Meineke of Ohio Chris Early (owner ) DISHONEST AND FRAUDULENT TO CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES Columbus Ohio

Since I've already wrongly received credit for the preceding report, I just wanted to share my experience.  I'm a former manager as well who was fired recently.  I can only hope my experiences can help other potential employees and customers to fully understand the type of people they're dealing with.

I was hired four months ago as a Store Manager.  I responded to an ad on Craigslist.org for the position and have regretted that decision.  I had one interview and was offered the position.  I was excited and hopeful to what the future might hold. I started as a traveling manager who would run a store for existing managers on their days off.  I had barely any training and was basically thrown to the wolves.  There was barely any training and what training was given was a quick briefing on passwords, vendors, etc...  There was no training on the expectations, pricing or policies to make a successful Store Manager.

The lack of training aside, I was given a store to run on my own after two or three weeks.  In my four months of employment I was witness to three Managers being fired.  Out of a total of five stores that makes for a pretty high turn around rate.  As soon as I got my bearing in my new store, around two weeks, things quickly changed for the worse.  Every decision made at the store level was quickly over ruled and changed by upper management.  They would also tell the Techs and Assistant Manager one thing, and then tell me another.  This creates an air of confusion and completely destroys the chain of command.  Therefore, it is a receipe for failure.  I was told it was my store to run, but never given the chance since upper management would undermine everything that I was trying to achieve and change.  Customers were expected to be treated as "marks" and we were expected to lie to them and get as much money out of them as possible.  Now, I understand a business is expected to make money.  But, Meineke fosters an atmosphere where it is encouraged to rip off the customer and bury the complaints. 

Let me now introduce you to a concept known as 'Cost of Goods'.  Basically, Cost of Goods is the total cost of parts on a total sale.  These stores require a 20% total cost of goods and this percentage is one part of the Manager's pay.  If a customer comes in and needs a front brake job, then this is roughly how it works out.  Brake pads: $99.99 + front rotors: 2x $69.99 + one hour labor: $105.00 = $344.97 (+ shop supplies and tax).  Those brake pads cost the company ~$18.95 and the rotors cost ~$18.55 each.  That brings your total parts cost to approxametly $56.05 and a Cost of Goods percentage of ~16.25%.  Anything under 20% is encouraged and expected on every transaction.  Almost every single part sold is marked up by 300%.  That is why it costs almost $900 to replace an alternator and battery at Meineke while the dealership only charges $450.  The "business model" Meineke runs takes advantage of every customer, and employee, which comes through the door.  

Store Managers are required to follow this pricing scheme since their pay is based in part on Cost of Goods.  They are required to follow this model then if the customer complains enough, and they've spent enough in the past, then a small refund may be issued.  Assuming the District Manager can be bothered to return your call.  After the Store Manager follows the pricing plan dictated by the company the Manager is then fired for appearances.

Ever since I was fired from Meineke the Owner and District Manager's true ethics showed.  After my termination my paycheck was shorted by over $350.  When I asked what happened to my pay I was told I was paid Minimum Wage because the owner couldn't pay me any less.  They just changed my pay rate and expected me to just accept the shortage.  I was told I need to recover another employee’s uniforms, since I was terminated this was not my place as I was not a representative of the company anymore, in order to receive the proper wage owed.  I made one phone call, which they could have placed, and had the uniforms returned.  I have been promised the wages owed, but as of today I still have not received proper payment.  

I filed for unemployment since I was terminated without any just cause.  Meineke is appealing my claim just as many companies do these days.  But, they have simply lied and fraudulently provided incorrect information to the State regarding my claim.  I hope to have this resolved as soon as possible.

This is just my experience while working for Early Enterprises and I hope it can influence future employees and customers.  Obviously not everyone will believe me or listen to me.  I'm sure some "concerned customer" that may, or may not, be on Chris Early's payroll will post a reply.  All I know is what happened while I was there.  Any customer doing business with Meineke is paying twice what they should and any employee...well, history repeats itself.  Ask as many questions as possible and get everything in writing so this doesn't happen to you. Or, when it does you'll have some legal recourse.

