Don't judge a book by it's cover.
So, I've been at the plumbing game since 1994. As you know, in this job, you meet lots of different people. Usually, my first interaction with any customer is over the phone. I guess it's human nature to (whether consciously or subconsciously) form an image of the person on the other end of the conversation. I've been told on numerous occasions that I have a great radio voice. More recently, I've been getting a lot of the "You sound like the Allstate guy" comment. At least that image, is closer to what they actually see when I arrive at their door for the very first time.
The area that I live in and service is predominantly white. So, when my customer opens their door to see me for the first time (6'3" black guy walking around at nearly 300 lbs), I sometimes see a bit of shock in the eyes of the person on the other side of that threshold. Fortunately, they recover quickly, and we get to what I’m there to do. I pride myself in having a good rapport with my customers. If I’m dealing with a little old lady or home alone housewife, I’ll make the effort to be “extra careful” to make them feel comfortable with this stranger in their home. By the end of the job, I’ll often have people offering tips, telling me to stop by when I’m in the area to say “hi” and so on. I always feel good about that, knowing that I was able to take care of the issue they called for and put them at ease while I was there.
Now, one question has been asked of me many times over the years. Given my stature, I am often asked the following question: “You’re a big guy! What did YOU play in school?” Without hesitation, I turn to my customer and proudly say, “The clarinet!” After their initial chuckle at the “punch-line” they realize that I’m serious!
Believe it or not, I’ve never played football (aside from in recreation with friends as a kid). I actually don’t even watch football or sports in general (BLASPHEMY… I know). I just never found a sport that really excites me. EXCEPT for MMA !!!
Now, if you wanna talk mixed martial arts, you’ve got my attention. I’m a big fan of MMA, mainly the UFC and Bellator. I’ve met a few fighters and watch pretty much all of the cards. So if you ever want to chat about that, I’m all in!
If you ask me if I saw the game last night, I’ll probably ask you how many touchdowns did the LA Lakers get by the end of the 9th inning.
Peace Ladies and Gents :vs_peace:
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The area that I live in and service is predominantly white. So, when my customer opens their door to see me for the first time (6'3" black guy walking around at nearly 300 lbs), I sometimes see a bit of shock in the eyes of the person on the other side of that threshold. Fortunately, they recover quickly, and we get to what I’m there to do. I pride myself in having a good rapport with my customers. If I’m dealing with a little old lady or home alone housewife, I’ll make the effort to be “extra careful” to make them feel comfortable with this stranger in their home. By the end of the job, I’ll often have people offering tips, telling me to stop by when I’m in the area to say “hi” and so on. I always feel good about that, knowing that I was able to take care of the issue they called for and put them at ease while I was there.
Now, one question has been asked of me many times over the years. Given my stature, I am often asked the following question: “You’re a big guy! What did YOU play in school?” Without hesitation, I turn to my customer and proudly say, “The clarinet!” After their initial chuckle at the “punch-line” they realize that I’m serious!
Believe it or not, I’ve never played football (aside from in recreation with friends as a kid). I actually don’t even watch football or sports in general (BLASPHEMY… I know). I just never found a sport that really excites me. EXCEPT for MMA !!!
Now, if you wanna talk mixed martial arts, you’ve got my attention. I’m a big fan of MMA, mainly the UFC and Bellator. I’ve met a few fighters and watch pretty much all of the cards. So if you ever want to chat about that, I’m all in!
If you ask me if I saw the game last night, I’ll probably ask you how many touchdowns did the LA Lakers get by the end of the 9th inning.
Peace Ladies and Gents :vs_peace:
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