Petro-Canada

In 30 seconds, one employee last night managed to single-​handedly (and in record time) undo the good reputation that this station had for me.
Got a e-​mail notice that the price of gas was going up. I was driving by this station, and noticed that its price on the sign was already raised, contrary to the 10-​cents-​cheaper price at the Esso across the street. I pulled in anyway and noticed that the price at the pump was still the lower price. I hurried to park, I got out of my car and noticed that the girl was serving a customer, so I opened the tank, removed the nozzle and pressed the button while it still showed 131.4. I was the only car there. The other prices disappear, I got the ready message, but before I could pump, the ready was replaced with a «wait» message.
I stare at the girl. I look at the pump. and repeat. Finally, the pump tells me that it’s ready, but the price has jumped 10 cents. I stare at the girl. She waves at me with a «you can go» wave. Really? The button was already pressed. Couldn’t wait 10 seconds?
I go in to tell her how I feel, and she stares at me like she doesn’t understand what she did. I don’t buy it. It was all too deliberate. I ended up going across the street to Esso. Put in 12 litres. Her overeagerness to raise the price on a customer who had already «sealed» his price at 131.4 cost her boss a $ 16 sale — and for what? $ 1.20? And then I remembered — she doesn’t own the place. She doesn’t care about the customer. And if she rushed to raise the price like that, how big of a stretch is it to assume that her boss cares just as little?
In the end, when faced with a choice between customer service and increased arbitrary profit, this station chose the latter. That doesn’t work for me.