August 1, 2008
CSD: Shell Games
By Shawn Foucher
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is an excerpt of a current article from Convenience Store Decisions magazine.
Maybe there’s still a bit of debate on the medical merits of catharsis, but Bobak Bakhtiari could be the man to put the issue to rest.
“Does it further ignite aggression?” asked Mr. Bakhtiari, a former counselor at a California psychiatric facility who now runs Tanforan Shell, his family’s convenience store and carwash in San Bruno, Calif. “I always opened my anger management groups with a one-minute rant where my clients were given an opportunity to complain. They can’t throw chairs, but they can go as far as they want in terms of emotional or verbal commitment to their anger.”
It worked more often than not. “I’d say nine out of 10 rants resulted in the person achieving a more peaceful state,” Mr. Bakhtiari said.
So consider this: California consumers are rather committed to their anger these days, shelling out about $4.60 a gallon for fuel. To Mr. Bakhtiari, it seemed catharsis – a puritanical purging of inner demons – could work just as well outside a locked facility as it does inside.
“A couple of months ago, I began noticing a lot of hostility and aggression toward our cashiers,” said Mr. Bakhtiari, who spent four years heading up mental health therapy at that secure psychiatric ward in the Golden State, but joining the family’s business last year. “I kept wondering if there was anything we could do.”
And then came the epiphany. “It just randomly popped into my head,” he said. “I had this image of a Shell employee being dunked into a dunk tank, and thousands of people cheering and being gratified.”
On a sunny June Saturday, Mr. Bakhtiari hosted the first of what’s shaping up to be many popular “anger-management” Saturdays at Tanforan Shell. About 100 people showed up on the first day to chuck balls at a pivot arm on a dunk tank in hopes of dropping a c-store employee dressed as a Shell oilman into a watery grave. It was carnival meets convenience.
“I just feel oil companies have remained mute about the dramatic shifts in lifestyle, and blood pressure, as a result of these rising gas prices,” Mr. Bakhtiari said.
The stress-reliever included live music and refreshments. “I thought since people are filling up their tanks and it’s costing them anywhere between $80 and $200, they should be getting some live music at least,” Mr. Bakhtiari said.
“We also tried to address the animosity toward the cashiers in the food mart.” Each customer was invited to unload a 30-second tirade on a cashier who had prepared mentally beforehand. “If it was a genuine rant, they got a free carwash,” Mr. Bakhtiari said.
By the end of the day, dozens of customers had cleansed their souls…and their cars.
Discussion Questions: First, what do you think of the “anger management” session Tanforan Shell held for its customers? Second, is there an opportunity to address the “anger” being felt by many consumers? In what ways have you seen some sales associates or retailers smoothly defuse aggravating situations for customers?
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From a customer relationship management standpoint, this is great example of a service recovery strategy. While it is counter-intuitive for some, companies who make mistakes (as all companies and people do from time to time) that anger customers AND then fix them often emerge with much deeper emotional connections with those customers. Customers and people don’t get angry about something unless they really care about it.
Listening to customers is thus a prerequisite to knowing that a customer was disappointed or even infuriated. Acting on what you hear is then a giant step towards “making up” with those customers. And as we all know, making up can be very rewarding.
How many times have each of us wanted to ‘dunk’ a retail associate in a tank of water (or perhaps, even worse!)?
I applaud the initiative to recognize the frustration, and at the same time, let the customers have some fun with it. Rule number one when dealing with a disgruntled problem is to acknowledge the issue. Too often, retailers and suppliers don’t even own up to the problems, resulting in even more anger and ultimately lost customers. (Remember back to the Audi fiasco years ago when the cars apparently accelerated inexplicably? Audi refused to accept any responsibility and it nearly eliminated them from the marketplace)
We’re all fed up with the high gas prices…at least this retailer is smart enough to turn our frustration into a great marketing angle.
Mr. Bakhtiari should be commended for recognizing the frustration his customers are experiencing and offering them outlet to vent their anger. But the bigger message he is trying to send to his customers is that fuel pricing issues are out of his control, and that’s one message U.S. consumers need to hear and understand. While Exxon, Shell, BP and the other oil majors are reporting strong quarterly earning, station operators like Mr. Bakhtiari are struggling to get by on thin margins, higher credit card fees and other increased operating costs. Unfortunately, since they are “the face” of Big Oil, they bear the brunt of consumer anger. This lighthearted gesture is certainly no cure for high gas prices, but at least customers walked away from the gas station with a little bit of a smile on their face after an $80 fill-up. These days, that’s about as rare as $2 gas.
