Get me to the church on time

Posted on by CourageInStone

It’s June and that means wedding season is in full swing.  Blushing brides, handsome grooms, flower girls, ring bearers, and those nutty relatives you can never get off the dance floor, all culminate in what will hopefully be one of the happiest days of their lives.  If only the favors could be perfect…

That is where we at CourageInStone.com come in.  We sell many small items that are perfect for wedding favors and decorations and I have happily assisted brides in selecting just the right token or stone for their most special day.  Please keep in mind that our most popular item is our Engraved River Rocks and that they are a natural product.  So when brides call saying, “Can I get those in a muted amber?” I shudder and say “They come in browns and tans but the colors vary because they are natural.”  To which she replies, “But, can I get them in muted amber?” 

I must say that while I am a 13 year veteran of marriage I don’t really recall being quite so picky about all things wedding.  If any of my friends or bridal party members are reading this and feel that I am incorrect, I ask you to hold your tongues for the sake of our friendship!  I know white is white and ivory is ivory but will your guests really care if their stone is not muted amber?

See, those bridesmaids dresses CAN be worn again...

I have been asked to be a part of 7 weddings not including my own.  Actually 2 of them are on the horizon so I am speaking from some serious experience. I have 6 bridesmaid gowns and one yet to be selected, and I can honestly say that while I thought for a brief, fleeting moment I could wear each of them again, I never, ever have.  I did, however,let my brother borrow one for a Whoa-man competition for charity.  See bridal friend, I did get more than one use out of it.   

That is only to say that I have been in and attended a lot of weddings, so when people call me about the favors for their special day, I can honestly tell them that our stones may be little, but they pack a big bunch.  They are a feel-good kind of thing.  They make people happy and since that is what weddings are all about, I feel they are a perfect fit. 

Brides and bridal consultants call all the time and ask about pricing and shipping times.  I always ask when the event is and usually about 3 months is the answer, more than plenty of time for us to get your stones to you, even if they are custom made with your names and wedding date engraved on them.  But alas, too many times I have gotten the phone call which goes something like this:

“Yeah, hi I called like 4 months ago about some stones for my wedding and you gave me a price quote, do you remember me?  Well, um the wedding is this Saturday, but um, can I still get custom stones with Bobbi Sue and Frank Forever on them?”  Sadly Bobbi Sue, we cannot get you those custom stones, but if you would like one of our wonderful stock words and are willing to pay expedited shipping we can still make your dreams come true…

My favorite recent call came from a groom (there is a first time for everything people) asking about some of our tokens and was very concerned about the look of them and asked if we might send a sample.  His reasoning…he needed to make sure his future mother-in-law approved them before he put the full order in.  Now that man is thinking ahead, since we all know that a Happy Mother-in-law equals a Happy Life!

Service with a smile?

Posted on by CourageInStone

Let me start off by saying that when you work in small business, delivery people are one of your biggest assets and should not be taken for granted. Our business would fall apart if they stopped showing up.  I will make it clear right here and now that I truly, truly appreciate the work they do and I would not want their job.  That being said I have to share with you a few of the many quirks and idiosyncrasies that some of our delivery personnel (past and present) have had.  You just can’t make this stuff up folks…

We have daily FedEx, UPS, and Postal service pickups and drop offs here at our warehouse.  The regular drivers know the routine; come to the warehouse door, ring the bell if it’s not open and we will be right there. The substitute drivers insist on coming inside the office.   They only make this mistake once.  You see, the boss’ dog doesn’t take kindly to new faces, especially those in uniforms, and will bark the most ferocious bark you have ever heard to keep anyone he doesn’t know away from the office.  Yeah, like I said the subs only come inside one time.

Speaking of subs – the Postal Service subs are a favorite of mine.  We set up our regular daily pickups 3 months in advance and when you do this you have to tell them how many packages you will have.  While I like to pride myself on my planning skills, there is no way  on February 10th I will know exactly how many boxes we will have for the Post Office on Thursday, April 12th – so we give them an estimate.  Let’s say 15.  Well if on April 12th, a substitute driver shows up and we have 6 packages he points out that according to his paperwork we should have 15.  When we have 36 packages he points out that we should have 15.  I have tried to explain to many drivers the word ‘estimate’.  I have given up.

