Great job, Meshia!

I read the following article on the Paychex intranet this morning. As a Sales Consultant with Paychex, I often speak to clients about what set us apart when they have so many providers to choose from. This article speaks volumes and is one of the top answers to "Why Paychex?"

The following was meant as an internal communication, but I am proud to share it:

"When I talk about elevating the client experience," says John Gibson, senior VP of service, "I'm not asking you to change the world. In fact, sometimes a little thoughtfulness can go a long way in earning trust, respect, and appreciation from your clients and the people you work with every day."

That's exactly what happened when Quameshia Hogue, a dedicated service representative in Oklahoma City, replied to an email from Desert Peak Marketing, a small business in the foodservice industry. One of the client's employees had been out on disability battling cancer. After Quameshia set up the disability payment, she emailed the client a confirmation and added one simple line: "He has been in my prayers."

Little did Quameshia know that this simple comment would begin a flurry of complimentary emails from the client that reached all the way up the chain of Paychex management. Here are some of the client's own words about Quameshia:

"I have had the pleasure of working with Quameshia Hogue as my account manager since we brought our business to you in February. One of the hardest things we have had to deal with this year is having one of our employees out fighting a cancer battle...Last week I got the most amazing response from her. It made me cry. It's just that nowadays you don't expect people who you deal with in business to reach out in the way she did. It was like getting a hug, and I needed it that day."

As it turned out, the client forwarded Quameshia's email to three other business partners, and they all came to the same conclusion: Quameshia was a special person.

"Quameshia is extremely good at her job," the client wrote. "She helps me with my payroll and has taught me how to navigate your systems...But taking time out of her day to ask about our employee and hold him in her prayers is a real blessing—it's amazing to have someone who understands that these are real people, not just pieces of paper she is dealing with. She made a real, positive difference for us. I wanted you to know how much it was appreciated from both a human and a professional standpoint."

According to John, great client service isn't just about the numbers: "Sometimes people want to know they matter, and there's a human being on the other end of the line who listens and cares. When that happens, everybody wins. That's what I call elevating the experience!"

Thank you, Meshia Hogue. You make me Paychex Proud!