I suppose the core issue is gas prices here, but I think we should take a moment to applaud Mr. Bakhtiari for being a MERCHANT if the first degree. In the spirit of Stew Leonard and L.L.Bean, Mr. Bakhtiari obviously knows how to spell “retailtainment”! Here’s to all the true merchants out there!
I think it’s a great idea and a lot of fun. He will probably earn himself new customers and keep the others coming back. However, oil companies do need to spend some marketing dollars educating the consumer on why gasoline prices have skyrocketed. Americans are not the only ones paying more. Oil companies and their profits will continue to be blamed until they spend the time, money and effort to educate our citizens on OPEC, oil supplies, increased world wide demand, ANWR, etc.
Yes, consumers are upset with the new high price of gasoline, but are we looking at the real issue? Oil companies are reporting record profits and have done little to tell their story. The liberal press is trying to put the blame on them and they are not fighting back.
What we are really seeing is that the consumer does not like uncertain times. Further, they don’t like changes in their plans. What is really happening in America is a reduction in our standard of living. High gas prices are just one factor. Negative balance of payment, deficit government spending and the impact of illegals are all working to reduce our standard of living. Consumers are not dumb; they see this and are beginning to understand that their children will not be better off than they are, which is why congress and the executive branch of our government have such low approval ratings.
A dunking booth is just another promotion which brings attention to the store. Something different from the competition is always a good idea.
Can we do this at the polls this November to those listed on the ballot? Maybe again to the entire US Congress next April 15?
Of course this unique and creative sales promotion event is not for every retailer. Mr. Bakhtiari has rare credentials as a mental health professional that few retailers can match.
He deserves a gold star for applying both his special expertise and his merchant’s instincts in a manner that demonstrated his commitment to his customers. His message says “We’re all in this together.”
One hopes the employees who were dunked while wearing an oil company executive’s grey suit and repp tie participated with full consent and good humor. It sounds like a satisfying spectacle to me–and less mean-spirited than burning them in effigy.
For the record, this past quarter we could find about 11.8 billion reasons to dunk an Exxon Mobil executive….
Everyone who’s ever worked in a job dealing with the public, in a store, restaurant, medical office, etc. knows that receiving inappropriate hostility is part of the job. It’s the rare training program that directly prepares folks for this. Most retailers just let their employees sort it out for themselves. So the staff turnover continues.
Mr. Bakhtiari’s great solution was a masterstroke of creativity and showmanship. Many retailers can’t rise to that standard. But they could take some time to train their staff via role playing, and improve their customer communication, to reduce shopper hostility.
Great; a bit of fun to temper the frustration and relieve the stresses. We had bikini clad babes doing car washes in the UK a few years back. Sadly, neither will make the major problem or the stresses go away and the reality is, we need a better alternative to oil for the environmental and economic reasons everyone knows.
The governments, petrol companies, oil companies, car manufacturers, car maintenance companies, and forecourts are not on the page of making or supporting a viable non subsidised alternative. The reasons for this are obvious and the result is a stranglehold on the masses. The customer’s love for the car makes it happen. Making a choice not to be a willing victim is the step in the right direction no matter how much fun it is to vent your frustration in a petrol station.
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From a customer relationship management standpoint, this is great example of a service recovery strategy. While it is counter-intuitive for some, companies who make mistakes (as all companies and people do from time to time) that anger customers AND then fix them often emerge with much deeper emotional connections with those customers. Customers and people don’t get angry about something unless they really care about it.
Listening to customers is thus a prerequisite to knowing that a customer was disappointed or even infuriated. Acting on what you hear is then a giant step towards “making up” with those customers. And as we all know, making up can be very rewarding.
How many times have each of us wanted to ‘dunk’ a retail associate in a tank of water (or perhaps, even worse!)?
