Costco Wholesale — Attraction in Laguna Niguel

Normally I'd give my local Costco 4 stars. I was asked to review my visit 3 days ago. That would be my tire appointment, so this review is specifically about the tire department, not the whole store.

The week before this incident I stopped in to get one tire changed. They gave me a number to put on the car. I said I'd move the car closer and was told no, the service guy would find me. I was standing by the car when it started chirping like mad. It was the service guy looking for the car. I gave him a shout, and he walked over kinda upset and started to tell me how I could park closer and they wouldn't have to search. He calmed right down when I told him I had offered and was told to stay where I was. I might have heard some mumbling about counter guys. Maybe. I made an appointment to get the other three tires changed. I showed up for my appointment and they had two of the three tires I needed. They made their excuses, gave me everything but a simple apology, and told me to try the Laguna Niguel Costco. I drove over and was told it would be a 4 hour wait since I didn't have an appointment there and was considered.walk in. I understood that, they have their own customers with appointments to service first. I made another appointment, paid for the tires and was assured they would be there. So I get to drive back to LN again to get the tires I should have gotten 4 days earlier.

I question some things. Why didn't they call me and let me know instead of wasting my time and fuel? Since it's an appointment they know I'm coming in. You'd think a quick check ahead of time to make sure you have what you need need is simple enough. That's like a doctor saying he's glad you came in, but no prescription pad today. See another doctor.

The guy at the counter was very defensive even though I never raised my voice, cussed or called him bad names. Maybe working the counter and dealing with some people makes you that way. He was so busy telling me why it wasn't his fault he forgot to say sorry. It's a bad thing to forget.

Maybe it was a one off and normally they're good. I don't know. I just know they've wasted hours of my time, wasted my fuel and delayed my tire installation by days. Fortunately I'm getting ready for a road trip in January and didn't need them right away. It was $1000 worth of tires altogether, which you'd think they'd want to keep in their store. Whether it's $10 or $1000, a smile and a thank you is always in order. Customer Service 101.

I won't be going back to the Capo Beach Cosrco tire center. That won't distress them much since getting tires again is a years later thing. What should distress them is that I'm going to steer everyone I know away from them. Just 10 people that go somewhere else is $10,000 worth of business. Customer service matters. We have voices...

Firstly, I love Costco and I'll always be a Costco shopper, but I have to say - there are 2 locations about equidistant from my house, and this one is ~0.2 miles closer. So I always went to this one out of habit but I've switched to the other exclusively at this point. This is solely due to the staff on Cabot. I've encountered multiple employees who just seem annoyed to be there / to be asked for any help, by myself or others I've observed. A woman (looked like a manager potentially) was recently annoyed that I didn't know they'd closed their photo center "almost a month ago" when I asked if I could still pick up photos or had to have them delivered (I'm so sorry, I didn't use the photo center often and didn't realize - - did ANYONE use it often if it CLOSED?! Pardon the question and the interruption to your standing there silently...). There were also 2 employees talking while folding clothes recently and I waited politely to ask if they knew where an item might be (note: they were speaking a different and very common language that I also speak and their conversation was NOT work related... that's all I'll say there... and I'm assuming management doesn't understand their conversations based on content...). It seems as though the location is overstaffed generally (5-15 employees standing around talking to one another before / behind the registers everytime I've visited) and《some》 of them certainly don't appear to like having social hour interrupted by customers. Important to note there are also good ones, of course.

The main reason I don't go to this one anymore though is one of the greeters (he also works the exit once in a great while). Slicked back hair, weird crooked goatee / facial hair. He is very... strange... and makes inappropriate comments. That's all I'll say there. I have also seen him be rude with other customers and the last straw was when he was unnecessarily rude to an elderly man one day.

As a manager for 15 years myself, I can say the staff at this location needs some training, management needs to be out on the floor more, and I think that if Costco Executive Management visited this store unannounced, they would absolutely share the sentiment.

Go to Heather Ridge instead! Cleaner and better stocked as well - added bonuses!...

★CALLING ALL CAR PEOPLE★ After many people had been unaware... COSTCO offers members Self Service NITROGEN (N²) EZ Pressure (PSI) select & Connect Smart Tire pressure adjustment Machines. FYI don't attempt an air/N² replacement under I believe 25psi reading from the tire,system will not put out any N². So just to avoid looking like a... Jerk, with 1 or more flat tires, on a new quest for an air compressor lol .. It's for safety not wanting people filling flats they have been driving on that can possibly explode and everyone that is a car person/DIY maintenance, Auto enthusiast, would get as much of the atmosphereic air in their tires out, then do a full fill with N² , being expensive for Costco, because it's not from a compressor it has to be delivered, no pumps, it's true N² and I've seen it run out once after many years of use , some Costco locations have 2 parking spots with N2 machines usually close to the tire center some amongst the regular parking in the first spots of 1 row, Laguna Niguel just added 2 more for 4 total units in a 4 spot parking area on the left of the tire center.... Just an amazing service they have, some dealerships that sell N² filled tires at an additional price of $499 at Hyundai and $1200 at BMW then you go back to the dealership and they don't even have N² if you want to add pressure.... So that's how I found out about this and have used it for many years here in California, and even filling our recreational vehicles Mopeds, electric race Bikes and saved me on slow punctured E-Scooter tire while on an outing to DOLE cannery for some DOLE Whip!!! in Honolulu when I was living over in Hawaii. Hope if you didn't know, it will now bring you much joy and extra gas / E-Battery Milage in the summer and if you think rain may be coming some extra safety to grip wet roads especially if you don't have all wheel drive then easily go back up to energy saving pressure when the sun is back out ... Get the most out of those tires and very little fluctuation in pressure due to changing temperature like regular air.... Have...