Big W worker’s ‘insane’ act as shopper loses expensive item
While many claim customer service is dead, one employee’s extraordinary effort to help a customer has left many floored.
People often say that the customer service industry is dead but the above and beyond attitude of one department store’s employee shows it couldn’t be more false.
Leah O’Connor was shopping at a Big W in Brookside, Queensland, when she, and checkout worker Alex, realised the diamond had fallen out of her solitaire engagement ring.
“It was like we looked up at each other in slow motion and both went into panic,” Mrs O’Connor, founder of luxury home care brand Domenica Formulations, told news.com.au.
The mum-of-two’s “claw” ring is currently very on trend, but sadly, it’s not uncommon for the diamond to shift and come loose thanks to everyday wear and tear.
Naturally, she immediately went into panic mode.
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Despite the fact she had no idea if she’d even lost her rock in the discount store, Mrs O’Connor immediately called her husband, in tears.
After all, locating a lost diamond in Big W was comparable to finding a needle in a haystack.
Further fuelling more stress was the fact her husband hadn’t yet renewed the ring’s insurance which had expired just two weeks earlier.
Thankfully, Big W staffer Alex sprung into action, and well and truly saved the day.
“While I was calling my husband and back tracking my steps that day and calling around, she was frantically looking for it on her hands and knees,” she told news.com.au.
Amazingly, “Alex found it, she was a superstar,” the panicked bride explained.
“It was so sweet how immediately she went into action to help me find it.”
She said that even if it was insured, her engagement ring and wedding band hold so much sentimental value, she would have been “devastated” if she’d not been able to find it.
“There’s often a sentiment that ‘service is dead’ and no one cares anymore, but I felt the opposite,” Mrs O’Connor said.
“Lately I’ve noticed so much kindness in people, especially in service roles — whether it’s airport staff, Uber drivers or checkout staff at Big W.
“If we look up from our phones and smile and treat people with respect, I think we move through life with more connection, happiness and maybe, just maybe a little more luck — like I did yesterday.”
A spokesperson for the brand also praised Alex for her kindness and willingness to go the extra mile to help a customer.
“We’re so pleased that Alex could help Leah in this understandably stressful moment. It’s stories like these that make us so proud, showing the dedication from our team to support our customers when it matters most,” Michael Stoikov, Big W Brookside’s store manager, told news.com.au.
After sharing a video of the incident on TikTok, social media users were blown away by what Alex had done.
“What an ANGEL,” one social media user said.
Another added: “Girl you need to buy her a big present.”
“Awwww, the staff member Alex needs a big bunch of flowers,” one social media user said.
One social media user said: “Employee of the year. Good reminder to get your rings checked professionally yearly. So glad she found it.”
Meanwhile others said that having just four prongs on her engagement ring was “insane” and encouraged Mrs O’Connor to add more to it.
“Make sure you get more prongs. Never ever have four prongs — get six to eight,” one person said.
Originally published as Big W worker’s ‘insane’ act as shopper loses expensive item
