Perception is Everything

by Kara Bishop
NOLN Staff Writer

Editor’s note: Welcome to “Best Advice Ever,” a new series of articles for 2012 that will highlight the best advice — both personal and professional — that successful fast lube operators have received over the years, and how it has helped in their business.

Twenty-five years ago big things were happening. National Oil & Lube News was born, the National Association of Independent Lubes (forerunner to today’s Automotive Oil Change Association) was created, and Michael Barradale opened his lube shop, FasTrak Oil & Lube, in Middletown, New Jersey.

While he previously had a good job, and had just gotten married and started a family, he had a dream of starting his own business. It was then that he got one of the first pieces of “adult” advice from his father: “It’s not safe for you to go out on your own at this point in your life.”

To which the younger Barradale responded, “Well now I’m really going to do it!”
His father helped give him the fuel he needed, and he’s made a successful go of it, too, but not without a little help from some key people in the fast lube industry, who have chimed in with their own advice.

“Joe Haggard was one of my mentors in the early days,” Barradale said. “One of the most important things he taught me was that perception is everything. If you have a clean shop and professional-looking technicians, the customer is going to trust you with their vehicle. I also owe a lot to Joseph Rosales, who helped me with my shop and even took me out to California to visit Larry Dahl for some much-needed guidance.”

There was one mentor who may not have been in the fast lube industry, but has helped Barradale get where he is — and he still aides him today.

Bob Farrell, an owner of several restaurants and ice cream parlors, received a letter from a customer who came in every day. This letter said that the customer would never come back, because he was charged for the extra pickle he always requested.

It must have stuck with Farrell, because he wrote a book about it that Barradale knows by heart. “Give ’Em the Pickle,” the number-one selling customer service video and book, has given Barradale some key messages that he still lives by today.

“This book is phenomenal in the fact that it shows you how to exemplify good customer service,” he said. “If I see that a customer needs tire caps or a drain plug I put it on their vehicle for free, because that’s the ‘pickle’ I want to offer my customers. It shows that you’re in this business for more than just the money.”

He’s picked up some handy tips from AOCA, as well.

“I learned something at an AOCA seminar one time that really stuck with me, and that is never bad-mouth people or other competitors. It makes you look very unprofessional and, ironically, makes your competitor look better than you in some instances. I get bad-mouthed quite frequently and see no problem with defending myself, but I ‘turn the other cheek’ — so to speak — when offered the chance to retaliate,” Barradale said.

Surviving two and a half decades in business is impressive, but surviving and being successful is the hard part.

“Always exceed expectations and don’t settle for mediocrity. As Farrell writes, ‘You can survive if you’re mediocre but you’re never going to get anywhere.’ I have to be going a step above and upping my A-game every time a customer pulls up to my shop, because if they’re not ‘wowed’ chances are they won’t be back,” he said.

Barradale has worked hard and built a successful business in the past 25 years, but it wouldn’t have been possible without all the helpful advice he has received.
In fact, one of those pieces of advice hangs in his office, reminding him every day of the importance of customer service:

“Customer service is just a day-in, day-out ongoing, never-ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate, type of activity.”
– Leon Gorman, CEO L.L.Bean