SHOP STATS: 10 Minit Oil Change Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Operator: John Joback Average Daily Car Count: 35 Staff Size: 5 Number of Bays: 2 Ticket Average: $127
Immediate Changes
Owner John Joback was the manager at this shop before taking over in 2017. When he did become the owner, he knew that the shop needed a big renovation.
But to start, he decided to tackle some smaller projects that would make immediate positive impacts to the building’s look.
“I knew that the entire place was getting redone, but my natural instinct was to get in there and get things finished,” Joback says.
He cleaned up and filled in an area of dirt in the lot, where gas pumps formerly stood. He also started painting spots on the brick building that needed a bit of touching up. Customers notice those small details, and the sum effect of all those small changes can make a big difference to curb appeal. Soon after, the real work started.
The Big Renovation
Joback set out to fully renovate the two-bay quick lube. That included a newly paved parking lot, new equipment, and a substantial revision of the building’s look.
Contractors replaced the brick facade with stucco. The roofing structure was replaced and updated. Inside the shop, Joback had the flooring redone and made substantial investments in equipment, including fluid reservoirs, oil pumps, and a new POS interface.
That last piece, the POS upgrade, really made a difference at the shop, Joback says. Techs had an easier time with their workflow to increase productivity, and the system made storing customer information easier. That meant that they were able to recall customers’ names and previous service records to increase the personal feel of each visit.
“Once you become personal with that person and they feel that there’s a connection, they will always come back if you have superior service,” Joback says.
Thanks to planning, the shop was able to stay open during the remodel process.
More on the Floor
One detail that Joback is proud of is the investment he made inside the shop bays. Joback had the old rubberized floor removed and replaced it with a polyaspartic flooring.
“It’s three times more expensive, but it lasts 12 years versus an epoxy floor lasting less,” he says.
Not only is it premium in quality, but Joback’s aim was to present his premium lube shop with a premium look. He found a color choice, along with a speckled, grainy look, that he felt was reflective of that luxurious theme.
He says it works as a kind of subliminal messaging. Customers see a premium flooring choice and begin to associate the entire operation as a premium shop.
“I set colors in there that you would only see in more expensive homes or more expensive homes, something like that,” Joback says. “I thought it would work to get people to feel in the mood of being in an area surrounded by money which in turn makes them spend their own money. And it’s constantly cleaned.”
Surely enough, he says that customers comment on the floor all the time.
