Maries the name, retail is her game...

We needed to buy a new washer and dryer since there's just two of us, we don't need huge machines or all the bells and whistles. In today's world, every retailer has the same prices. It came down to what store could deliver the machines as soon as possible. That store was Home Depot. I could have done the entire transaction online since the store is only a couple of miles away I drove over to see and touch the machines. There I met Marie in the appliance department. Marie is a tiny older woman, jeans, t-shirt, running shoes, short gray hair and of course a Home Depot apron. Damn, she was good.

She got me the best price and knocked off another 25 bucks because we had an "up to 35% off" email.

Marie said, "Don't pay for the hookup, just buy the hose and the dryer vent, put a couple of ten-dollar bills in your pocket and ask the guys to do it for you. Slip them the cash, they get more money that way and they'll be happy to do it."

She went through the contract, highlighted the important parts and wrote in additional warranty tips.

I asked her how long she'd been working at Home Depot, "5 years but I've quit twice and come back because I'm bored. They don't like me very much, but with your purchase, (she thought for a moment) I'm now at $649,587.58, number 1 by a huge margin in this store and I'm number 2 in the entire western division of Home Depot."

"Do you get a commission?"

"Hell no, only full-timers get a piece, they couldn't afford me if I was on a commission." She laughed.

"What did you do before you worked here?"

"Port of LA, I was the only woman in the old days of IT, remember the old clunky IBM punch card systems?"

"Sure."

"That was me. The only woman working there whose job wasn't answering the damn phone. Then I reinvented myself and ran the billing department at a hospital."

3 marriages, all to younger men, 4 kids, 11 grandchildren and now 5 great-grandchildren, "The oldest is 22, so I've got a shot at being a great-great-grandmother."

Firm handshake, warm smile, it was a pleasure doing business with Marie. I'm writing a letter to Home Depot.