amen ozone...i have been both...i worked for gm as a tech for a few years and i have been a parts guy....the mechanics always wanted to talk to me cause i could trouble shoot and also look at a certain part and without looking in the catolog(stupid computer)bring them the part without any trouble and my co workers would complain to the boss when i would take a customer that they would be working with for more than 20 min. and have them out the door with what they wanted(20 mins ago)within 5 min. the thing is this...a customer dont want an idiot to help them...they want what they need and they want to be on their way cause in most cases "time is money" and it amazes me on how a store will let an employee go that supplies what the customers want and keep the idiots that will likely make the customers not want to come in again
oh well im just gonna go on with life and be happy but at least i know what im worth and im not the only one that feels cheated every time i go to the parts store.