nice 20%+ tip. 

There are alot of businesses here in Tehachapi I either avoid or try not to go there unless I have no choice. Home Depot I will not go into unless I know exactly what I want because their customer service stinks!! I must of circled that store 100 times and met 50 employee's who just pointed and said look over there before I actually found what I needed.

Now if you are looking to buy a new or used car the best place to go is Empire Suzuki in Bakersfield. We bought a car there two weeks ago and it was the best experience we have ever had with purchasing a car. There was NO pressure to buy, they were fair, and worked hard at getting the payments we wanted.

Weebles - you are correct.  Rudeness and poor customer service presents itself when the manager doesn't know any better. 

Eek - you are correct.  Rudeness and poor customer service are everywhere.  Is it a sign of the times? 

eek - it is a sign of the times.  The generation raised today can barely say 'thank you' and 'you're welcome' so customer service is bound to be scarce.  Parents haven't taught their children respect.

And, yes, welcome back Gube.  Was your personal attack on jimr really necessary???

Gube - I don't drive to Bakersfield for one simple reason. I hate that city.

Kern County gets plenty of my tax dollars.

I stay away from Kmart as much as I can.  I think Kmart in Tehachapi is THE worst store I've ever been to.  When I do go, I expect to have a bad experience simply because that's what it will be every time.  You have a hard time finding a price on anything there.  The clerks who wander around the store are doing just that, wandering.  I have never been asked if I need help finding something.  Then the dreaded cashier ordeal you have to go through.  The cashiers are always in their own little world.  It's like Jeez would you like help running that over the scanner.  They work in slow motion. 

True story, I was there a couple of days before Halloween.  The man in front of me was buying all kinds of decorations.  The lady asks him "are you having a party", he responds "yes I am".  She ask him where he lived, he said Bear Valley.  She then said "oh, cause I was gonna go by and check out your party".  CREEEEEPY!!!! 

Compared to KMART, anything in town would be a breath of fresh air.  I'd even gamble on the Prime Rib at Village Grill.

Joty are you from southern ca. the reason i ask is that it seams like everyone from so ca likes to shop in the lancaster area not bakersfield.