One of the hallmarks of Bermuda is the kindness that we show each other as human beings. Especially when someone is in a time of challenge or distress. More often than not, this empathy forms a part of our customer service etiquette.

About a month ago, we had two damaged weed whacker components and realised they needed to be replaced. We headed west towards Lindo’s in Warwick and settled on a little shop on the corner called Bo’s Lawnmowers. There, they sell all manner of items for lawn care, small construction projects, and small appliances. All at very reasonable prices.

If you want a few minutes of sports history and banter, you can get that for free.

Craftsmanship

Upon entering, we showed owner Chris Bromby the items that needed to be replaced. He took one look and, with a thick Somerset accent, replied: “Here are your two options. Option A, spend close to $100 on the parts. Option B, wait ten minutes and let me fix it for you.”

We chose the latter.

For the next ten minutes we watched him carefully dismantle the components, identify the problem, and then reconstruct the items back to working order. All along the way, he was explaining the processes and how we could repair it ourselves next time.

It was a joy to see that Bermudian craftsmanship was alive and well.

When asked the price of the repair jobs, this was his reply: “We love our repeat customers. That was on the house.”

So not only did we get a display of professionalism, we got true Bermudian kindness and customer service rolled into one. Chris Bromby, of Bo’s Landscaping, is a prime example of what all Bermudian service providers need to emulate.

Empathy

Another example of professionalism occurred a few weeks ago when I returned on an American Airlines flight. As fate would have it, one of my bags returned missing a wheel, while the other simply did not return at all.

At the customer service desk was a young Bermudian lady who was dealing with about three passengers with similar circumstances. One by one, she carefully took each person’s bag details and contact information.

The agent did the administration part well. As importantly, she demonstrated a high level of empathy with persons who, no doubt, would have a high level of angst and concern over missing personal items. So much so that many spoke highly of the way in which they were dealt with.

American Airlines has quite a gem with Ms Hunte.

No doubt, these two individuals are just an example of Bermudian professionalism that plays out each and every minute of each and every day. The next time you receive excellent service, take a moment to tell the person how great they truly are. Indeed, they themselves need endless amounts of empathy.

• Christopher Famous is the government MP for Devonshire East (Constituency 11). You can reach him on WhatsApp at 599-0901 or e-mail at carib_pro@yahoo.com