July Won’t Fly By

July can be a very uncomfortable month in the mid west. The pleasantly warm days of May and June give way to heat and humidity. The pavement scorches, grass and plants wilt down a bit and even the mildest mannered soul begins to get edgy. Our callers are often feeling the effects of extreme weather in their area as well. It can be difficult at times to keep our sense of humor dealing with people who are as hot and stressed as we are.

To make matters more stressful many facilities are nearly sold out and not all sizes are open for rental. Managers have pulled specials and coupon offers that might have been mentioned to the caller if they sought information in May. Sometimes they realize that they should have taken advantage of the special after their first call but often they are angry that the special they anticipated has been withdrawn. Since we are the ones who are breaking the bad news to them we are the ones who get the brunt of their disappointment and stress.

We have the benefit of an excellent training program to help us cope with testy callers and how to resolve the upset without losing the potential customer. This training helps us to keep the situation in perspective and soothe the bristling caller.

My mother always taught me that a kind word could turn away wrath. Well, sometimes it takes more than one kind word, but I try to have at least one to spare.