My husband and I recently spent several days driving through the Southwest to our next assignment. Traveling through the desert is an interesting experience. Sometimes the view is so gorgeous that all you can do is stare intensely out the window as the sun paints designs across the horizon. And other times it’s nothing but sand for miles and miles and miles. During those monotonous sections of our trip, Josh and I passed the time with conversation. We had to work at it a little; at one point we actually found ourselves talking about recipes that include oranges! Every once in a while, though, a conversation would pop up by surprise. I would like to share the details about one of those conversations.
Josh and I began talking about what an exciting year it’s been. We’ve done things that we dreamed about doing, like seeing Seattle from the top of the Space Needle, hiking in Yosemite and Arches National Parks, and standing next to giant sequoias. And we’ve done fantastic things that we never planned, like flying over our town in a tiny sea plane, watching fireworks from a boat in the San Francisco Bay on New Year’s Eve, and accidentally finding a group of starfish in a tidal pool on the beach. As we reflected on all our great experiences, we began to talk about how lucky we were to have found Reflectx.
We talked about how refreshing it is to work for a company that has really supported us every step of the way, and how lucky we are that Kate Brown is my recruiter, because she really has gone above and beyond for us so many times. At one point, I even said to Josh, “You know, I really do work for the best staffing company in the country, and I’m sure I have the best recruiter there!” It sounded so much like a commercial that we laughed about it, but that’s really how I feel.
I’d like to further explain the chain of events that led to this conclusion. Josh and I had talked about moving to Texas to escape the winter. After researching several travel reviews and guidebooks, we decided that the very best town for us would be New Braunfels, ideally situated between San Antonio and Austin. I was hopeful that we would find a job within an hour of this perfect location.
My recruiter, Kate, diligently looked for work across the state of Texas for me. Within a matter of weeks, she found a job for me in New Braunfels, and I immediately had a phone interview. Once the job was secure, Kate sent me recommendations for things to do in our new location. She had visited New Braunfels herself, and she was eager to share travel tips. She called to check in with me as I finished my travel assignment in the San Francisco Bay Area and to see if I needed anything as I prepared to travel to Texas. I appreciated her support, but I felt pretty confident. I had it all under control.
The author at the Grand Canyon en route to Texas
And then I proceeded to make the dumbest mistake that I’ve made since I started traveling! While we were packing the car, I decided to put my most important documents aside, so they wouldn’t get lost in all the hustle and bustle. I had my all my state therapy licenses, my marriage certificate, and insurance documents. I put them in a shoebox, and put the shoebox in a drawer. My plan, of course, was to take them to the car last, so they would be on top of everything else. My plan would have been fantastic if my memory had cooperated!
We had a fantastic ride down Highway 1 in California the next day. The weather was beautiful! We went to the beach, visited a museum, and were happy to discover elephant seals on the coast. It was the perfect day… until we arrived at our hotel, where I opened the trunk and realized that my shoebox had never left the apartment! To make matters worse, Reflectx had furnished the apartment for us. All our furniture had been rented, and I knew that it would be picked up and returned the next morning. In horror, I imagined my documents being carried away with the dresser.
Josh tried to make light of the situation. “Well,” he said matter-of-factly, “we could always just turn around and go back for it. It won’t be so bad. At least we realized this on our first day.” I nodded, but said, “Well, let me call Kate first and see what she thinks.” It turned into another moment when I was so incredibly grateful to have Kate as a recruiter. She reassured me, and then she literally took care of everything for me. The next morning, while we were on the road and getting spotty cell phone service, Kate coordinated everything. She called the apartment complex, and they secured my documents for me. Then she had FedEx box everything securely and had the documents sent directly to me at my hotel in New Mexico, per my request. I was so thankful, not only because I was relieved that my documents were secure, but also because I was able to have a wonderful road trip across the Southwest instead of losing the time it would have taken to go back to San Francisco.
In light of this incident, I have to say that one of the best things about working for Reflectx is that you feel like you are working for a group of friends who really want you to have the best possible experience. I am certain that Kate’s job description does not include sending her travelers emails with her best travel tips, personally sending them Christmas cards, enabling travelers with similar interests to share their contact information with each other, or even “rescuing” them when they make silly mistakes. However, she has done all of those things for me over the past year. It’s true that there are several other great staffing companies out there, offering equally good salaries and benefits. However, in my experience, the fun, caring attitude at Reflectx has really set them apart from the others. I have called Kate countless times with various questions, and every time I call, she makes me feel like I am incredibly important. She always gives me her full attention, and she never leaves a problem or a concern unresolved.
I wanted to write this blog to share my experiences, simply because I am a very grateful traveler who wants to share the peace of mind I feel as a Reflectx employee. I know that in these tough economic times, I am very fortunate to work for a company that works so hard to support me. To everyone at Reflectx (and especially Kate!), thanks a million!
If you're interested in a travel position with Reflectx and receive the amazing customer service Rose has gotten, please call Kate Brown, National Recruitment Manager at (866) 915-6737 or email kbrown@reflectxstaffing.com. Please note that Rose was not compensated for her testimonial. She likes us
that much!