I'm curious how you rate the stations. If the station is neat, clean and has quick service I rate them a 7. If they have friendly attendants or wash my windshield they get an 8. If the C-store is fully stocked, clean and has appealing food items they also get an 8. I don't think I've ever given a 9 or 10 - it's a gas station not an upscale restaurant. I have given as low as a 5, once or twice - a pig-sty station with rude or indifferent attendants. They were stations I would not go to unless I was shopping them. There are very few restrooms I would use in any station. The stations on the turnpikes might be an exception.

As for the emotions I feel, I am usually confident and comfortable. Once in a while valued. In those 5 or 6 rated stations perhaps uncomfortable or disappointed. But I have never felt grateful, excited, confused, angry, stressed, skeptical or delightful. Yes delightful not delighted.

Is my 7 your 9 or your 5? Am I missing something by not getting emotional over a gas station? When I need gas I go to a station because it is convenient and has low prices.

I must shop a different station brand with Maritz because you're the second person to mention "delightful" and I've looked for it on my shops, but it says "delighted". I'd absolutely choose "delightful" if it were an option.

I generally use 8 as my base if everything is routine. Exceptional customer service during the mystery portion brings it up to a 9 or a 10. It can happen. Not getting a receipt at the pump is always a 2-point deduction. Poor customer service during the mystery portion is also a deduction depending on the extent of it. Points can be lost in the bathroom, or with the general outdoor appearance of the station and non-complaint items that I feel an average customer prioritizes. I've given 10's. I've given 1's. Today was a very good day.

Emotion wise, I think we do the exact same thing.

I start all evaluations at a 10. A 10 means everything was as expected. This is not a comparison rating. If the survey asks for a comparison rating, then compare to similar gas stations in this case, not to all businesses types.

I can't and don't get emotional over any mystery shops. We are supposed to stay neutral so there is no room for emotions.

@Sybil2 wrote:

I can't and don't get emotional over any mystery shops. We are supposed to stay neutral so there is no room for emotions.

But the responses to "How I felt" are all emotions.

i normally give anywhere between a 7 to 10. if the stations is in good shape, and i get good service inside, they'll get a 10. a guy yesterday damn near got heated when i asked for my receipt. he threw it down on the counter, and gave me an angry look. i had no other problems with the station, but he was a prick so i only gave them a 5.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2016 02:11PM by jay225.

i think you may be a little strict with your rating. i'm looking at 7's as C's. clean station with good service seems like at least a B to me.

@jay225 wrote:

i normally give anywhere between a 7 to 10. if the stations is in good shape, and i get good service inside, they'll get a 10. a guy yesterday damn near got heated when i asked for my receipt. he threw it down on the counter, and gave me an angry look. i had no other problems with the station, but he was a prick so i only gave them a 5.

Giving the entire gas station a rating of 5 because the cashier gave you a dirty look? Gimme a break. That is just ridic.

@LIJake wrote:

@Sybil2 wrote:

I can't and don't get emotional over any mystery shops. We are supposed to stay neutral so there is no room for emotions.

But the responses to "How I felt" are all emotions.

Getting emotional is different than emotions.

No, I agree. I would give the cashier who gave me a dirty look would get an overall rating of 1 from me! Most of the clients seem to really want their cashiers to give friendly, professional assistance. It's one thing if you're on the road, just stopping for gas and will never see that station again. OTOH, if you're traveling, and have a choice of stations, aren't you most likely to choose the brand where you sort of remember you were treated well? I mean, if the prices are all the same, and all stations are equally convenient from the road. The "1" would mean "I wouldn't shop here under any circumstances" -- it also means I would AVOID that entire BRAND
if I had a choice.

Companies are learning (slowly, in some cases!) that it's much cheaper to retain customers than to gain new customers. Customer loyalty can be built with customer service. That's why they want to know how our customer service experience was.

I tend to give out 7- 8's for stations in good condition. Anything over and above in customer service or a sparkling forecourt or bathroom can get them an extra point. Only once have I given a 10 and that was because everything, and I do mean everything looked recently scrubbed. Including the forecourt pavement. It's so rare to see no oil splotches that I had to reward it. However, if there is grime on the dispensers or handles, and no attempt has been made to remove old residue, or the trash is full, or there are no paper towels, etc etc I start deducting points for that. So my base for good condition is 7-8 and I add or subtract points from there. Gas stations are messy places and that is why I feel like that is a reasonable place to begin. I just did one that was the lowest I think I have ever scored, with a 4. It was a pit but had no drug dealers LOL.

I answer the emotional questions with "comfortable, uncomfortable". I find it difficult to work up some emotion over gas stations as well.

@ sybil
the guy was a dick the whole time I was there, from my mystery shop visit through the audit he created a bad vibe, I even checked off "uncomfortable" for the first time.. i'm supposed to be satisfied with that? realistically, i would never go there again, so it'd be a 1, except the place was in good condition. he didn't just give me a bad look. he annoyingly said "for that?", and slammed my receipt on the counter.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2016 04:54PM by jay225.

