I Thought the Customer was Always Right?

I’ve always found it ironic that most customer service experiences end with frustration. I mean the whole point of customer service is to aid the customer when problems arise…so why the general apathy from the person on the other end of the phone when you’re asking for help??

And the frustration only increases when the problem exists because of a mistake on the vendor’s end and they refuse to acknowledge or apologize for the time-suck that they have caused.

But even though I had such an occurrence today, I now try to find the silver lining and turn the frustration (annoyance, irritation, etc.) into an educational opportunity. I make a mental note of the experience and tuck it away for future reference when I will find myself handling the customer service for my own business.

And I can promise without a doubt that no customer of mine will ever leave frustrated. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s common sense that you treat your customers with respect…they are the ones paying your bills after all!

The Snowball Effect

The ideas for my projects usually come about in one of two ways – either by inspiration or out of frustration. This first project came about because of the latter.

You see, like most of the people out there, I’m a decorator on a budget. And it sucks when you can’t afford the perfect piece of furniture or accessory for your home.

But lucky for me, I’m a creative problem solver. So if I can’t find the right piece for the right price, then I put my tool belt on and figure out how to make it myself. Fortunately for my apartment neighbors, this project did not require the use of a circular saw - though it’s always much more fun when they do!

You see, when I recently started shopping around for a jewelry box, I was less than pleased with the small, overly flowery containers that I was finding…because I wanted something that didn’t look like a jewelry box.

I wanted something utilitarian. I wanted something that could handle my ever-growing collection of rings and necklaces. I wanted a miniature metal tool chest of drawers – the kind you store nuts and bolts and small tools in. But shockingly, (insert eye roll here) they were all priced way above my budget.

So after a few days bemoaning my light wallet, I put my problem-solving hat on and started sourcing for a chest of drawers that I could afford. And I found my perfect solution at that organizing mecca known as The Container Store.