It is with great remorse that I must say that after almost 3 years of working for Saturn, I resigned yesterday. I am very heartbroken over the decision but I felt that I had no choice.
I have been working for a major dealership in South FL until last month. I had a great relationship with my customers and service was always sure to take good care of everyone, including my family, who are almost all Saturn owners.
Due to the Hurricanes, my family decided to move from WPB, FL to a small town in South Carolina. The only Saturn facility w/in 200 miles is in a town called Florence. Florence is the armpit of the south. Now mind you, I am a true southerner, and it breaks my heart to discover the southern stereotypes alive and thriving like a fungus in SC, especially in 2006.
What I experienced is beyond words, and in 1 month, I encountered more than I can say in one post. Managers behaving inappropriately in front of customers, untrained sales staff, filthy conditions, filthy and broken new and used, yes new cars on the lot and a general lackadaisical attitude of the whole thing. And the people of this town, most are dirt poor or credit criminals (refuse to pay their bills), ergo, I couldn't even sell them a car if I wanted to.
The last straw was the weekly stabbings. You heard me right. Saturday, there was blood all over the sinks, customer bathroom, customer sink where the free coffee and doughnuts are, the floor, etc. I seemed to be the only one to notice it. When I inquired about who is bleeding so profusely, I was given a "mind yer own dang bizness look" and told that it was a regular occurrence as one of the mechanics girlfriends comes onto the premises and stabs him or beats him bloody at least once a week. Iwas told that the Mgr. knows about this! I was told this with the nonchalance as if they were telling me the time of day - THIS IS NORMAL TO THESE PPL!?!? Violence is an acceptable way of life in the deep south in certain (poor) circles unfortunately. Needless to say, I freaked out and went home.
Monday, they had a scheduled group trip to Columbia after hours which would return at lip that night. My family pleaded with me not to ride alone with these people, alone at night through the cornfields 200 miles from home.
I decided then and there, to quit. I have been losing money since I started there so nothing lost. These will most likely be the last Saturn's my family will own, unless we buy used ones. If you look up my last post on Service Cleanliness, you'll understand. These ppl simply don't hold the same values in treating their customers as I do.
Well, sorry for the long post. I am broken-hearted about this decision, but I feel it was a safer decision than staying. I'll be here in this board. For now, its onward and upward, I hope to stay with GM and will be looking at my opportunities elsewhere.
with much sadness in my heart, marx404