I was at the local Costco store last weekend and there was a store employee out in the parking lot pointing at my front tire. He said that it looked like my tire was flat and that I could get it fixed over at the Tire Center. I thought that this was great luck until. . .

I walked into their service area and was stuck in a line of 5 people waiting for the one employee that was handling quite a bit. I was there 45 minutes before additional help was brought in. Unfortunately, it was Sunday, so I was sure that they were running a skeleton crew in the tire center. I kept overhearing the front counter person saying that the wait was going to be 2-2-1/2 hours. I kept preparing myself, oh well, I could always go into the electronic section and watch the golfing event because there was no entertainment out in the Tire Center. I thought, there is a marketing opportunity, bring in a TV, have some magazines and a popcorn machine like Les Schwab does (it ain't pretty but it is better than staring at a bunch of tires).

Finally, I heard those golden words, "Next, please." I explained to the attendant that I had a flat tire and said that I was prepared to wait the 2-1/2 hours. He said, "It is going to be closer to 3 hours. What kind of tires do you have on your car?" I told him that they were the original tires on my 2009 Toyota Matrix. "I am sorry he said but we can only service our Costco tires." The only good thing about my Costco Tire Department experience is that he said that they could fill the tire with air to get me home.

I just was happy that I didn't have to wait 3 hours. Don't you think that Costco could make it a little easier to help their customers out? Even if it meant that I would have to go back into the store and possibly buy something else? Do you know anyone in the Costco Marketing Department? I think that they need to hire me as a consultant to help them with their business.

Have you ever been in their Tire Department? What kind of experience did you have?