Your report doesn't seem to hold any water with your accusations of a fraudulent business being ran.  From what I've read, all I can gather is this owner is just being a smart business man:

1.  Any person who has money invested into a business has every right and reason to have cameras and microphones installed, and recorded phone conversations.  The only place in a repair facility this would be an illegal violation of privacy would be in the restrooms or changing rooms.  Any successful business person should want to know what's going on in their facility at all times, and has every right to know.  This is their money they have insvested in these companies.  I would want to know if my employees are stealing from me or planning on stealing from me.  

I would want to know how my employees interact with the customers who my the wages of my employees and myself.  I would want to know who the hell broke into my facility and stole from me.  Cameras and microphones aid in finding the culprit.  I can guarantee you at least 75% of the establishments you walk into have live cameras.  Did you know Walmart parking lots are filled with cameras?  You can't even make it into the store without being recorded.  Visible camera's help to lower insurance rates AS WELL AS CRIME RATES...it's a known fact.

2.  If a manager is being fired within three months, that means they were hired on as a manager.  If they were hired on as a manager, that means they probably made certain promises with their resume and and job interview.  If they couldn't follow through with these promises, or couldn't prove themselves to do the job they promised, any smart business owner will have that newly hired person gone before the end of their 90 day probationary period.  

This person who pays your wages probaby pays about $1.15 for every $1.00 they pay you, when you take into consideration FUTA/SUTA/Worker's Comp, etc...this doesn't include the extra money paid by the wage-payer if you have child support payments taken directly from your paycheck.  If this business owner is not making a profit after they pay all employees wages, utlities, shop tools, parts costs, insurance, etc, then why keep employeeing that manager?  Why keep paying a tech who doesn't have the knowledge or proficiency to make the business owner a profit?  Why should a business owner lose money and take food off of their table in an effort to keep food on YOUR table?

3.  I don't get the impression that you work for free.  I doubt this business owner ever advertised to run a non-profit organization.  Most people cannot afford to work for free.  We have ourselves and a family to support.  We want reliable sources of transporation, a good solid comfortable home for us and our families to live in, niceties for our family members to own.  We have our own opinions of what we decide to be comfortable living for our families.  Some of us are comfortable and contevt with where we are at when it comes to the things we own in our home lives.  

Some of us settle for lesser than we would probably like, because we have made decisions in our lives which prohibit or inhibit us from being able to afford to front an investment of 10's of 1000's of dollars which me might exponentially profit off of.  Some of us have fronted that 10's of 1000's of dollars up front in hopes of being rewarded with a successful and profitable business so we can afford to provide our family members with what we think they deserve.

As far as any hourly employee being unable to take their lunchbreak, that is against labor laws...if indeed, the employee is paid an hourly wage (not to include flat rate or commission).  However, if a person is being paid flat rate or commission, and they insisted on taking a full lunchbreak everyday, right in the middle of lunch at our busiest time, I probably wouldn't want them employed, either.  Theyre not being starved... snack throughout the day, drink plenty of water, take breaks when it's feasible.  Other's are using the times alloted for their lunchbreaks to go to your facility and spend money...pay your wages.  Any smart business owner is not going to want for any of their employees to take time off during the day during the busiest time when customers are paying money.  

I know this might sound a little bit off the wall, but terrorists dont take breaks, so why would those fighting terrorism take a break during a terrorist attack?  Heart attack vicitims, criminals, and forest fires don't take breaks, so why would those employed in saving heart attack vicitims, fighting crime, and fighting forest fires take a break during such an event?  I have a really hard time believing pay is docked for taking a full lunch break, but I don't have a doubt in my mind that an employee insisting on taking a full lunch break during everyone elses prime lunch break would be kept on staff.