Full-service gas stations are almost like the 8-track cassettes of years past...just a memory. I can typically only find full-service stations in small towns now. I bet most people born after 1990 don't even know what a full-service gas station is (okay, or 8-tracks either).Years ago, all gas stations were full-service. Self-service would have been considered an insult. A full-service gas station would fill your gas tank, wash your windows, check your oil and air in your tires for you...without asking! You never had to get out of your vehicle---you just sat there while someone else provided you all the customer service you needed. There were even "bays" for you to get a service job, or tires changed/installed, and some would even do electrical repairs like AC, alternator, distributor, etc. work! A true "one stop shop" for your vehicles health.
You don't know what you've missed if you never have pulled in to a full-service station.
Personally, I'm fortunate enough to work right next to a full-service gas station. Ricky McDougald is the head-chess over there and this guy is all about customer service.
I've never seen Ricky upset or mad, and I've seen him with more than he and his team could handle. He knows so much about what he does, but is so humble about it. I've seen him "plug a tire" (repair a hole in a tire for those of us who are not mechanically gifted) and not charge anything for it...unreal! If Ricky doesn't have the part you need, he'll personally walk down the street to the local Auto Parts store and pick up the right part for you.
Ricky also makes every customer fill at home...they have comfortable chairs inside with an awesome air conditioner system that keeps you cool on a hot Florida summer day. Or, if you want, they have a really nice wooden bench out front (in the shade by-the-way) that you can wait/rest on & read the paper, and even visit with friends or other customers while you're there. Mayberry has nothing on Ricky!
So if you ever have the fortune of traveling through Blountstown, Florida, take a moment and stop by McDougald's Station on Hwy. 71 for an ice-cold drink and a full-service tank of gas. You will not regret it.
Do you know a local business like this? I'd like to hear your story of a business that goes out of their way to serve their customers like Ricky does. Please add in the comment section (link below).
Until next time, remember “Your Success Is My Business."™
http://joeypeacock.com/
3 comments:
Mr. Peacock. Got your blog from R. Williams thru Facebook. Enjoy it very much.
Yours in the Bond
I would like to say that Talbot's in the Tallahassee Mall helps me find just the right thing. They start a dressing room for me and suggest items they think might work on me. They come to the dressing room periodically and ask if I need anything. It's almost as if I'm queen for a day. I've had other stores(Dillards) who couldn't be bothered with opening dressing rooms in the correct section to only have you walk across the store to another and then demand you return the items back where you got them if you didn't like them or they didn't work for you. I even had one cashier "huff & puff" when I asked a question about the sale Dillards was having. I will say, I found a suit in Dillard for half of the price that I found a suit in Talbot's for. However, due to rude treatment and knowing the quality of clothing Talbots offers, I made the wise choice to buy quality and customer service.
I regularly send people to Chic-Fil-A to experience consistent, over the top customer service.
Hard enough to do in one location like your gas station. Really impressive when it happens across hundreds of stores.
At least the ones I've experienced.
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