4 KIDS NO DOG and a BABY

4 KIDS NO DOG and a BABY

February 23, 2008

Customer Service...do they have classes on that?

This week I went with the three little bears to run some errands. We are talking a quick trip to home depot to return the tile and backer board we didn't use, the tile saw we rented, then to the doctor to draw blood for more tests on me (will tell you about that later) and then pick up boxes at Eric's work followed by a stop at my mother in law's to get more boxes.

I pull up at Home Depot, and park right in front at the contractors drive through, but not in the drive through. I look back at my two sleeping babies, and daughter. Then glance back past them at the 30 lb boxes of tile, the over sized backer board and the who knows how big and heavy wet saw, and wonder how am I going to do it all. I decided, lock the doors, take the awake child, and run in to get someone in tool rental to help me.

Tool Rental Guy grabs a little gray cart and follows me. I know the cart will fit the saw but seeing it won't hold the rest of the tools I grab one of those flat bed with rails orange carts for the tile stuff. TRG helps me put the saw on his cart as well as the other stuff on the orange one. He tells me he'll take the tool back and I can go to returns with the other cart. I said "Thank you." and he went away. Well I realize that I can no longer leave my kids in the car.

I grab Em out, still groggy and then take T-Rex out of his carseat. I was standing there staring at this huge cart, with two babies in my arms wondering how I was going to get into the store. I could have let Em walk but I couldn't put T down to crawl into the store? I thought for a moment of resting them on the backer board planks, but the fact that they were up three feet from the ground and probably not stable enough to hold two wiggely kids, I opted to stand there and look dazed and confused, until the young guy in an orange apron came by.

"Can I help you ma'am?"

"yes, yes. thank you."

So he did and he gets the citizen of the year award followed by the customer service award. Because there were other guys walking by, and looking so they had to notice I was in a state of two hands, three kids, a big cart, can't move position. Anyway Thanks Home Depot Dude!

Well fast forward, ran got blood drawn, grabbed boxes from Eric and MIL. Then because the kids were being troopers I stop at McDonalds to get B her "I just feel like having french fries today" lunch.

So here, I find the only parking spot which is behind the building right near the drive through. I am holding T-Rex and try to convince Em to hold my hand as we dart through drive through traffic. There is no side walk so we have to walk between the cars and the building. I get to the door, glad everyone was still next to me. And a man opens the door for me. (thanks man!)

But then I order the food, and that is when all sense of common courteousy (can't spell tha tword) ends....Not that I am expecting help but man it sure would be nice to have someone possibly carry my tray so I don't have to balance it in one hand while holding baby in the other, wading through crowds of people, almost dropping drinks on the floor. Luckily I had B to help me. She grabbed a rolling high chair, we put T-rex in it and then I get the drinks, balanced on the tray in one hand and start to push the high chair, while the drinks began to teeter, and before they crash to the floor, I stop and ask B to push the high chair. So she walks in front pushing T-Rex and Em is following behind me, and I have both hands holding the tray. She gets to the door, and she struggles to get it open, the high chair gets stuck in the door, and I try to get around her to help her unstick T-Rex...anyway the whole point is at some point, with all the staring people, it sure would have been nice to have someone just hop up for a second, and hold the door open or something you know? McDonalds....gets two Thumbs down for customer service that day.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

good morning corrine,

glad you had some positive moments of people helping you. that is good.

but please never leave your kidlets alone in the car ever. it is soooo dangerous, something soooo messed up could happen to your precious angels. be careful honey. no errand is worth doing that. don't be mad at me for saying this. you made me worry that something did or would happen to your angels and you would be so devastated if ... you know.

take good care today and hug em tight, kathleen

katharine said...

sorry you had such a crazy day. it is hard to run errands with a gaggle of little ones.

next time ASK for help! some people are so clueless, and really, how many of them have walked in your shoes? the worst is they could say NO. you can also probably call home depot from your cell phone in the parking lot and have them send someone out to help you.

Tonya said...

I hear what you are saying about customer service. Sometimes, it seems to be a dying art. Along with common courtesy but I have faith that it's still out there.

Don't be afraid to ask for help when people are being clueless. You shouldn't have to but maybe it will make them think twice next time.

Ashley said...

I usually get the stare down. You know the lady with the three girl circus. That 's me! Not too many people ever offer to help. But....when they do I am so very grateful.

Cheryl Anne said...

I think any Mom can relate to that at some point in time. I do my very best NOT to go out with all 3 of my kids. I don't seem to be able to juggle all of them, even if all we are doing is walking around! Add in some grocery bags or food trays and I'm a mess! I'm glad you made it through the day!

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