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> I worked through the management revolution in the '80s or thereabouts,
> which concluded that what customers wanted was personalized customer
> service with a human touch. But I always preferred the commoditized
> services. I like doing research on the web, then waiting for the sale
> at Best Buy; I don't need to talk to their salespeople. I still think
> card readers on the gas pump was the greatest customer service
> innovation of the time.
I've started going to full-service stations when they're not busy.
The pumps at self-serve stations have been slowed down, apparently
because some marketing droid decided that the increasing gas prices
(in Canada, anyway) meant that consumers would see a $20 bill disappear
in just a few unsatisfying seconds. So they slowed the fill-rate,
to give the illusion of more pumping happening for your money.
All this does for me is to add further aggravation, since I KNOW
that the extra time is an arbitrary decision on somebody's part.
As well, I used the pump-based card readers for a while and found
that it actually takes longer to go through all the motions --
the prompting screens update so slowly -- than to just walk to
the cash and pay, even if there's somebody ahead of you. Besides,
this being Canada, it's important that it's usually warm and dry
inside the cash-station, whereas it's a long chilly, wet process
to dig out wallet, dig out card, follow instructions, etc. usually
bare-handed. (Well, maybe YOUR pockets are big enough that you can
retrieve your wallet with gloves on...).
Only SOME of the gas-bar companies around here have the key-fob
one-swipe access. And who wants to carry half a dozen fobs or
company-specific cards, anyway? Besides, cash is anonymous. I
don't need companies knowing every iota of my gas usage.
At the full-serve station, I pay a few extra pennies per fill-up,
but I can sit in my car and read the paper or listen to the radio,
until my change or my receipt comes back, and drive off. It's been
looking like a better trade-off lately.
I think the self-serve pump interface needs a complete re-work.
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