Very few consumers complain when they have a problem. A typical business hears from only 4 percent of its customers when things go wrong.
But, making polite complaints helps the company know when they need to improve. And, you could also get money back.
On Friday, I stopped by Jiffy Lube to see if I needed to get my oil topped off. I was a few hundred miles passed the recommended oil change date. I was teaching a blogging class early the next morning, so I didn’t want to risk the oil light coming on and being late for my class.
A young woman greeted me and said they weren’t allowed to top off oil when the customer was a quart down, but she’d do it anyway.
I saw that they didn’t have any customers, so I decided to go ahead with an oil change. I usually have a Jiffy Lube coupon to use, so I tried to find one on my phone.
The woman said they weren’t offering the usual coupons anymore, but I could get one if I bought more expensive oil. I’ve been going to Jiffy Lube for years, and none of the staff tried to get me to buy more expensive oil.
I told her I usually research these kinds of issues and see what Consumer Reports has to say. She assured me that she’d worked there for two-and-a-half years and knew all about the oils.
I said yes to the more expensive oil because I was thinking about my class and being on time rather than doing my usual research.
I told the woman I was in a hurry, but she showed me all the services Honda recommends for my car. She asked if I wanted any of those done. I said no.
She told me I needed a new radiator cap. The fluid was low, and she said that was the problem.
The cost of the more expensive oil and radiator cap came to $72. I usually pay about $35 for an oil change.
It turned out, they didn’t have the correct radiator cap, but the woman said they could get one the next day.
I finished preparing for my class, got up early, and had a great class. However, in the back of my mind, the upselling at Jiffy Lube bothered me. I looked up what Consumer Reports had to say, and it said to follow what your car instruction book has to say. For older cars, the more expensive oil may or may not help. But, you would probably not have to change your oil as often.
Fortunately, when I went to pick up the radiator cap, the manager was there.
After talking to the woman who “helped” me about my displeasure about her upselling and service, I talked to the manager. She was very nice and listened. The women who helped me had argued with me about the upselling when I complained to her. She said it wasn’t upselling. As employees, they are instructed to talk to customers about the more expensive oil, she said. She didn’t want to get in trouble for not doing it.
The manager apologized for what happened. She said the employee who worked with me was a new employee and was still learning about customer service, which is challenging.
I also was upset because my car smelled strongly of oil. The woman who helped me had wiped the oil stick on her clothes rather than using a paper towel or rag. The manager said she’d put a note in my record for the staff to be careful about spilling oil.
The manager offered to refund my money. At first I said it wasn’t necessary, I’d take a reduction in my bill. The manager offered again, saying I was upset, so she’d like to do that. I said yes.
So, let companies know when you have a complaint. It helps them correct problems and you could get a refund or reduction in your charges.
See “It’s Your Job to Complain, Complain, Complain” for tips on how to make effective consumer complaints.
