The best way to leave a lasting (favorable) impression
You may recall in my last post, I mentioned that I was having trouble figuring out how to access my pictures from my iPad while traveling. A few hours after I published that, I got a message from the company that manages my IT “stuff.” Deb and Tom took note that I was stuck and jumped into action.
Tom emailed to say he’d be glad to help me troubleshoot the picture issue as soon as I needed. Wow, I thought, how cool is that when somebody jumps in to offer unsoliticed help that they aren’t specifically responsible for doing.
It felt great that I had someone watching out for me and was standing up to say, “what can I do to help?”
I’d be totally lost without their expertise to set up and keep my systems running but I know there are lots of capable people out there that could provide that service. What I continue to experience with them is a way of doing business that clearly shows they care.
Tom and I connected via phone and we walked through a couple options, none of them worked. We ended the call and I was appreciative of the effort even though we had been unsuccessful. But wait! Within a few minutes, I received a follow-up email with another solution. Tom had stuck with the problem and found another work-around.
If you want to leave a lasting, favorable impression on someone, go above and beyond their expectations. Surprise them with something kind and helpful.
Because of Tom’s help, I can now share the picture I had planned for the last post. Here’s Grace burying her head, as if to avoid something, unfortunately we see this type of behavior amongst us all too often in our workplaces (and elections as was noted in the last post). It can seem easier to hide or remain silent when faced with taking action. But using our voice, and speaking up, doesn’t always require a lot of time or energy, either.
Next time you have an opportunity to give more of yourself, I hope that you do. I bet you will make a lasting impression.
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Love the photo of Grace…so worth the wait! 🙂 What an amazing IT company you have (my husband is my IT support guy but he’s not an IT guy, just a guy who is blessed/cursed with the ability to fix just about anything). 🙂 Seeing Grace’s photo and reading your last post reminds me that so many of us are still “hunkered down” and waiting for things to “turn around” and “go back to normal”. Sigh. But more people are going to have to adopt Deb and Tom’s attitude to make things better.
You are lucky to have your husband helping you! Yes, Deb and Tom’s attitude really does make things better!
So glad you could show that picture. It’s very sweet.
Deb and Tom sound especially competent and proactive. It is a little depressing to me that this type of behavior is so out of the norm. I see it in my profession constantly. There is a feeling that clients/customers are pains and over demanding, as opposed to being so grateful for their business. It makes me want to curl up like Grace and hide my head.
I see it a lot, too, where people say they value customers, but their actions speak volumes in a different direction. As I read your last sentence, I was thinking you were saying you wanted to curl up with Grace and that was so endearing! But I agree that curling up *like* her to hide her head is certainly understandable when you see things that are so in conflict with your own beliefs. As always, thanks, LeaAnn, for being here.
This post could not be more on time. Just today while exiting a convenient store a woman with child stopped me for directions to a nearby town as she was lost. After giving her the directions and drawing her a map, I decided to forego all of this and actually drive to the town with her following me the whole way. She was so grateful that, as I turned to go home after getting her to her destination, she rolled down her window and exclaimed “God bless you!” about three times. It was then I knew that I did the right thing.
You always seem to find a way to inspire me. I know how busy you are with your work and trying to catch up with literally thousands of blog posts (that number still rattles my senses), and your desire to be with your family that you care so much for, walks with Sia in the woods and taking some awesome pictures, and posting on your own blog, yet you take the time to lead a stranger to her destination. I will remember this the next time I have something else I want to do and another person needs something I can offer. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this story. I hope you have a few minutes for yourself today!
People giving more of themselves in their job are a rarity these days, I believe, and tend to be taken for granted and abused. I’ll explain: both my husband and I always did our best in our previous employed jobs. The outcome was that we got landed with a lot of extra tasks, simply because others couldn’t be bothered and we could be trusted to complete them. Not complaining, I’d rather be busy and happy with my achievements than hide in a corner, avoiding any responsibilities and waiting for time to pass so that I can go home. Now that we’re self-employed and running our own business, we’re still giving everything we’ve got, it’s a satisfying feeling knowing that you’ve done your best. Our customers returning every time is the best reward.
By contrast, we went to a sports shop the other day, and the young staff there looked extremely bored and could just about stand up and open their mouth…No wonder it took 10 minutes to get someone to open the changing rooms …
Didi, your story is familiar in companies here, too, unfortunately. People who go above and beyond tend to leave organizations when the culture allows a lower standard of behavior. I wish I lived closer to you so I could be a customer of yours even though I have no idea what product or service you have. I have a feeling I’d buy from you even if I didn’t need it! 🙂 You certainly give more of yourself to others; I can tell that from the generosity of spirit you have with George, your family, and your blog friends.
I can imagine how lending a helpful hand to a family member, friend, colleague, or stranger could make our communities, offices, and homes an immensely better place in which to exist. In today’s fast-paced world, everyone seems to be in some kind of a rush. If only we could slow down a little and offer to help with other people’s needs before our own.
I was at a busy medical building the other day waiting for the elevator. It arrived on the first floor and an elderly gentleman using a walker was exiting the elevator but because of his slow speed the door started to close on him him while several able-bodied onlookers stood by waiting for him to get out the way so they could get on. Dumbfounded by their boorish behavior, I forced my petite frame through some people who were actually blocking the entrance to stick my arm in and hold the door so this poor man could exit with some dignity still intact. It was obviously difficult for him to do so, yet he turned the 180 degrees to thank me sincerely for my help, to which I replied, “my pleasure” which it was. I was disgusted to share the elevator with these inconsiderate fools who have obviously forgotten the things we were supposed to learn very early in our lives from good parents, elders or at church. The basics of being a good, decent human being seem to have gotten lost somewhere along our our way to becoming better, smarter and faster. It’s a shame.