Work has been tough lately. As some of you know, I am a software developer, specifically for payroll and HR software. This time of year is always busy - people getting ready for the change of benefits for the new year, tax season and new payrolls coming up for the first of the year. On top of that, one of our customers sold off part of their company (to another one of our customers). I've been working late nights and weekends helping them split their databases and get them thru the stub payrolls, etc. It has been a major project - and at the worst possible time.
Today, I was doing some phone training for a new customer and I hear all kinds of giggling in the office. (I work in an office cube farm - we can hear everything). I'm concentrating on explaining how to set up new benefits and the tax implications, etc. etc., when our admin assistant peaks around the wall ...... she's holding a package that is obviously flowers (wrapped in a familiar purple paper - the trademark of the largest florist in the area). I'm thinking to myself, what is this? It isn't my birthday, it isn't my wedding anniversary, it isn't my work anniversary...... why would flowers be delivered to me? My "boss" then also comes into my cube, and in a loud voice says that there is an important issue that needs to be dealt with and I need to tell my trainee's (who are on the phone). So I tell them I need to take care of something and I will call them back.
By now the entire office is hovering around my cube (all 8 of them). Of course, they want to know what's going on with the flowers. I'm clueless. They help me open the flowers - they are the most beautiful long stemmed red roses I have ever seen. A dozen of them. In a vase.... with greenery and baby's breath. I'm still clueless....what the heck are these for? I'm quizing my co-workers, thinking they must know what is going on, but they don't. We hunt for the card to see who they are from. The card was cleverly hidden under the vase in the box.
The card says..."Thanks a dozen, Ray". Ray??!! Ray, the customer that in 10 years has never said thank you for anything we have done for him? Ray, the guy that is as cold as ice when you talk with him? Ray, the guy I've had endure endless phone calls with while working out the details of the sale of part of the company? OH MY! What a shock! He called later (I sent him an email thanking him for the flowers) to say he really appreciated all that I had done for him and his company and wanted to make sure I knew that. You could have knocked me over with a feather.
I guess maintaining my professionalism even when I detest a customer can pay off sometimes.
The flowers are beautiful. Knowing I helped someone during a difficult time, warms my heart. It is a great way to start a long weekend and end a difficult year.
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