by Susan Brooks

Serves You Right!®

There's hope in them thar hills! Good can — and often does — prevail over evil, even though headlines and news breaks will convey otherwise. Here's proof positive:

I was driving to San Diego, as I often do, behind the wheel of my brand new car, confident in the security and safety that a new car brings. Two days before leaving Phoenix I added on the last bell and whistle: tinted windows and shiny chrome wheels, which also gave my vanity an extra boost. So there I was, going 80 miles per hour on Highway 8, luxuriating in the comfort and glitz, when my dashboard flashed a signal I didn't recognize. I called the service department of the dealership and embarrassed myself describing what my car was trying to tell me. "It's your tires," they said, "Could be a nail. Find a service station ASAP and get off the highway immediately." SWELL! There wasn't an exit for miles, and only desert surrounded me. Where was I going to find a full service station when ‘pump and pay' were the only options? Keep the faith, I told myself, the universe provides, simply trust. Holding the steering wheel with a mighty grip, I exited at Dateland and, sure enough, just two miles down the road in the middle of nowhere, there was Vern's, the only tire service station within miles.

The lone dog in the yard licked his chops when he saw me get out of my car. Pieces of old cars were everywhere, covered with inches of dirt and if I hadn't heard rock-and-roll coming from the trailer just a few feet from the growling, salivating dog, I would have been convinced that no human had ventured into these parts for 100 years. I knocked on the trailer's door softly at first, doubting a response. A 6-foot, blond haired, bare chested Toby responded, his soft brown eyes and very white teeth smiling at me. I could hardly catch my breath explaining my crisis to him. In the next 20 minutes, Toby spoke to my dealership, read my owner's manual, checked the air pressure in each tire, and assuredly, calmed me down. It seemed that some connection had detached when those glitzy wheels were put on (so much for vanity!) and safety was not really a concern. I blubbered a thank you to him, assuring him that he had saved my life…well, my sanity for sure. I told him to name his price in appreciation for his time and trouble. He waved me away with his large tan hands and even more white teeth, telling me to do something nice for someone else. I insisted on paying, and he insisted even more that I didn't. Well, alrighty then, I said, aglow with heartfelt gratitude for his gracious and generous spirit.

And would you believe that more goodness came my way less than one month later? I had barely survived a Bikram Yoga class. My reward, clearly the antithesis of sweating toxins out of my body, was a very large latte at Starbucks. Still in somewhat of an altered yoga state, I was impulsively distracted by a sign that offered a car wash for $3.99 (vanity once again!). I was duped by that old ‘lost leader' advertising trick, and I should have known better. My $3.99 car wash ended up costing me $12.99. Worst of all, after paying for this extravagant indulgence, when I got back into my car to bee-line over to Starbucks, I realized my loose change compartment had been stripped clean and now I had barely enough money for a small cup of black coffee. I must have looked pathetic as I entered Starbucks on Indian School and Scottsdale Road, still sweating my toxins, which were by now beginning to replenish themselves after being ripped off by a car wash. I emptied my fist full of coins, spewing my sordid tale to everyone behind the counter, asking for whatever $2.85 would buy me.

All four staff members and machines stopped for a full 30 seconds, all eyes on me, then on each other in silent agreement. The cashier pushed the coins back toward my soaking wet tee shirt, while another said, "Hey, Gang, let's buy this lady a latte!" Tears welled up in my already dripping eyes as I filled their tip jar with my measly $2.85. Life was good in that moment: I had my very large latte and my very clean car after righteously suffering my dues in a sweat-lodge yoga class.

So next time when you are quite sure that life is full of obstacles and challenges, petty annoyances and aggravations, trust that hope is on its way. Keep your eyes open for ‘the givers' out there, knowing that you can be one, too. My own eyes are peeled, grateful for every opportunity to ‘pay it forward,' just as Toby suggested. There are more good people out there than we give credit for, making a difference that might seem small and insignificant in the big picture, but touching the heart of individuals just like me, more than they will ever know, re-igniting hope and the goodness in our world.

The popular magazine, Worthwhile, has undergone a make-over and debuted their new look - and new name - in November. MOTTO magazine hit the news stands with an EXTRA special Holiday gift for it's readers...a Service Enthusiasm article written by Susan! The article, To Serve, With Love, gives readers across the country the opportunity to learn about Service Enthusiasm, its principles, and its essential place in our work and our lives. Response has been phenomenal and people from across the country are tuning into the Serves You Right! web site, signing up for the Service Enthusiast newsletter, and inquiring about Service Enthusiasm trainings!

Hopefully, you already have a subscription to this inspiring magazine and have immersed yourself in the article. Otherwise, find it on newsstands, or check it out online at www.whatsyourmotto.com. Or click here to go directly to Susan's article.

The folks at Motto know it's impossible to have a meaningful life without meaningful work, so, they created the first media company for people seeking a more personally fulfilling and socially responsible route to business success. They understand the importance of work with Purpose, Passion, and Profit...and Service Enthusiasm!

What's YOUR motto?

Spotlight

This was my second year as a speaker for Operating Room Managers conference and this year it was in Orlando, home to Disney World, the perfect place to share my Courageous, Outrageous, and Highly Contagious Service Leadership program. With a cast of characters like Mickey, Pluto, and the 7 Dwarfs all around us, we were in the ideal place to practice…and play. With a record attendance in this session, clearly its message hit home in a big way. I was grateful for the privilege to serve health care professionals who came from Singapore, Canada, and all over the U.S. People show up from every corner to attend this event…and so do their speakers. Why? Because the organizers of this conference know who their customers are and how to best serve them. Clearly, the OR Managers are served and stimulated, which is why attendance continues to grow. From my perspective, it’s the way they serve, support, and acknowledge their speakers, unlike other organizations I’ve experienced. “Do you need help setting up? May we provide assistance in carrying your supplies and materials to your session? Oh, you simply must attend the Speakers’ Dinner…it’s our way of honoring you, and besides, it’s a downright blast! However many hands and hearts needed to support your every effort, count on us! We are so grateful that you are here!” It’s a pleasure, I tell you. As a speaker who schleps miles to deliver passionate service enthusiasm, I would do cartwheels for this group to express my gratitude! Blessings to every OR Manager who attends and kudos to the organizers and crew who make this event a first class experience!

Susan: The Service Enthusiast

Service Enthusiasm speaker, trainer and author Susan Brooks provides keynotes, trainings, and consulting for companies and business professionals. She founded Cookies From Home, and built it into a famed corporate gift business (see CookiesFromHome.com). Her new book, Serves You Right!, includes many of her tastiest customer service columns.

Contact Susan at: Susan@ServesYouRight.net, visit www.ServesYouRight.net or call 480.994.1918.

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