After sitting through another rampant upselling session from my local “Quick Oil Change” place, I have sworn I will not return, it is just too much. All I want is an Oil Change, I do not want:
- An air filter changed
- A cabin air filter changed
- The engine “power flushed”
- My radiator flushed
- Differential checked nor my transmission flushed
- New tires
Nor any of the hundreds of other things they are trying to upsell. Interesting that they were giving away free wiper blades (with a coupon) and no one asked me about that.
Why is every time I want to buy anything larger than a package of gum someone attempts to upsell services or products to me? Can I not be trusted to know what I want? Am I a dullard who doesn’t understand the complicated world I live in? Do I look like I want a $7 warranty on $20 worth of light bulbs? I suppose I must, because I am being offered that exact “deal”.
It is even worse if I visit a bank or talk to a financial service. No, I don’t need another credit card, in fact I’d love to be able to walk into a bank and close a credit card account (can’t be done). I do not wish to buy your balanced arbitrage forex enhanced Scandinavian backpack futures hedge fund (if such a thing exists, don’t buy it). Michael James tells a story of one of his loved ones (over 60 years old) being sold leveraged mutual funds, luckily MJ cleared that mess up for them.
I know why this upsell is prevalent; most of the folks pushing it are getting financial reimbursement in some fashion for each customer they ensnare. Best Buy claims they don’t work on commissions, but if you buy their warranty you better bet someone is making a chunk of change on that. If you simply follow the money you will know why someone is trying to sell you something.
Does Any Deserve Rampant Upselling ?
If I walked in and said, “I have no idea what I’d like, please sell me something”, I would be fair game for being naïve enough to walk into any retail or service establishment making that statement. If you appear at my Mother’s front door, however, and bamboozle her into taking a service you know she doesn’t need, I hope to one day cross paths with you. There is a special place in Dante’s 17th Inferno, is my hope.
Let me be clear, “No I do not wish to BIGGY that!“. Let me have the service I asked for without being harangued into buying life insurance from you.
Up selling can serve some purpose in so far as reminding you that just maybe other things, like air filters, do need service every now and then. After all, I do not think you would appreciate if after a few week your car needed servicing if your air filter blocked up. Having said that, it should be common practice for them to inspect the air filter and verify your lights while the car is in there. If they found a deficiency then they could easily show you and then you would have appreciated their care of your car. You can not blame them if they want to ensure your car is up to snuff when you leave rather than saying – WELL HE DIDN’T MENTION IT SO WE WON’T BOTHER.
Upselling, pressure selling, is one thing. Good care is another. While the car was in the air they should also have verified your brakes and exhaust system. Being told that an exhaust clamp is broken is not upselling.
If you just go in to any garage for an oil change they will try to sell you more. If you have a regular garage/mechanic you like then hopefully they will take good care of you – and your car.
Just my five cents worth (inflation go the penny)
RICARDO