Car Accident Blessings

As 2007 nears its end, I had the opportunity to be grateful in the midst of hardship. How appropriate for the season!
I invite you to read the following and consider: how would you classify the behaviours of the people I encountered in the following story?
Last week I was involved in a car accident. My car slammed into the unexpectedly-halted car before me. No one was seriously hurt (some pains appeared for me later). My less-than-one-year-old car was a write-off.
In the three hours immediately following the accident, I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for:
• Ruby, whose car I hit, who was nothing short of gracious and who, being an insurance broker herself, provided me with on-the-spot priceless advice.
• Police Officer Michael, who, without me even asking, gave me a ticket for the very minimum possible offence and then showed me how I could go about reducing it later.
• Fadi (Frank) the Lebanese tow-guy, who oriented me to how the towing and insurance system works, then found me a replacement rental car and drove me there as together we weaved dreams for peace in the middle east. Fadi then assisted with transferring all my many belongings from the wrecked vehicle to the rental car.
• Mike from Zoom Car Rental who explained to me in great detail, formulas included, how I can make sure that I am fairly treated by my insurers.
• Andrew from the Bell Telephone booth at The Mall, where I went to purchase a replacement battery for my blackberry, which had gone missing during the accident. Even though I am a not a Bell customer, Andrew, upon hearing that I had just emerged from an accident, proceeded to walk me to the competitors’ booth at the other end of the mall, waited while they tried finding me a battery and finally took me back to his Bell booth where he gave me a FREE battery (value – $65) from one of the Blackberries he had on hand.

What is the common theme running through these behaviours? Some of you might say that all that these people did was provide superior customer service. And you’re right, they did.

But here’s the thing: for me, these people’s actions were nothing short of small miracles amidst a very difficult situation. Their `customer service’ acts were experienced by me, the customer who will likely never need them again, as total and blessed acts of generosity and flowing kindness.

And maybe that is what superb customer service is all about.

Happy holidays!

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