Spruce Industries Blog Page

Beware What You Ask For

Many years ago I had a sales manager who would tell his sales force to never tell your customer that something they were looking for was not available from your company; always check with the office first to be sure. As fate would have it, I had a large private Catholic school account which had a significant student body and extensive campus with a good number of buildings to supply. One day the priest (who was in charge of buildings & grounds) was taking me through a new facility that was recently built as a home for retired priests. As I toured the building, I proceeded to make my notes about cleaning equipment, towel, tissue and soap dispensers and the like that would be needed for furnishing the new home.

After awhile, we got to this empty little room, as yet unpainted and not completely trimmed out. This, I was told, will be the barber shop. The priest looked at me and asked if I could get him a barber’s chair for this room. I’m sure I was a little stunned at the request, but responded that I would check with my office and get back to him. Back in the company office, I related my story and the request and was told that we did not have a source to supply this item. As I went about my business in the office that day, this story became a point of conversation with some other employees, because of its uniqueness.

Again, fate intervened. A lady employee in our credit department told me that her Dad was a retired barber who ran his own shop. She smiled and told me that she had his old barber’s chair from the shop sitting in her basement for years and couldn’t get rid of it. Yadda, yadda, yadda! She ended up donating the chair to my customer. The school sent their crew over to her home to pick-up the chair and gave her a donation receipt for tax purposes… and I was able to help a good customer and build good-will for my company.  It was a win- win-win situation all around.
So beware what you ask for… You just my get it!