It was a restaurant in Chicago. Dinnertime. Wait less than 15 minutes – offered a beverage on the house while we waited. Seated and water offered, along with a choice of appetizers (free) while we waited for dinner [wow factor]. Our order was placed. Our water and drinks were refreshed, our appetizer plates removed and dinner was served by three different waiters.

Besides the amenities, what made this experience absolutely wonderful was that we were served by every waiter in the restaurant – and it was so seamless and so enjoyable. You wanted for nothing, they were always one step ahead of us. We never felt rushed, and the waiters were entertaining, pleasant and smiling. The key was that we did not have one waiter to wait for, all of the waiters were responsible for us – we were their customers, and they more than met our needs. [wow factor]

As we paid our bill and included the tip, the waiter thanked us for our generosity, but told us that they donate their tips to charitable organizations and would we like to choose one – [wow factor].

We had a great meal, exceptional service and donated money to a charity, and left walking on air! What was NOT to feel great about?!

This experience was so memorable that after all this time, I remember the evening as if it just happened. This one night taught me so much about customer service, employee satisfaction, and about the management team.

The attorney got upset with me that I should mention defense because there was no defense for what had happened to the plaintiff. I let him vent and then he finished by saying that I couldn’t help him at all with this case.

I pieced back together my torn and shattered pride. One of my “bandaids” I used was to talk with another consultant.

The next day, I started investigating the case from the attorney’s perspective. I put together an email of what I had found out and what services I had to offer (did not mention the phone call except to say that he was right).

I sent the email off to the attorney and the gatekeeper. I waited, but didn’t hold my breath (blue is not my color).

A few days later, I received a response from the attorney who agreed to use my services. One very important lesson I am constantly learning is that the customer is always right!