We have worked very, very hard to build a rapport with our current Postal Carrier, I’ll call him Jim.  Jim was a tough nut to crack.  Because his normal pickup time for us, 10:30AM, is really just too early to get all our packages out, we asked him about swinging by at the end of his route to pick up our mail.  He declared “No way, I don’t like to make left turns!”  Based on his reaction, you would have thought I had asked for his firstborn! I know that UPS has a no left turn policy in place to save gas and energy but have never heard a postal worker say this.  I wouldn’t want to change his route or anything, I just thought since he was willing to bring our empty bins by at that time why not make the pickup then too. Nope, no way, not happening, so 10:30AM it is.

Despite this, I have grown fond of Jim’s sometimes grumpy demeanor.  He does try on most days to give me a smile or wish me a good weekend, but there are days I just see us slipping backwards.  Why, just the other day he got out of his truck and at the sight of the 10 large boxes and 3 mail bins, could be heard griping “And my day just gets better and better!” I thought maybe this was a compliment since we are so happy with his service that we like to ship almost all of our products US Mail, but no, this was just him blowing off steam.  I can understand it can be frustrating and may seem like an endless amount of packages but, um, that is your job, right?

Dear Postal Carriers,

I love you for delivering my mail and not throwing it in the bushes or feeding it to a dog and maybe it is inconvenient but I would like all my packages picked up too so that all the postal carriers can keep their jobs.

Sincerely, Suzi

Lest you think I only have quirky postal carriers, let me briefly touch on the FedEx drivers.  Our current driver is very very sweet but his attention to detail is severely lacking.  Please note that he comes here every day.  He asked me for my last name when I signed for packages for 3 straight months.  I thought he would at least start saying “It starts with an “M”, right?” but no, he never learned it or really even tried.  So one day I decided to give him the name “Jones” when he asked.  He didn’t even blink, or ask if I had gotten married over the weekend.   The next day I said “Jones” again, no reaction just typed it in.  Day 3 I signed and he said “Jones, right?” Ding, Ding, Ding…we have a winner!  I am now Mrs. Jones around the office!

Please try and remember that we all need each other to thrive in this world, no man is an island, what goes around comes around and all that other good mumbo jumbo. But also remember that when I am expecting a package and I can see it on your truck, don’t tell me you don’t have it or I will climb in there!  (Which I have done.)

Isn’t there a market for feather boas?

Posted on by CourageInStone

Whenever I tell my husband that I need help moving something heavy at the office he gets a panicked look in his eye.

“You don’t need me to move the black stones, do you?” he always confirms, before volunteering.

You see, the infamous black stones are heavy.  Really heavy.  They are a line of stones I carried a while back that were just slightly larger then the style we carry now, but for some reason, they are about 10 times heavier.   My husband helped move 5,000 of them when we changed locations a couple years back and to this day, when the air’s a bit damp and chilly, he swears he still feels the kink in his back.

I’ve moved my business 5 times in the last 4 1/2 years.  We’ve been in a total of 6 places in 9 years.  That’s a lot of moving.  That’s a lot of moving heavy stuff.  That’s a lot of moving heavy stuff with no movers.  Just me, my husband, my kind and generous employees and a couple of mini vans.

Now, lest you think I’m a glutton for punishment, or don’t pay my rent, or am a terrible tenant, there have always been great and reasonable explanations for the moves…and none of them have involved the police, a warrant or any arrests.  I swear!

Our current spot is our best yet and so far fits our needs to a tee.  We’ve been here for a record amount of time…a whole year and a half…and we’re going for at least 5.  My employees are ecstatic, not to mention my husband.

It definitely has taken us a few tries to get our location right.  Each spot has had it’s benefits and drawbacks, but the one that we always talk about, the one that makes even me scratch my head in bewilderment, is The Move To The Pod.

