I went to VIP Auto Detailing in response to a promotion that they launched due to their participation in Steve Harvey's Hoody Awards. The e-mail promotion was for a free interior and exterior car wash. After I did what was necessary to receive the free car wash, I called to schedule a time to come in. When I arrived at the shop for my appt., a young man took my information and provided me with an invoice that said I would receive an interior and exterior detail. He also informed me that it would take about an hour to an hour and half. I was delighted because I had simply come for a car wash, so I gladly signed it. A few minutes later, I was pulled to the side by the owner who informed me that he would only be able to do my exterior and would not do my interior unless I purchased a shampoo for $145. His reason for this is that he wanted to ensure that my car would leave his shop meeting HIS standards. Mind you my car was not in an awful state it had just been detailed two months earlier. When I explained to him that my expectation was just to have an interior and exterior car wash; therefore, I would not need a shampoo -- he refused to even vaccum the car. Mind you he had already committed to wiping it down and vaccuming it via the printed invoice that I had signed. I continued to explain to him that I had not come their for a detail and that my expectation was a car wash like the marketing promotion stated (they also happen to have this on their web site now ""Free Hand Car Wash""). I also pointed out to him that, due to my busy schedule, the portion of the services I was looking most forward to was the interior cleaning because I often don't have the time to do that. I could get the exterior cleaned anywhere. He still refused to even touch the inside of my car unless I purchased the shampoo. I was furious! I spent an hour there, only to walk away with an exterior wash (nothing special) when I could have just gone to the car wash two doors down paid my $20 and had everything done in 20-30 min. I guess he's only great to his paying customers which makes me wonder why he would ever run a promotion for anything free. Clearly he and his marketing folk have no understanding about marketing ethics or new customer retention. As a marketing professional, I found it deeply disturbing. As potential customer I found it completely unprofessional and deceiving.
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