How to Destroy Customer Loyalty
(was: A Trusted Mechanic)
In my previous post in this spot, I raved about not being charged for a quick repair on my car. It was a pleasant surprise. I can count on one hand the number of times I've gone to get a car repaired and left without having to pay any money at all.
But this is exactly what happened to me at the Tucson Pep Boys on Speedway a couple of weeks ago. As far as I was concerned, they had a customer for life.
What a difference a day makes. Or more accurately, what a difference a manager makes.
I had made an appointment to get the oil changed with Mobile 1 (a synthetic oil) on Petey at the very same Pep Boys. I arrived at the appointed time and was greeted by a different service manager than had taken care of me when I brought in Petey for the original repair.
Things were going normally... name, address, phone number, license plate, etc. When he finished completing the form the manager flipped it around for me to sign. I noticed the estimate for the oil change: $95.00.
That's right, a nine, a five, and two zeros. For an oil change.
I looked up in disbelief. "Ninety five dollars? For an oil change?" I asked.
"Well, it IS synthetic oil you know. It costs $7 a quart." was the explanation offered.
Let's forget for a moment I've been getting Mobile 1 oil changes since Petey was new, and none of them cost more than $48. Let's just do some simple math. The Pep Boys sign says they do oil changes for $19.99. At $7 per quart the cost of the oil comes to $35. Even if they then still charged me the entire $19.99 they charge for a "regular" oil change it still only comes up to $55.
So the other $40 is for what, labor? It must be a lot harder to change synthetic oil than conventional oil for the boys at Pep.
I ended up buying five quarts of oil ($35) and schlepping it to Tucson Chrysler where I waited in their customer waiting room with free coffee, donuts, newspapers, magazines, and cable TV. They charged me $16 for the filter and labor.
Guess which business gets my patronage from now on?
But this is exactly what happened to me at the Tucson Pep Boys on Speedway a couple of weeks ago. As far as I was concerned, they had a customer for life.
What a difference a day makes. Or more accurately, what a difference a manager makes.
I had made an appointment to get the oil changed with Mobile 1 (a synthetic oil) on Petey at the very same Pep Boys. I arrived at the appointed time and was greeted by a different service manager than had taken care of me when I brought in Petey for the original repair.
Things were going normally... name, address, phone number, license plate, etc. When he finished completing the form the manager flipped it around for me to sign. I noticed the estimate for the oil change: $95.00.
That's right, a nine, a five, and two zeros. For an oil change.
I looked up in disbelief. "Ninety five dollars? For an oil change?" I asked.
"Well, it IS synthetic oil you know. It costs $7 a quart." was the explanation offered.
Let's forget for a moment I've been getting Mobile 1 oil changes since Petey was new, and none of them cost more than $48. Let's just do some simple math. The Pep Boys sign says they do oil changes for $19.99. At $7 per quart the cost of the oil comes to $35. Even if they then still charged me the entire $19.99 they charge for a "regular" oil change it still only comes up to $55.
So the other $40 is for what, labor? It must be a lot harder to change synthetic oil than conventional oil for the boys at Pep.
I ended up buying five quarts of oil ($35) and schlepping it to Tucson Chrysler where I waited in their customer waiting room with free coffee, donuts, newspapers, magazines, and cable TV. They charged me $16 for the filter and labor.
Guess which business gets my patronage from now on?
Labels: mobile 1, oil change, pep boys, Tucson Chrysler Jeep
posted by Robert | 2:38 PM
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