Customer Service Done Right

Lately it seems I see Facebook and mainstream media full of people complaining about a company, organization or even waiter. I'm sure there are many times you have a good or even great experience as a customer but we don't tweet it, we don't post it on FB and except in extreme cases. you wont see media covering it. And really, how many papers would sell if the headline read "Waitress got my order correct"?

So I get it, we expect good service and take it for granted when we get it and if we don't we complain.  I'm like that too. I always get good service at my local Safeway, but I also shop 2-3 times a week (it's  a block from home) so if I commented every time about the good service, people would say I was spamming.

Today I'm going to take the time to balance out the negative things you've got in your news feed and blog reading tools. I'm going to tell you about not just good service, but amazing service.  Those of you who know me in-real-life will know most of this, but it's such a good story, it's worth reading again.

This summer, I did the impossible and took my kids alone to visit my mom in Nova Scotia. This meant taking 2 planes each way, airport transfers, cabs, rental cars, hotels, motels and more. So many places things can go wrong or go missing. Miracle of miracles, the trip was for the most part uneventful on the negative side and was so worth it.

Fast forward, and we're on our way home. From the time we left the motel until we got back to YVR was more than 12 hours. Both kids were over tired. While we have a train we can take to downtown and then just one bus and we were travelling light, I could not face public transit with two over tired kids who had been so well behaved (all things considered) and if they fell asleep, we'd be riding the train until they woke up because a) you can't wake them and b) they are too big, too heavy and I had a suitcase and a carry on too.  I opted for an Airport Limo service. The price is very close to the cost of a cab and much more comfortable.

We took Aerocar Service. We were in an SUV and the kids loved the ride. Personally, I always love the drive from the Airport to downtown, with the amazing views of the mountains. Our driver was really nice. He was a dad with two young kids himself. He got us home safe and sounds, and even helped me get the kids and luggage across the road safely.

Home sweet home! We dumped the bags in the middle of the floor and I promptly got the boys ready for bed (it may have only been 8 our time, but it was midnight where we'd spent the last two weeks). First crisis, we could not find Nathan's monkey. Luckily they were tired enough that I was able to get them to sleep without (cue extreme gratefulness that this was not Corwyn's monkey).

I next went through every pocket in every bag. We had the monkey, in his arms when we left the airport. Yes, it would normally be in his bag but the zipper on that broke and he insisted on carrying it. I went outside, checking where we were dropped off, in case it was there. I checked all the common areas in the my building in case it got picked up by a neighbor. No luck. I dreaded the morning when he would ask.

I emailed the car company.

Hi, this is a long shot.
We took one of your vehicles from YVR to the West End on Monday Aug 11 (around 7:30pm). One of my twin boys left his stuffed monkey in the car. Is there any chance it was found and turned in???
 We loved the ride back. The driver was amazing and had my kids smiling despite having been in travel mode for 12 hours. I think it was this happiness that caused him to forget his toy.
 Can you please check? It was an SUV type of vehicle.
 Thanks

I was overwhelmed by the series of responses I got

Hi Christine,
Our reservations agent is looking in to your reservation and what driver/car serviced you.
At our office lost and found there has not been any stuffed monkey brought in but let us also send out a message to all the drivers on there dispatch screens and see if we can hopefully locate your sons toy for him.
I will be in touch shortly.
Kind Regards,
AeroCar

Hi Christine,
We have sent out a message to all drivers.
We are waiting to hear back shortly.
We will contact you closer to this evening.
So we may get a response from all day and night drivers to see if any driver has turned the monkey in at the airport or to one of our greeters.
We will send you an email at roughly 8 or 9pm.
We are on a mission to find him for you son.

 Hi Christine,
We regret to inform you that we could not locate your sons toy monkey.
We were all young once and understand the attachment to our childhood toys,
What we would like to do is send both your sons two stuffed monkeys on behalf of AeroCar
If you would allow us to do so, please send us your address home or office and we will have one of our drivers deliver them to you.
Again our apologies that we could not find your sons toy but please do allow us the opportunity to make it up to your son.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
AeroCar.
Thank you kindly for allowing us to transport you and your loved ones. 

 I was disappointed with the lack of monkey but so overwhelmed with joy at the care and attention this company was taking. I cried. I'm crying thinking of it again.

So, did they come through? Yes! And with even more than I expected. They recognized that while only Nathan lost his monkey, there were two young boys involved.

Hi Christine, Hope this email finds you in good spirits, My apologies for the delay its been an extremly busy couple of weeks. I really wanted to deliver your monkies in person but the rate Im going at I may not make it over there for another two weeks. I just sent the monkies first class with UPS , they will arrive at your office tommorow afternoon. There are two boxes one red and one green. One for each son , a monkey for thier beds and a monkey to travel with them. Again my apologies for the delay, this has been on my to do list for a while now so please do not think we forgot. I hope your two boys will make some fond memmories with thier new traveling companions. Warm Regards, AeroCar

Good-bye Brown Monkey. You will be missed. The response to your loss has been so incredible though. You left a great legacy.  If you are traveling to/from the Vancouver Airport, please consider using Aerocar. Service like this deserves to be rewarded. 

