One of our employees left to get his oil changed over lunch today at this Valvoline Instant Oil Change in Clive, Iowa. His car was serviced at around 11:50.
While he was there, an employee told him, “Your battery is going to die at any time, now. We recommend you replace it.”
He was then presented this piece of paper and was told that the voltage or “juice” left in his battery was low. They handed the piece of paper to him like this:
Then, they made the mistake of giving him the readout to keep, which he unfolded later at the office.
Click the image and check the time stamp on the receipt: 11:18 a.m.
He noticed this when he returned to the office. Then he called Valvoline to ask them about it. He told them about the time stamp issue. He was told by a manager “If the battery tester equipment’s timestamp is off, it’s due to low batteries for the tester. To which he responded. “Then how accurate are your tests?” Then the manager said, it could be a daylight savings error. To which he replied “Then it would have been 10:18 a.m. because it was an hour off (spring forward).
Sound fishy? When companies do these types of things to a customer, whether with a fake/inaccurate battery test or an air filter that isn’t even their customer’s, they lose trust. Something Valvoline promises.
To add injury to insult, on the way out, Valvoline suggested that he use a coupon for battery replacement service when he returned for his next oil change – at least three months from now.
Wouldn’t it have been better for the manager to invite the customer back to watch as they retest the battery in front of him?
Congrats, Valvoline Instant Oil Change, you’re our Worst of the Week!
Author: Ad Mavericks
www.lessingflynn.com
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
And people wonder why auto mechanics have the same reputation/perception as lawyers do. In the 15 years that I have owned a vehicle and had it serviced – I have only taken my vehicles to two places. Both places are locally-owned and run with a few locations around Iowa. Both owners/managers take the time to make sure their customers know what the problem are, give solutions to the problems, and more than once, I have gone out into the garage area to see exactly the wear on parts and what is causing it.
I hope the manager of this store realizes that mistreating or misleading one customer will lead to lost sales down the road. That goes for all businesses, not just national chains.
It seems that they really are trying to pull a fast one. If I’m reading the slip correctly it shows the battery with 12.57V and either 550 or 425 CCA (cold cranking amps) It is a 12V battery, shouldn’t 12.57V be good? If it were below 12V you might have a dead cell. And in the summer, even 300 CCAs will start your car. Time to find a new service location. Or contact me, I’ll change your oil; $10, a six-pack and some pork rinds.
Firestone, Goodyear, and Jiffy Lube…you’re being served. Being a long-time Firestone customer, I’ve had nothing but one ridiculous visit after another. The latest one back in the winter was when my CV boot was broken and needed to be replaced. Of course, Firestone couldn’t figure out the “airplane” noise my car was making.
They told me that it was the engine belt that was wearing out, and said that I needed to do a few other minor things.
I went to my Mom’s mechanic in the QC (local guy). Had I kept driving with a broken CV boot, I would have been screwed and w/o a car.
Keep in mind there is a huge difference between a grease monkey flunky trying to upsell you anything he can and a factory trained service technician at a dealer. Those guys aren’t making a dime on the $20 oil changes so they have to try to sell you something.
Joe the 550 CCA is what should be stamped on the battery. You enter that number into the battery tester. The 426 CCA is what the ED-18 tester is saying the actual CCA’s the battery is currently producing. The tester and batteries are provided by interstate on consignment.
Doug I completely agree with your statement. As a franchise owner I work hard with my customers and employees to be fair and honest with each other. Mistreating my customers never would cut the mustard.
TCMSM driveability issues are tough things to diagnose. You made a good choice going with a local mechanic that does work for your mother. I have built my customer base on networking and referals.
Jim not sure what your statement means. What is a grease monkey flunky? Are you calling a factory trained service technician at a dealership a grease monkey? Are you calling an employee of an oil change place a grease monkey?
Ad Mavericks: Have your employee call the 1-800-327-8242 or e-mail VIOC_customer_care@ashland.com . Have the employee provide them with their invoice number upper right side of the invoice. Either the franchise owner or if it is a corporate store an Area Manager will call them back within 24 hours. I am 100% certain the AM or franchise owner will want to make it the situation right. Let us know what the outcome is.
Regards,
Fred T.