I made a simple free-standing shelf for my basement this weekend. That in itself is a feat. I am not mechanically or construction minded. My projects usually take 2-3 times as long as they should, more trips to the local hardware or lumber store than expected, and the product almost never turns out like the one in the magazine or in my head. This is not false modesty — come by my house and you will see the proof of what I’m saying.
However, I had a reason to cheer this weekend, because I only made one trip to the local hardware store, and I finished in less time than I expected. Truth be told, the shelf didn’t turn out exactly as I wanted, and as I had planned (it wobbled a little and needed some ‘leg adjusting’).
So why did I cheer? Because of Jimmy.
Jimmy works at the local hardware store (big-chain, name-brand hardware and lumber place). I knew going in I needed some help ripping the plywood I would be using for the shelves. Luckily, Jimmy was the first guy I saw. My question was simple, “Will you cut my plywood for me because a full sheet won’t fit in my car?”
Here’s where Jimmy’s excellent customer service came into play.
First he responded that he could do that. Then he asked if I wanted him to cut the rest of the lumber. Points to Jimmy; he didn’t need to do that, I told him, as I had a circular saw, but if he would it would help me that much more. So that was decided.
I told him I wasn’t sure which thickness of plywood I wanted because I was planning on putting things like books and other heavy stuff on the shelves and wanted to make sure it didn’t bow or break. Jimmy asked me about the shelves I was planning, then told me he had done something very similar in his garage. He told me how to build them better than I had planned (easier and more effective). He gave me a couple pointers on construction.
Some of what he said I didn’t quite understand — see, I’m a visual person: draw me a picture and I can quickly get there; tell me something I don’t understand and I have to sift through the information. I asked him a question that after he answered I realized how stupid my question may have sounded. But Jimmy gave no hint of frustration with my ineptness, rather explained a couple of times what he was saying until I understood it. No rolling of the eyes, no smirk, just helpful explanation and advice.
I left with all I needed, thinking Jimmy is the one I want to find next time I need something at that store.
The fact that the shelves didn’t turn out as I planned was through no fault of his explanations, but because of my own efforts. The fact that I finished the shelves in about half the time I expected to work on them, and with a better shelf was because of Jimmy’s efforts to understand and meet my real needs, not just my expressed needs.
While nothing fancy (by any stretch of the imagination) here’s a picture of my (and Jimmy’s) shelves for my basement.
Have you ever experienced excellent customer service that left you wanting to find that person again? Tell me about it.
Recent Comments