Integrity: It's Not Time To Change Your Oil Yet!
December 3, 2013
Although I'm confident the title needs no explanation allow me to flesh it out a little. If you're like me you've been burned enough by sneaky auto service professionals to leave you permanently suspicious of them. Especially the guys in oil change centers where you walk out paying $100 bucks for a $30 oil change. Somehow they manage to talk me into paying them to change filters in my car that I'm pretty sure don't exist!
So now I get to tell you about Jiffy Lube in London Ontario, Canada. I had my oil changed there less than a month ago and every time you visit them they put a sticker in your window telling you what your odometer should read when your car's ready for its next oil change. The last time I had my oil changed there they told me I was good for another 10,000 kilometers. Now a few weeks later I look at the sticker they put on my window and its telling me I'm ready for another oil change. What, I've driven 10,000 kilometers in a few weeks!? Well I did take a trip into the States. It didn't feel like 10,000 kilometers but...the sticker doesn't lie. Knowing something was odd I drove my car back to Jiffy Lube for my next oil change. As they're guiding me in one of the guys comes up to my window and says, "Hey, I recognize you. You were here just a few weeks ago. You don't need an oil change yet!". I say "Ya, it feels too soon but the sticker says I'm do for an oil change already." The guy takes a look at the sticker and says "Sticker's wrong. You're good to go for another 4000 kilometers".
HE DID NOT NEED TO SAY THIS!
He could easily have smiled and started changing my clean oil and I never would have been the wiser. He could have separated me from $70 or $80 of my hard-earned dollars and laughed at me with the rest of his buddies as I drove away. But he didn't!
His decision made a big impression on me. That kind of integrity always makes a big impression on me. I have deep, abiding respect for those that live life by a strong moral code they don't deviate from even when no one is watching. Do you know someone with this kind of integrity? Are you this kind of person? I try to be, but often fail. I'm glad I sometimes meet people like this Jiffy Lube attendant. They challenge me and remind me: nobody's perfect, but I should never stop trying to be better...
So now I get to tell you about Jiffy Lube in London Ontario, Canada. I had my oil changed there less than a month ago and every time you visit them they put a sticker in your window telling you what your odometer should read when your car's ready for its next oil change. The last time I had my oil changed there they told me I was good for another 10,000 kilometers. Now a few weeks later I look at the sticker they put on my window and its telling me I'm ready for another oil change. What, I've driven 10,000 kilometers in a few weeks!? Well I did take a trip into the States. It didn't feel like 10,000 kilometers but...the sticker doesn't lie. Knowing something was odd I drove my car back to Jiffy Lube for my next oil change. As they're guiding me in one of the guys comes up to my window and says, "Hey, I recognize you. You were here just a few weeks ago. You don't need an oil change yet!". I say "Ya, it feels too soon but the sticker says I'm do for an oil change already." The guy takes a look at the sticker and says "Sticker's wrong. You're good to go for another 4000 kilometers".
HE DID NOT NEED TO SAY THIS!
He could easily have smiled and started changing my clean oil and I never would have been the wiser. He could have separated me from $70 or $80 of my hard-earned dollars and laughed at me with the rest of his buddies as I drove away. But he didn't!
His decision made a big impression on me. That kind of integrity always makes a big impression on me. I have deep, abiding respect for those that live life by a strong moral code they don't deviate from even when no one is watching. Do you know someone with this kind of integrity? Are you this kind of person? I try to be, but often fail. I'm glad I sometimes meet people like this Jiffy Lube attendant. They challenge me and remind me: nobody's perfect, but I should never stop trying to be better...
Posted by dave kydd. Posted In : Inspiring Stories
