On January 21, a customer service agent for 39DollarGlasses.com has been lauded as a hero after some quick thinking. Customer service representative Donna Petrosini was speaking with Karen Ford, a customer since 2008, when Ford began to slur her words and dropped the phone.
And 800 miles away, Karen Ford, a wheelchair bound Northwest Georgia resident was indeed in trouble. Little did Ford know, however that Petrosini had just informed her manager who in turn contacted the local emergency response team. Since the address was already in their system, Petrosini’s actions helped to save Ford’s life.
“I was on the phone with one of our long-time customers, and suddenly she was unable to respond to my questions. A moment later I heard the phone fall to the floor, and I knew something was wrong,” Petrosini stated in a recent local television interview.
Few customer service agents will ever be called upon like Donna Petrosini to actually help save someone’s life, but it does make you think. When the local news was lauding Petrosini as a hero, she said that anyone with compassion would do the same. Many of us have read about other customer service heroes who have helped to push cars out of snow banks, rushed pregnant women to the hospital or stayed on the phone while a child tried to help his seriously ill mother.
In the business world, stepping out of the box for another person’s benefit when it is completely unexpected is a natural high and booming accomplishment for any organization. Why not encourage all employees to find a passion? For instance, this evening several of us from Keyes Real Estate office in Palm Beach Gardens are participating in preparing a dinner for Quantum House which is a caring and supportive home designed to lessen the burden for families who have children receiving treatment in Palm Beach County with serious medical conditions.
Other businesses in my area volunteer for beach clean-up, senior citizen services, dog and cat rescue, or helping horses as is my passion. Reaching out to our neighborhoods and participating in humanitarian projects are part of doing business; the business of helping others without the expectations of a pay check. Still, the residual benefits come from knowing we are helping others. As Donna Petrosini stated, “anyone with compassion would do the same.”
I encourage every business owner, employee, family member and friend to get out there and do something positive for someone else. Everyone should strive to be a hero.
photo credit: BokehMojo
