Blog Post: Be a Doer

What does it mean to be a doer?  In my opinion, a doer is someone who will go the extra mile.  This is a person who will jump in and take on any task.  A doer is a person that I want on my team because they improve the group as a whole.  A doer will take it upon themselves to make the situation right.  To me a doer is a person that sees no challenge as too big or too small. Today I have a story for you about a situation where the lack of a can-do attitude created an adverse situation. 

This morning I called a company’s Customer Service Department regarding a space heater I received as a gift that will not work after two days of use.  The label on the product specifically states “If this product fails to operate, do not return it to the store; call this customer service line.”  

The customer service representative I reached said the space heater must be returned to the store where it was purchased.  This is a contradiction to the product information so I raised this question to the customer service associate.  Rather than offering to do what she could to help the associate became rude and provided pitiful service.  When I asked for her name, she provided it and hung up the phone. 

To follow-up, I called back and requested to speak with the department supervisor.  The associate on the phone stated that the supervisor would call me back and asked the nature of the call.  After I indicated the call was to file a complaint, the associate revealed she was the representative from the original call.  Rather than doing what she could to correct the situation, she again hung up.  As the hours passed, the supervisor did not call so I did something I have never done before.  I sent an email to the company regarding the issue and my complaint.  Within an hour, the company president responded and offered to send a replacement. 

The negative, “I can’t help you” attitude of the associate escalated my small request for assistance with a broken space heater to a full blown customer complaint most likely landing this associate in hot water.  While the product’s malfunction was not the fault of the associate it appears that a lesson in working with people and a can-do attitude are needed.     

If this customer service associate was a doer, she would have worked with me to alleviate the problem.  Possibly she could provide suggestions on a method to return the product received as a gift without the receipt.  Maybe she could have walked me through the steps to repair the broken product or referred me to someone else.  If I had been forwarded to the supervisor as requested, the entire issue could have stayed within the customer service department and never passed along to the company president.  What I am getting at is if the associate had used her resources and a can-do attitude, my emailed complaint never would have been written or sent to the company president and I wouldn’t be sharing this story with you. 

So in your own personal and professional life, go above and beyond to make things better for yourself or someone else.  Volunteer for a task beyond your job description.  Go out of your way to help a customer.  Put the same amount of effort into the product or service you provide as you would expect for yourself.  Make the situation more pleasant for everyone involved.  Be the one to shake things up and make things happen.  Be a doer. 

Feel free to email me at keilers@onl.herzing.edu and check out Herzing College Online at http://www.herzingonline.edu/.