Reliable Is Exciting (Not)

I live in Phoenix. Yesterday, July 4th, the dial hit a fancy 120 degrees. Yeah, it's a bit tepid (yes, I'm being vitriolic).

The air conditioning busted on my vehicle a while back. This being the yummy summer, I decided to get it fixed. Since I am newish to the area, I asked a few trusted sources: friends and family. They provided me with a few names and numbers, and off I went, ready to spend big bucks on some very trusted word-of-mouth sources.

The most highly recommended repair shop was Sun Devil Auto. They are a "full-service" or "complete auto care" center. What's more, they have been family owned and operated for 25 years. This not being 1953, I couldn't care less who runs it, a family or a trained seal or a mossy rock. Just fix my truck.

As they looked over my vehicle, I sat in a crude, makeshift waiting area, a swinging arm's length from the counter and the entering/exiting mechanics. The chairs were hard and unforgiving. Strike one.

I wiggled uncomfortably for 45 minutes, reading Seth Godin's inspiring "The Big Moo," listening to Jóhann Jóhannson's equally inspiring album, Dís, on my iPod. Across from me, a middle-aged gentleman clutched to his book, talking to me through my headphones.

"Huh?" I asked him, pulling my headphones from my ears.

"Why are ya in here?" he asked, trying to overcome his obvious boredom with menial conversation.

"Air conditioning, you?"

I forgot what he said. Instead, I decided to do a little impromptu market research.

"Why did you bring your vehicle to Sun Devil Auto?" I asked him.

"Well, they're really reliable. They get the job done."

"Yeah," I waxed, "but reliable is boring. Right now, I want a comfy chair and perhaps a TV on ESPN."

His eyes glazed over. "Yeah, that would be nice."

And then it hit me: reliable is boring. We are no longer in a day and age where 'just doing the job' is enough. To really build a brand, one must stand for something unique in the mind. "Reliable" isn't the word I want from my automotive repair company (but perhaps my parachute company). Sure, I want them to be reliable, but, moreover, I want them to stand for something simply spectacular past that.

After an hour, the customer service rep called me up with my diagnosis. He told me that my repair would cost $1,300 (and then quickly offered me a discount, $1,050), and that my vehicle could be ready in four hours.

I thought. "That seems high. Would you do the labor if I picked up the part myself?"

He turned to a sign on the wall: NO USING CUSTOMER'S PARTS.

Why not? It protects their markup, of course. Consumers are savvy. They see through the smoke and mirrors. Strike two.

Still, at nine in the morning, the temperature had already climbed to 103. I really wanted air conditioning again. "You have a carport service, right? I want to go to the health club just down the street while you work on it."

"No, we don't," he responded, flatly.

"I spoke to someone here two days ago and he said that you did."

"Well, we don't."

Lying to get my business? Strike three.

"Reliable" is a hard word to own in the mind. Nobody would dare take the opposite, calling themselves "unreliable." That is the same reason why brands cannot run on "quality" or "honesty." And what's more, all the "reliable" tags in the world will not scoop your brand from the arms of disaster if your customer service and policies are out of line.

***As a side note, "reliable" is the word owned by Toyota. But they don't just stop there. The Toyota brand is far bigger than simply "reliable." And the "reliable" claim is furthered by the apparent unreliability of GM and Ford. What's more, the Tundra, for example, is the biggest pickup on the road, plus it's reliable. That's a great place to be.***

Why is the waiting room not enjoyable for waiting? Why can't I bring in my own parts? Why was I mislead?

Not only did they lose my business, but they have made sure that I will not go there in the foreseeable future. And my word-of-mouth will not be positive.

Sun Devil Auto, by standing for everything automotive, stands for nothing automotive. They are a brand built by old school standards and I would not find it unbelievable if they were toppled by narrowly focused companies. The problem, of course, is that most automotive repair shops stand for anything and everything. In the battle of weak brands, a weak brand will win. (Ref: Diet Coke.)

But then, as I left Sun Devil Auto, I decided to go to Jiffy Lube. Jiffy Lube was in the same parking lot (how convenient), so I figured "why not?" I was greeted by someone immediately. My vehicle was pulled in the garage, the front seats were vacuumed, windows cleaned, and the air filter and tires were checked. This was all "just part of their service." I was not charged for these little extras, and it was these little extras that made the entire experience worthwhile.

In less than five minutes, I was called outside and my options were explained to me. The customer service rep also let me know what they had found while giving my vehicle a basic once-over (good air pressure, good air filter–thanks, guys). I selected my oil, and my vehicle was done in less than ten minutes.

In, out, done.

Jiffy Lube does one thing, and they do it well. Darn well. Sun Devil Auto does everything, and they may do it well, but I'll never know.

Stand for something and succeed, stand for everything and you will inevitably stand for nothing, opening yourself up to attacks from narrowly focused competitors who will eat your lunch (and perhaps your dinner, as well).