Sarah Warsi

So today I went in for my annual servicing for my vehicle. I go to a shop in my area that provides very good, efficient service. The owner is very nice and knowledgeable and I know my car is in good hands anytime I go there.

As I was wrapping up to leave, I noticed a picture of his young son on the wall of the reception area, so I simply asked my mechanic how he was doing as he processed the paperwork. He replied that he was doing well and that two more twin boys had since arrived about two months prior. I congratulated him and he then started to open up about his personal struggles with managing a very busy shop and tending to his wife and three small children. I could see the exhaustion on his face as he got into details about the challenges his wife had faced during birth and continues to face afterwards.

We continued chatting for about 15 minutes before he had to eventually tend to another client, but what resonated with me as I was leaving was how a routine oil change turned into a very warm and personable human interaction. He took his mechanic hat off for a few moments and was just himself – a hard-working husband and father. It spoke very fondly of the true value of relationship building and customer loyalty and satisfaction. For me, it adds another layer of trust in the service that you are being provided because you’re interacting on a genuine, relatable level. We are all doing what we can every day to make an honest living and sometimes it’s necessary to just momentarily break away from the grind to have a candid conversation about life.

And that was my feel-good moment of the day.