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I managed gas stations for eight years. Started at a small town station in a rural part of California where we gave very full service. Relocated to Los Angeles and took a job managing a station there.

I was not that smart, just did not know any better. I had the crew give the same service in Los Angeles that I was used to providing in the small town. Very full service.

Because of corporate structure here, Union 76 had to charge about 4 to 5 cents per gallon more - they marketed it as better gasoline. So going in, I had this problem of higher prices.

Because of the service we provided, we went from being a sleepy station to a quite busy one, from 1400 gallons a day up to 2800 gallons a day on average and still had prices $0.05 above the other stations. Of course, sales of oil went up also.

With the added traffic for gas, we also got the lifts busy with tire rotations and other minor maintenance that we did not overcharge for and got done quickly. It was stuff customers needed.

The service was so good out at the pumps, my attendents were getting tips - unheard of at a service station. We paid 50 cents per hour over what other stations paid there help and we got really good work from our crew.

It was really fun. I believe the formula would work even better today as there is so little service out there now. I think you see some of this coming back in stations that have, we pump for old ladies on tuesday and similar such "special" service offerings at gas stations.

I worked at a service station like that back in th early eighties. It was an Arco. I watched as they first got rid of their credit cards, then turned station after station into miny-marts, with illiterate illegal aliens behind the counter. Eventually, they forced my station owner out and the place is now a bank.

Half my job was pump service and giving directions. Try to get directions at an Arco today......