RMG is looking to buy a new building here in town and Darren Cleveland, RMG CEO/President called me to go take a look at the place with him. I was short on gas, got into my regular gas station, and of course, my credit card got declined. Great! Still had enough gas to get to the location so I thought to myself I’ll go there and fill up on the way back. The declined credit card issue is probably the gas station’s error anyways. So I go with Darren, see the property (it needs a lot of work if we take on it) and drive back home. Now again I need some gas so I stop this time at a new gas station right across the street from the place I usually go to, haven’t been there before. Isn’t that a GREAT OPPORTUNITY for the new gas station to earn a new loyal customer? So I go and try to use my credit card there, this time I have more time on my hands, and again it doesn’t work. No problems, thinking to myself I will look into it when I get home (I have, it was a random security check by the company), I have another credit card and this time it does work. So far so good, the new gas station is not doing anything special yet but they still have an option to prove to me that their pump is faster, service is better, etc etc. If they do a good job I will come again and again as they are almost next to each other (my regular one and this one).So here goes, I start pumping gas and first thing, they took off that clip that holds the handle when you pump. How great is that? The other station has their clips on and it makes it easier to fill up gas and do something else. One strike, one more to go and that’s it.
Next, the speed of that pump is about 5 times slower then the regular gas station. At that point I just had enough. I put the minimum I needed until I get home and get to it again (5$) and will not go there again. No wonder the regular gas station is always busier now is it?
What’s the lesson here? We all have choices. You go with a registrar and they do a lousy job? There is usually another one right around the corner that will do a better job. Are you with a parking company who pays slowly? Start exploring opportunities.
The new gas station had a GREAT opportunity to get a new long term customer and they just didn’t care. If they don’t, should I? The answer of course is obvious.
As for the new building, I don’t think this one would be for us. There are a couple of other properties we’re looking at and likely one of them will do.
I’m laughing because of a similar experience. But in this case it was a gas station that I’ve gone to for 5 years. It’s next to my house and has a convenience store. For 5 years I’ve filled up there and gone inside to buy milk, beer, or bread.
Then one day they got rid of all of the clickers on the pumps. Now I go to the competition instead. And when I do go to the old station, I never go inside to buy anything because I’m stuck holding the pump!
Its the shortage of gas…we have all heard about it but this is a new way of cutting the usage. Plus if you have ever tried to fill up a large gas tank like on a chevy 2500 you get cut off at $75. Then you have to start over and run your card twice to fill your tank.
I am not an authority on this but I do believe this is the new method of cutting the use by gas hogs.
Thank you for writing this post. It is a departure from the usual reportings and serves as an enjoyable and welcomed monotony breaker from what can be found on other industry blogs. Cheers.
I play the same game at restaurants…reminds me too of the new hotels.com commercials…they’re pretty good actually
The lack of clips is a safety thing. They’ve been banned here in Mass. for several years. First it was the big chains, then all the independent gas stations caught up. Now your only option is to wedge your gas cap in the handle to keep the pump going while you do other things.