A pod is one of those storage units that you often see on construction sites.  They are basically empty tractor trailers that they plop down on your property.  They are bare bones in design.  No heat.  No air.  Did I mention no heat?

The Move To The Pod seemed to make sense at the time.  I had been sharing office and warehouse space with another online business and it was working very smoothly.  The owner and I got along great and our business needs complimented each other perfectly.  About a year after we met, she bought a large piece of property, just 2 miles from my house, with the intention of building a warehouse type structure to house her business.  She offered to rent space to me as well, and I thought I had hit the jackpot!  A friend for a landlord, plenty of space, and just 2 miles from my house…perfect!

Cozy, huh?!

Our current lease was ending, but the new structure was not built yet, so we decided that the pods would be the solution.  We would run the businesses from the basement of her home and pack and ship the product from the pods.  This sounded great – the pod rental was very cheap and she would charge me a nominal fee to work from her basement. Sweet!  Think of all the money I would save!

Oh yeah.  Did I mention this all happened in January of 2007 – which happened to be the coldest winter on record in 20 years in our area.

So we moved.  All 5,000 black stones along with the rest of our inventory.  And filled up 4 pods.

Needless to say, it was a miserable existence that winter.  Let me tell you, when it’s 15 degrees out, unheated pods are the coldest place on earth.  Since there was no way that I could ask my employees to endure those conditions, each day I would bundle myself up in 5 layers and brave the packing and shipping.  My husband one morning attempted to tease me about all the clothes I was putting on, as he headed off to work in his chinos and polo…ready to sit at his desk in a balmy 78 degree office.  I was not amused…and I pride myself on having a fairly good sense of humor.

We got through that winter, but unfortunately the original plan of the large warehouse structure never materialized and 6 months later my husband found himself moving the black stones yet again.  I tried to point out that ‘it’s a great workout!’ but he didn’t laugh.  (Payback for above ‘just how many layers of clothes are you going to put on?’ comment.)

It took 2 more moves ’til we found our current space and each time the amount of black stones has dwindled as we’ve stopped carrying that particular line in favor of other stones.  But now instead of 5,000 black stones, we’ve got 150,000 various styles of rocks and tokens.  My husband is always pleased to see the black stones disappearing, but that triumph is short lived when he sees what else needs to be re-located.

I have promised myself that for our 6th move (you know what they say…the 6th time’s the charm…) I will hire professionals.  Although I chuckle to envision what they will be thinking when they move our merchandise.  “What is this, a rock quarry?”

And, in my next life, if I decide to open a retail business, I’m definitely checking out the feather boa profit margins.

All in a days work

Posted on by CourageInStone

Do you know how to use a computer?  Are you willing to answer the phones?   Are you okay with heavy lifting?  These were 3 simple questions asked during my interview for this job that seemed to have simple answers: “Yes, Yes, & Yes!”  Little did I know how many variations these simple questions would take on.

We here at CourageInStone.com joke about what my title actually is.  Some days I use “Admin” others I am “Sales”, and often times I am “Marketing Manager.”  The boss even had a sign made up proclaiming me “Executive Vice President of Logistics  aka: Nosy Overseer Of All Things (NO OAT)” because that seemed to fit my personality the best.  I like to have my hand in everything having to do with the day to day operations of this business.   Don’t get me wrong –  I have my limits (remember from last time, I don’t like cleaning) – but mainly if it needs to get done, I will jump in to do it.

My 'official' title. My last name has been blurred to protect the guilty...

Before coming on board here I had never worked for a small business.  For a time I was an independent contractor (aka: lone wolf) and I also worked for corporations where no one knew my name or even cared to learn it.  Being part of a small business team means just that, team.  It is truly a case of “there is no I in team” around here.  On any given day I will do most if not all of the following:

– Answer phones for orders or questions

– Make phone calls to clarify orders or questions

– Email customers or vendors about orders and questions

– Meet with the boss about orders and questions (do you see the pattern yet???)

