Service, noun, an act giving assistance to another

I have a thing about customer service. It's not rocket science to provide good service, in any situation, by anyone. So why is there so little of it around? A month ago I had the experience from hell: an order I had placed got shipped to someone else. Thank goodness the unintended recipient was able to call me (my phone number was on the invoice) and tip me off! When I called the company to let them know what had happened, service was the last thing I got. Disbelief, excuses, nonchalance, even blame placed on me! Phone calls weren't returned, there was a hang-up involved (on their part), no accountability was taken, and never was there an apology, never mind an interest in setting things right. By contrast, later that week I had to call the state department of revenue to track down why I hadn't received my tax certificate. The woman who answered the phone commiserated, wasn't sure she could do anything and suggested that I reapply, but took my name and number. Not long afterward she called back to report that she had found my paperwork in a pile somewhere (bless her for looking!), and went on to offer to process my request and email me the tax number so I could move ahead with necessary purchases for my business. Thirty minutes later I was good to go! Isn't this a shock? A small business failed to provide while a state employee came through!

I'm thinking that one way to keep me honest to the purpose of a blog is to focus on an experience of service each day. Good ones. Bad ones. Musings. Maybe even barely related episodes if it's a slow day, LOL. If possible, I'll try to include some sort of picture from daily life here on the mountain, too, just for visual relief. Today you get my dog, Dooley, working on his bone. Another day you might get a chicken from next door, a cup of morning coffee, me milking a goat (yes, a goat)--whatever comes to mind as an aspect of life that I might otherwise overlook or take for granted.

In any event, I'll try to keep this place interesting. May you have good service this day!