locked in a carwash!

“locked in a carwash!”

Written on: 12/11/2012

On Friday October 26th I went to the Shell Station on Arlington Road in Buffalo Grove Illinois. It was close to 6:00pm when I filled my tank and bought a carwash. I then drove around to the carwash and put in my code and proceeded in. The door behind me went down but the carwash did not go on. I was locked in there for 20 minutes. No one responded to my honking so I looked up the station number on my cell (I was lucky to have reception!). The number listed was disconnected. I then called my daughter who said she would drive over to tell the attendant to let me out. I continued to honk without response. Finally someone tried to use the carwash and got the door between us open. he tried to use his code to get me out but had no luck. He left to go in the office. My daughter came at the same time. Both told him what was happening or rather not happening. He shrugged his shoulders and said that i must have done something wrong. He made no move to help me. Finally the man in the car behind me and another customer came out and manually lifted the door so I could exit. I went in the office and again the attendant started to berate me. I demanded my money back which he reluctantly refunded.
I think that first of all there should be some emergency exit marked. The station's telephone number should work. The office should also have a camera or an intercom in case some else gets locked in. It was fortunate I don't have a heart condition, anxiety or clautrophobia. I could have had young children with me. Thank goodness I was fine, but just late for an appt. I called the customer satisfaction number listed on the station window. I had to leave a message and was told that I would be called back within 24 hours. DIDN'T HAPPEN!! I then called a main Shell number, spoke to someone who was going to get back to me. DIDN'T HAPPEN! As time goes on I get angrier and angrier. I have been a customer forever and I am very unhappy with the lack of courtesy and respect I am getting. I am ready to voice my complaints over the social media networks and call the Better Business Bureau. A sympathetic station manger or worker helping me out and offering an apology was all that was needed. It is far beyond that at this point.