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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Teamwork, Charity and Accountability

April holds my record for running estate sales. Our team conducted 4 sales from set up, organization, conducting 3 to 4 day sales through property clean up and housecleaning on several of the projects. 

From the last weekend of March, holding a "divorce" sale, through rain and snow through the last weekend  in April the weather was in the high 70's.  On last day of the month, my final clean up day and the drop-dead date to be out of the property, we had torrential rain storms. 


Habitat for Humanity RESTORE, arrived during a lull in the storm and picked up half of the donations, and took a hike, when it started raining again, leaving behind the best pieces of furniture and boxes of donations. I had scheduled 3 weeks prior and was counting on them to do their job. Not only did they not have rain gear on board their truck, they refused to work under anything less than optimal weather conditions. 


The truck driver, a paid position at Restore, vs. a volunteer, let me know that in his opinion, he was "doing me a favor".  I was incredulous...I told him the way I look at it, it goes both ways. Teamwork is key in my business. Obviously charity needs great donations and I give them. The week prior, on my client's behalf, I had donated 9 pieces of furniture and a dozen boxes of decor. I've donated thousands of objects to charity over the past 14 years. 


Regardless, of the let down by this entitled charity, and two changes of clothing, we persisted...Thanks to my stalwart help, the landlord's cooperation, and my client's daughter, who removed a lot of the better glass and furniture that had not sold, we made it out by evening. 


I took 10 loads to the Goodwill in my Ford Transit, where I was assisted by a large man who at the receiving entrance had to step across a very large puddle many times.  He also didn't wear a rain coat, or hat or boots and seemed waterproof.  He was cooperative and considerate.  He didn't say he was "doing me a favor". 


I got my job completed on time for my client, and made money for them in the process; the landlord was the benefactor of several very nice pieces of furniture that should have gone to charity and I stopped by the Restore and told them they would never, ever again, be asked to pick up any of my donations. Ungrateful and unprofessional is what I consider them to be. 


I need a new charity who will do what they say they'll do, on time, and not leave me and my client stranded because of adverse conditions and circumstances. Please send them my way. 



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