Several weeks ago I picked up a nail in one of my drive tires. But since I am quite meticulous in checking the air pressure, I saw no real need to rush out and get a new one. It was only dropping a few pounds per day and I keep an air hose with me anyways. This morning when I checked, the tire was flat. Saturdays are not the best day to try to and find a 19.5 tire. The majority of trucks run a 22.5 or 24.5 tire. So, I spent the majority of the morning calling around trying to locate one. This was after I unloaded my rear car to grab the air hose and try to re inflate it. I quickly realized that was not going to happen. So, I eased down the road to a local truck shop. They didn't have the tire either, but the mechanic also got on the phone and began to call around for me trying to locate one. I was able to get someone at Peterbilt Truck Care to start looking as well. I was able to find a set 300 miles away, but had no intentions of driving that far with the flat. PTC found something comparable just 15 miles from where I was sitting so I was instructed to head that way. Within 10 minutes PTC called me back and said to wait. I was told that the shop with the tires could not mount them because they were waiting on someone else who was 100 miles away. After that person had 4 tires mounted, they would try to fit me in before they closed in 2 hours. Now, this is a first come, first serve type of situation and they were going to put me off because someone was 2 hours away and had an appointment? Well, PTC had issues with that type of service and decided we would take my business elsewhere. I headed back to the local shop and inquired about at least getting a plug that would get me down to Knoxville, where some more tires were located. After removing the flat tire, it was then determined that I was going no where. The inner wall of the tire had a huge split in it meaning a patch was pointless. Knowing that the truck stop down the road was now off limits due to the disagreement with PTC, I was getting ready to sit it out until Monday. That is when the local shop, who does not do business with the truck stop (over another disagreement) decided to head down there and grab the tires for me. I am sure he got his cut in profits from this, but it kept me from being stranded.
So what is my point? Well, I was impressed with PTC for their business ethics. Who cares if it would have cost me more time, I wasn't really in the mood to work anyways. I could have been at that truck stop in 20 minutes, but they were going to put me off because some other truck was 2 hours away.. I needed one tire changed!! I was also impressed with the local shop for all the help (paid and unpaid). I am that person who is willing to pay more for better customer service. I am glad to see that PTC believes in that too. Yeah, I still have a hard time looking at a Wal-Mart after they ruined my wheels... And I am sure they don't miss my money, but it is about the ethics!
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