Beliefs about public service, servants get a check up

01/18/2012 1:02 PM

By AmySue Mertens
Blogger

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I’ve had a lot of experiences which have led me to believe that good customer service is part of an era gone by, and that public servants spend more time serving themselves than the public. This past weekend provided me an opportunity to check my beliefs, and note some bad behaviors of my own.

It happened around 3:30pm on Saturday. I was headed out with Brian to recycle the Christmas Tree at Sheridan Park.

After slinging the brittle monster atop the Mini over two blankets and tying it down with some rope, we started out toward the park. A quarter of a block later we heard, and felt, the thumping of a flat tire. Though there is never a good time to get a flat, getting one with a tree atop the car is pretty bad timing. Flat tire while carrying cargo - check.

We looked to pull over, and wouldn’t you know the only empty curb space aligned nicely with a fire hydrant. Illegal park job - check.

Thank goodness for Brian, as the only other time I’ve had a flat, it was solved with a call to Mini’s roadside service. I was eager to learn how to use my jack and the fix-a-flat, but just as we got started, a police officer approached. Cop approaching illegally parked vehicle - check.

I attempted to redirect the officer’s attention from our rigged up tie-down job on the tree--and the fire hydrant--to solving our tire problem. I’d driven over a screw. The fix-a-flat wasn’t taking. He suggested getting the tire plugged at Chicago Auto Center on West Van Buren, and immediately went into public servant mode by holding traffic as we did a U-turn. He even followed us to ensure our safe arrival. Illegal traffic maneuver (followed by police escort) - check.

The owner greeted us, said his mechanics had gone home, but after looking at the tire, he found a guy who could put in the plug. He even checked the pressure in the rest of the tires, and let Brian use their equipment to wipe the tree sap from the windshield. (Putting an exposed tree trunk over the windshield where it will leak sap - check.)

Chicago Auto Center has always provided good service, but most of the time I’m just there to get my car washed. Frankly, I didn’t even know the name of the place until I picked up a business card and a magnet at the counter. It turns out, they also have emergency fuel delivery, battery jump starts, lockout service, and they’d have come out to help with the flat tire if we’d not been so close. I’d trust them with any of those services and more.

Brian noted that where he is from in Michigan, it could have taken days to get the car repaired on a weekend. Instead it took 45 minutes. We were still able to recycle the tree, get groceries, and make it to his hockey game. The West Loop’s good customer service and true public servants - check plus.


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