I love my customers! Each day I am blessed with an unexpected smile or story.
This a.m. I had the pleasure of returning a message I got last night that just simply said "Hi I am… call me". I tried last night but got voicemail, so I called first this this a.m. The call went something like this.
Me: Hi - I'm Julie from Long Lake Lifestyle. You left a message to call you.
Customer: Yes, I got a charge from your company and I didn't purchase anything.
Me: Oh, can I ask are you associated with a lake?
Customer: Yes, I live on…
Me: What's your last name?
Customer shares
I pull up a UPS slip and tell her that a vintage sign was ordered and will be delivered on Dec 20th.
Customer: In a beautiful southern GA accent I hear "That husband of mine. Why would he think I would want a sign for Christmas. What am I going to do with a SIGN. Each year I give him a list of gift ideas and he NEVER gets me what I want and I always get him what's on his list. I was afraid this was a fraud charge, so that's why I called, but no… that husband of mine did it again."
Me: I pull up the actual order and ask if her husbands name is….
Customer confirms and says - "Lord have mercy (again in that awesome southern accent), yes that's HIM".
She was being very funny and all I could do was laugh with her. She went on to share some past stories that kept me laughing. Then I had to share he not only ordered one but two signs. She tells me about all the beautiful art work she has on her walls and about how she has no wall space left for any signs. I try to comfort her and tell her he ordered cool ones. And again she says "that man". She talked about her sons, her dogs, etc… just fun stories. She said "Around Thanksgiving they were out shopping and he saw some lake signs and thought they were so cool. I bet that's what he got because he liked them so much."
I tell her she should wrap the signs and give them to HIM. And she says… I am going to wrap those signs when they come and say they are from SANTA! She told me how her husband and sons went Christmas shopping for her and put the bag under the tree (not even wrapped). She mentioned how she peaked inside the bag and she doesn't know why they would get any of the items they did. She explained the items she saw and again all I could do was laugh because the gifts didn't match the woman on the phone.
I told her to go out and buy the presents she wants, wrap them and address them to her but from her husband or sons. I told her to get all excited when she opens them up and say "Finally, you listened and got me what I wanted".
But then I got thinking what if the husband contacts me to tell me he never got his signs. Hopefully he has a cute little accent too (smile). I think I'll say "don't worry they will show up. It will be a Christmas miracle".
Anyway… this was a great way to start the day! I hope she actually loves the signs when she sees them. My son asked me the other day if I could have any super power what would it be. I said to become invisible. This is a situation I'd love to be a fly on the wall or be invisible in the room when her husband opens his gift and watch the fun interaction take place. Moral of the story is men (or women) stick to the list you are given (smile).
My husband is lucky because I'm truly one of those people that doesn't get into gifts. Each year I tell my kids I just want love and peace in the house. My kids have been cute because they have been making tickets to give to me to use anytime I want (ex: Stop fighting with your brother or unload the dishwasher). Now that I love. Might sound silly, but I don't like "things". I hate clutter and I'm so practical that there needs to be a reason for me to get something. And when I get something then I get rid of something to keep the balance. I'm strange (smile) or just a minimalist - depends on how you look at it. I should justify by saying I have things, but only things I truly love, but when I stop loving it then it gets donated. I'm just really simple is how I look at it (smile).
Anyway… I am blessed with the work I do because I love it and the people I interact with day after day. It doesn't feel like work because it's just part of my Long Lake Lifestyle.
I hope something funny happened to you today that made you laugh outloud. Julie