When it comes to changing the oil on my car, I take it seriously. Every 3,000 miles I take my car to an auto repair shop rather than go through the mess and hassle of changing the oil myself. That habit has served me well – I’ve owned my own cars for nearly 30 years and have never had an engine oil related problem. So when I stopped by for an oil change at a nationally known auto service franchise last week, I figured it would be business as usual – 20 minutes and $20 later I’d be out the door and on my way home – good for another 3,000 miles. Not this time.

I had actually stopped by the shop the evening before, about five minutes past 6:00 PM. The business was closed, and I noticed the sign on the door said their hours were 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. No problem; I should have called ahead to check the store hours. Besides, it was on my drive home anyway.

The next night I left work earlier and arrived at the auto shop at 5:05 PM. Much to my delight, there was only one vehicle in their eight service bays. Once again I figured 20 minutes and $20, and I’m on my way. Not this time either.

I entered the customer service area and the desk manager asked me if there was anything he could do for me. I told him I wanted a simple oil change, nothing more. Without blinking an eye, he explained that they take their last car in the shop at 5:00 PM, and it was now 5:05 PM. I tried to plead my case by mentioning that my family and I have been repeat customers at his store and then pointing at the mechanics in the shop who were just standing around. My words fell on deaf ears, though the manager did offer me an apology and a “$2 OFF” coupon if I would come back another day.

I managed to get the oil changed the next day, but it was somewhere else. Are you surprised? We have three cars in our family – that’s about a dozen oil changes a year, not to mention air filters, wheel alignments, tire rotations, tune-ups, repairs, etc. The manager who turned me aside 55 minutes before their posted closing time just turned away several future business opportunities and probably didn’t think twice about it.

Think about this for a minute: what if the auto repair shop sign said they closed at 5:00 PM instead of 6:00 PM? Seeing activity in the shop, I might have popped my head in at 5:05 PM and asked what time the next day I could get an oil change. In turn, the manager could have said, “Sir, you’re already here, so we’ll be happy to take care of you.” In that case, what do you think my perception of their service would have been then? And just for sake of argument, if the shop was busy at the time, all the manager might have said was, “Sir, we normally close at 5:00 PM; the cars in the shop being serviced all arrived before then and we’re staying to finish up the work. We do, however, open at 8:00 AM tomorrow, and I can put you first on the list.” Once again, my thoughts might have been different – wow, these guys are closed, but they’re staying later to get the job done. It’s all about perception.

Most businesses have to close the doors at night. That’s a given. However, when your business hours say you’re open, can your customers get service during those entire times? I believe their perception is they expect service as long as your doors are open. And if you’re not going to service them, you’re better off actually being “closed” rather than “open” but unable to help. What’s your opinion?

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