Good customer service, or just covering himself?

Today the kids and I took my SUV in for an overdue oil change. I'd never been to this particular place before, but DH has been taking our cars there for a while now.

I pulled in, they did the usual stuff, then they started in on the list of "urgent" things I should also have done. When their list was complete, the bill would have been $250! I politely declined. The overly friendly guy said "well, what will it take? I'm already giving you a discount.... hold on... I can knock this down even further"... and proceeded to take the price down about fifty more dollars. That's nice, but I still wasn't buying without talking to DH about it, which is what I told the guy. He lets out a big sigh and walks away, talking to the other guys and pointing back at me. By this point I'm annoyed, thinking that if he pushes the issue any further I'll just ask them to close my hood and we'll drive away. He comes back, keeps typing on his computer, and finally gives me the price for the oil change. Fine by me. The other guys proceed with the oil change and I figure that's that.

At the end, I showed the salesguy the list of things I'd written down that he'd said I needed done, and asked him if there was anything else I should tell my DH. I think that caught him off guard. :) He says something about not meaning to make me feel pressured, and hoping that I didn't take it that way. I told him that I did indeed feel pressured, but it was OK. (I realize that's his job, and it's not like I was all irate or anything.) His eyes get really big and he asks me to wait a minute, because they are "all about customer service". He goes into the office with the manager, and comes back with a card that will give me a 15% discount for the next year, and a coupon book with $175 in coupons. He then hands me a survey and asks me to call in and rate my experience, even pointing out his name and the name of the manager on the receipt.

So, no matter what, it seems like I came out pretty good in the end... I didn't give in to the salespitch, and I have discounts galore for the next year or so. I'll admit that that part of their marketing strategy worked- sure, I'll go back again since I have the discount and coupons. And, I'll know that I can stand my ground with them since they are "all about customer service" and all. ;)