Every once in a while, especially when the international and national news is full of the horrors of our age, I feel like my job is unimportant, trivial, and I should be using whatever skills I have to make a difference in the world.
And then I have a day like yesterday. When a older gentleman brings his best friend, his beloved older dog and asks me to make sure she’s comfortable and warm. To an observer, it may look like I’m fitting a dog for a harness and a coat. And, practically, I am. But it goes so much further.
I have no way of knowing if my projections reflect reality – but during our conversation across his lovely little poodle’s back, I got the impression that I could be the only person he’s talked to in a while. I’m certainly the only one who listened carefully to what he had to say, cared about his responses, and treated his opinions with respect.
He was extraordinarily grateful. And I found that sad. I didn’t do anything but have a conversation with another person. A real conversation. He talked and I listened. I talked and he listened. We exchanged information and came to a decision based on mutual understanding.
Image courtesy of Fake Plastic Alice on Flickr.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/fakeplasticalice/
I was just “doing my job.” As a retailer, I know it’s “good customer service.” But it’s more – it’s recognizing that people matter. We can connect over a mutual love for these wonderful dogs that enrich our lives. My job is important – I try to make someone’s life better, easier, happier, every single day.
