I sell locks. For a manufacturer who makes 65 million of them annually. That’s not the story, but like all good stories one must start at the beginning.
Some weeks ago I answered an incoming call at our office. Not odd, yet it is not often that I pick up, given we have a Receptionist/Admin who answers and directs 95% of all incoming calls.
So, it rang. I answered. I did my “Good Morning, Euro-Locks, this is Vince….” and the caller was off and running…hurriedly telling me that she needed urgent help because her church friend was at risk of domestic violence due to her ex about to get out of jail later in the day. She continued about how he hurt her in the past and how a personal protection order was in place, but wouldn’t stop him–and this church friend needed an alarm system to help protect her.
It was then that I told her she called a lock manufacturer, not an alarm company. And that we don’t provide or sell alarms. She apologized and said she thought she was calling a business that installed alarms.
That could have been it. I could have ended the call. I could go on with my day and she could try again to call an actual alarm company.
But I could not do that. I felt I could help.
I asked what county the church friend lived in. She told me. I told the caller that it had been some years, but I helped a neighboring county secure free mobile alarm systems for victims of domestic violence and there were some non-profits who helped screen and determine how to deploy the units to those in the community with a need. And that it sounded like her friend would qualify. I asked her to stay on the phone with me a moment and I would look up some of my past contact info to see if they could help. She exclaimed “It’s a God Thing that I reached you today!”
I found the contact info for the county Domestic Violence Task Force that I had helped so many years earlier. And with it I found the non-profit and contact number for those domestic violence victims in need of the free mobile alarm systems. I gave this info to the caller and told her they may be able to help, or may be able to guide her to a similar group in her own county who could help her church friend.
The caller was so exuberant. She thanked me profusely and repeated again “This must be a God Thing” before ending the call.
I hung up…….and wondered. How does THAT happen? How do I get THAT call–on THAT subject–from THAT caller.
Yes, I think she was right. “It’s a God Thing.”