–  Help pack and ship outgoing orders to our fabulous customers

– Unpack and put away incoming inventory (30,000 stones in 4 hours, can you say heavy lifting?)

– Research any and all marketing strategies to get people “in the know” about CourageInStone.com

– Research our customers on Facebook (if you can see me, I gotta see you!)

– Make an afternoon run for “sweet treats” for the office

– Write funny, witty, entertaining, interactive blogs (wink,wink)

– Build furniture; desks, bookshelves and Ice Cream Parlor table and chair sets, as needed

Okay that last one was a newer one added to my list a few weeks ago and I swear I never saw it coming, but as you can see from the photographic evidence I jumped right in and helped make it happen.

Not quite what I had in mind when I took this job, but it sure makes the days interesting!

There are of course a few things around here I won’t do:

– Pick up messes from the boss’ dog

– Pay the bills

– Wash windows (goes with that cleaning phobia I have)

So when people ask me what I do for a living, the answer that may seem simple – “I work for a small online retailer” – is so much more complicated than that and I personally wouldn’t have it any other way.  I am proud to be the NO OAT!!!!!

26 Rules of thumb

Posted on by CourageInStone

One of our most popular items is our ABC’s of Life plaque, a marble finished sign that lists 26 sweet and poignant ‘rules’ for leading a good and satisfying life (oh, if it were that easy.)  I thought I’d share with you 26 gems that I’ve learned over the past 9 years for being a productive, if not at times goofy, small business owner.

Accept advice.  Being open to different points of view is invaluable.

Buy (or borrow) really comfortable desk chairs.  Employees get cranky when you make them sit in cheap, cramped chairs.

Cry if you have to.

Discuss your long term goals with the people that will help you reach them.  They are integral to the plan and will constantly remind you where you are headed.

Expect the best from the people around you. If they are not offering their best, they are not the people that you should be around.

Find the humor in every situation.  It can be done.

Go home early once in a while.  The business will not fail if you leave 2 hours early on a Friday.  Trust me.

Hire funny people.  It keeps you sane and makes the work day that much better.

Invest in really great long underwear and fingerless gloves.  When you work part of the time in an unheated warehouse in a part of the world that can get pretty cold, these items will become the most important things you own.

Jump at the chance to learn from your mistakes.  My best ideas have come from monumental failures.

Keep sweets on hand at all times.  Afternoon treats are essential for maximum productivity.

Learn to delegate tasks.  You cannot do it all yourself.  I know, I’ve tried.

Marry someone who supports you 100 percent.  Knowing someone’s got your back is priceless.

Never be rude to the delivery person.  They are your lifeline when you run an online business.

Open your mind to ideas that you never thought you’d entertain in a million years.

Practice what you preach.  Never act any differently then you’d want your employees to act.

Quit bitchin’, get off your ass and just do it.

Rest.  Your best work is not accomplished when you are tired.

Spend some time just venting.  It clears the mind and makes you much more productive in the time immediately following the unleashing.

Try, try again if you fail.  Every single successful person in this world failed at something before they hit it big.

Uncork a really great bottle of wine after a particularly successful campaign, and share it with important people in your life.

Victory is fleeting.  Do not rest on your laurels.

When in doubt, go with your gut.

Xanadu can be found.  It just takes a lot of patience, hard work and determination to get there.

Yearn for something more.  There is no telling where you can go.

Zeal is good.  Enthusiasm is contagious.

These are my ABC’s.  What are yours?

Things that make you go hmmm…

Posted on by CourageInStone

It all started with “Grace”. I love that word. When I started working here almost 2 years ago I knew I needed a “Grace” stone in my life. It was my mother’s middle name and is now my daughter’s middle name and the word always just makes me smile. One day a green glass “Grace” stone came along that was oblong like a jellybean instead of round like it should have been. I knew we couldn’t sell it to our customers and there was no way I was throwing it away so it found it’s way to my desk. And so my collection began…

My little daily devotions...

