Eddie
Oakland,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, May 12, 2004
during every pay period auzzy santa anna would make fun of the salespeople that had a bad month. he kept my paycheck one time until i returned to work there again(because of my friend) a couple of months later. it seems like don lee only hires pit bull type management to run his stores. auzzy was no different than al garner. they both had anger issues. auzzy yelled at my manager(friend) every day(except for the first three weeks) for about six months. he finally quit when auzzy tried to rip his mother off on a corolla purchase! the grass has definitely been greener for both myself and my friend since leaving hanlees! I am now a successful sales manager that encourages my staff instead of tormenting them. car guy's of old seem to think that intimidation still works, but they are all slowly being forced out of the business by the smarter consumers of today. everything about hanlees is true both al and auzzy will hopefully change their ways! auzzy now works at antioch toyota as a sales manager that no one there likes! they too, have a rip off report againts them. eventually, both guys will run out of dealerships to burn! as far as a loyal client following for al, mooches will drive from the bay area to sacramento to save only $50.00! get real, if you think that he's great go and buy a car from him.
Jackie
Carmicheal,#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, April 03, 2004
i was let go at the ford store and to be fair al was never mean to me and i worked with him alot at first and once he knew i could handle my job i was left alone so leave the guy alone already
Toyota
Davis,#4Consumer Comment
Thu, March 18, 2004
I wanted to respond to the back and forth regarding wrongful termination and other legal action. The truth is that this dealership has an arbitration clause that would prevent a wrongful termination suit being heard in a civil court. Therefore, there would be no public record. I hate it when people misrepresent this. There would be a complaint filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, but that is not public record that can just be pulled by the average consumer. Having worked at one of the "other" Hanlee dealerships I am willing to provide the language of this arbitration agreement on request. Please try and limit responses to things that are actually factual and not just an attempt to prove a point. I cannot say for sure whether Al sued or not. All we know is that he was "let go" and then reappeared. The rumor mill said he sued but there was no public record due to the arbitration agreement. There is no refuting the "short guy" syndrome and he has a reputation of being far more mean to women than men. He should get himself "stretched" and give all of us a break. One more thing, the whole paycheck thing takes place at other Hanlee dealerships as well. The head desk guy will read your paycheck out loud and berate you for not making enough money or grossing enough or "pounding" people enough. Paychecks are not concealed from others. This practice should stop.
Toyota
Davis,#5Consumer Comment
Thu, March 18, 2004
I wanted to respond to the back and forth regarding wrongful termination and other legal action. The truth is that this dealership has an arbitration clause that would prevent a wrongful termination suit being heard in a civil court. Therefore, there would be no public record. I hate it when people misrepresent this. There would be a complaint filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, but that is not public record that can just be pulled by the average consumer. Having worked at one of the "other" Hanlee dealerships I am willing to provide the language of this arbitration agreement on request. Please try and limit responses to things that are actually factual and not just an attempt to prove a point. I cannot say for sure whether Al sued or not. All we know is that he was "let go" and then reappeared. The rumor mill said he sued but there was no public record due to the arbitration agreement. There is no refuting the "short guy" syndrome and he has a reputation of being far more mean to women than men. He should get himself "stretched" and give all of us a break. One more thing, the whole paycheck thing takes place at other Hanlee dealerships as well. The head desk guy will read your paycheck out loud and berate you for not making enough money or grossing enough or "pounding" people enough. Paychecks are not concealed from others. This practice should stop.
Toyota
Davis,#6Consumer Comment
Thu, March 18, 2004
I wanted to respond to the back and forth regarding wrongful termination and other legal action. The truth is that this dealership has an arbitration clause that would prevent a wrongful termination suit being heard in a civil court. Therefore, there would be no public record. I hate it when people misrepresent this. There would be a complaint filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, but that is not public record that can just be pulled by the average consumer. Having worked at one of the "other" Hanlee dealerships I am willing to provide the language of this arbitration agreement on request. Please try and limit responses to things that are actually factual and not just an attempt to prove a point. I cannot say for sure whether Al sued or not. All we know is that he was "let go" and then reappeared. The rumor mill said he sued but there was no public record due to the arbitration agreement. There is no refuting the "short guy" syndrome and he has a reputation of being far more mean to women than men. He should get himself "stretched" and give all of us a break. One more thing, the whole paycheck thing takes place at other Hanlee dealerships as well. The head desk guy will read your paycheck out loud and berate you for not making enough money or grossing enough or "pounding" people enough. Paychecks are not concealed from others. This practice should stop.
