Discount Tire Terrible customer service. Refusal to replace part lost after service. greenville, South Carolina

Terrible Customer Service at Discount Tire

In July 2012 I bought two tires at Discount Tire on Woodruff Rd in Greenville, SC. One of the agents told me one of the centerpieces for a tire cover broke when they removed it and that they had ordered a new one and it would be there in a couple of days. O. K. things happen. I called a few days later and they said the part was there and I could come get it. I wasnt able to get there until a couple of weeks later and they told me they couldnt find the part and they would order another one (I wonder what happened to the part that I was told was there). O. K. like I said, things happen.

While I was there I had them change out my spare (one of the 2 tires I bought in July). All was good. A couple of days later my wife calls one night and says a lady stopped me at a traffic light and said A piece came off of my tire when I crossed the railroad tracks. It was dark so I told my wife not to go back to look for it. When I looked at the car I realized it was the last tire Discount Tire had put on so I called them about replacing it.

The Manager gave me every reason why they shouldnt replace the part. He said it was old (2002 Lexus) and sometimes they break when theyre removed because theyre made out of plastic. He also said they just snap on with a piece of wire. All of that is true but the other two centerpieces are old and they havent broken when the tires where changed. This only happened when Discount Tire worked on my vehicle. The manager couldnt fathom the part not being put back on securely.

Fortunately, a centerpiece for my car had come in and I could come get it. When I went to get it there were five or six agents behind the counter. No one said anything to me. They called a young Black kid over, gave him a box, and pointed at me (Yes Im Black. Six feet tall, 225 lbs.) I dont curse and I dont yell or cause scenes. I dont know who the kid was. I do know that he wasnt the Manager that I talked to on the phone. He looked at me and started to say something but I told him not to worry about it. I got the box from him and told him I would take care of it. He asked me if I was sure and I told him it was o.k. I felt bad for him because he was being used to deal with an unhappy Black man. Not an unhappy customer, an unhappy Black man. Im reasonably sure he doesnt handle every customer that comes into the store with a complaint.

I work with the public everyday and I know how ugly people can get so I always try be respectful and reasonable when I deal with customer service workers. Yes I was disappointed about not getting the second centerpiece replaced but I could deal with that (I just wont be giving any more of my money to Discount Tire). Simple enough. But for an entire staff to ignore me and send a Black errand boy to do their dirty work was over the top. I had hoped for better but it shouldnt surprise me. I still wonder what happened to that first centerpiece that went missing? Maybe the errand boy took it.