Having known myself for almost 37 years I can safely say that I am a sentimental person. I see the “deeper” meaning in almost anything, song lyrics, greeting cards, random billboards, they are all speaking to me. Even if the message isn’t aimed right at me I will figure out who it is for and make sure they too feel the power of the universe at work.

When I come across imperfect products I just can’t cast them aside like something from the “Land of Misfit Toys”. Instead, I save them and add them to the ceramic, sand-filled tray on my desk. There is the “Imagine” stone which didn’t get painted with any black ink so it has a hazy whitewash look to it which makes me think of clouds and daydreaming. I have a “Passion” rock which is printed with pink ink and reminds me of my aunt who is battling breast cancer. There are the “Teach” glass stones that melted together during processing to form a figure 8 shape, that tell me you need both a teacher and a student to make the circle complete.

Oh don’t get me wrong there are the stones that just make me laugh too. The double sided rock with “real” on one side and “fabulous” on the other (no, they weren’t misprinted this was an actual custom order) I like the “fabulous” side facing me as a daily affirmation to my greatness (insert laughter here). “You Rock!” is also a pick-me-up on a not so great day. There is the “Hoop” stone which should have been “Hope” but just had a bad day. The two-sided “Yes” or “No” token that I always keep on “Yes” unless the boss asks me to do some cleaning around the office and I am quick to flip it to the “No”. The “No Regrets” custom stone reminds me that I have made the right choices in my life and am right where I should be, even when I do have to clean up around here because the “No” token didn’t work…

Many pieces of my collection just have strong meaning to me, “Harmony”, “Thankful”, “Live”, “Purpose”, “Love”, “Soar”, & “Soul” each give me pause on a daily basis to remember why I’m here and what I’m working towards. I have a few hearts in the group, one with a broken off bottom tip but when you set it in the sand it looks whole once again. There is the Good Dog Blessing Coin that I put on too large of a jump ring and my puppy was able to chew while it hung around his neck, he is such a good dog.

Finally, I have to tell you about the Star. It was from a custom order and it is a blue glass stone with a large white star engraved on it. A man ordered 150 of them for his friend’s memorial service. Two weeks after receiving them the customer called back and ordered 200 more thanking me for my help with his original order and saying “everyone at the service loved them and they were the perfect tribute to my friend.” Knowing our tokens and stones are helping create moments like that are why I love my collection so much.

So I ask you to take a moment and ask yourself, what should be on your desk?

You did not just say that

Posted on by CourageInStone

We are lucky to boast customers from all over the world, from all walks of life and ages.  Most of our customers are polite, friendly, pleasant and appreciative.  We love them.  Occasionally, however, we get a few wacky ones in the mix…the ones that make you scratch your head and chuckle and every so often the ones that make you wonder about the state of mankind in general.   I’d like to share with you a few of the things people have actually communicated to us.

(Small print:  I feel it necessary to point out that with over 16,000 orders under our belt, we deal with a lot of different people on a regular basis…it keeps us sane to share a sense of humor about our day to day tasks, and we know that sometimes we ALL say things that don’t really come out quite as we expected!  Having said that, enjoy…)

