Customer Service and Community Relations

It Takes a Villiage to Raise a Child. No doubt you heard the title of Hillary Clinton's book published many years ago. She cited the African proverb to show that we are all connected and the success of the least is in many ways related to the success of the whole.

In Winter Park, Florida, many people know Andy. He was adopted about 40 years ago as an infant. As he developed, his parents discovered he was a victim of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. For many years he has been seen riding his shiny red bicycle around the neighborhoods, many people unaware of his disabilities. Sometimes he yells at cars which do not stop at red octagonal signs. Sometimes he yells at people who run or walk in the "bicycle lanes", and sometimes he just yells. He is a wonderfully nice man, but his disability prevents his knowing what to say or not say. If questioned about how he should react to any given situation, he may answer "do what Jesus would do."

He works occasionally at Tijuana Flats, one of my daughter's Favorite Restaurants. he picks up trash and empty trays from tables. He moves chairs in and out and does other odd jobs. One day a customer was upset because of something Andy had said or done. When she approached the manager to express her concern, she told him that if Andy continued to work there, she and her family would not come back. The manager, in true customer service fashion, provided her with a gift certificate to the restaurant and informed her of the other locations around the city where she could dine without having Andy disturb her meal. He also said she was welcome to come back, but would likely find Andy at the restaurant as he was a valued employee.

Last weekend, I saw Andy's parents dropping him off at work on a Saturday. Normally he doesn't work weekends when the restaurant is busier. This day the boss had called him to come in special. He was thrilled. I pray we can all look for the Andy in our life and remember, it takes a villiage.

Economic Down times mean opportunity

Many clients ask whether they can afford to get divorced in this bad economy. The answer for some may be no, but the answer for many more may be YES! The economy presents a nationwide downer. Moods are bleak, consumer confidence is at record lows. Now is the time to change your outlook by fixing that nagging home problem once and for all. How could your life be changed by making changes at home now.

All over the country, people are facing debt issues, bankruptcy considerations, loan writedowns and writeoffs. With investments such as 401K and stock funds low, this may be the time to split those and move on with independence to invest again.

Home values are lower than ever presenting a unique opportunity to buy out your spouse at a discount. Yes, you may have to give up some of your desires, but with equity very low, a buyout is more affordable now than ever. Offsets of stock funds against equity in homes with tax advantages on both sides may allow you and your spouse to fight less and agree more to resolve your disagreements once and for all.