PB service station pampers clients
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BUSINESS A4—Palm Beach Daily News, Sunday, November 8, 1992 Daily News Photo By SIG BOKALDERS Richard Gray recently started sellingfood and other convenience items from his Palm Beach service station. PB service station pampers clients Richard Gray may be the only ser vice station owner in Florida who drives his clients to board meetings and beauty shops while their cars are being fixed. But then again, he's one of the few who serves the residents of Palm Beach. Here, the owner of Gray's Mobil discusses his 14-year-old busi ness and its recent changes. — CYNTHIA WASHAM As a college business major, you thought you might go into the sport ing goods or clothing business. What made you decide to run a gas station with your father? Ever have any re grets? We found ourselves in a situation that we just could not possibly pass up. We were not looking for a joint busi ness venture. The station went up for sale, we knew the owner and we thought it would be a wise investment. My biggest regret is that the man agement of the station consumes so much of my time and does not allow me to spend as much time with my wife and children as I would like. You offer some special services to your customers while their cars are being repaired. Could you explain your unique service and why you provide it? I offer the following special ser vices: Pic* up and/or drop off of cli ents and their cars, off-season car maintenance for clients who are out of town, and assistance with car registra tion. I offer these services because my clients have been loyal to me and expect the same services I have of- f(±rf*rt tn thorn You recently became the second business in Palm Beach to offer con venience items such as milk, bread and other necessities. How have your customers responded? I have had an incredibly positive response. Not only are the island resi dents thrilled with the new conve nience store, but employers that work on the island love it because I offer fresh deli sandwiches, chips and soft drinks at the lowest prices on the island. I also offer extended hours and the store and station are open on Sundays. When you switched from BP to Mobil several months ago, you said that Mobil was a better quality gaso line. What makes it better? How important is gas quality for the valu able luxury and sports cars many Palm Beachers drive? Mobil gasoline is better because it has a fuel additive that keeps fuel injectors clean. It also has the highest octane level available. Gas quality is important because high performance cars need this type of gas to perform properly. Recent data from the Palm Beach County Division of Consumer Affairs showed that the type of business that generates the most complaints is auto repairs. Why do you think so many customers are dissatisfied? I think that people depend on their automobiles so heavily for transporta tion and their livelihood that they auto matically blame any car problems on the last person that worked on the car. The majority of people who complain flrp thp nnp« that rtn nnt nrnnprlu main. tain their cars and do not have a reliable and trustworthy mechanic. What do you do to keep your business out of the county's com plaint file? I do not have complaints because I stress to my clients that it is impera tive that they perform preventative maintenance on their cars. Self-service has replaced full ser vice at many gas stations. You offer both. Do you think the market for full service will survive? Why or why not? I think that full-service will defi nitely survive, particularly on the is land of Palm Beach. My clients expf ct this service and I will always provide it. In recent years, gas prices have gone up and down repeatedly. W.iere do you see them going in the next year? It is impossible for me to predict future gasoline prices, due to the fact that we have a new president in office. Ethanol is being used experimen tally in motor vehicles. With pressure to clean up the environment, do you see ethanol, or other alternative fuels, replacing gasoline? I do not see ethanol or other alter native fuels replacing gasolines be cause most high-performance cars can not function property with these. You work long days, including Saturdays. What do you do to relax? My relaxation usually revolves around my wife, Carmen, and our chil dren. We love to take weekend vaca tions at different spots around Florida. I also enjoy racquetball, golf and week- irt h ith tVionHc anH familu arhDMiop i\t
Transcript of PB service station pampers clients
BUSINESSA4—Palm Beach Daily News, Sunday, November 8, 1992
Daily News Photo By SIG BOKALDERS
Richard Gray recently started selling food and other convenience items from his Palm Beach service station.
PB service station pampers clientsRichard Gray may be the only ser
vice station owner in Florida whodrives his clients to board meetingsand beauty shops while their cars arebeing fixed. But then again, he's one ofthe few who serves the residents ofPalm Beach. Here, the owner of Gray'sMobil discusses his 14-year-old business and its recent changes.
— CYNTHIA WASHAM
As a college business major, youthought you might go into the sporting goods or clothing business. Whatmade you decide to run a gas stationwith your father? Ever have any regrets?
We found ourselves in a situationthat we just could not possibly pass up.We were not looking for a joint business venture. The station went up forsale, we knew the owner and wethought it would be a wise investment.
My biggest regret is that the management of the station consumes somuch of my time and does not allowme to spend as much time with mywife and children as I would like.
You offer some special servicesto your customers while their carsare being repaired. Could you explainyour unique service and why youprovide it?
I offer the following special services: Pic* up and/or drop off of clients and their cars, off-season carmaintenance for clients who are out oftown, and assistance with car registration.
I offer these services because myclients have been loyal to me andexpect the same services I have of-f(±rf*rt tn thorn
You recently became the secondbusiness in Palm Beach to offer convenience items such as milk, breadand other necessities. How have yourcustomers responded?
I have had an incredibly positiveresponse. Not only are the island residents thrilled with the new convenience store, but employers that workon the island love it because I offer
fresh deli sandwiches, chips and softdrinks at the lowest prices on theisland.
I also offer extended hours and thestore and station are open on Sundays.
When you switched from BP toMobil several months ago, you saidthat Mobil was a better quality gasoline. What makes it better? Howimportant is gas quality for the valuable luxury and sports cars manyPalm Beachers drive?
Mobil gasoline is better because ithas a fuel additive that keeps fuelinjectors clean. It also has the highestoctane level available. Gas quality isimportant because high performancecars need this type of gas to performproperly.
Recent data from the Palm Beach
County Division of Consumer Affairsshowed that the type of businessthat generates the most complaintsis auto repairs. Why do you think somany customers are dissatisfied?
I think that people depend on theirautomobiles so heavily for transportation and their livelihood that they automatically blame any car problems onthe last person that worked on the car.The majority of people who complainflrp thp nnp« that rtn nnt nrnnprlu main.
tain their cars and do not have areliable and trustworthy mechanic.
What do you do to keep yourbusiness out of the county's complaint file?
I do not have complaints because Istress to my clients that it is imperative that they perform preventativemaintenance on their cars.
Self-service has replaced full service at many gas stations. You offerboth. Do you think the market for fullservice will survive? Why or why not?
I think that full-service will definitely survive, particularly on the island of Palm Beach. My clients expf ctthis service and I will always provideit.
In recent years, gas prices havegone up and down repeatedly. W.ieredo you see them going in the nextyear?
It is impossible for me to predictfuture gasoline prices, due to the factthat we have a new president in office.
Ethanol is being used experimentally in motor vehicles. With pressureto clean up the environment, do yousee ethanol, or other alternativefuels, replacing gasoline?
I do not see ethanol or other alternative fuels replacing gasolines because most high-performance cars cannot function property with these.
You work long days, includingSaturdays. What do you do to relax?
My relaxation usually revolvesaround my wife, Carmen, and our children. We love to take weekend vaca
tions at different spots around Florida.I also enjoy racquetball, golf and week-
irt h ith tVionHc anH familuarhDMiop i\t