  1. When inadvertently sent stones with the word “Hope” instead of “Courage”, a customer called to inform us that he was very upset and needed to return them because he ‘didn’t believe in hope.’  (If that doesn’t send you home depressed, I don’t know what will…)
  2. When we were unable to meet a customer’s deadline for some custom engraved stones, she finished a 15 minute rant with ‘these stones were supposed to save lives.’ (Well if that’s the case, we are WAY undercharging.)
  3. When asking for a discount price on an already deeply discounted order, one customer told us that she had just spent $45,000 getting a doctorate and that she was currently ‘financially drained.’  (Yeah honey, aren’t we all.)
  4. After placing an order, a customer asked how quickly we shipped ‘because I’m on oxygen and don’t have much time left.  I hope I’m still alive when they get here.’  (It’s important to note that she’s been a returning customer for 2 years now…)
  5. When a customer saw one of our tokens that depicts a Buddha, she declared ‘I need to do Buddhism ’cause he’s just so darn cute!’ (Yes, I’m fairly certain that most people that ‘do Buddhism’ follow the religion because of its ‘darn cute’ deity.)
  6. In the notes section of an order: ‘Please throw package over fence.’ (While we pride ourselves on great customer service, personal delivery of packages just isn’t cost effective.  However, if we were to personally deliver a package, I can assure you that there would be no ‘throwing’ involved…)
  7. A woman called in to buy a gift and as she was choosing her stones, she asked ‘which words do you think my daughter would like?’ (Um, you do realize that we don’t actually know your daughter?!)
  8. Often we get requests to ‘send the best and prettiest ones you have’ of a particular item.  (Good thing you specified that, because otherwise we send our worst and ugliest.)
  9. We are an office full of women.  One customer called several times and each time someone different answered the phone.  Her response?  “Oh, are you all sisters?” (Several different women + same office = sisters?  Not quite sure how that equation works, but OK!)
  10. When we went back and forth with a customer concerning a package that she was insisting she had not received, we were perplexed.  We had shipped it in a timely manner and the tracking confirmed it had been delivered.  So, we were very relieved when, a few days later, the customer called to let us know that she had found the package…’under some stuff on top of the refrigerator’… (Well of course!  On top of the refrigerator is the 1st place I always look for missing packages…)

So thank you for the laughs.  We look forward to filling our next 16,000 orders, smiling the whole way.

Build it and they will fill it

Posted on by CourageInStone

My husband likes to build stuff.  Give him a Home Depot credit card, a free Saturday and a bottle of Williams Selyem Pinot Noir (to drink AFTER the project is complete of course) and he’s a happy camper.  Turns out that the success of my business is due, in part, to this very important fact.

Rockominium - Home to our river rocks

We stock upwards of 150,000 stones and tokens at one time.  No, that is not a typo.  Therefore, efficient, safe and plentiful storage is a major proponent to our business model.  Over the years it has not been easy finding the appropriate storage vessels.  I started out using plastic shoe boxes which led to slightly larger stacking bins which led to full size storage bins.  When I finally outgrew the storage bins, I knew some major action needed to be taken.

Enter my dear, sweet husband.  One day after dinner I announced that I needed a storage unit for the stones.  Out came the ruler, pencil and pad of paper.   He had a lot of questions.  ‘How many stones?’; ‘What do they weigh?’; ‘What are the dimensions of the warehouse space?’; ‘How many bottles of wine are you going to buy me?’

Once we negotiated the wine bottle exchange and I assured him that this project would open the path for many, many free Ravens Football Sundays, the constructing began.

Thankfully the Home Depot is only 1/2 mile from the warehouse, since every project requires at least 12 trips.  This one was no exception.  We’re on a first name basis with everyone there.  Joe in lumber is particularly helpful.

After 2 solid days of flying sawdust, high pitched saw noise and lots and lots and lots of screws (my husband = caution) the stone bin assemblage was born.

Now, you can imagine that calling it the ‘stone bin assemblage’ really didn’t roll off the tongue easily, so we were eager to Christen it with a proper, albeit appropriate, name.  Our friend coined the phrase ‘Rockominium’ after I pointed out that it looked a bit like a chicken coop.  It stuck.  We love it.

Glass House - Holder of our Glass Spirit Stones

From the Rockominium, we made our way to the Glass House.  Not quite as clever a name, but appropriate nonetheless.  I’m sure there are lots of jokes in there about stones and throwing and people that live in glass houses, but I can’t currently come up with any.

Bubble Wrap Dispenser

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the Bubble Wrap Dispenser.  His very first warehouse project…built in less then 2 hours…on wheels and everything!  Keeps our bubble wrap flowin’…

I’m sure there are more projects to come.  That’s definitely one thing I’ve learned about owning my own business…there is always something just ahead on the horizon.  And I am fully confident that my better half will step up to the challenge.  He always does.

