Trash Cans & Dog Treats

Last summer Andy and I moved to a new home in Indianapolis. This is the first time I've ever actually lived "in town." We live on a fairly busy road and a phenomena I've been previously unfamiliar with began immediately after we moved in...SALESPEOPLE! ...don't get me wrong, the Kirby guy, neighborhood kids peddling candy bars & wrapping paper, and the home alarm people had all visited our suburban neighborhood...but at the new house it's a whole new variety! Tree trimmers, lawn guys, asphalt dudes, gutter cleaners, etc., etc. all stop by to offer their services. We've never hired one. Today I just wanted to share with you a story of fantastic customer service and making a connection with your customer...a connection that has led us to turn away every lawn "gypsie" at the door.

We do have a lawn guy, and previously did not-so we were on the hunt for one.

We asked our neighbor for a referral and she has been so pleased with his service that she recommended Jerry.

Jerry did all the "right things," returned calls, gave us a fair quote quickly, and followed up--we hired him immediately following Andy's first (and only) 3 hour attempt at mowing the yard with our miniature push mower.

These are honestly things I expect, but consider to be good customer service compared to the different levels of service we all encounter daily. The reasons we pay a little more and are happy to stay with Jerry (amidst all the "stop bys" offering to do the same job much cheaper) are these:

• He takes pride in our yard. He realizes it is a reflection of his work and therefor cuts most the yards on our road. He blows the grass off our drive, sidewalk and even gets the leaves and debris off the front porch.
• He knows us. We're typically at work when he comes, and I've probably had 3 conversations ever with him, but he remembers we have one big dog and one puppy...so he leaves big & little treats in the mailbox. He also keeps track of important events we have coming up and comes as close to mow on those days so the yard looks its best.
• He helps us. When he comes on trash day, which is typical, Jerry pulls the trash cans up our long steep drive to the garage...which Andy particularly appreciates because there is no way I ever do it after work in heels! Jerry also recommends other trusted professionals to help with our other needs.
• And finally...he's NICE!

The moral of the story is to just remind us all that exceptional customer service & consultation is what brings customers back, and causes them to send their friends to us! I'd love to hear who has provided you superior customer service lately and why they stand out--leave a comment!

Penny loves Jerry too (and his puppy treats)! ...and yes sometimes I just find excuses to put photos of my dogs in the blog!

Breaking in a Green Pea

If you read this blog often you know about our dog Charley. She's a crazy thing and just turned 5 on May 5th. As if handling her antics wasn't enough Andy and I decided to get a new puppy--we brought home Penelope Whidmore Thompson (any Lost fans should get the reference) or "Penny" on Friday and it's been quite a treat. Dealing with her has reminded me of several valuable lessons I also have learned when training newbies. Since I've had the nice refresher course sprung on me, thought I'd post these as a refresher for us all. Golden Rules of Breaking in Green Peas 1. Patience. Penny has never had to "go outside" to do her business and she must be taught and reminded a lot...just as newbies in any sales business don't know the ropes. Many things the rest of us know intuitively they need to be taught and reminded of. Have the patience to teach them. 2. Don't Assume. If you are doing the training you have probably been in the business for some time. Don't assume they know anything about your business. Even things as simple as lingo and industry talk should be "translated" for them in the beginning. (I'm struggling relating this to a dog-but I learned this morning I shouldn't assume she knows my flip flop isn't a chew toy.) 3. Be firm, but positive. Negative reinforcement works on some dogs and some people--but why make them hate you? More can be accomplished with positive reinforcement with any species, just be sure to set firm expectations of job duties and hold to them. 4. Know when to say "No!" The last three days at our house the correct timing has been about every 5 seconds. In the business world I think this is a very important skill of a manager or trainer. Knowing when it's just not going to work out or when someone needs more time to grow. Keeping on dead weight for too long doesn't just suck time from your day but also affects the entire sales staff. Know when to let go of someone that just isn't going to work out. Penny at 7 weeks, and my husband's chin: