Suprise at Dobbs Tire Shop

I just completed my first Dobbs tire shop and was unaware that Dobbs stores your license plate number in their system for future reference. I was completely caught off gaurd when the associate asked me if I had brought my van in before because they had my plate number under a different name. Needless to say I was surprised. I just wanted to warn new shoppers, so if you do more than one Dobbs shop have a story ready about the plate number.

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I don't know that we have any Dobbs in my area, but storing data they are given or can observe is frequent with businesses and the better their computer system, the more easily they can retrieve it.

When you test drive a vehicle they want your driver's license, make a copy of it and you can be sure it is in their database.

When you get an oil change you can be sure your vehicle information goes into their database.

When you get a tire quote that is in writing, it will have your vehicle information and likely tag number and will be in their database to pull up in case a customer returns and decides they want the tires.

A particular bank wanted my driver's license before they would even discuss with me the personal checking accounts they offer. I watched as the gal input my drivers' license information into her computer and never shopped a branch of that bank afterwards.

Flash that is so the bank can do a soft pull credit check
that doesn't show on your report as a hard inquiry.

Then they know what products they can upsell you too.

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There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
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When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody

Thanks for the info Flash. I just wasn't expecting them to take my plate information for a tire quote. I didn't even see the man write it down when we looked at my tires.

I wasn't concerned about them pulling credit because I was only asking for information about their accounts and they had nothing at all that would authorize them to pull credit. If they want to check their inside information, that is fine. I am now in their system and subsequently have gotten lots of mailings of 'deals' to open an account with them.

My point, however, is that every inquiry is a 'lead' to turn into a potential customer and very few businesses miss the opportunity to harvest leads to target their advertising and evaluate its returns.

Does the MSP let you know this information? They should. You might ask your scheduler.

For another tire company, the MSP lets shoppers know that the client stores the name(s) you have given in the past. They tell shoppers you must use a different name for subsequent shops with that client.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

vlade,
It really depends on how tuned in the MSC client manager /liason person is to how shoppers might get IDed. For the most part those who are working with new homes, apartments, auto dealerships, assisted living and a few other industry segments, the MSC staff will know something about the client data base, or will be willinS to find out and let you know. At least, that has been my experience. For bank platform shops, I would never provide an ID. "Sorry, I left my bag in the car." I'm not giving permission for even a soft credit chack. Heck, I am seldom giving my actual name!

Almost any place that deals with cars will enter your auto information and all of their branches will have access, IF you actually buy a service or product.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I had route of Firestone shops. I was able to email the scheduler after each one and have my information removed. That was nice especially as I did four locations in one day.

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Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

Valde, no the scheduler did not let me know the information would be stored for future reference. Since I did not know they stored my licenses plate number at the first shop I was unprepared when the employee told me my car was in the database with a different name and same plate number.

Tilica,
In future you may want to ask the scheduler to find out if this will be the case with the client. Being proactive is your best defense against surprises like that.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I was getting my tire repaired at a chain I have done shops for, the manger walks up to me and asks me how do you like mystery shopping? I played dumb but apparently the company gives the manager the reports with the names of the shoppers and they store it on their computer in a folder accessable only to the manager.

So what did you say about mystery shopping?

That's really unprofessional. What if you had a common name, and they approached an actual customer with the same name. It could happen. My married name is a common one and I've met two women so far with the same name as me. One of them even works for the same company that I do.

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Plan the work. Work the plan.

Here in Florida the licence plate stays with owner when you trade the vehicle in. I don't think you can even allow your tag to stay on your vehicle even if a private sale. We sold a vehicle last year and had to remove our tag, take it in and have it cancelled. So anyway the scenario of showing up with the same vehicle, same tag but different owner name would be hard to do in Florida.

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Suprise at Dobbs Tire Shop

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