When the Mr. Clean Car Wash opened on Preston Rd. in Frisco I was intrigued.  I thought what a great idea – taking the power of this iconic brand and attaching it to a typically generic service.  I figured the only way for this concept not to work is if they can’t deliver.

As with lots of new businesses, they opened with a bang.  The employees were sharp, customer focused and engaging.  Whenever I visited,  the attendant would ask my name, provide me with a warm welcome and explain the various levels of service they provided.  It was different and I liked it.

That same level of professionalism was apparent from the greet all the way through the final wipe down.  When my car was ready, they called me by name. I was impressed with the consistency.  Once I was randomly provided a complementary wash.   When I asked the attendant why, he responded, “It’s just a way to show our customers that we appreciate their business!”  Nice touch!

This place has been open for 2-3 years now and my overall perception is that they are better than the 10 car washes that are in similar proximity to my work and my home.  You might say I’m a loyal user.

I visited yesterday and my experience was disappointing.  The attendant responsible for the greeting  was a complete dud.  He wasn’t engaging, he didn’t ask my name and he didn’t go through the service options.  He did the bare minimum.  I had a similar experience when I went inside to pay. While the wash was fine I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a sign of what I should expect in the future.  For the first time, since Mr. Clean opened, I’m thinking about checking out another car wash.

This is today’s marketplace.  One lousy experience causes doubt in the customer’s mind even one as loyal as yours truly.

I won’t defect based on one visit.  I’ll go back with the hope that this was an anomaly.  If my next visit isn’t up to the standards I’ve come to expect and appreciate, it may be time to try another alternative.

Is my thought process typical or am I overly picky?  How many disappointing visits does it take to affect your loyalty?  How can business owners avoid this type of misstep?