What Gets Us Through

This is a post I wrote for work, enjoy.

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The holiday season seems to add an extra element around any e-commerce company and I know for us in customer service, we have had a larger volume of calls and inquiries gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas renovations. For the most part, customers will call us in a holiday rush to avoid their in-laws complaints at an incomplete remodel. Whether you are remodeling, giving a gift or doing this for yourself, the holiday season seems to be the best and busiest time of year for business.

Here are a few heartfelt stories that make business worth the long hours, the high wait times, and the unhappy customers due to their in-laws irritation to an unfinished remodel.

I first received his email asking when he would receive the order. It seemed nothing out of the ordinary as I looked up his information and was able to let him know that we were sorry, but his order was not going to be available for a month or so. Something we sometimes cannot control, but sympathize with especially during this season. I responded with a quick explanation and sent it on it’s way. Later during the day I received a voice mail from someone who sounded concerned. He told us his name and his inquiry and I quickly recognized that it was the issue I had emailed earlier. His message stated he was being deployed soon and the bag was for his gear that would go with him. Because the order was delayed, he let us know that he had to cancel the order as he would be deployed. Our business is only to accommodate a customers needs, and while answering questions about toilets can become mundane, every once and a while you get a call like this and remember that what we offer is much more than just a bag. What that bag purposes for the soldier makes doing business a pleasure.

The next call was from a sweet old lady asking about a chalk board. I was surprised by the inquiry because most of our business comes from plumbing needs. I did a search and found that we did have a chalk board. As we continued talking, she told me it was for a Christmas present for her granddaughter and I could not help but tell her how sweet it was. I told her a story of a little girl that wanted a chalk board for Christmas and her parents got one with colored chalk and she was so excited. So excited that she found the secret place her parents kept everything hidden and opened it early. 15 years later and I still love chalk boards so I told her if I was that little girl again I would want some colored chalk to go with it. She thought it was a great idea and confessed she did not think to buy anything but the chalk board. I was able to find her colored and white chalk to go along with the board. Customer service can be hard, very hard. And some days it is so easy to forget there are people with stories waiting to be told. It was such a joy to assist her with the type of customer service that goes beyond what is required realizing Christmas morning there will be a young girl opening up her Christmas presents to play with that chalk board pretending to be a teacher or a doctor. And maybe, just maybe she will be and she is what helped me get through my day; what makes us all get through.