I’ve used the same graphic shop in town for probably ten years. The owners name is Marv. He’s always hooked me up with screening and embroidery for our ministry. When I began going to Marv ten years ago, he worked out of his garage by himself. Then he built a small pole barn on his property and hired a few employees. A few months ago he opened a beautiful new location with about 15 employees.

Good for Marv? Maybe. Maybe not. I went in the new store to order some vests for our check-in volunteers. The lady behind the counter looked at me like I had asked for the impossible. “Vests? We don’t do vests.” When I convinced her to rummage through the catalogs, she found what I was looking for. When I told her that I wanted our logo screened in full color, she tried to convince me that I didn’t because of the extra screening charges. Again, I had to press her to give me full color. A few weeks later I went into the store to ask them about some signs we needed at the church. After all, they advertise that they do signs. The guy behind the counter (some guy I had never met before) didn’t even try to come up with a solution, he said, “We don’t do that.”

Meanwhile, where’s Marv? He’s not behind the counter like he once was. He’s not even within eye view. I haven’t actually seen Marv in over a year, although he is working every time I visit the store.

What’s my point?

1. Be visible. When Marv grew to the point that no one sees him anymore, his company lost something. Do the parents and kids in your church see you before and after services? Are you accessible?

2. Know what you are doing. Don’t let the customer force you to look in the catalog for a vest. Keep in touch with leadership, with trends, with the Scripture, etc.

3. Go out of your way. The biggest way to create negative conversations about your company is to tell a customer, “We don’t do that.” Instead, find a creative solution. Go the extra mile to help the parents and people in your church, even if it means learning something new yourself.