2/5 Tom B. 11 months ago on Google
For
those
of
us
that
grew
up
with
Les
Schwab
through
the
1960s,
70s,
80s….The
“Wow!”
Factor
is
gone.
Do
you
remember
the
spotless
squeaky
clean
facilities,
free
beef
in
February,
the
folksy
radio
and
tv
ads
featuring
Les
Schwab
himself,
the
“can
do”
attitude,
the
American
pride?
That’s
all
gone.
It
started
to
decline
with
Mr.
Schwab’s
passing
in
2008
and
is
now
total
history
with
the
Meritage
acquisition.
Mr.
Les
Schwab’s
excellent
book,
“Pride
in
Performance-Keep
it
Going”
could
now
also
be
considered
a
history
book—his
tenants
and
principles
no
longer
exist,
it’s
a
different
company.
I’ve
read
that
book
many
times,
my
copy
is
worn.
The
book
is
old.
My
guess
is
most
current
LS
employees
are
probably
unaware
of
this
publication
and
it’s
significance.
You
can
hear
Les
Schwab’s
voice
when
you
read
it…it’s
written
like
he
talked,
to
the
point
and
no
BS.
The
book
has
had
an
impact
on
my
career.
Mr.
Schwab
was
all
about
doing
the
right
thing.
It’s
not
a
huge
surprise
what
has
happened,
the
world
is
changing.
It’s
a
different
situation
and
company
today.
Online
competition
and
off-shore
sourcing/ownership
have
driving
margins
so
low
that
in
some
cases
not
as
much
is
left
to
fund
good
customer
service.
I
get
it,
we
own
a
diversified
farm
and
also
a
sales
business.
We
see
the
pressure.
But
there
is
no
cost
for
good
old
fashioned
common
courtesy
and
that
is
my
issue
with
the
worsening
attitude
and
arrogance
many,
including
myself,
experience
with
the
Milton
Freewater,
Oregon
Les
Schwab
store.
Full
disclosure:
I
quit
doing
business
with
Les
Schwab
on
a
large
scale
two
years
ago.
The
last
5
or
6
sets
of
tires
we
purchased
came
from
another
local
tire
vendor
and
the
experience
has
been
very
good.
We
buy
a
good
deal
of
tires
for
our
personal,
farm
and
business
vehicles
and
equipment.
However
I
decided
to
try
Les
Schwab
for
$3000
worth
of
Toyo
tires
and
$1000
worth
of
shocks
for
an
older
motorhome.
Here’s
how
it
went:
The
tires
are
great.
I
love
Toyo
tires.
However
Les
Schwab
did
not
install
the
shocks
they
ordered
for
me,
I
found
all
four
shocks
piled
in
the
front
seat—and
they
still
expected
me
to
purchase
the
uninstalled
shocks
even
though
they
couldn’t
install
them
The
excuse
was
something
about
not
having
the
right
tools
but
I
doubt
that.
I
told
the
LS
representative,
Brandon,
I
didn’t
want
the
shocks
if
they
aren’t
installed.
I
was
given
the
option
of
purchasing
the
four
shocks
for
$192
each
(Same
brand
and
part
number
$68
each
at
NAPA)
to
take
somewhere
else
for
installation,
or
paying
$100
to
ship
the
shocks
back
to
Les
Schwab’s
supplier.
Once
again,
I
told
them
I
didn’t
want
the
shocks
if
they
are
not
installed,
but
I’ll
pay
the
$100
to
return
them
and
they
will
never
see
me
do
business
at
their
store
again.
Brandon
simply
said,
“I’m
sorry
you
feel
that
way,”
then
added
the
$100
to
my
tire
invoice,
I
paid
my
bill
and
walked
out
the
door,
drove
off
in
my
motorhome
and
will
never
return
again.
To
add
insult
to
injury
when
picking
up
the
motorhome
I
was
told
the
right
rear
brake
pads
and
rotor
were
“metal
to
metal.”
This
is
after
I
picked
the
motorhome
up.
The
old
Les
Schwab
would
have
called
me
upon
this
discovery
and
offered
to
replace
the
brake
pads
while
it
was
apart.
That
care
and
attention
to
detail
is
also
gone
at
the
contemporary
company.
Fortunately
there
are
some
very
good
options
on
the
area
for
tire
dealers
and,
after
this
latest
Les
Schwab
Milton
Freewater
experience
I
immediately
went
to
another
local
tire
store
for
a
set
of
six
tires
on
my
Ford
Transit
van.
No
issues,
total
satisfaction.
So
I
then
took
my
daughter’s
Subaru
in
for
a
full
set.
A
satisfied,
cared
for
customer
always
returns.
Mr.
Schwab
knew
that.
Read
his
book,
LS
Milton
Freewater.