DOG DAYS: LET’S BE SIRIUS LILLY’S CORNER Dog days of summer, they call it. I call it hot. What’s it supposed to mean, really? Thanks to my human’s handy Google tool, I satisfied my canine curiosity.
EXCEPTIONAL DELIVERY DEFINING EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
What I found is that humans who lived a long, long time ago noticed that every year at this time, the dog star, Sirius, would rise with the sun and shine extra bright. They thought the combination of the sun and the dog star together were causing all the heat.
We’re excited to feature our team member Hans this month and share his 5S story. What makes and defines exceptional customer service today? Experience, integrity, organization, great demeanor, willingness to go the extra mile, and more. These are just some of the phrases describing our customer service manager Hans Mims. Working with our customers after their purchases, Hans is an expert in ensuring their satisfaction and experience with our company. With 15 years in customer service, he is a pro at working with people and connecting them to the services and answers they need.
These humans were onto something. In July and early August, the sun is in the same part of the sky as Sirius, and they rise and set at the same time. Oh, and according to some other people who lived a long, long time ago, Sirius was the canine pal of the legendary hunter Orion, proving we’ve always been human’s best friend. Pretty cool, huh? Now, to get my own star ...
Hans enjoys finding the best solutions and resolving issues that help ensure an exceptional experience. “I enjoy speaking with customers and helping them resolve their issues beyond their expectations,” Hans says. “Hearing their general excitement about products and services is very rewarding.” Hans gets to interact with customers and often gets calls when people are stoked about a product, such as a new shadow board. “Customers contact us because they’re excited when they actually receive the boards they helped design.” Hans shares. “We get a lot of good feedback about our custom products.” True to the concept of continuous improvement, Hans takes every bit of feedback in stride. “It’s great to get feedback on what we can do to improve upon what we are already doing,” he says. After meeting David and Barbara, Hans knew he’d found the place he wanted to grow his career. “I saw their passion for the business and what they’ve built here,” Hans says. “It’s much different than working in a corporate setting. It’s David and Barbara’s baby, and they’ve watched it grow. They’ve built a collaborative team where everyone pitches in to get the job done.” Hans says the work environment here makes it an enjoyable place to be. “It has a good ebb and flow,” he says. “After daily huddles, when we understand what everyone else is doing, we get to work.” Hans works closely with Suzanne and says they’re good at fitting in some fun between getting tasks done. “We go back and forth like brother and sister,” Hans says. “It helps the day go by faster.”
CLASSIC APPLE CRISP
INGREDIENTS
Inspired by Food Network
Topping: • 3/4 cup
Filling: • 5 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour • 2 tbsp maple syrup • 1 tbsp lemon juice
all-purpose flour • 1/3 cup brown sugar • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp salt • 6 tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces • 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. In a mixing bowl, mix all filling ingredients together. Transfer to individual serving ramekins. 3. In a different mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Mix in butter until it forms lumps roughly the size of a pea, then stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping over filling. 4. Bake for 35–40 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes, and serve.
Thanks for all you do for our team and for our customers, Hans!
3
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker