Great Customer Service

Today I had the best customer service experience in a long time. The items I needed were in stock, fulfillment was fast, and the customer service representative was very helpful. So what outlet do you think I may be describing? Best Buy? Apple Store? Amazon? Nordstrom? Nope ... it was my local hardware store.

I was in need of a 4-foot length of garden hose to replace the one from my spigot to the garden hose reel. Naturally -- and in hindsight perhaps foolishly -- I went to Home Depot and then Lowe's for the hose. Neither had the item I needed nor did they have knowledgeable personnel to assist me.

When I wised up and drove .3 miles to my local hardware store, the proprietor likewise didn't have the item, per se, but he did offer a solution that worked just fine: a washing machine hose with a double-male coupling. A great solution that both Home Depot and Lowe's technically offered, minus the added smarts.

In the end, I got what I needed, spent 4 minutes of my time and perhaps only a dollar more than I would have, had I gone to one of the hardware super stores. Well worth the value of my time and lack of hassle.

Remember this story the next time you need to spend. Spend local.