Toyota
Davis,#7Consumer Comment
Thu, March 18, 2004
I wanted to respond to the back and forth regarding wrongful termination and other legal action. The truth is that this dealership has an arbitration clause that would prevent a wrongful termination suit being heard in a civil court. Therefore, there would be no public record. I hate it when people misrepresent this. There would be a complaint filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, but that is not public record that can just be pulled by the average consumer. Having worked at one of the "other" Hanlee dealerships I am willing to provide the language of this arbitration agreement on request. Please try and limit responses to things that are actually factual and not just an attempt to prove a point. I cannot say for sure whether Al sued or not. All we know is that he was "let go" and then reappeared. The rumor mill said he sued but there was no public record due to the arbitration agreement. There is no refuting the "short guy" syndrome and he has a reputation of being far more mean to women than men. He should get himself "stretched" and give all of us a break. One more thing, the whole paycheck thing takes place at other Hanlee dealerships as well. The head desk guy will read your paycheck out loud and berate you for not making enough money or grossing enough or "pounding" people enough. Paychecks are not concealed from others. This practice should stop.
Current Employee
Davis,#8UPDATE Employee
Tue, February 10, 2004
Again let's look at the facts. Apparently you are the most even tempered person having no bad days. Being in charge of a company means that you can not always be the good guy, some people can not take any criticism as constructive direction they feel this is being a bad boss. As all of us have dealt with repairman sometimes it is necessary to assert yourself or the job does not get done professionally. Also some people's perception of yelling and speaking badly is a lot different than others. It was your job to handle peoples problems, but your solution to those problems were just gives them anything they want, which is not acceptable the money must be accounted for if you give everything away how can a company stay in business. He needed to be accountable therefore he made you accountable to do your job. Upon your leaving our company you wrote a letter stating that you did not get your bonus for the last four months. The Office manager pulled all of your employment records, reports and the regional reports that your bonus was contingent on and sent you the information we based our decisions on. We ask you to contact our Office if you disagreed with any of the information sent to you and we would be more than happy to go over and make right any mistake that had been made. You did not respond to our letter which we sent certified, therefore we know you received the correspondence. Therefore are records must have been correct. Lets face facts if you had any legal standing then we would have been taken to court or the labor board. All of these reports have been emotional and not factual. Can't you people just get on with you lives and let Al Garner get on with his.
Ex-Employee
Bay Area,#9UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, February 09, 2004
Al Garner was by far the worst boss I ever had. He had mood swings it seemed. You were either his best friend or his worst enemy. On a good day he would buy you lunch, or do something nice for you. But on a bad day he would turn on you. Once he turned on you, you were pretty much in for it. He made just about every girl there cry. He was a short man, swiming like a big fish in a small pond, but he could be very intimidating. He could be very mean to his staff, or to angrey customers, or even to repairmen. I remember one time the bathroom flooded into the supply closet, and a repairman came to fix it. The repairman said he had to turn the valve off in the bathroom to fix the problem. For some reason that wasn't an acceptable answer to Al Garner, so Al ended up flipping out and swearing at the guy. The repairman left, and Al called the company to complain. Al made my job SOOO difficult to perform. He would blame me for things which his department screwed up, and insisted that I correct them, yet he wouldn't give me the authority to complete my job. He wanted me to communicate with him problems so he could fix them, yet he wouldn't do anything about problems, and then would later blame me and say I wasn't doing my job. He just didn't make any sence. Everything he said contradicted. When I first started working for him we agreed on a bonus structure. I usually met the agreement each month. For a long time he paid me. However, towards the end of my employment I met the qualifications needed to meet bonus for FOUR months, and he refused to pay me. Shortly after I figured out his intentions of NEVER repaying me [about $2500], I quit. After I quit I asked him about recieving the payment of my bonus and he acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about. As for what I've heard on this website, its all true. The good and the bad.
