The last purchase I can recall in which I was particularly pleased
about would have to be my oil change at Midas. I had been in need of an oil
change for a while by then, but I was on a tight budget, so a deal was in
order. I am not from Hampton Roads, so I was not sure of any of the suitable
service shops around. I was pleased to receive a coupon in the mail that seemed
to top all of the competition. I decided I was going to wait on my next
paycheck to utilize the coupon and get my oil change.
In the meantime, I received an ad in the mail as well, and saw a
commercial. These two forms of advertisement added
reinforcement and convinced me that Midas would be the place I would go to for
my car service needs from then on. Once I actually received the oil
change at Midas, I realized how friendly its service was and that it was trying
to offer me more deal packages on various services that I did not really feel I
needed. Alongside that, the coupon called for four different free services
combined with the oil change deal. After I waited for the completion of the
service, the mechanic came out and told me that they could not perform certain
services the coupon had offered without the purchase of another. At that point,
I felt as though Midas was in it for the money, and that its generous customer
service was not all that genuine. However, that very same mechanic did make a
courtesy call the day after my service was complete, but it was not only to
check up on me, but to encourage me to refer my friends and associates to them.
When
compared to my most recent volunteer experience, the idea of Midas being “in it
for themselves” really sticks out. I last volunteered in December for the
Salvation Army and was a bell ringer standing outside Farm Fresh. I do
recall the website’s advertisement tugging at a heart string or two beginning
with its simple slogan of “Doing the Most Good” written above a picture of
volunteers at work in a soup kitchen. The picture in the ad was very simple,
yet the description included in the ad of the activity was able to instill a
sense of warmth and positivity. I remember the actual act was an ad in itself.
Once the people saw me out there in the cold dedicating my time to raising
money for whatever the cause may have been, they were extremely pleased and
expressed such. Most of them wanted to let me know it was a good thing I was
doing or that they felt like they should be doing the same, given the season.
The difference between the two experiences is apparent in that the
purchase with personal gain as the result was more of a physical reward. The
volunteer activity resulted in a more mental and emotional gain, which some may
consider a far more rewarding experience in the end. With the Salvation Army’s
advertisement, you can sense that all the organization is really after is an
act of goodwill. However, there is a similarity in that just as advertising can
be seen as pushy, some may see the Salvation Army’s advertisement as a
technique of pushing guilt and obligation. Lastly, the oil change purchase
advertised falsely by reeling me in believing I was receiving several things,
yet I only ended up with two. The Salvation Army informs you of all expectations.
It is easier to trust a volunteer service whose aim is to do good for others
than it is to trust an advertisement of a business out for money.
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