In a previous post titled, “The Tagline Begins Here,” I introduced the company I happen to be working for when the events from the following story took place. By the time this particular experience took place, my boss and I had discovered that we had grown up in the same small town! He still lived there and traveled back and forth the hour each way. We were probably about seven years apart in age, and when he asked me my maiden name, he said he went to school with a guy with that same last name. When he told me the guy’s first name, I told him that he was my brother. Having left the town where I grew up a very long time ago, it was nice to work next to someone who knew the area.
I was in the office one morning finishing up the billing. I had a question concerning one of the files and could hear my boss talking with a plumber who frequented our store at the service counter. I could overhear them having this friendly debate about how much a contractor should charge for their knowledge or experience. As I walked up to the service counter, the plumber turned to me and brought me into the conversation when he asked my opinion. I answered with a chuckle and told him I was the wrong person to ask. Intrigued, he inquired why? I said, “because money is not my motivator, I would have a hard time putting a price on my knowledge. When you hire me, usually based on my experience, the knowledge I bring to the job is pretty much free.” Both my boss and the plumber dropped their jaws at the same time. The plumber remarked with a drawn-out, “Whaaat?” and my boss, with a wide grin on his face, said: “then why am I paying you a paycheck?” I laughed and answered my boss first. “I never said I didn’t need the money. I do to survive, but it is not what motivates me. My integrity is what drives me. I made a promise to do the job you hired me for at a certain amount of money per week. You will always get the best I can give right from the start. What motivates me is evidence that makes me feel that my work makes a difference. “
I knew I was digging a hole for myself here, but it was a humorous hole. My boss was going to have a field day with this one for sure. He was a great guy to work for and, I was happy that I had chosen to come here. He had a lot of pressure from the home offices at all times, and yet, when talking to him, you would never know it.
The plumber, by this time, was almost rolling on the floor laughing at me. He told me he had several levels of plumbing services. Then he gave me an example. The customer paying him a minimum price for putting in a simple bathroom faucet would not get the same plumbing abilities as the guy paying him top dollar for the solid gold tub & shower valve installed.
I couldn’t help myself; the challenge was on. To make sure I understood what this plumber was saying, I asked: “So, if a guy hires you to renovate his bathroom and is paying you an amount of, let’s say, $5,000.00. Knowing that there are higher prices, you would not give him the best plumbing abilities you had? Like maybe you might leave something unfinished because he didn’t pay you enough? Even though you originally agreed to the price?” I think even my boss was surprised when he said yes. I asked him why he took the job then. His answer was something like money was money. He had no problem doing the job. If any other small items came up, like finding a clogged bathroom sink drain while installing the faucet, the customer would have to pay extra for it. At this point, I knew I would never recommend this plumber again to any of the homeowners that called for plumbers in the area.
His answer was fair; it was his own company that he could set the standards any way he wanted. But since I am mainly a customer service person, I pride myself on giving a customer that little extra (fill in the blank here) to make them feel that their business matters to me.
I did not care that the plumber had made fun of me and given my best right out of the gate by this time. I know who I am, I am okay with who I am, and I do not have to justify who I am to anyone.
My uncle had given me sage advice I have never forgotten, “If you can come home at the end of the day, look at yourself in the mirror and honestly answer yourself that you did the best that you could do, you can then consider that you put in a good day’s work.”
I looked at the plumber and, now understanding that he was earnest about this work harder for more money attitude, said to him, “you know there is a ceiling to that concept, right?” He laughed and said: “not if you pay more.” I looked over at my boss in disbelief and found his face had the curious look of wherein God’s name was I going with this.
I said, “Okay, so I am guessing that you are a pretty strong guy, and you can go for a long time without becoming winded correct?” he nodded while verbally agreeing with me.
“Well, I have a scenario for you to contemplate and answer honestly, if to no one else but yourself. After finishing a very tough job, a potential customer approaches you with an emergency. He was offering you 100 times the amount of your last job, but you couldn’t take a break. That’s what I meant by there is a ceiling to your concept.”
By the guy’s answer, yes, he would do it; my boss and I knew he was just being stupid on purpose. But my boss got my point. At some point, the human body is going to give out. When a person considers money, their motivation to do better, there will always be someone who will pay the money and drive that worker into an early grave. Or the person who promises more service for more money will eventually be cheating out the last person who pays them.
My boss turned and asked me what did motivate me then. My reply: “It’s really just this small little compliment; Job well done from the person receiving my services, in this situation, you, my boss.”
I know this sounds like I am being conceited. For the longest time, I didn’t even know why it mattered.
Then one day, it occurred to me that a very long time ago, I had set a goal for myself that was a daily one. One that had no timeline or expiration date; it was that I simply wanted to make a positive difference in someone’s life every day. I had even written a story on it, titled: “Have I Touched a Life Today.” Although each time I have re-read the story, it sounds like a TV commercial, I have to confess it has basically become my Mantra. I live for helping where I can. Sometimes it truly is just giving someone a smile or encouraging word. But there are also times like this one, the way to really help, I have to roll up my sleeves, jump in and do the absolute best that I can do….cheerfully. Hearing the words, job well done, helps me know that I am accomplishing what I have set out to do.