Back in a Jiffy

So I know you are all just dying to know what went down at the Jiffy Lube right? I know that was the first thing T asked. Well I don't usually go there because it's out of the way from where I currently am living but I have been there plenty in the past and I must say that this experience really paled by comparison to the Jiffy Lube in Happy Valley Utah.

Let me just say that for a mother of 5 who drives a mini van the most gratifying aspect of an oil change is the vacuum job. In past years I have also been offered a choice of scents that they spray in your car. I usually went for cherry. Not here! I kept wondering to myself if I should have shown someone how to pull the middle seats forward to access the back. No, I thought to myself. These good folks are professionals. They certainly know how to get into the back.

And why is it that they're always pushing the expensive filters at the Jiffy Lube? The techniques for sales-pushing are new. The guy calls out the type of car you drive "Dark Grey Honda Odyssy?" ....Yes, that would be me. So I stop reading and step up to the connecting door to the garage to hear the official 5 minute decision on what my car needs. Only this time he has me at "Dark Grey" by showing me a computer screen with Honda's official recommendations for my vehicle at certain milage points in the car's life. Hmm... I'm thinking how do I argue with this logic? The bar graph doesn't lie does it? But did someone make this program up on their Mac at home I am wondering? Sigh- I know the filter could be obtained for cheaper if I only knew how to install it myself but I go ahead and fork out the 45.00 extra and take my seat.

Meanwhile another customer needs to be man handled about replacing her faulty windshield wipers. This savvy lady doesn't even leave her seat when he calls out her vehicle though. He can just tell her from where she sits thankyouverymuch! She has obviously been here a few times. She looks at him over her glasses square in the eye and says "how much that gonna cost?" He tells her and she denies him flat out. Doesn't even give the bar graph a look-see. Tells him she can get one elsewhere and install it herself. She looks over at me and I give her a look of approval and admiration. Then for emphasis I point to my temple and tell her she is a smart cookie. She then tells me how much she has had to pay to fix her car after a grandson took it 4 wheeling. I think she drove a Buick. Not good.

Next- and this is the best for last. I overhear the lady at the front desk run through her canned routine of services rendered. She hardly takes a breath or makes any eye contact and understanding her takes focus. Then she actually tells the customer that they've "installed a reminder sticker for the next oil change in the upper left hand corner of his windshield." Oh My Gosh! She just said "installed." Did that cost extra? How hard is a plastic sticker to install? How much to write on it with a sharpie? Was there a labor fee involved because I can certainly handle sticker placement my own self!

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to ask these questions because she didn't relay that same installation message to me. What is she a mind reader? Sticker installation must be only for the special customers. The ones who also get the back seats vacuumed. That's right- they didn't do it. No air freshener, no complete vacuuming. But they were ultra polite. Three people told me to have a good day. Two were standing next to each other at the time. They must have been listening in their how-to-treat-the-customers lecture that morning. The first one said to the second. "Does your "good day" need to be said because mine doesn't hold any meaning to her?" "Yes" was his reply. I settled the issue by saying "I'll be sure and have a doubly good day!" And I did.

But I will tell you something that didn't exactly make my day was when two days later during my dinner prep time.*Never a good time to call me btw.* The poor woman just doing her job on the other end wants me to rate the service at Jiffy Lube for her using the words "satisfactory, above average, superior", etc. Only I cannot remember the words she'd like me to use and I keep using the wrong ones. After 2 questions I tell her that I find the timing of this call unsatisfactory. Rude right? Sorry. All I really should have told her is that if they would vacuum the back then I'd be back next time, but they had their chance.