I was a *very* regular costumer at the Mobil Reedsburg Travel Plaza at 2180 E Main St. in Reedsburg, WI. In the past, I went there exclusively for gasoline, cigarettes, etc. This is something I will no longer do.
I paid extra to get the deluxe car wash. I pulled out, and my car was still filthy, and still had soap on it.
After scrubbing at it with towels, I brought in the dirty towels along with my receipt. I asked for nothing more than to run my car through again. One of the cashiers doubted my story, came out and saw that the car was obviously dirty. After a ten minute discussion, in which I was polite (despite her attitude), I was told, ""there's nothing I can do for you.""
I thanked her for her time, and told her I would no longer visit this gas station, and would encourage everybody I know (including a local business who has a fleet of vehicles that normally fuel up there) about the way I was treated.
If you figure myself at $50 in gas and $40 in cigarettes weekly, you're looking at a loss of nearly $400/month in sales. If only 2 people heed my advice (let's say my mother and girlfriend), that's more than $14,000 in annual sales between the 3 of us; a pretty big hit over being treated rudely over a mistake that was not my own.
I have loyal friends, family, and acquaintances. I get the impression that more than 2 people will consider the other 10 options in town when they need to stop at a gas station.
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