How to Reach the Right Person

There’s nothing quite like the frustration of spending endless hours trying to resolve an unfair situation and getting nowhere. Especially if we could have watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in the time it took to get to the right person. 

I’ve recently discovered a way to make these conversations more life-giving. 

As I make the call, I ask for God’s help in connecting me to the right individual. I then reject the offer for the automated artificial being to help me resolve the issue (and save the company money) by simply saying “Real Person” to every question. Eventually, the system relents and puts me in queue to speak with a human being. That feels like a victory until I’m forced to listen to the same smooth jazz song thirty times. 

While waiting, I remember the person I’m about to talk to has likely had a full day of unhappy customer interactions. When they come on, I use their first name to ask how they’re doing before jumping into my issue (For more on this, see yesterday’s reading: Three Things Everyone Has in Common). 

Throughout it all, I stay expectant that things will go well. And I stay curious as to what God is up to. Maybe he’s highlighting something in me that needs work—like my impatience or demand for justice. If the person genuinely can’t help or chooses not to, I politely say something like, “I completely understand there’s nothing more you can do. Can you transfer me to a supervisor who has the authority to do more?”

I continue to believe that all that stands between me and a fair resolution is the right person. In almost every organization, you can find someone who cares—whether the receptionist or the company president—if you remain calm, kind, and tenacious.

A fair resolution isn’t guaranteed, but it is usually more probable than it first appears. Just remember, reaching the right person begins with you being the right person.

This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).

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