I applaud the initiative to recognize the frustration, and at the same time, let the customers have some fun with it. Rule number one when dealing with a disgruntled problem is to acknowledge the issue. Too often, retailers and suppliers don’t even own up to the problems, resulting in even more anger and ultimately lost customers. (Remember back to the Audi fiasco years ago when the cars apparently accelerated inexplicably? Audi refused to accept any responsibility and it nearly eliminated them from the marketplace)
We’re all fed up with the high gas prices…at least this retailer is smart enough to turn our frustration into a great marketing angle.
Mr. Bakhtiari should be commended for recognizing the frustration his customers are experiencing and offering them outlet to vent their anger. But the bigger message he is trying to send to his customers is that fuel pricing issues are out of his control, and that’s one message U.S. consumers need to hear and understand. While Exxon, Shell, BP and the other oil majors are reporting strong quarterly earning, station operators like Mr. Bakhtiari are struggling to get by on thin margins, higher credit card fees and other increased operating costs. Unfortunately, since they are “the face” of Big Oil, they bear the brunt of consumer anger. This lighthearted gesture is certainly no cure for high gas prices, but at least customers walked away from the gas station with a little bit of a smile on their face after an $80 fill-up. These days, that’s about as rare as $2 gas.
I suppose the core issue is gas prices here, but I think we should take a moment to applaud Mr. Bakhtiari for being a MERCHANT if the first degree. In the spirit of Stew Leonard and L.L.Bean, Mr. Bakhtiari obviously knows how to spell “retailtainment”! Here’s to all the true merchants out there!
I think it’s a great idea and a lot of fun. He will probably earn himself new customers and keep the others coming back. However, oil companies do need to spend some marketing dollars educating the consumer on why gasoline prices have skyrocketed. Americans are not the only ones paying more. Oil companies and their profits will continue to be blamed until they spend the time, money and effort to educate our citizens on OPEC, oil supplies, increased world wide demand, ANWR, etc.
Yes, consumers are upset with the new high price of gasoline, but are we looking at the real issue? Oil companies are reporting record profits and have done little to tell their story. The liberal press is trying to put the blame on them and they are not fighting back.
What we are really seeing is that the consumer does not like uncertain times. Further, they don’t like changes in their plans. What is really happening in America is a reduction in our standard of living. High gas prices are just one factor. Negative balance of payment, deficit government spending and the impact of illegals are all working to reduce our standard of living. Consumers are not dumb; they see this and are beginning to understand that their children will not be better off than they are, which is why congress and the executive branch of our government have such low approval ratings.
A dunking booth is just another promotion which brings attention to the store. Something different from the competition is always a good idea.
Can we do this at the polls this November to those listed on the ballot? Maybe again to the entire US Congress next April 15?
Of course this unique and creative sales promotion event is not for every retailer. Mr. Bakhtiari has rare credentials as a mental health professional that few retailers can match.
He deserves a gold star for applying both his special expertise and his merchant’s instincts in a manner that demonstrated his commitment to his customers. His message says “We’re all in this together.”
One hopes the employees who were dunked while wearing an oil company executive’s grey suit and repp tie participated with full consent and good humor. It sounds like a satisfying spectacle to me–and less mean-spirited than burning them in effigy.
For the record, this past quarter we could find about 11.8 billion reasons to dunk an Exxon Mobil executive….
Everyone who’s ever worked in a job dealing with the public, in a store, restaurant, medical office, etc. knows that receiving inappropriate hostility is part of the job. It’s the rare training program that directly prepares folks for this. Most retailers just let their employees sort it out for themselves. So the staff turnover continues.
Mr. Bakhtiari’s great solution was a masterstroke of creativity and showmanship. Many retailers can’t rise to that standard. But they could take some time to train their staff via role playing, and improve their customer communication, to reduce shopper hostility.
Great; a bit of fun to temper the frustration and relieve the stresses. We had bikini clad babes doing car washes in the UK a few years back. Sadly, neither will make the major problem or the stresses go away and the reality is, we need a better alternative to oil for the environmental and economic reasons everyone knows.
The governments, petrol companies, oil companies, car manufacturers, car maintenance companies, and forecourts are not on the page of making or supporting a viable non subsidised alternative. The reasons for this are obvious and the result is a stranglehold on the masses. The customer’s love for the car makes it happen. Making a choice not to be a willing victim is the step in the right direction no matter how much fun it is to vent your frustration in a petrol station.