Oil change needed, so I dropped my car off at the mechanics. I have finally found a mechanic who sees me as a smart customer, not as a dumb woman. He knows I know a little bit about cars. He knows I am on a fixed income. He knows I just need an honest person to take care of my car's maintenance. Over the last two years, I have grown to trust him; he is that honest person. He is definitely one of the good guys.

He always checks everything when I go in for an oil change. Typically, I will leave having paid just $24.95, but occasionally brake pads need to be replaced or the air filter changed out. Vince takes care of my little Honda that now has 120,000 miles on it. It has been a good car, having been driven all over the West plus my three hour daily commute. This day was no different. The work would take about an hour and a half and cost about $120, oil change, new brake pads, tires rotated. See? One of the good guys.

A couple years ago, before I found Vince, I took my car into an "oil change franchise" for my regular three to five month-oil change. They told me that, along with my oil change, I needed to change out my air filter and drain my radiator fluid and then, add more. I questioned but also, relinquished. The next night I was driving my kids across town when I noticed the temperature gauge going crazy. The car heated up far too quickly and when I was able to pull over, a smell and smoke were emitting from under the hood. I soon discovered that my radiator cap had not even been put back on when I had taken my car in the day before. Argghhh! How did this happen? I have always been so careful, not wanting to lube anything in a jiffy, let alone my only transportation.

Luckily, there was no permanent damage to my vehicle and you can bet that the "shop guy" got an earful the next morning. Shoddy workmanship, excuses for shoddy workmanship, and the lack of money returned or discount offered astounded me. I had never seen such a thing or heard of such poor work being done in an area that, with a little bit of consumer review, could make or break you. There is a huge gap between each of these mechanic experiences. And they each served a lesson to me.

We each have potential within us to be a Vince, to give more than is expected, to drive the customer/candidate/client/employee experience, to provide epic service, to offer true value to the relationships we establish with long-term in mind. We can also be a quick fix for a non-problem, that in the end will just be a bigger problem. Do you provide quick and inadequate work? Is it important that you provide the best service possible? Why?

Being a Vince is a good thing to be. As a matter of fact, it's epic.

©by rayannethorn