Valvoline Instant Oil Change Names

A team of Valvoline Instant Oil Change (VIOC) employees from Redford Township, Mich. was recently named "America's Best Oil Change Team" by 13 expert judges in the National Oil-Lympics, an annual competition VIOC organizes for employees of its nearly 700 service centers. The champion team consists of Customer Service Representative Holley Wood, Bottom-Side Technician Kris Jerome and Area Manager Lorn Morden.

VIOC held the contest finals in conjunction with October's National Car Care Month to demonstrate the company's passion for cars, the quick lube business and its customers.

"The Oil-Lympics embodies the spirit of our national slogan, 'Cars. We Know 'Em. We Love 'Em.,'" says VIOC president John Q. Wesley. "The competition is a great way to promote teamwork and provide ongoing skill development while making working at VIOC more fun, which ultimately results in superior service provided to our customers."

National finals were held on Saturday, October 6 at VIOC's Smyrna, Tenn. service center. In addition to being declared "America's Best Oil Change Team," Wood, Jerome and Morden earned free lessons at a professional racecar driving school and official racing helmets signed by NASCAR driver Johnny Benson, among other prizes.

Finalist teams representing more than 1,500 VIOC employees and 300-plus Franchise centers who participated in preliminary rounds of the contest competed for the national title in this fast-paced, precision-oriented contest. Each three-person team raced to complete two 72-step full-service oil changes with exacting detail in less than 20 minutes. The 13 expert judges rated each team on 123 criteria tied to the company's proprietary SuperPro^® training program, a precise certification process that all employees must complete before working on customer vehicles.

"The competition was intense, but in the end it was Holley, Kris and Lorn who prevailed," says Cheryl Zimbrick, director of organizational development for VIOC. "The nine teams that advanced to the national competition, including the all-female team from Lexington, Ky., the second place team from St. Louis, Mo. and the third place winners from a franchise service center in Bemidji, Minn., exemplify the best of VIOC, and their level of excellence and dedication represents the service available at each VIOC center across the country."

Lexington, Ky.-based VIOC operates nearly 700 locations nationwide. The company is one of the nation's largest providers of "do-it-for-me" automotive fluid maintenance services. Each service center offers a complete selection of oil changes, preventive maintenance checks, free fluid top-offs and other services and products, presented in an environment with the highest emphasis on customer service. VIOC is a subsidiary of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), a Fortune 500 company.