March 18, 2021—Operators are only going to have clean, tidy shops if they make upkeep a part of the mission. It can't just be something that techs and managers get around to doing once and a while.
California-based Oilstop has taken the direct approach to cleanliness, and it shows in the brand's locations. Gary Woo, franchise manager for Oilstop, says that managers are tasked with walking the grounds each morning before opening, making sure they spot details. He says that customers are sometimes making decisions right there on the roadway whether or not to visit, and a sharp shop has a better shot.
“We want our stores to look pretty. We want them to look like someone cares as much about their buildings as people care about their homes,” Woo says.
Cleanliness as a Brand
Woo and Oilstop CEO Ryan Callaghan spoke to NOLN are part of a story about quick lube branding. So much goes into a brand, but it all comes down to the customer experience. A brand can be the logo and name recognition a shop has, but a brand is also presented when a customer makes associations during the service visit—like how clean the facility is.
Woo says that the appearance of the techs and the shop are definitely part of the Oilstop brand.
“We know if the flowers are nice, the place is clean, the staff and uniforms are clean, it just helps get them into the store where we can build the brand,” he says.
Callaghan says he was reminded of the idiom that you never get a second chance at a first impression, and that's certainly true for quick lubes. It can be hard to win back a customer who has already turned down a shop. That's why he says employees are taught to treat their space almost like it's their own.
“If you’re going to invite somebody into your home, you prepare your home before they come," Callaghan says. "You anticipate that they’re going to arrive, and everybody cleans up.”
Stay tuned to NOLN to hear more from Callaghan and Woo about what makes Oilstop a successful brand as part of a larger story.
Photo courtesy of Oilstop
