I buy hamburger from a really great guy in Iowa. Because my guy purchases the meat in large quantities from the local meat locker, he gets the hamburger in large ten-pound tubes. Great for price but not exactly convenient when it comes time for cooking! Here’s what’s neat about my guy - he isn’t just a source for the meat, he’s made himself my personal butcher. Gene takes those 10 lb. tubes and gives them a quick freeze. Then he slices the hamburger into patties and wraps the patties up in 1 pound packages for me. He doesn’t charge me any extra for this service, he just does it because it’ll be more convenient for me.

My mom was recently hospitalized for emergency abdominal surgery. During the two weeks it took for her to be released, my dad, siblings and I took turns staying with her at the hospital. My mom’s best friend Julie went one step beyond cards and flowers, she baked. Now some folks would force veggie trays and soups and casseroles into your fridge, reasoning that you need good nutrition. She’s done the meal stuff, but Julie didn’t stop with stew and sandwiches. Just about every other day, she showed up with a plate, or tin, or pan full of some sweet goodness. And it hasn’t stopped since Mom came home - she’s made herself our personal baker. She could feel good about providing meals for a family dealing with major medical situation. She did more because she knows there’s something extra comforting about dessert.

Not long ago we had a rush of orders for our Clean Underpants candles. So many that I had to place a special order with our candle manufacturing partner Soy Works Candle Company. Now normal time on pouring and shipping candles is at least a week. Circumstances beyond their control delayed that order. Knowing that I had Lemonade Stand customers waiting, Soy Works owner & chandler, Heather, emailed asking, “What can I do for your customers since the candles have been delayed?” No excuses or justifications, she was focused on how best to serve my customers - what a great way to serve me.

All three of these folks are my heroes because they each in their own way anticipated not only what would meet my needs, but also looked for how to exceed them. Each took extra time and put extra thought into how to best serve me; how best to make my life easier. Now that’s a customer service superpower I want to cultivate!

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