Jiffy Lube Renovates With Women Customers In Mind

Houston-Jiffy Lube, the leader in the quick oil-change market, is starting a new initiative for the 59 percent of oil-change customers who are female, by making its waiting rooms more amenable to women customers.

The Pennzoil subsidiary has already tested six sites in Chicago and San Francisco, adding softer colors, free local phone calls, Internet access, women's magazines and CD listening posts. Jiffy Lube president Marc Graham-the father of four daughters-says that so far women like the new look, and half say they are now more likely to return to a Jiffy Lube.

The $15,000 to $20,000 renovations will be rolled out at up to 100 of 530 company-owned stores in the next year. Jiffy Lube also wants its 1,600 franchisees to remodel their locations to incorporate these modifications. -Business Week