This content was created by Travia Steward. This content was uploaded by Travia Steward. This is a YouTube video titled "The real test of integrity happens after the sale" (created 2026-02-23). It is an English monologue by a single speaker who recounts a customer service anecdote — having turf and pavers repaired after storm damage, dealing with an unresponsive original contractor and a second contractor who completed work but failed to deliver a receipt. The speaker uses the story to argue that true business character shows after payment, urging businesses to continue responsive, high-quality service post-sale rather than “ghosting” customers.
Chapters
You can learn everything about a business after you have paid them. We had an issue with our front yard where we had artificial turf put in like 3 years ago because we had converted the front yard from grass to turf and pavers. So last May, when we had like a bunch of rain here in Arizona, which is so different because we're not used to getting all that rain, it caused a sinkhole right where the middle pavers were. And so the pavers were starting to sort of like sink down. So I contacted the guy who actually did the pavers to begin with, ask if he could come by, told him the issue or whatever. He said, okay, I'll be right there, um, you know, later on today. And so that was like a Monday. By Thursday, he still wasn't there. So I checked again, hey, are you still coming? I'm gonna be home in and out all day, so just give me a heads up about the time on when you're coming. So he said, okay, I'm gonna come, you you know, this evening. Again, crickets. Nobody shows up. I texted and I said, you know, I, I really try to give people the benefit of the doubt. And so next weekend I texted and said, hey, should I find someone else for this job? And he's like, of course not, expecting again, you know, benefit of the doubt for him to come on by and, and check it out and let me know, you know, what's it going to cost to get it fixed, that kind of thing. So texted him several more times. Crickets. Never heard from him again. And then the one thing that I wanted him to know was that his read messages were on, and I don't know if he knew that, but maybe he did. Maybe he was just being a smartass and ignoring me. But we had already paid him a lot of money to do the yard, and all we wanted to do— we weren't asking for him to do it for free, we were just asking him, hey dude, we really loved your work the first time, so you know, can you come in and fix this little issue that Mother Nature caused? So crickets. Okay, so I find this other guy who basically, uh, was recommended on Nextdoor. And so he came over. I sent him a text, he came over the exact same day. So he was responsive, he was confident, you know, he just had a jovial personality. I just, I really liked the guy. And so I'm like, dude, the job is yours. I think this was like a Monday, again something about a Monday, and he came over and he did the work on Saturday. Okay, so now the work is done on Saturday, and he sends me a text, you know, because he had one of his guys finish the work. So he sent me a text and he said, hey, my guy finished the work, can you pay immediately? And I was like, oh, of course, you know, I'll Zelle it right over. What name should I put it in? So he gave me the name and everything. Immediately I sent the payment in full. And so I then said, hey, the payment's sent. I would love it if you could either email, text an invoice or receipt so that when we have this problem again, if it comes up, we have a receipt, we know where the turf was purchased from, so we don't have to go searching around and guessing. So he said, yeah, yeah, I'm out. You know, it's a Saturday on Valentine's Day. He said, I'm out with my, with my wife. Can I drop it by on Monday? I said, oh, of course, you know, not a big deal, just whatever, because remember, I like this guy. And so He— Monday came and what? Crickets. No one showed up. Okay, so then Wednesday I sent him a text and said, hey, just, just, you know, pushing this up to the top, reminding you that, uh, you said you're gonna drop by that invoice and receipt, and he never responded. So yesterday I sent a text and I said, we're good customers. When you ask for immediate payment upon completion of the job, we paid immediately, so it's only reasonable that we— that I expect to get a receipt or an invoice in a reasonable amount of time, and I would also appreciate a response. So he responded immediately, I'm so sorry, my bad, you know, it's just been a tough week, blah blah blah blah, I'll get it to you today. Did he get it to me today? No, haven't heard from him. I think when someone is after the sale, when they're after the thing that's gonna put some money in their pocket, they will wine and dine you to get that sale, and after that they will serve you scraps, like the, the mere basic bones, right? They're all that goodness and good service, that shit went out the window. Anybody can sell with excitement, anybody can sell with a lot of energy, and but it's who they are after you have made the payment that shows true character. And it's the difference between working with them again, giving them a referral or it's a no for me, dog. When I work with the people that I work with, that's the starting line. When people pay me, I respond even faster. I serve them at a higher level because that's when the real work begins. I don't disappear after enrollment. I don't disappear after the payment. That again is the beginning of the work. It's the beginning of where I really show the standards and my true character. If you run a business, ask yourself, do you slow down after the payment clears? Do you ghost? Do you just give people shitty service after the payment clears? Or do you serve at a higher level? Because after the— after the sale is where we show our true character.