If they have drug paraphernalia and/or a dirty restroom or no restroom or if customer service is indifferent/hostile (such as a personal conversation on the phone throughout the transaction) they get a zero on returning as a customer or recommending the location. With those issues present, they get a five to seven on general evaluation. If they give reasonable customer service, have a clean building and restroom, and a well maintained lot with ample operating pumps they're good for a ten. I'm not looking for perfection. I'm looking for cordial customer service and a solid presentation.

@jay225 wrote:

@ sybil
the guy was a dick the whole time I was there, from my mystery shop visit through the audit he created a bad vibe, I even checked off "uncomfortable" for the first time.. i'm supposed to be satisfied with that? realistically, i would never go there again, so it'd be a 1, except the place was in good condition. he didn't just give me a bad look. he annoyingly said "for that?", and slammed my receipt on the counter.

You did not explain this in your original post. I based my comment on your comment about the cashier giving you a "bad look." The whole thing is subjective. A bad look to you could be an indifferent look or tired look or whatever look to another shopper.

Uh, yes jay225 did, in his original post on the subject.

"damn near got heated when i asked for my receipt. he threw it down on the counter, and gave me an angry look"

And don't be surprised if the editors change your low ratings. I have already caught them changing my answers and removing clear violation photos from my report. I reported the editors to the team leader.

Every time I see this thread the word "can't" is not registering so I think it says, "I get emotional over Maritz gas station shops." LOL.

Don't cry, LisaSTL. It will be okay.

Handing LisaSTL a green beer. Everything looks better through a green-colored beer mug!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2016 07:51PM by Sybil2.

No green beer here. It's an abomination. Besides, I assumed it was the OP getting emotional.

I like Jay's thought of a 7 being a C. Most of the stations I visit I consider B's. Maybe I'll bump my grading up a notch. Did the attendant change his attitude after you gave him the LOA? I had one give me an attitude over a $1.00 receipt and I asked him 3 times if that was a problem, each time louder. Then gave him the LOA. He became more co-operative.

Lisa - I really don't get emotional over a gas station. Not even delightful.

Wow, Mary, you are tough. I have never given a 0 or a 1.

Thank you all for your input.

My ratings are generally in the 7-9 range. An outstanding shop will merit a 10 and some will receive a 5. However, today I scored my first 1. This shop had a large, dead cockroach in the store near the hot food area and thousands of dead June bugs outside near the door - not exaggerating. I would literally pee in the bushes, go without a bottle of cold water, and run my car on fumes before I walked into this shop again.

With every shop I perform, I start with a 10 and let the shop's appearance and experiences take me down from there. I expect the best but when it's not received, it's expressed in my report. Thinking back, I don't believe I have ever given a shop a 10 grade and only on occasion given an employee a truly exceptionable rating.

I've never given any shop a ten. With that being said, i have given many nines and eights, hardly anything lower. I take into account the location and its amount of potential business.
Meaning, the location could be on a busy highway or limited access highway where there are so many customers that it becomes difficult for the attendants to keep up with the resultant customer messes. I'm looking for signs of neglect and indifference, not a bunch of garbage that appears to be from very recent customers.
For the exterior, where there could be factors that the attendant has no control of, I won't mark them lower for obvious weather related things such as garbage in the forecourt after or during the winter versus summer, spring and fall when clearly, someone could be out cleaning up the area. The same goes for areas needing repair but that cannot be performed due to the weather. I report them, but they are not a factor in the rating.
As for the conduct of the attendant on duty, to me, that is a very critical matter. If they're cheerful, helpful and friendly, it does make a difference versus a crabby, indifferent or foul-mouthed employee (who I do report in my comments).
For the most part, I've found that it is the quarterly shops that exhibit the worst problems. That is where I find attendants in street clothes, dirty restrooms and cranky, bitchy attendants.
Recently, I passed by a station that I did quarterly. In the past, it has received my lowest rating for obvious neglect such as peeling canopy, rusty and peeling curbs and garbage littered forecourt. Although the attendant was cheerful and kind, she wore no uniform or nametag. To top it off, the owner would come out and harass me, with statements like, what the he!! are you doing here?" or "this so d@mned stupid".
Needless to say, I reported all of that in the comment section, also advising that I didn't want to go back there again (this was after numerous times of being besieged by the owner). I was begged to go back with a substantial incentive.
That was the last time I did it. I reported all of the same infractions and the owner being a complete @ss.
When I passed by recently, I noted that the canopy was gone, the pumps removed and the mid gone. It was now a liquor store and gambling joint. The owner was standing outside.

Being a good Christian, I honked my horn, gave him the peace sign and smiled.

Silently, I said, "Bite me you Mamaluke!"