Ex-Employee
Bay Area,#10UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, February 09, 2004
Al Garner was by far the worst boss I ever had. He had mood swings it seemed. You were either his best friend or his worst enemy. On a good day he would buy you lunch, or do something nice for you. But on a bad day he would turn on you. Once he turned on you, you were pretty much in for it. He made just about every girl there cry. He was a short man, swiming like a big fish in a small pond, but he could be very intimidating. He could be very mean to his staff, or to angrey customers, or even to repairmen. I remember one time the bathroom flooded into the supply closet, and a repairman came to fix it. The repairman said he had to turn the valve off in the bathroom to fix the problem. For some reason that wasn't an acceptable answer to Al Garner, so Al ended up flipping out and swearing at the guy. The repairman left, and Al called the company to complain. Al made my job SOOO difficult to perform. He would blame me for things which his department screwed up, and insisted that I correct them, yet he wouldn't give me the authority to complete my job. He wanted me to communicate with him problems so he could fix them, yet he wouldn't do anything about problems, and then would later blame me and say I wasn't doing my job. He just didn't make any sence. Everything he said contradicted. When I first started working for him we agreed on a bonus structure. I usually met the agreement each month. For a long time he paid me. However, towards the end of my employment I met the qualifications needed to meet bonus for FOUR months, and he refused to pay me. Shortly after I figured out his intentions of NEVER repaying me [about $2500], I quit. After I quit I asked him about recieving the payment of my bonus and he acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about. As for what I've heard on this website, its all true. The good and the bad.
Ex-Employee
Bay Area,#11UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, February 09, 2004
Al Garner was by far the worst boss I ever had. He had mood swings it seemed. You were either his best friend or his worst enemy. On a good day he would buy you lunch, or do something nice for you. But on a bad day he would turn on you. Once he turned on you, you were pretty much in for it. He made just about every girl there cry. He was a short man, swiming like a big fish in a small pond, but he could be very intimidating. He could be very mean to his staff, or to angrey customers, or even to repairmen. I remember one time the bathroom flooded into the supply closet, and a repairman came to fix it. The repairman said he had to turn the valve off in the bathroom to fix the problem. For some reason that wasn't an acceptable answer to Al Garner, so Al ended up flipping out and swearing at the guy. The repairman left, and Al called the company to complain. Al made my job SOOO difficult to perform. He would blame me for things which his department screwed up, and insisted that I correct them, yet he wouldn't give me the authority to complete my job. He wanted me to communicate with him problems so he could fix them, yet he wouldn't do anything about problems, and then would later blame me and say I wasn't doing my job. He just didn't make any sence. Everything he said contradicted. When I first started working for him we agreed on a bonus structure. I usually met the agreement each month. For a long time he paid me. However, towards the end of my employment I met the qualifications needed to meet bonus for FOUR months, and he refused to pay me. Shortly after I figured out his intentions of NEVER repaying me [about $2500], I quit. After I quit I asked him about recieving the payment of my bonus and he acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about. As for what I've heard on this website, its all true. The good and the bad.
Ex-Employee
Bay Area,#12UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, February 09, 2004
Al Garner was by far the worst boss I ever had. He had mood swings it seemed. You were either his best friend or his worst enemy. On a good day he would buy you lunch, or do something nice for you. But on a bad day he would turn on you. Once he turned on you, you were pretty much in for it. He made just about every girl there cry. He was a short man, swiming like a big fish in a small pond, but he could be very intimidating. He could be very mean to his staff, or to angrey customers, or even to repairmen. I remember one time the bathroom flooded into the supply closet, and a repairman came to fix it. The repairman said he had to turn the valve off in the bathroom to fix the problem. For some reason that wasn't an acceptable answer to Al Garner, so Al ended up flipping out and swearing at the guy. The repairman left, and Al called the company to complain. Al made my job SOOO difficult to perform. He would blame me for things which his department screwed up, and insisted that I correct them, yet he wouldn't give me the authority to complete my job. He wanted me to communicate with him problems so he could fix them, yet he wouldn't do anything about problems, and then would later blame me and say I wasn't doing my job. He just didn't make any sence. Everything he said contradicted. When I first started working for him we agreed on a bonus structure. I usually met the agreement each month. For a long time he paid me. However, towards the end of my employment I met the qualifications needed to meet bonus for FOUR months, and he refused to pay me. Shortly after I figured out his intentions of NEVER repaying me [about $2500], I quit. After I quit I asked him about recieving the payment of my bonus and he acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about. As for what I've heard on this website, its all true. The good and the bad.
