I didn’t expect to learn a life lesson at a Waffle House parking lot in the middle of Florida, but here we are.
Let me back up.
I was on vacation, halfway through a relaxing week, when my rental SUV started having tire issues. Doing the responsible thing, I contacted the car rental company, Budget, and they told me to drive 20 miles to the airport to swap out the vehicle. With only a few days left of my trip, I didn’t want to spend them driving back and forth to the airport, but I also didn’t want to risk a blowout on the interstate.
So off I went. What happened next was a masterclass in what not to do in customer service.
The rental counter agent asked if my vehicle was originally rented from Tampa. I said no, it was from Greenville-Spartanburg in South Carolina. Cue the sigh. The eye roll. The looks between employees like I was the problem.
And then? They told me they didn’t have any gas-powered SUVs available.
Instead, they handed me the keys to an electric car (which I had never driven before) and a business card with a QR code that led me to an app called Presto—an app designed to help you locate EV charging stations. No instruction. No reassurance. Just: “Here you go. Good luck.”
And here’s the thing: I took the car. Because I felt I didn’t have a choice. Because I didn’t want to spend my last three days of vacation running laps around the airport. Because sometimes, life forces your hand.
Let’s talk about customer service for a moment
As women entrepreneurs, we ARE the face of our brands. We can’t afford to be dismissive, short, or unhelpful, especially when our clients are in unfamiliar territory. A sigh, an eye roll, a lack of care? It lingers.
Budget lost my trust not because of the electric car, but because of how they made me feel.
Like I was an inconvenience. Like my time didn’t matter. Like I should be grateful for the scraps.
We have to do better than that.
If you’re serving your clients with heart, clarity, and grace—even when they’re struggling—you are already doing better than most big corporations.
Now, about that Waffle House
With only four miles left on the battery, I pulled into a slow charging station behind a Waffle House in Baldwin, Florida. It took two hours just to get to 77%. Ninety minutes later, I had to charge again.
By 5:30pm—still four hours from home—we were forced to find a hotel with EV charging.
But here’s where I dug into my curiosity and resourcefulness.
That night, instead of staying stuck in irritation (though I had every reason to), I did something I’m proud of: I opened my laptop and started researching.
I read about how EVs really work. I learned about range management and different types of chargers. And most importantly, I found the PlugShare app, which showed all compatible chargers, not just the limited ones Presto offered.
That one discovery completely changed the second leg of the journey. We mapped out better stops, planned ahead, and made it home far more smoothly.
Sister, this is the entrepreneurial journey
Some days you’re driving along smoothly with a full tank of gas. Other days, you’re down to 4 miles of battery, frantically downloading apps, trying to just make it to the next charging station.
And guess what? You will make it.
You’ll learn the apps.
You’ll find the station.
You’ll course-correct.
And you’ll be so proud of yourself when you do.
Here’s what I know:
- Lead your business with empathy. Your clients will remember how you made them feel.
- Stay open to learning new things, even when they’re frustrating.
- Be kind to yourself when you don’t handle everything perfectly.
- And remember, there’s no shame in feeling overwhelmed. It means you’re stretching.
You got this. I am rooting for you!