Tyrone Roberson and Bob Sumerel Tire Company

On Saturday morning November 12, 2016, I was getting ready to pack up my car to leave Cincinnati, OH. I was at the Embassy Suites hotel in Blue Ash, OH, a northern suburb of Cincinnati.

When I walked to the car in the parking lot, I immediately saw it leaning and knew the right rear tire was flat or soon to be. I needed to react so as to minimize the delay of Kathy and I driving to Scranton, PA.

My auto insurance includes roadside assistance, so I called them and help was soon on the way. While waiting for the tow truck, I looked up the closest tire repair shop. It was Bob Sumerel Tire in downtown Blue Ash.

For the rest of the story, read the letter I sent this morning, November 13, 2016, to the CEO of AAA Allied Group, the company that owns Bob Sumerel Tire Company:

Dear CEO of AAA Allied Group:

I'm sitting in the lobby of a Springwood Suites Hotel in Scranton, PA, right now approximately 500 miles from Blue Ash, OH refreshed and rested.

One of your employees, Tyrone Roberson, made it possible.

Yesterday morning, I awoke to pack my car to leave Blue Ash to drive back to New Hampshire. I groaned as I approached my car only to see a flat rear tire.

After a phone call to my insurance company that provides roadside assistance, I looked up the closest  tire repair shop. Just a mile away was your Bob Sumerel Tire Shop in downtown Blue Ash, OH.

I called ahead to see if they were busy and how long the wait might be as I needed to get my wife back home. She was very distraught about the funeral of her father the day before and getting her home as soon as possible was my goal.

Tyrone Roberson answered the phone and I told him of my plight. He said get down there as soon as possible and he'd get me on my way.

About thirty minutes later, I walked through the door and Tyrone said, "Good morning, how's it going today?"

"Well, it's not going too bad, but I'll be even better once you get me back on my way to New Hampshire," I responded.

"Oh, I just talked to you on the phone. Let me have your key," Tyrone said.

Here I am with Tyrone Roberson after he made sure my tire repair happened faster than you can say "Two cheese coneys no mustard heavy onion."

After handing him the key, he disappeared into the shop and moments later I saw my car inside one of the bays.

Another customer heard me say 'New Hampshire' and we proceeded for about five minutes to talk about the delightful weather up there, even in winter.

The next thing I knew Tyrone said, "Sir, you're ready to go."

I thought he was talking to someone else because there's no way a flat could be fixed that fast.

But I was wrong. Tyrone was talking to me.

"How much do I owe you?"

He just smiled.

"Seriously, what do I owe you?", as I pulled my wallet from my pants.

"Nothing sir. I hope you have a safe trip back home."

I was astonished and pulled out a $20 bill and handed it to him saying, "Here you go. Treat yourself and the rest of the team to something."

If it's your company policy to offer this generous service to out-of-town travelers, it's not only smart, but it's appreciated.

I walked outside to leave, but decided to go back in and say something to the manager, Matt Liviskie.

"I wanted to thank you and let you know something if you don't already know it. I feel it's very important for you to know who might be on the other side of the counter from you.

I produce a newsletter that goes out to 51,000+ consumers two times a week, I write a syndicated newspaper column that's published by sixty newspapers and I produce videos on for my YouTube channel that has over 66,000 subscribers."

"I'm going to spread the word in my newsletter about what happened here moments ago and make Tyrone a hero in the next issue."

"Realize that you never know what a customer might do after interacting with you."

I share all this with you on a busy Monday morning only to let you know that Tyrone completely turned around a stressful start to the day and made it into one where I'll go out of my way to do business with your company.

If you have an internal newsletter or other way to honor employees who provide outstanding customer service, please consider including this story so other employees can mimic the good will of Tyrone.

Tyrone was featured in my November 16, 2016 Newsletter.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com