The Extra Mile

Although I was never asked, I felt compelled to write up my observations on how two employees of the Santa Barbara chapter of Invited Home go the extra mile. Many times I could have easily been put out by the numerous calls and texts that come in after Kim Klein’s day is done. And I’m not talking about when she’s a manager on duty. I’d have every right to put up a stink but I don’t. Instead, I’m impressed. I only wish I had a company she and Annick could work for. I’d be a lucky man. This kind of initiative and professionalism is an endangered species in the working world today. Justifiably, Annick and Kim could just shut off their cell phones after an eight-hour day and ignore everything. But they don’t. Countless times Kim puts her dinner, friends, plans and even me on hold. Even into the wee hours of the evening, Annick and her are passing texts back and forth planning how to continue to give excellent service to the vacationers in Santa Barbara.

A wise man once said, “The true character of a person is tested by how they act when the chips are down.” When Kim gets a call it’s usually a problem, sometimes a BIG problem. But only a seamless calm is seen from corporate and that’s the way it should be. Kim’s tone with clients comes from one of understanding. Emphatically putting herself in the shoes of the woman with no hot water and a wedding to attend. She magically defuses the anger by sympathizing and rapidly moving into action. I have never seen her give up when the chips are down. Never.

Annick. If superman had a doppelganger she’s it. She has x-ray vision. I’ve witnessed it. At twenty yards she can see smudges on the piping of a throw pillow. She is meticulous. She is the yang. Without her, the universe would spin out of control. Yes, this may sound extreme, but her eye for detail cannot by underplayed. It astonishes me how she can walk through a house and see every flaw in a single pass. This takes a special eye.

Together they are the perfect complement: expert client handling with kit gloves and a tacit ability with attention to detail. I only wish I was so lucky to have them working for me. So I wrote this because someone has to know.