Employee
Davis,#13UPDATE Employee
Sun, February 01, 2004
If the new job is so fertile then why is it so important that you get confirmation on the old job. This type of behavior shows a lack of self-esteem and the lack of just being happy with your own life, you feel you must blame someone for your own bad choices. In the years that Al Garner has been in the automotive field he has dealt with thousands of customers. His customers not only love his no hassle way of doing business but have followed him to every dealership he has gone too. If you can read which apparently you only see what you want to see and twist it to your own warped world. I never mentioned that he had fired anyone. It is true; he has hired back people that left, because he believes that everyone needs a second chance. Some times people make wrong choices and need to correct it (hence the saying hindsight is 20/20). Being a decent employee does not sound like you would give that 110% (percent) which would entice the employer to make compensation to keep an employee. Keeping to the facts there has never been a lawsuit. If there had it would be public knowledge and on file with the courts. Maybe before you start throwing accusations you may want to get the correct facts. This goes also for the other employees not being qualified, but if they are new don't you think people can be trained and deserve the chance to learn, but I guess being a decent employee you knew everything from the beginning. As in the other rebuttals I really think you need help with the fact that life goes on and you need to get on with yours and stop trying to hurt others.
Employee
Davis,#14UPDATE Employee
Sun, February 01, 2004
If the new job is so fertile then why is it so important that you get confirmation on the old job. This type of behavior shows a lack of self-esteem and the lack of just being happy with your own life, you feel you must blame someone for your own bad choices. In the years that Al Garner has been in the automotive field he has dealt with thousands of customers. His customers not only love his no hassle way of doing business but have followed him to every dealership he has gone too. If you can read which apparently you only see what you want to see and twist it to your own warped world. I never mentioned that he had fired anyone. It is true; he has hired back people that left, because he believes that everyone needs a second chance. Some times people make wrong choices and need to correct it (hence the saying hindsight is 20/20). Being a decent employee does not sound like you would give that 110% (percent) which would entice the employer to make compensation to keep an employee. Keeping to the facts there has never been a lawsuit. If there had it would be public knowledge and on file with the courts. Maybe before you start throwing accusations you may want to get the correct facts. This goes also for the other employees not being qualified, but if they are new don't you think people can be trained and deserve the chance to learn, but I guess being a decent employee you knew everything from the beginning. As in the other rebuttals I really think you need help with the fact that life goes on and you need to get on with yours and stop trying to hurt others.
Employee
Davis,#15UPDATE Employee
Sun, February 01, 2004
If the new job is so fertile then why is it so important that you get confirmation on the old job. This type of behavior shows a lack of self-esteem and the lack of just being happy with your own life, you feel you must blame someone for your own bad choices. In the years that Al Garner has been in the automotive field he has dealt with thousands of customers. His customers not only love his no hassle way of doing business but have followed him to every dealership he has gone too. If you can read which apparently you only see what you want to see and twist it to your own warped world. I never mentioned that he had fired anyone. It is true; he has hired back people that left, because he believes that everyone needs a second chance. Some times people make wrong choices and need to correct it (hence the saying hindsight is 20/20). Being a decent employee does not sound like you would give that 110% (percent) which would entice the employer to make compensation to keep an employee. Keeping to the facts there has never been a lawsuit. If there had it would be public knowledge and on file with the courts. Maybe before you start throwing accusations you may want to get the correct facts. This goes also for the other employees not being qualified, but if they are new don't you think people can be trained and deserve the chance to learn, but I guess being a decent employee you knew everything from the beginning. As in the other rebuttals I really think you need help with the fact that life goes on and you need to get on with yours and stop trying to hurt others.
Employee
Davis,#16UPDATE Employee
Sun, February 01, 2004
If the new job is so fertile then why is it so important that you get confirmation on the old job. This type of behavior shows a lack of self-esteem and the lack of just being happy with your own life, you feel you must blame someone for your own bad choices. In the years that Al Garner has been in the automotive field he has dealt with thousands of customers. His customers not only love his no hassle way of doing business but have followed him to every dealership he has gone too. If you can read which apparently you only see what you want to see and twist it to your own warped world. I never mentioned that he had fired anyone. It is true; he has hired back people that left, because he believes that everyone needs a second chance. Some times people make wrong choices and need to correct it (hence the saying hindsight is 20/20). Being a decent employee does not sound like you would give that 110% (percent) which would entice the employer to make compensation to keep an employee. Keeping to the facts there has never been a lawsuit. If there had it would be public knowledge and on file with the courts. Maybe before you start throwing accusations you may want to get the correct facts. This goes also for the other employees not being qualified, but if they are new don't you think people can be trained and deserve the chance to learn, but I guess being a decent employee you knew everything from the beginning. As in the other rebuttals I really think you need help with the fact that life goes on and you need to get on with yours and stop trying to hurt others.
