Customers Come First

We got eight inches of snow yesterday.  Schools were closed.  Kids were home.  A good day to stay indoors.

Not for me.  I had an appointment at 11am in Cuyahoga Falls and I wasn’t going to miss it.  I chose to driving on the secondary roads figuring that if I got stuck I would be within walking distance to help. 

I made it almost there when I got stuck at an intersection.  The accumulated snow was just too high for my mini van to navigate.  I struggled forward six inches.  Backed up and tried again.  Luckily it was a side street without traffic.  As I continued my forward and backward trip to nowhere, my cell phone rang.  Out of habit I reached over and answered it.

What was I thinking? 

“Hi this is Barbara and I recently heard you speaker at the local chamber meeting.  Is this an okay time to talk?”

I started to laugh.  “Well, I’m stuck in an intersection right now but since I can’t seem to go forward or back, it is just as good a time as any.”

I put the car in park, hit the hazard light button and said “How can I help you?”

She shared her harrowing driving experience and we commiserated before getting down to business.  She needed a speaker.  “I have a date in February that I’m desperate to fill, can you help?” 

As it turns out – I was free that day.  We talked a little longer and then agreed to continue the conversation when we were both safe and warm. 

Customers come first in my book.  It is a natural, knee-jerk reaction.  Just like my response to the ringing phone.  You just never know who needs help. 

Had I let the phone ring – she might have called the next speaker on her list.  The time it took to connect with Barbara allowed us to develop a connection and gave my car a chance to rest.  I hung up and shot out into the intersection.  Okay, that is an exaggeration, but I did manage to get going in a forward motion. 

I’m not suggesting that you answer your phone no matter what – obviously you need to be safe – but how often do you just let the phone go to voice mail, choosing to screen your calls?  In this day and age of complex voice mail systems, getting a live person can be just the ticket to set you apart from the competition!

Do you have any crazy stories like my intersection experience?  I hope you’ll share.