An Uplifting Moment...and Metaphor

As I presume everyone knows by now, the United States won their World Cup game against Algeria in the closing minutes on Wednesday, earning the right to advance to the next round.

Up to that point, the US team that was predicted to get past the Group Stage was teetering on the brink of elimination and great disappointment, despite suffering no losses in their first two games and being tied in their third.

Adding to the sense of frustration was that midway through the match, the US seemingly scored a goal, which was disallowed because the scoring player was deemed offside. The announcers instantly stated--and a replay showed--that the call was erroneous, as seemingly was the one that took away the Americans chance to win their last game against Slovenia.

But after playing a scoreless tie through the 90 minutes of regulation, longtime US star Landon Donovan scored the game winner during "extra time" on a rebound goal. In an instant, the US went from utter dejection to winning the game and also topping their 4-team group (from which the top two teams advance, England being the other). 

As I am not currently working, I was able to watch the game and to see the US win it in that fashion really made me feel good. Not just because the US won--although I am a proud American, I'm really adverse to overt "USA! USA!" fanaticism--but because justice seemed to be served and perseverance paid off.

And, although perhaps this only holds up only in my head, the game seemed to be a metaphor for what I'm going through as a job seeker. I've been out of work, at least in terms of a full-time job, for over a year, and though I try to stay philosophical and realize that many people have things much worse than I do, it certainly can get frustrating.

After being laid off from a job in which I received nothing but high praise for the quality and impact of my work, I've had a really tough time enticing another employer to utilize my talents (as a copywriter, creative director, etc). And when I did recently land what was supposed to be a 4-month contract assignment, it was shelved after only two weeks.

So like the US soccer team, I'd imagine, I've felt a bit snakebit. But I'm continuing to stay positive and do the right things, and I've actually been getting some calls from staffing firms about possible assignments. We'll see what comes to fruition, but as Landon Donovan and the US team proved, if you keep pushing and don't give up, great things can happen.

It only takes a moment (as the song, from Hello Dolly, goes).

A Unique Way of Earning My Business

I don't know the first thing about auto repair and am about as far from "handy" as one can get.

Thus, I am always at the mercy of auto mechanics when it comes to keeping my car in running order, and pretty much wind up paying to fix whatever I'm told is needed, whether or not it could be done elsewhere for $500 less or not done at all without jeopardizing drive-ability or safety for another 30,000 miles.

As I have owned only 4 cars in my driving-age lifetime and have driven each for close to or well over 100,000 miles, I think I have done a pretty good job of keeping my cars maintained and don't feel that I've been too egregiously bilked by mechanics.

But as an auto repair idiot, it is often a bit uncomfortable taking my car in for service when it runs beyond the manufacturer's warranty. I realize that high-mileage vehicles will invariably need to have some work done, but per my level of comprehension, mechanics could literally speak Japanese to me, write down a dollar figure of any amount and, should I give a look of incredulity, add an exclamation mark to signify the importance that the repair be done right then and there--and I pretty much will say "go ahead."

Just last November, I paid about $1,600 to have my 2004 Dodge Stratus repaired, and I couldn't even tell you what was done. Anything under the hood beyond the engine, transmission and radiator is all a mass of confusion to me, where it seems that $20 parts require $1,000 in labor to replace.

Part of the problem is that I've never found one mechanic that I completely trust and depend on. Whether because I have moved, or have chosen the garage most convenient for getting repairs done during a workday, or have been (sometimes temporarily) convinced of the superiority of new car dealership service centers, I have tended to switch between Firestone repair centers, dealer mechanics and local gas station garages.

I cannot say that I know that any of these places has done me terribly wrong, but I am also not certain that they haven't.

Which brings me to a couple of unusual experiences of late at Wil-Ridge Auto Service in Evanston, IL. It is too soon to say that Wil-Ridge is completely phenomenal--though the few online reviews I've seen have been quite glowing--but I've been extremely impressed so far with what they haven't done.

The other day, I was alerted that my passenger-side brake light wasn't working. I'd never been to Wil-Ridge before, but they are close to where I currently live--and convenience to work isn't a consideration at the moment--so I called and they said bring it in.

I did, and although their parking lot was completely full, less than 20 minutes later, my car was ready and the cost was a whopping sum of $5.

"You're used to _____ Dodge prices," said John, the owner, when I looked amazed. And while I don't feel a need to specifically disparage the Dodge dealership I've recently been using for service, they had charged me $30 to replace a brake light.

So when John suggested that I should bring my car in one morning to have the exhaust checked because he was concerned with the way it sounded, I took him at his word.

This morning I took it in and although I should've gotten there earlier than the 8:15 the I did, within a half-hour, it was ready. No repair, no $100 fee just for checking it, only that I should listen for the exhaust getting louder, as that would signify an urgency for getting it fixed. But for now, it was drivable without worry.

John very easily could have said--as other mechanics would have--that I should get it fixed then and there. And while funds are tight, I would've pulled out my credit card and done it.

But when I asked him when it should be done, noting that I wasn't currently employed, he said that I should monitor it and come back when I could better afford the $560 it would cost. No scare tactics; in fact, if anything, his lack of "get the sale" urgency was a bit off-putting as I was unsure when I should plan to return.

Yes, I realize, the lack of tactics could be a tactic in itself. But I prefer to trust people, even auto mechanics, and seeing how I could've already paid $120 more than I did for what he'd done to date, and just about anything he asked today, I'll be happy to go back to him when the exhaust--and just about anything else--needs fixing.

In this day and age, when seemingly every business in the world is trying--albeit usually without much imagination--to get business through Facebook, Twitter and the magical, mystical world of social media, companies of all types can take a cue from Wil-Ridge Auto Service and realize that the best way to engender customer loyalty and good word-of-mouth--even via social media, such as this blog--is to just treat people decently.

Exceeding expectations is sometimes only a matter of doing what is unexpected.