MORIAH MOVES MIDTOWN (5/8/15)

     On these early summer days you don't have to look far to see graduates.  You might see yearbooks being passed with students attempting to record those fleeting memories of school. 

     If there were an annual yearbook for Overlooked Midtown Professionals, the award of Most Popular would certainly go to Moriah Rodriguez.

     A humble person, Moriah is a customer service expert who works at a local Atlanta bakery.

     On any particular day she might be assisting her team mates with multiple food/drink orders; but most of the time she's not just greeting customers---she's making friends.

     "I really like her," said Lewis H., a local artist.  "It was as if I knew her, immediately.   She's warm...sincere.  She makes me want to come back here to shop."

     Moriah Rodriguez was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she studied writing, audio art and poetry.  She eventually found a Greyhound bus station.  It took her 17 hours to get to Atlanta.

     When she's not performing somewhere as a Beat Poet, she's probably at the register taking your order.

     Since customer service can be a demanding, thankless environment for some, Hometown News Atlanta asked Moriah some questions about her constant happiness at work: 

     What could people learn from you about Customer Service?   "I hope people realize that we effect one another more than on the surface," Moriah smiled.  "It's energetic more than anything else.  It's a choice to be nice, just as it is to be rude."

What mentoring advice do you give trainees?  "The people that work in this field just need to be reminded that it's a boomerang effect. You give and receive the same, so do it with peace and kindness."

     Why are you so happy?  "I desire to be more confident in my motivation. As for now, being of service to whomever makes my heart smile in deep ways. I love people so much!"

     She has quite a following.  In fact, some customers at Ansley Mall will wait longer in line just to speak to Moriah.  On any given day she might greet---by name---over 100 people. 

     "She's genuinely interested in Human Beings"  said one of Moriah's customers.  .

     For anyone, that's quite a talent. It's those little nuisances that make a difference and keep people coming back.

      President Theodore Roosevelt once said “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." 

     This might be why Moriah has so many Atlanta friends...they know she cares.

---Ray Macon