'Grabbing the Greet': Win the Guest Over Before You Touch the Car

In the quick lube industry, we spend hours training technical execution: fluid specs, torque values, proper inspections, and so much more. And rightfully so. But one of the most overlooked moments in the entire service center experience happens before the technician ever touches the car: the greeting. Experts have found that an impression is made within the first seven seconds of meeting someone. And your guests begin forming impressions right away when they pull up to your service center. Long before you check a dipstick or sell an air filter, your service center and team's appearance, language, body language, and attitude are already telling them a story.

When a guest rolls into your bay, they’re sizing things up fast. Are things organized? Friendly? Rushed? Welcoming? They’re taking it all in. Energy and attitude matter most here. They will notice if your team is all sitting around or working hard. A team member approaching the vehicle with a slow, lazy walk (or worse, no greeting) is noticed and impacts a guest differently than a brisk jog and friendly wave. There are many terms for this in the industry: a strong greet, a warm welcome, a wheel stop greet, or as we prefer at Oilstop, “Grabbing the Greet.” We challenge our team to run to greet every guest the second they hear the bell ring. It shows guests that we value their time and appreciate them coming to our service center that day.

The appearance of your service center and body language of your team are on display. Is your team member wearing a professional uniform? Are their hands wiped off? Do they make eye contact? A confident, welcoming posture sets the tone. You’re not just greeting a car. You're greeting a person. We want our guests to feel an immediate sense of trust, and we build trust through our professional appearance and communication.

The words you choose to greet a guest should be intentional, thoughtful, and welcoming. If there is one thing to require that your team says the same way by every team member to every guest, make it the greeting. We welcome guests by saying “Welcome to Oilstop, my name is Scott. Are you here for our drive through oil change today?” Most guests are. But we immediately start the conversation with a warm greet and then establish why they have decided to visit us that day. And our introduction often ends with a positive response. “Yes, I am here for an oil change.” Another simple way to build instant rapport in your greeting is using a guest’s name. Ask for it early, and naturally weave it into the conversation. “Welcome back, Ms. Martinez. We are so glad you chose to trust us again.” Using someone’s name doesn’t just personalize the experience, it humanizes it. And in a world where everything feels automated, this goes a long way.

We drill torque specs and drain plug etiquette, but how do you train a great greet? Start small: Dedicate five minutes in your next team meeting to greeting roleplays. Challenge your team to deliver a warm, confident, guest-first greet. Then observe your team’s greetings as guests arrive over the next few hours. Celebrate strong greetings from your team, and note areas for improvement. Practice and accountability will drive perfection. Hospitality isn’t a script, but it is a discipline. And it’s worth training for.

In today’s world of changing oil, there are always other service centers a guest can try if they don’t like yours. Anyone can check oil.  Not everyone makes a guest feel seen. When your team delivers strong greetings, you create an emotional connection to your guests. Which is the starting place for trust. So, the next time a vehicle pulls into your bay, don’t just greet the car. Grab the greet—and connect with your guest.