HD Legends: Speaking the same language

Jessica, from store 974 in Mantua, N.J., was bilingual when she joined the Company eight years ago, serving as one of the store’s Spanish-speaking associates. But recently Jessica added another language to her tool belt.

Two years ago, Jessica noticed a trade carpenter who always walked the store with a notepad and pen in hand. She learned that his name is Chuck and that he is deaf.

“I saw many of my co-workers trying to help him – we all wanted to help him,” Jessica said. She imagined how frustrating it must have been for Chuck not being able to easily communicate.

Sometimes Chuck’s parents accompanied him on his shopping trips to translate his sign language

for associates. “Chuck started to teach me a few signs,” Jessica said. “One day I told him I

wanted to be able to talk to him and that I was going to learn sign language. He was so excited!”

Jessica enrolled in a weekly class at a local community college, paying the fee herself and arranging for a friend to babysit her two young children. Her enthusiasm took off as she began learning how to ‘speak’ her new language. “Signing is a work-in-progress, and it’s all about practice, practice, practice,” she said. “So I signed up for a second class.” It took several months and hours of studying. Jessica even enlisted the help of her 9-year-old daughter to quiz her on the signs.

At the end of the course, Jessica invited Chuck to attend the graduation ceremony.

“As Jessica learned sign language, Chuck became really excited that they could communicate and

as her language improved, Chuck would go out and tell his friends who are hearing-impaired like he is that there is a place we can go and shop where somebody can communicate with us,” said store manager Tom Greenwood.

Chuck recently completed an addition to his house, installing new windows and doors. He purchased every item with Jessica’s help.

“To have an associate or DS take the initiative to go out and learn sign language because she recognizes that there is a need to communicate with a customer is a big win. That builds strong relationships in the community,” said Kim Hayes, district human resources manager.

“Now I’m teaching sign language to my daughter. It feels good to teach her to give back,”  Jessica said. “You never know what a customer needs, and you have to find out how to help them.”

Home Depot Legends is a program that rewards associates for specific examples of outstanding customer service. Once a month, Marvin Ellison, EVP of U.S. stores, picks a Monthly Home Depot Legend winner. The monthly Legend demonstrates the type of service that reflects The Home Depot’s goal of becoming the No. 1 Customer Service Retailer in the World.