Mon, 29 Aug 2005
There's a Jiffy Lube around the corner from my apartment. Sometimes when I
walk to lunch in the afternoon, the mechanics are standing outside on the
street with signs advertising their oil change service to passing cars. I
think that's a good idea; rather than just hanging out waiting for
customers, they're out touting.
But I didn't realize something even more interesting about their sales
technique until yesterday. A few days ago, I pulled into the Jiffy Lube to ask
how much an oil change was; it was $29.95 or $29.99. That seemed a bit
expensive so I passed.
Yesterday, while I was walking home from Starbuck's after enjoying my free
latte from Insider Pages, I read the signs that the mechanics were holding.
They read:
Right Now
$19.95
Oil Change
When they don't have any customers, they cut the price by $10 bucks. That
seems pretty smart. Other companies might want to try that. What other
errands would you take care of at the vendor's convenience for a hefty
discount?
I was at Chicago
For Ribs last week with Denisa. It was about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, and
there were 4 or 5 tables of customers. On staff were two servers and a bus
boy. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but Denisa pointed out that the
management should send home the bus boy and one of the waiters. She briefly
worked in the Chicago For Ribs in Santa Monica. That one was always
over-staffed, and closed a few months after opening. (They also had a problem
in that they gave away buy-one-get-one-free certificates on Third Street
Promenade every day so every customer came in with a coupon.)
If they didn't want to send some of the extra staff home, why not have them
stand outside with a sign advertising a Full Rack of Baby Backs for $10 Right
Now?
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