Honor thy (good) employee

Posted on by CourageInStone

Last fall we found ourselves in a position to hire for a new position.  Super!  I was pretty jazzed about this for many reasons, first and foremost certainly, that we were growing at a pace to require a new hire.  But also because this came at a time in our country’s economic history that many many people were supposedly looking for work and I assumed I would have the pick of the crop.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Now, granted, I was not hiring for a CEO position.  I had available an entry level position that did not entail a huge amount of skill, but did require someone to be honest, hard-working, efficient and to show up on time.

With a single post on Craig’s list, I got over 200 resumes.

About 180 of those had typos, about 150 did not have a cover letter, about 140 of them were addressed Dear Sir, and about 5 of them I felt called to bring in for an interview.

Now, I haven’t actually ‘done the math’ on the above statistics, but at first glance, I’m thinking that 5 out of 200 resumes is not a good percentage.  (Those of you with a left brain…feel free to call up the specific number.)

Out of the 5 we interviewed, 2 were very strong and we had to make a difficult decision.  We chose poorly.  The new hire quit after 2 months, right smack dab in the middle of our busy Christmas rush.

In the meantime, my current employees stepped up the plate and we have since rearranged, revamped and reorganized so that everyone is happy, the work gets done and the company moves forward.  I am eternally grateful.

Over the years I have come to not take for granted great employees – and I have been lucky to have had several.  It is extremely difficult to find great employees who’s particular stage in life and career goals match your needs.  But when you do, boy is it magical.

So I guess this post is a tribute to my current and past employees that make my life easier and make my business run smoothly.  I could not do it without you.  I thank you for putting up with my neuroses, venting sessions and odd little quirks.  If I don’t say it enough, I appreciate your hard work and dedication.  I hope that you found and are finding fulfillment and don’t dread Mondays too much.  I hope that you are happy.

You guys rock.

Google may be on to something

Posted on by CourageInStone
Cockapoo twins

“Like other Google offices…dogs are welcome, with a pet center complete with treats and toys near the coffee station.” 1/08, Seattlepi.com

Bynum and Max

Among other things, Google’s got this right.  Three of us in our office have dogs that we bring to work on a regular basis.  Our office is slightly smaller then the 60,000 square foot Google space, but I’m happy to say that our 200 square foot corporate center definitely boasts treats and toys near the coffee maker.

As a business owner, I’m constantly searching for ways to cut costs, increase productivity and maintain a safe environment for everyone.  Here’s how Bynum, Max and Baxter foster this philosophy on a daily basis.

1.  Security.  We know the exact moment the UPS, Fed Ex, Postal Carrier or freight truck turns the corner into our parking lot by the sound of Bynum’s frantic ‘they are coming to attack, they are coming to attack’ barking.  You never know when the delivery guy is going to kidnap you. It does not matter that this happens 3 times a day, everyday and not once has anyone ever been harmed by a delivery person.  Bynum is always looking out for our safety.

2.  Welcome committee.  I do not need to hire a receptionist, as Baxter is the front door greeter.  If someone should make it in the door without running screaming after hearing Bynum’s barking, Baxter is there as a small, wiggling ball of fur to lick and nuzzle the guest.  He is unfailingly polite as well, always offering a slobbered on, chewed up toy to share.

3.  Entertainment.  Max, on occasion, has been known to belt out a tune or two.  There is a certain ringer on one of the phone lines that he is particularly fond of and he will howl along with it.  We have been known to let the phone go just one more ring in order to enjoy his music.

4.  No time clocks required.  Our offices close promptly at 5PM.  Not because business is necessarily done for the day, or the phone isn’t ringing, or there’s no work to do.  But because it’s dinner time.

5.  Comic relief.  How can it not be funny when, in the middle of an accounting project, an email to a difficult customer or talking to a vendor, your co-worker says “Hey Brenda, Bynum left you a present in the warehouse and I think he stepped in it…I think you better get out here quick!”

We love our dogs.