Drive In Quick Lube, Waiting Room or Mobile Service – Let the Customer Choose

About six months ago, I was discussing with a fast lube entrepreneur some new strategies for the waiting rooms of oil change places. Something that people would want to come do and keep them happily occupied for 30 minutes or so, while the oil was changed. Something they would pay for while they waited and be happy spending their hard-earned money, and as I thought about this, 50 things came to mind during my brainstorming session and I shared those thoughts with the up-and-coming entrepreneur. Let’s talk a little more about this.

You see, there was an interesting article in National Oil and Lube News in the May 2013 issue titled; “Drive-Through Versus Waiting Room Quick Lube Service” by Howie Loewen, the author has 35 years in the automotive lubrication business.

Essentially, after reading that article I realized that if I could move people quickly, I didn’t need to keep their time busy at all. I reiterated this reality to another businessman in Indiana, the first businessman by the way was from the Palm Beach Florida area in economic recovery. He will see, people come to a quick lube with things other than their car and person, they come with paperbacks to read, iPads, smartphones, homework, and occupational paperwork.

So if you move the lines fast enough with a quick lube and have a quick service it won’t take more than 12-15 minutes. Okay, so that’s a text conversation, a shopping list, an email or two, and viola; “Mrs. Smith, your Toyota Camry is ready,” she puts the magazine she brought in her bag, unread, throws her smartphone in her bag, walks up to the register with her credit or debit card, pays for the service, and she’s gone in 3 minutes.

Now, in discussing this with a would-be mobile oil change entrepreneur, I noticed that the concept of “additional convenience” by going to the customer is negated by the fact that the consumer is not inconvenienced when they get an oil change in less than 20 years. minutes, which is often the case with very well run quick lube installations – do you get that point?

Also, keep in mind that Walmart changes oil for around $15.99 and people shop while their car is waiting for service at a Super Walmart, with the consumer being called from their shopping adventure when their car is finished. That’s often considered quite convenient for average consumers. So price point is becoming the name of the game, not lounge activities or convenience. Please consider all this and think about it.