We human beings are predictable. For example, it is always so comforting when the people in the stores we shop in are, well, nice to us. The TD bank in Great Barrington is staffed by wonderful people who are kind and cooperative with each other and really helpful to customers. I should know. I’m not exactly a genius when it comes to figuring out my banking. The best I can do is to throw myself on the mercy of the folks who work in my bank.
TD Bank is a massive operation. Our relatively little branch in Great Barrington stands up when compared to the massive TD Banks in Manhattan, which not only have relatively good people staffing them, but as the old Pete Seeger song “The Banks are Made of Marble” goes, “have a guard at every door.” That isn’t to say that we haven’t ever had a back robbery in town, but we don’t have guards, just really nice people staffing the place. They even know most of us by name. Let’s see, the last time I was there, three people were working: Olivia Reiser, Lisa Dunn, and Mackenzie Boulais.
My problem is that I have no idea what I’m doing when I try to go online and retrieve information about how much we have in the bank. As a result, every once in a while, I will go into the place, put on my best “What an idiot I am” face, and ask for help. I always get it. I try to beg off my incompetence by telling the brilliant young women behind the counter of my miserable ability to keep up. I apologize, but they kindly tell me that I’m okay. I’m really impressed by how well they all get along. In some cases, one of them might know more about what I am trying to do than another, but they are always cooperative with one another. What is so cool is that they all seem local. I guess that’s a big thing when it comes to anonymity of a big city versus “the best small town in America.”
Who needs people who are in the place to be competitive rather than complimentary? The fact they can help a dimwitted codger like me feel better (not dumb) really is something to be thankful for. We don’t spend nearly enough time thanking the people who are kind to us. I mean, we know their bosses want them to be nice, but you get the feeling that being nice just comes naturally to them.
At the business I try to run, WAMC, we have a wonderful front office staff who take incredible amounts of time with everyone who calls up for information or even a complaint. I confess that sometimes they are too nice. Someone called the other day and used the F word. That sure wasn’t right. Our staff takes it in stride, but I don’t. There’s no reason for that kind of thing. Sort of reminds me of people who don’t clean up after their dogs or leave litter on our streets.
Of course, it isn’t only the one bank. The town is filled with people who make you feel at home. We have also been treated nicely by the folks at Berkshire Bank. Abby and Andy at One Mercantile always make us feel valued when we come in, whether we buy something or not. When we are treated well, it makes a big difference. One of the reasons why I so miss the late Michael Ballon and his Castle Street Cafe is that he always made me feel at home. We have some wonderful people in our places of business.
