Late Night Customer Service in Dacula

The phone rang late one night at Home Depot Store 161 in Dacula, Ga. Assistant Store Manager Levey Green and department supervisor John Crooke were working together after the store had closed to get product ready for a big holiday sales event. The frantic caller launched into a tale of what he called ‘the worse predicament of his life.’

A drainage pipe leading to his septic system had become backed-up and flooded his basement. And worse than that, he had company visiting for the weekend! He was searching around town for a plumber’s auger because he knew an emergency call to a local plumber would cost a premium that late at night.

John, a 13-year Home Depot Associate who supervises the Tool Rental Center, knew they had a manual 50-foot auger that would do the trick. They didn’t hesitate and told the customer to come right over. When the customer arrived, John told him they couldn’t process the formal paperwork because the store systems had shut down at closing time. But the duo had decided already that this was a customer emergency, and there would be no charge for the rental.

John made sure to include latex gloves and work gloves with the auger, and also grabbed a replacement wax ring for the toilet. He knew the customer would have to remove the toilet first.

“I told him he could pay for the wax ring when he returned the tools,” John said. “I treat people the way I would like to be treated myself.”

In a letter to the store, the customer thanked Levey and John for coming to his family’s rescue. When he returned the auger, he couldn’t believe he was charged only $5.80 for the wax ring.

“The Home Depot has my family as customers for life!” the grateful customer wrote.

“This is who we are,” Levey, a 17-year Home Depot  Associate, said. “We take care of our customers and give back.”