The Story

I have an emergency tree service.  I have always had a commitment to provide my clients more than they expected.  It’s been an approach that makes my clients happy and keeps my business thriving. One Sunday,  I received a call about a large branch that had fallen that needed attention.  I arrived realized that a year before I had given them a bid to work on the very tree.  Maria greeted me and gave me a hug because of the wonderful connection we had made the previous year when talking about an orphanage that she and her husband ran in India.

As I prepared an estimate, I knew that Maria did have much money to spend.  We settled on an amount that would cover my time.  As I worked, we talked about the orphanage.  I learned that for $25.00, the orphanage cares for a child for one month.  After I finished,   I told her to make the check out to the orphanage.  Maria was very pleased and told me that it would make a great difference.  She went on to share her dream of creating a street school in this same city.

As I drove off, I started thinking about what was possible.  At my next project, my client watched while I began working on the trees in the backyard.  As time allowed, we talked about the encounter I had earlier in the day with Maria and how I wanted to raise money   through my business to help this cause.  I asked this client, if she would  be willing to contribute an additional amount to Maria’s orphanage, in recognition of my extra work?  She said she would be glad to.  When we settled up, she gave me a check to our company and a separate check to the orphanage in India.

The following day, I was working on large 3-foot wide stump removal.  After I did the work, my client was very pleased with the work.  When everything was cleaned up, I had the same conversation about the orphanage.  I asked if he would feel comfortable contributing to the orphanage as a result of the benefit to him from my extra effort.  He  said, “absolutely.”

The next day I began working on a large project for a couple that lived in a golf community on the outskirts of Denver. I decided when I was talking with the client that I would mention this idea from the get go about wanting to deliver more than expected results for the benefit of an orphanage and school in India.  I gave her a brochure – explaining the different work to be done there and found her to be quite receptive to the idea.  As I began working on her project I was inspired to work harder – knowing that it might lead to a further benefit to my cause. At the end of the project, I received payment for the agreed work and a separate check for the orphanage.  My client felt particularly good that she was given an opportunity to make a contribution to a great cause and was inspired to do so because of my extra effort.

For the orphanage, my business represents a new source of money to help with their efforts.  For my business, this represents a means to differentiate my business and improve client satisfaction. For me personally, I am more rewarded by knowing that my extra work supports a larger cause.  The three checks I had received totaled $155.00.  They will support a child at the orphanage for six months.  I can make a difference in the world.