Today’s topic is jobs you wouldn’t want. Working at Jiffy Lube _ actually changing the oil in cars and looking for engine problems _ wouldn’t be so bad. But have you noticed (of course you have, you’re observant) how Jiffy Lube employees are now standing curbside, holding a sign that promises a few dollars off your oil change?
The other day, driving past a Jiffy Lube, I saw one of the guys holding a sign. He was looking straight down at the ground, his sign just kind of dangling. He looked sad. Pathetically sad. His body language said: "I would like to change the oil of the idiot who thinks this is a good idea."
Curbside harassment isn’t a new marketing concept, by any stretch. Godfather’s Pizza sometimes puts a clown near an intersection trying to drum up customers. A scrap metal company on 21st Street makes one of its employees hawk near the street, carrying a sign promising how ever many cents a pound for your empty cans.
I’ve got some problems with this, as you might have already guessed.
First, it’s always best when a motorist can keep his or her eyes on the road with the fewest distractions possible. Having a guy or a clown or a chimpanzee wave a sign while you’re cruising down the street at 40 or 50 or, in my case, 85 mph, isn’t a good idea.
Secondly, if your business is making you stand near the street with a sign, there’s a pretty good chance that business is not doing very good business. I would think these businesses would want their employees actually working, and not pleading for customers as cars whiz by.