02.04.10 Going an Extra Mile Delights Customers – It Makes You the Employee of Choice (Orig Ng 32)

32. The Angels, the Flight and the House Dream

Lezeli stirred in his bed as the phone rang almost irritatingly.  “Who could be calling me so early on a Saturday morning?” he muttered.  “Good morning, Sir!” a voice responded from the other end.  It was the plumber inquiring if he could come to fit some pipes in the bathrooms.  “Can you make it by eight?” Lezeli asked sleepily; “I have to be in town this morning, and it would be good to see you before I go”. 

With the time agreeably settled, Lezeli laid his head back on the pillow as he reflected on some recent but rather unpleasant happenings.  His family had just shifted from a rented apartment into their newly built house, unprepared.  This rather erratic decision had been triggered by a money-hungry landlord who hiked the house rent, demanding twelve months upfront.  Lezeli had received the news with shock, but rather than beg the inconsiderate landlord, they (Lezeli and his wife Batila) had opted to make the move.  And, apart from having installed the windows in the house, some critical amenities and finishes were incomplete.

Their move had astonished some pessimistic friends and relatives.  Yet, Batila had been quite vocal when it came to making the bold decision to shift.  “You know, honey”, she had said convincingly, “we could look for a loan to finish the house”.  But was he convinced?  To the contrary, Lezeli loathed the ‘loans’ idea, especially the red-tape that notoriously accompanied the applications.  And now that they were in the house already, life seemed at cross-roads.  “Where do we go from here?” was the ugly question that kept pestering his mind.

One look at the wall clock sent Lezeli scampering out of bed, putting a momentary pause to his doubtings.  He had to rush through the morning rituals of bathroom, breakfast and the like; and make it to town well in time for a Saturday meeting with his boss.  They had agreed to meet at the Sheraton at one o’clock.  And since unlike earlier days, Lezeli’s home was now some 20 kilometers from town, Lezeli had insisted that the driver picks him early.  This would also enable him to catch up with some pending files before the meeting.   

As they sped through Lezeli’s new neighborhood, the green landscape provided a refreshing break.  But as soon as they hit the highway, something suddenly caught his attention – a woman with a child and luggage, frantically waving them down. 

Lezeli signaled the driver to slow down to a stop.  An openly relieved, yet panicking lady hurried towards the car, explaining how she and her teenage son desperately needed a lift.  Apparently, her car had broken down; and her child had a flight to catch. 

“We cannot just leave them here”, Lezeli told the driver, as his heart welled up with compassion. 

On the way to the airport, the lady who introduced herself as Mrs. Riyaz, was immensely grateful.  “You must be an angel sent from God”, she said as she and her son alighted from the car. “May God bless you and fulfill all your dreams”. 

Back to town, Lezeli arrived in time for the meeting with the boss.  Discussions were brief and soon, he was on his way back home. 

As weeks rolled by, life at the ‘shell’ home became increasingly difficult since several finishes remained pending as money was scarce.  The most uncomfortable of all was the lack of electricity as they could not use any fans to curb the heat.  It was during one such night that Lezeli felt so weighed down that he made a stunning decision to follow Batila’s advice and visit a bank the following morning. 

At the bank, the receptionist was helpful, giving Lezeli some brochures to read.  But he was surprised when on his way out, the guard stopped him.  “Excuse me Sir; someone is calling you”, he said.  Lezeli soon discovered that he was being summoned back by the receptionist.  “Did I forget something?” Lezeli asked with a twinge of concern.  “No Sir”, she responded.  “Our manager needs to see you”. 

And while Lezeli stood there puzzled, a smiling Mrs. Riyaz appeared from the back office.  “Hello” she said in a friendly manner.  “We finally meet again” she said, welcoming him to her office.

In no time, Lezeli had explained his requirements, and, Mrs. Riyaz could not hide her readiness to assist Lezeli to get the loan that his family so much needed.  A few months later, their house was completed; their lifelong dream accomplished.

I referred to this story when discussing with some employees recently, regarding the benefits of ‘going an extra mile’ to please a customer. 

“Delighting customers is not that hard”, I said.  “Just put yourself in the feet of the customer…; and do for them what you would want others to do for you”. 

I added that if they did that, they would be the angel that God would have sent to bless the customer. 

They smiled and one young man said “Joy, if all of us considered others first, what a lovely, wonderful world that would be!” 

And you know what? I totally agree with him.