LITTLE THINGS mean everything!

We often bemoan the fact that "good service is a thing of the past."  Do you agree?  I don't.  Certainly NOT based on what I took note of recently, in my dealings with service I received in my fair city and its surroundings.

I was looking for NB, Canada and pins from my city, last fall, to take with me on my travels.  Canada and my city were fairly easy to obtain, but NB pins were rare indeed. When I visited my MLA's constituency office, I ended up having my MLA himself  rummaging around his office, trying to find me some.  How THAT came about would be a whole other blog in itself.  Suffice to say, he even went out to his car, and dug around in there. I swear!!!  He found me one, which I, of course, kept!  It is not every day that you have your Provincial Minister of Education working EXCLUSIVELY on your behalf!!  I may even frame that pin. :) NOW THAT IS GREAT SERVICE!

I waltzed into my local PHARMA SAVE, and was given my annual flu shot right then and there.  I didn't even want one! NO, JUST KIDDING!! I didn't need an appointment.  I was in and out of there in five minutes flat, pricked and paid for!   Isn't that great service?

I also sailed into my local bank, WITHOUT an APPOINTMENT, again and I was able to have some papers signed, sealed and delivered, so to speak, in a matter of five minutes.  I could barely believe it, because I would not be the first to say that banks give great service. However, I received
GREAT SERVICE that day.

At a reflexology appointment, I was offered a wonderful cup of tea, and allowed to bring Vimy IN with me, where he was more than warmly welcomed.  MORE great service!

At my local Mazda dealership, they took Jiminy Cricket  r-i-g-h-t back in, and fixed something else that I hadn't mentioned was an issue, until AFTER they told me my car's servicing was done.  I know... "Nounoune!"  Plus, the service person is a hiker, like me, and spent a good 15 minutes showing me how to access a certain part of the Mi'gMaq Trail.  Above and beyond great service!

At my physiotherapist's office, they offer free bottled water, coffee and tea!  All part of MORE GREAT SERVICE!

Of course, in light of my recent blogs, this blog would NOT be complete, if it weren't a little shitty. (Sorry!)  I recently had a very old friend be diagnosed with colon cancer.   His cancer was detected with what I call the "poop" test.  His "poop" test came back positive, so he subsequently had a colonoscopy, and from there, with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer, was treated.  He is now well and recovered. Well, I wanted to avoid a colonoscopy at ALL COSTS, so I too opted for the said "poop" test.  Seven months later, my doctor cannot find the test results.  Actually, my doctor is on maternity leave, and HER sub cannot find them.  So, we decide that I will go for a-n-o-t-h-e-r test. While this test is DEFINITELY less invasive and unpleasant than a colonoscopy, it is still a major PITA!  I carry the lab authorization in my purse for a month, as I cannot go during regular office hours.  I finally get to the lab on an off day.  The lab technician there is such a sweetie, always smiling and just so darn PLEASANT.  I decide to mention how I had already taken this test, but the doctor couldn't find the results. W-E-L-L, she found them in the system, after searching for a few minutes.  However, she was NOT authorized to give me the results.  I was willing to go down on bent knee, but she still said "no" so sweetly.  I then suggested she just tell me whether I needed this SECOND test after all.  She still shook her head "no."   WHAT she did next was to give me GREAT SERVICE!  Off she went, into the bowels (Sorry, but I just had to use that word!) of the medical clinic, and emerged ten minutes later with my doctor in tow. She proceeded to show him how to access the results.  HE told me the results were negative.  Since I couldn't jump across the counter to hug her, I grabbed her hands and shook them,by way of thanks, and blew my doctor a kiss. OUT OF THERE!  Was I a happy camper?  No shit!   (Sorry!)   THAT technician could have just ignored me, and given me the paraphernalia for the poop test, but she went ABOVE and beyond, by giving GREAT SERVICE!

Service is everything.  Maybe some cynics would say that these types of businesses are simply pandering to we older folks, but I prefer to think that it is JUST good business practice, period! All customers, patients, clients... should be valued and appreciated.  We may forget what people say to us, but we tend to remember HOW they made us feel.

PS:  There is an important message in this story.  If you are are over fifty years of age, a colonoscopy is recommended.  Go for a "poop" test first.  (Otherwise known as the "FOBT" test - fecal occult blood test.) It may save your life!!