Pros

Most District Managers are very respectable. Some store managers are great and work around employee schedules.

Employees get discounts.

Autozone makes money. It is a fortune 500 company that will be around tomorrow.

The computer system to look up parts is far better than the competition.

You usually get a decent raise for moving up to the next higher position.

A District Manager or Store Manager won't get mad at you for taking good care of a customer or for doing the right thing. A great Store Manager can make a huge positive impact for the good or the bad of nearly every aspect of the store.

The Autozone Rewards program is great for customers if the employees explain how it works before the first purchase.

Many good policies are in place by corporate.

It can make a good 2nd job.

Cons

The health benefits are below average. Part time/new employees get benefits immediately but you are better off buying much better insurance on your own. You have to work as full time for one full year before being eligible for the better health benefits.

You are required to test parts before returning or exchanging them. Many employees have a poor understanding of parts due to lack of training and may not warranty something like a bad starter with a faulty solenoid. They think if it tests good on the tester there is no way it is bad, even if it really is. The same thing is done with batteries. You are monitored on visible reports with testing warranty returns. You are highly monitored on what you sell with a new report coming out each week, but you aren't rewarded for your hard work besides getting a star next to your score that is above average.

Pay is comparable to a fast food. Your annual raise is usually a joke. I would say 6-24 cent raises are common with an average to great annual review. The only way to get a decent raise is to move up to a higher position. You will then again get stuck with a measly raise after a year in the higher position.

The company is suppose to pay for your uniform/shirt in my state but they don't. Everyone knows this but nobody follows it nor dares to bring it up. Many good policies are in place by corporate but these policies are rarely followed by local management. This year we were told to stop salting icy sidewalks because it wasn't in our budget. A slip in fall accident would cost more than the salt but common sense doesn't prevail. Store manager bonuses are based on profit so some Mr. Scrooge type of store managers won't pay to have things done or replaced that should be.

 When ringing someone up at the register during the holidays you have to ask them if they want to donate money. You then have to ask them if they have an Autozone Rewards card. You then have to ask them if they want the current promotional item. You are expected to ask these questions at every purchase. Customers get frustrated if they are in a hurry of if the store is busy when you ask them a question, then follow with another question and finally third question. In the non-holiday season you only have to ask two questions.

The stores have a poor/worsening appearance on the inside. The floors need to be redone in any store that isn't relatively new. You would think for being a fortune 500 company things would be nicer but they aren't.

You are expected to answer the phone by the third ring. In busy stores this is impossible unless you can interrupt the customer you are helping multiple times to answer the phone and listen fully to what the customer on the phone wants before placing them on hold. It seems that the busy stores don't have enough employees to help during busy times and that Autozone wants to have their cake and eat it too.

The loss prevention people consider you guilty until proven innocent. Don't dare drink or open something before paying for it. Autozone is hell bent on thinking their number one cause of theft is employees. If there is a loss prevention blitz and they visit your store expect to get interrogated like you just murdered the presidentand you have something to hide.

In the past Autozone had a just say yes policy where you would do whatever the customer wanted. Crooked people took advantage of this so you will get some cracked out people who took a part of a car at a junk yard and are now wanting to return it for cash although there is no warranty or receipt. Autozone is just like Wal-mart and has had to make adjustments because of return abuse. Some customers still feel like they should be able to return a 50 yr old kitchen sink for cash without a receipt.

The turnover rate is high and job morale can be absolute crap if you have a poor store manager. If I would have started at a fast food joint compared to Autozone I could probably be in a higher position making more money. If you are retired and don't care about management , reports or pay then Autozone may be a better option if you like cars.

Advice to Senior Management

Read my entire response to the downside. Realize that store managers make a night and day difference to every aspect of the store. Your visits don't reflect what things are truly like in the store. You need to make sure the employees are happy and taken care of then customer service and sales will increase. Eliminate 50 hour work weeks for store managers and commercial specialists.