Ross Shafer for the Relevant Report…and I’m staying at the Lowe’s Coronado Bay Resort near san Diego, California. It’s beautiful here with the seagulls and boats. But today I want to talk about details. Tiny details that matter; especially when you’re trying to make a good impression on a client or top customer. I’m here to speak for a large finance firm and the hotel is fabulous. The food is wonderful. And the meeting planners have thought of everything…well, almost everything. I hit a snag with a limo picked me up at the airport. You know how they hold up a sign so you know which car to get into? Well, my driver held up a sign that read, Ralph Schafer! When I told him my name was actually “Ross Shafer” he thought I was trying to scam him out of a free ride. I had to show him my ID, tell him the company who had hired me, and the hotel we were going to. A name on a sign is a small detail but when you want to be world-class – EVERY detail works to compound the perfect experience. If YOU are putting on a meeting or trying to impress clients with a special event, put reliable people in charge of each tiny detail. Then, demand accountability for making it right. The old saying “You are only as strong as the weakest link” still applies. Believe me, I am not offended by anyone thinking my name is Ralph…it’s a good name…just not mine. And it is possible a big-name client (with a much larger ego) just might decide to take their business elsewhere – just because you let a little detail fall between the cracks.
This is Ross Shafer (NOT Ralph Schafer) for the Relevant Report.