I had the most amazing and unexpected experience today. Good service is becoming increasingly rare in almost any business and great service is all but extinct. So imagine my surprise when I received great service from an unlikely place: the automotive service industry.

The "oil is low" light came on in my car the other day so today I drove over to Jiffy Lube to get it topped off. The Jiffy Lube near my home is really great. The mechanics there are so helpful so they are always my first stop for any automotive issue. I was fortunate that when I stopped by the shop I was the only customer there so my car was immediately attended to.

The mechanics added oil and suggested that we also flush out my radiator. Part of the radiator-flushing process involves turning your car on and turning the heater all the way up. I was sitting in the car while they were servicing it and I noticed that the heat gauge indicated that the car was about to overheat. After some head-scratching and consultation with all the other mechanics in the shop, the guys determined that somehow my thermostat was broken and would need to be replaced. Not good news.

Fortunately, about 1/2 mile from this Jiffy Lube location there is a full-service garage called Lamb Tire and Auto. The Jiffy Lube mechanics suggested that, because of its proximity, I drive to Lamb to get my thermostat replaced. They said that I should let the car cool down for a few minutes because even though the garage is close, the car could still overheat and break down on the way.

Naturally, I was pretty disappointed in this news. I had a lot of work to do and I had popped out of my home office just to get oil in my car and to run to the gym. I had visions of sitting at Lamb Tire and Auto all afternoon waiting for my car and not being able to either work or go to the gym.

So, while sitting in my car I called Lamb and the manager, Mike, happened to answer the phone. I explained my situation and asked if they could replace the thermostat right away. Mike said that they could replace the thermostat but asked me if the Jiffy Lube mechanics had "bled out the radiator." Now he could have asked if they had installed a thingamabop and my answer would have been the same: "I have no idea". Mike asked to be put on the phone with one of the mechanics.

I passed my cell phone out of the car to one of the mechanics and, via phone, Mike walked them through the process of "bleeding" the radiator. Or whatever they were doing. After hanging up the phone the mechanics finished doing whatever Mike had suggested and the temperature gauge on my car went down immediately. Turns out I didn't need a new thermostat after all!

In the meantime, while the guys were finishing work on my car, Mike, the manager from Lamb Tire and Auto drove up to the shop. He came up and introduced himself to all of us and said that he came over to check and make sure that everything was OK with my car. He was concerned that if I drove an overheating car to his shop that I might break down on the way. I was shocked and overwhelmed by this unbelievable display of great service.

I have NEVER gotten such thoughtful, kind, and honest service from a mechanic before. I couldn't believe how nice and helpful Mike was. Mike seemed like a genuinely nice guy but, also, I thought that he is a very smart businessman. Think about it. What did Mike do? He spent a few minutes on the phone answering a few questions and he took 15 minutes out of his day to drive 1/2 mile to check on a customer. He probably spent 30 minutes dealing with my car issues which probably isn't much of a time investment for him. But the loyalty and good will that his great service bought his company is priceless. Where do you think I will go the next time I have a car problem (other than a simple oil change)? Of course I will go to Lamb Tire & Auto.

The truth is that I don't know much about cars. The Jiffy Lube folks have always been honest and straightforward with me so when they told me that I needed a new thermostat I believed them. If Mike had said nothing at all, I would have driven to Lamb and paid whatever a thermostat costs (plus labor) to have it installed. If Mike hadn't been so honest and helpful I never would have known the difference.

But I wouldn't necessarily have gone out of my way to return to Lamb for service. I wouldn't necessarily have believed that the company and it's employees are honest. By going out of his way to help me and by offering free information to the Jiffy Lube mechanics, Mike made himself and his company stand out to me and to the Jiffy Lube mechanics. Where do you think they will refer other drivers in the future?

After finishing at Jiffy Lube I went to the bakery and bought several dozen cookies and a couple of thank-you cards. I took one card and some cookies to the guys at Jiffy Lube and I took the other card and about 6 dozen cookies to Lamb as a thank you for great service. I hope Mike and all his employees enjoyed the treats - they deserved them.

When you provide great service to your customers you stand out in the crowd and nearly guarantee yourself additional business and referrals. Great service is good business. The question is: why don't more companies understand this simple fact?