Sometimes it’s the company and sometimes it’s the location. My son works for Valvoline Instant Oil Change. He learned car work with me growing up. He says that they are honest at his location and don’t try to rip people off. My neighbors, who use the location my son works at, agree that they are treated well at his shop. But I know other Valvoline shops that are always trying to upsell and make more money with little regard for what is truly needed.
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You state a good reason why it’s tough to find a good shop; probably the most important factor is the ownership or management of the particular shop you’re evaluating. Since most of us don’t know those folks, you have to rely on your experience or the experience of others with that shop.
And, although this is probably considered heresy on this site, I would say there are some good Jiffy Lubes. In spite of the Jiffy Lube business strategy (which seems to emphasize cheap and fast), there are local managers that try to incorporate some measure of quality and try to train up their employees. I just won’t be trying to find them myself!
Thank you, Captain Obvious. I’m asking about the difference between few regulations and many regulations.
;-]
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Reminds me of the old joke. A man told his drinking buddy that his doctor informed him he had to quit drinking. The buddy asked him what he was going to do. First thing I’m going to do is find a new doctor.
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It’s the PEOPLE there . . not the name on the sign.
whether it be automotive, grocery store, restaurant, . .whatever.
That national chain name does not guarantee a universal experience.
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It has been my observation that the public overwhelmingly feels that chains of all types are more appealing than independent locally owned businesses of all types @ken_green. And chains have seized on the public’s favorable impression to draw customers from local independent businesses. But while the business model for Jiffy-Lube, Midas, etc., draws in a significant segment of a community’s business they draw investor/owners who are highly motivated entrepreneurs with great and often unrealistic expectations of $uccess but clueless of the work done in the business. Many of the owners consider their employees dime a dozen grease monkeys. And often the minimum wage pay only brings in desperately poor unqualified flunkies. So how can anyone be surprised at the results?
I’m proud to consider myself in the minority. I always try to buy local whenever possible to support the local economy.
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For most, service from a local independent shop is a much better financial alternative compared to the chains. Somehow the independent crooks get found out quickly and fall by the wayside.
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Just my two cents but if it is not a “company” owned shop, it is a franchise paid for and staffed by local folks. I guess the difference is the general business plan, franchise fees, and the profit margin that would allow hiring more experienced people.
I think part of it is if we are on the road looking for food, we will choose a chain, culvers applebees or whatever because we feel safe comfortable and secure in food and service quality, Not the same feeling if you see a sign for eats. I apply that to the chain stores, a local may be great, or bad, but name brand recognition is an attractive feature in many circumstances.
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In car repair, the local independent shops can do well. Personal service and relationships they can provide is a big advantage.
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It’s the old Coulombs that are the problem, not the volts.
It’s certainly not, but places like Jiffy Lube are almost guaranteed to do it. When you’re the manager of a $20 oil change shop that’s expected to turn an average of $60+ per car or you get fired, you either let yourself get fired and deal with the resume fallout and unemployment, or your order your employees to sell stuff that isn’t needed to make up the difference.
Maybe, maybe not. Many franchise stores of all kinds are owned by an owner that owns multiple franchise stores in multiple states, or throughout an entire region. Often they’re not directly involved in the daily operations of the stores. Often they don’t even live in the same state as the shop. It costs an enormous sum to buy a franchise, and before being considered by a major franchise a potential franchisee has to prove financial means and capability to be a successful franchisee as well as “front” the site selection analysis and design work, and the cost is generally well beyond the means of most individuals.
I watched a Jiffy Lube worker leaning against the wall down in the pit with a grease gun in his hands, calling out the numbers for each lube fitting, and never lifting or using the grease gun. I crouched down to watch him when he noticed me watching he darn near dropped the grease gun. I asked the manager about it, and he replied that the guy in the pit was new and probably didn’t know any better and he would look into it for me satisfaction I believe not, not even a discount, so I said I would pay for the oil change and filter but that was all I was going to pay for. He didn’t even blink guess he was glad I was leaving… never went back
That is THEE typical spin of any company that’s trying to swindle their customers. It’s ALWAYS the workers fault.
99.9999999% of the time it’s MANAGEMENTS fault. They are the ones who should properly train their employees. They are the ones who should oversee their work. They are the ones who need to take responsibility.
A GOOD manager will NOT make excuses because he/she knows they are the ones to blame. They take full responsibility and do everything in their power to remedy the situation and take steps to prevent this from ever happen again.
Whenever a company starts giving me a line like that I immediately know this is not a company I want to be doing business with.
The problem is…too many customers fall for this. Maybe if the buying public would wake up and these companies will be history.
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Yup!
Many years ago, Sixty Minutes did a story about “indy” gas stations adjacent to I-95, in various Southern States, that preyed on out-of-staters passing through on their way to or from Florida.
If the car owner deserted the car for a few minutes in order to visit the restroom, one of the gas jockeys would squirt some oil on the chassis side of one or more tires, and then tell the owner when he/she returned to the car that the shocks were leaking and were dangerous. And…“we are having a sale on shocks right now!”.
Another trick involved a very sharp blade that could be “palmed” by somebody when he checked under a customer’s hood. A quick swipe with that blade would put a nasty cut into the fan belt. “Hey mister, you better let us change this fan belt before you overheat and get stranded”.
Sixty Minutes compiled enough hidden-camera footage to be able to shame a couple of AGs into finally prosecuting the “good old boys” who were cheating large numbers of customers.