05/31/2026
Not every call is a job, but every call is an opportunity to help.
A lady called while I was at the fire station waiting to get word on a potential situation. She was sort of all over the place asking if we detailed cars and “what we could even do for her”.
I didn’t have any context, so I had her refocus so we could get on the same page. “Yes we can detail cars and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. What happened?”
And then I shut up and let her talk. It turns out that someone stole her vehicle and then urinated in it. Another contractor had attempted to detail it but it smelled worse.
I told her what she needed to hear. “Tell your insurance company this: the urine in your seat cushions have turned into ammonia and they can’t be effectively cleaned, insurance needs to pay for replacement seating”.
That’s what she needed. The caller was able to calm down because she had actual usable direction instead of having another contractor make promises they couldn’t keep.
Giving her direction wasn’t a sales tactic, it was just the right thing to do. No business was exchanged, but we earned som**hing more valuable: the right to call ourselves part of this community. Help First, Business Second isn’t just a corporate a slogan. It’s how we grow.
