I recently had my vehicle serviced at the dealership. It was just a routine service to change the oil, top off the fluids, check the tire pressure, etc. I wanted to ensure my vehicle was ready for my college road trip with my son in a couple of weeks.
My, how my philosophy about my purchase of goods and services has changed over the past 25 years as an adult.
As a new college graduate my money was predictably tight. Fortunately, my father had taught me how to take care of the routine maintenance on my first car myself.
I knew how to change a tire and change the oil which I did myself to save money. My a/c was also jacked up such that the Freon routinely leaked which required me to add more Freon myself every month to my car. That was back when you could still buy Freon at the auto parts store which I bought by the case on sale.
A few years after law school I wasn’t quite so poor. My first boss taught me the principle that your time is money. Therefore, you are better off spending your time earning your living rather than spending your time doing routine maintenance that can easily be hired out to others. In other words, it was more economical for me to pay someone to change my oil and mow the lawn than it was for me to do it myself.
So I started hiring out for services that I used to do myself. Boy, did that free up my weekends!
Since I was still just launching my career, however, price became the primary factor in choosing who to hire. Jiffy Lube it was!
As I’ve become more established in my career and my finances, I’ve come to realize that you often get what you pay for; not necessarily in the competency of the services (though that often suffers too) but certainly in the quality and the level of customer service.
Although my husband gives me flack for taking my vehicle to the Mercedes dealership for routine service, I love the friendly service, organization, and attention to the little details when I take my car in. I actually enjoy visiting the dealership to have my car serviced.
I always schedule an appointment in advance and the service department has a loaner vehicle waiting for me when I arrive.
My “service concierge” (that’s my term though they should use it too) is very organized, friendly and helpful.
They treat my vehicle to a car wash after every service.
There is never a wait to drop off my vehicle since they schedule staggered drop offs.
And on the few occasions that I did have to wait to pick up my vehicle, the waiting lounge is stocked with yummy snacks and beverages, a wide selection of current magazines, cable tv, free wifi, and comfortable lounge chairs.
Yes, taking my vehicle to the Mercedes dealership for service is “more expensive” than the local Jiffy Lube. However, at this point in my life, I place a high premium on the efficiency, quality and the overall experience of the services I am hiring and I am willing to invest extra money to receive them.
After all, my time is money. And frankly, life is too short to put up with crappy service and experiences.
I go out of my way to do business with companies and people that provide an amazing experience rather than a cattle-herding approach to serving customers.
I think the same can be said about our clients at My Pink Lawyer®.
Our clients place a high value on the quality of the service and experience they are treated to at our office.
As with my Mercedes dealership, we pay attention to the small details, from our coffee bar to our waiting lounge with new super comfy furniture, to the friendliness of each staff member, to the attention to small details such as remembering clients’ birthdays and other special events.
That said, we are refreshingly (and unapologetically) not the cheapest kids on the block. Remember, you get what you pay for.
So, who should YOU CHOOSE to craft your Family Succession Plan?
- If you’re looking for DIY planning options, you should consider the office supply store or online form options. However, I caution you that you will not have a trusted professional advising you on the design and implementation of your family succession plan with the DIY option.
- If you’re looking for cheap planning options, there are advisors who “sell” simple Wills and other documents a la cart. However, beware advisors who “dabble” in Wills but who really specialize in another legal practice area.
- If you’re looking for an amazing and efficient (dare I even say, “fun”?!) planning experience at a great value (though not cheap by some standards) by friendly, experienced professionals, then I urge you to research My Pink Lawyer®.
Read what many others have to say about their planning experience with our firm.
Snoop around our website a bit and kick the tires.
Remember, you and your family have much at stake with your Family Succession Planning and you have just one chance to get it right.
- One chance to save your family from unnecessary time delays.
- One chance to save your family from unnecessary legal expenses.
- One chance to save your family from messy probate or even multiple probates.
- Once chance to eliminate (or at least decease the opportunity for) family disputes.
If you like what you see after checking us out, we’d love to meet you in person to discuss your situation and explore the best Family Succession Plan that works for you and your family.
In the meantime, I give you permission to raise the bar on your service expectations.
Kristen “Raising the Bar” Marks, Founder of My Pink Lawyer®
