Kim's Blog

​Many years ago, a family I knew and admired moved across the country to pursue a great opportunity for one of the parents. It was a prestigious new role that included advanced training in their field. Their spouse also found a new and exciting role that was also a step up in leadership and challenge. Both parents thrived, until they didn’t.

In this instance, she followed him. She excelled in her job as a director, overseeing several managers and their teams. Her team loved her, and she effectively led them to consistently achieve great results for the company.

This couple also had two young children, long commutes, and expensive daycare with which to contend. With both parents in high-pressure jobs, it became too much. She mentioned how stressful it was to feel like she had to keep working at night, while she helped the kids get ready for bed, while on vacation, and so on.

We talked about her dilemma and her options. She felt stuck. She felt like she would probably just have to quit her job. She saw no other way. She admitted that although she loved her team, the work of managing people plus her own load was adding too many hours to each week. She felt like she was missing out on so much of her children’s lives, and she wondered if it was at all worth the sacrifices she’d been making.

I suggested that there might be other options to consider. We brainstormed about whether her boss or her boss’s leader might be receptive to having her shift from director back into a high level individual contributor role. The decision was hers, whether to talk with her leader or not. I mentioned that if she asked and it did not work out, at least she tried and she would know; plus, she was considering leaving anyway.

She decided to ask. Her boss was highly receptive. They made it clear that they valued her expertise and did not want to lose her. Together, they brainstormed a solution and a role that would better fit her work-life needs. She made the switch and continued to enjoy working for this organization for another two years. Then it was time to move again, this time ‘back home’.

* I will reference this post on LinkedIn as well. Feel free to comment here and/or on LinkedIn once it is posted there. Thanks!  --Kim

                                                                                                                                           -- Photo by Sasha Matveeva on Unsplash
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I recently took my father to the grocery store to buy my mother a bouquet of roses for a special occasion. This store has a wonderful small floral department and very nice employees, plus it is located close to my parents’ home, and we go there often. I found my dad a comfortable seat nearby while I placed the order.
 
Based on my request, they created a lovely bouquet in short order, complete with baby’s breath and other greenery. They were fast! It was beautiful and within budget.
 
One of the staff members went out of their way to come over to where my dad was sitting. They handed him the bouquet to give to mom. That’s what “made me” cry.
 
I didn’t want my dad to see me cry, so I asked him to wait there a minute longer. Then I took a bigger-than-usual-for-me bill to the floral desk and asked if they could accept tips. After conferring with their manager, they said OK. I expressed that it meant a lot to me that the whole experience was so positive and easy, that it would mean a lot to both my parents, and that I really wanted them to know the impact of their work.
 
From your point of view, you might wonder, “What’s the big deal here?” It was a very big deal to me because I wanted it to go smoothly, and I was nervous because my dad is no longer steady on his feet.
 
Customer service experiences can make or break a person’s day – and your business. What did I appreciate?

Convenience – Location, familiarity, and a not-too-big department near the front of the store.

Responsiveness – I was worried about my dad’s energy, but they efficiently produced what I asked for.

Affordability – My dad was able to pay a good amount of the total with what he had in his wallet.

Extra Touches – When they brought the flowers to my dad, I choked up.

Caring – I could tell that they care about their customers. They didn’t have to say so – they showed us.
 
What customer service experiences have you had that are memorable and why?
 
If you are in the business of customer service (aren’t we all?), how would your customers rate your business on the above elements?
 
Can they tell you care? Do they ever cry “good” tears? 😭