We get a lot of people telling us that we’ve done a great job, but since we take very good care of each and every one of our customers, naturally we’re happy, but not surprised when they tell us how happy they are with our customer service.

But a recent thank you note surprised us because it came not from a satisfied homeowner, but the owner of a company we rented some equipment from.

Jeff Chipetine, president of ABC Rental wrote: “Thanks for the chance to work with your exceptional crew. The people with whom I had primary contact, were skilled, well spoken and just terrific!”

“They reflect well on you and on Tanglewood Conservatories.” This came on a handwritten card via snailmail from a guy we rented some scaffolding and a skytrack lull for a couple of weeks from!

We appreciate the compliment and also recognize that Jeff is doing right by taking care of his customers as well.

Another note we got this week was from someone we built a conservatory for some fifteen years ago. He had a small leak in the roof and being the do-it-yourself type, climbed up on a ladder and squirted some caulk into what seemed to be the troublesome spot.

When that didn’t fix the problem, he called and spoke to me. I immediately remembered him, as I do most of our customers, and I asked him to send some pictures of the leaky spot on the inside and the outside of the room to help me diagnose the situation.

When I saw the pictures, it was very clear to me that though he had correctly identified the place where the leak was coming from, the sealant was not adhering adequately to the aluminum and glass. I suspected that he was using the “dimestore” variety of silicone sealant which would account for his lack of success.

I suggested that he strip the area in question of all the old built up caulk he had put on, clean the surfaces with denatured alcohol and use the special glazing sealant that I would send him.

Two weeks later and I received the following note:

“We have had two heavy rains since I caulked with the caulking you sent. There was no leak confirming that you are a genius.” I still have the American Airlines magazine containing your ad if you want it although you probably have several copies.” “Thanks for your help.” Bill

I know that we aren’t perfect, in fact we make more mistakes than I’d like anyone to know, but I’ve always believed that the measure of a company (and a person) is not what they do when everything is going well, but what they do when things aren’t going so well.

That is why we are so obsessive about taking care of our customers even when it costs us dearly or it isn’t so clear that the responsibility for a problem is ours.

Alan