Me and my Drum

Drum? What drum? Nope, I did not get them a drum set for their 5th birthday. But I think it's the next best thing - rhythm sticks from Avon. Oh yeah!!!

Rock on little dudes, rock on!


(and 5 years - unbelievable!)

Date Night With Mommy

Yeah, yeah, before you either get all excited or get your knickers in a knot that says with Mommy, not for Mommy. And while I am certainly open to some form of dating that is possible with a full time job and 3 year old twins, it's not happening right now.

This post is spending time, one on one, with each of my little men.

I've blogged before about the need for twins to have time apart from each other after reading Emotionally Healthy Twins. And more important, time with me without having to share it with their brother. It's easier said than done when there is only one parent (and not much better when there are two). It's happened once in a while when one has been sick, and friends have taken the other out for some fun. And while they have time apart when this happens, the twin sick at home isn't always even aware that I'm there and certainly can't be counted as fun.

So a couple of months ago, I put a plea out to friends, for someone who could commit to a regular couple of hours each week to take one of the boys, giving me time with the other. I was pleased as punch when my BFF and the boys god-mommy Shaun from Swim, Bike, Run - How Bad Can It Be stepped up. She had an injury at the time that cut back on her training and gave her a free evening each week. The idea was for her to start heading out with Nathan (who loves and trusts everyone) and eventually move to alternating weeks with Corwyn.

And I have to say it's been great. So far, the things we've done aren't overly complicated or far reaching but they were done on each boys time table according to their individual wants. So if biking, he gets to pick the route and distance. If at the playground, undivided adult attention, no waiting while mommy alternated between jungle gym with one and the swing with the other. And even something so simple as picking what DVD to watch without making a compromise is a confidence booster and a nice change.

And I'll tell you, going out with one child - a total BREEZE. We've gone to restaurants and coffee shops, on transit, and in stores, biking and walking. So totally simple, it's almost relaxing. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change having twins for anything, but some of the things that we don't do or do in a flash, can be done more often and at a leisurely pace with only once child. They are so different when they are not competing with, depending on, egging on or egged on by a twin. Their inner personalities show more.

So far, Shaun has taken out only Nathan, giving me lots of time with Corwyn. But not to worry, Nathan has had some mommy time when a couple of friends have taken Corwyn for a couple of hours. While I like this and totally appreciate it, with these friends (B&B), since both boys love and trust them equally, I'd rather they take both boys at the same time (there are two of them) or make sure they spend an equal amount of time with each of them.

Fortunately for Shaun, but unfortunately for me, her injury is pretty much healed and she's into Ironman training again (she did her first when the boys were a mere few months old and we all went to cheer her own). She's going to have to cut back to alternating weeks now and as we get closer to the date, will likely need to cut it out completely. So for now, she'll probably still continue to foster her relationship with Nathan (we're hoping they can get some pool time in since she's determined to get him ready for a kids tri next year).

So I'm looking for someone else for the other week, someone who could take Corwyn for 1-2 hours. I am sort of leaning towards begging my other BFF from Aias.ca since her son and Corwyn are like brothers from another mother. It would be rough at first as I know Corwyn would initially resist, but he likes both Monika and her partner (who built a cool computerized engine for the Duplo trains for Aias). I would trade this time for watching her little man (Aias) who fits right in at my place.

Likely starting in January, I'm going to try to enroll the boys in classes/programs at the community center. Either different programs, or the same program at a different time. This would give the kid in the program something fun to do without his twin and the one not on the program at that time, some fun time with Mommy.

I was reading a blog post over at The Twin Coach about having the kids in separate classes in K this year. She's made sure her kids have had time apart and time with her one-on-one but has noticed their individually even more now that they are in different classes. It's a question I get asked a lot even though I still have 2 years to go about keeping mine together or not. I don't know if the school has a policy but if they don't my desire is different classes. After spending time with them apart from each other these last couple of months, I'm even more certain that is the right thing to do (for my kids). Although again, from reading Gina's blog, I have to be realistic about the logistics of two different classes, teachers, etc. while holding down a full time job.

Having a cookie and water at (big name coffee place) in the Safeway. I was even able to leave him there while I went back to get the water. He stayed waiting patiently and didn't whine, or bolt or goof off or any of the other things that at least one would have done if both were there (don't worry, I could see him, the SB is just that pink counter you can see in the back)

I think Nathan liked petting the kitty more than he did the bike ride we he was out with me. He has a huge passion for cats (we'll probably get a rescue sometime in the next year.)

Another food stop. And before you think this is all I do with Corwyn, it's the only time I can slow down long enough to actually take a picture. This one was after he wore me out running beside him on his bike for a half hour. Honestly the kid can keep up such a pace that I may be able to take up 5k running again and have him with me. He's getting really good with stopping at streets and driveways without prompts from me (I think showing him the mangled bikes on our bike rack really helped him make the visual association).