Anthony
Shingle Springs,#17UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, January 31, 2004
I am also an ex employee of Hanlees Toyota. I worked with a great group of people for nearly 3 years. I can solidly say that there is nothing wrong with the service and / or parts department other than the fact that there is only one service writer that has been there for more than 8 months. There are numerous great mechanics that work there, including some of the best in the industry. The sales department sucks, even though they sell cars they treat customer's like sh#@. I agree with the guy above that he used to make women cry- even his own assistant used to be in tears on a daily basis from what I heard. He even humiliated her in front of every employee and their spouses, families at the company Xmas party. What a manager! Al Garner has such a bad reputation that even some of the people that I work with now that worked with him at other locations wished they had kicked the sh@# out of him when they had the chance. His name is synonymous with bad business practices and I can also vouch for that holding paychecks thing. Don't be fooled by his rebuttal stating there may have been "mistakes that needed to be corrected-" what a joke. He would just outright keep them from people to be mean. I don't know about him firing people who questioned him but I certainly wouldn't doubt it- he tried to fire me several times, once about a predicament that one of his employees created but he asked me personally to take care of. Oh, well, I don't work there anymore, but I still buy my parts and get my car serviced there. The shop foreman is by and far one of the smartest and most precise people I have ever met, and his good example isn't aptly compensated. Fortunately for the people who's vehicles get serviced there, he and the other mechanics make the vehicle repair department different from everything else in that dealership.
Billy
Woodland,#18Author of original report
Fri, January 30, 2004
I am an ex-employee of Hanlees Chevrolet Toyota. This means I worked with.. but as far away as I could possibly get from.. Al Garner for several years. I now have a much better job and realize that the grass was not only greener, but much more fertile. Al Garner was the most pigheaded and futile person in a position of management that I have ever worked with. Speaking of inadequacies..., oh, well, let's just talk about the work experience. Imagine having to explain to customers whom he had made cry that they should still bring their business to you because not everyone that worked there was like that, just the people who had the ultimate decision making authority. Believe me, it got old. It's funny that the rebuttal (which, by the way, sounds like either a relative or he himself) mentions the fact that he rehires people who have been fired or that have quit previously. First of all, would a levelheaded person rehire someone he had fired in the past? Would a levelheaded employer let someone who was a decent employee quit to go somewhere better, and not offer better compensation before they left to save everyone the hassle? Gee, it comes to mind also that Al himself is only employed there because the owner fired him and then lost a wrongful termination suit. The result of that suit was a contract that, by law, required that Hanlees hire him back for a period of five years. Yes, Al Garner is truly in need of mental assistance, but I guess so are the employees who, as the author of the rebuttal states, come back to work for Al after they find out "the grass is not greener after all." Finally, if you are considering Hanlees for your next parts, service, sales or financing needs, look elsewhere; the turnover is so outrageous (even the good employees get axed) that half the people who work there have little to no training, experience, or background period. You will likely be disappointed.
Employee
Davis,#19UPDATE Employee
Sat, January 17, 2004
If everything in that report is true, then you are admitting to be in possession of stolen property and committing a felony, further more if your story is true then you should be open and not sneak around. If you know that you are in the right you should not need anyone else to confirm your thoughts or feelings. In fact if the dealership did give you this idea what kind of ethics do they have (shows they are underhanded and manipulative). I would not want to work for this type of employer. I would like to bring another item to the readers attention, Al Garner has given many employees the opportunity to come back after quitting and finding that the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. It is my feeling as a current employee that its not Al Garner that needs anger management classes but yourself on how to deal with failure and how to take responsibility for your own inadequacies. Maybe you should do the right thing and stop this harassment and get on with life. If this story is your true feelings then just let it go and be happy that you are in a place that you can be happy.