My time in Las Vegas

I’ve just come back from a weekend in Las Vegas.  It’s an amazing place that seems to be a city of extremes capable of bring out the very best (and worst) in humanity.
  

During last night’s sleepless red-eye back east, I had over 4 hours to think about my trip – and actually penned this blog posting at 36,000 feet.

Here’s some highlights of the trip and of course some key learning that will make me a better person

1.       Think big, but be realistic.  Even been to the Venetian or Mirage or the Wynne? Each of these behemoths sport more than 4,500 guest rooms and employ some 15,000 people each … that’s the size of a town and then some.  Think the hotel owners thought small?  No way --- they each had a vision, that although near possible to implement, was realistic enough that each with implemented with a very fine attention to detail

2.       It’s about the experience.  Yeah sure, a burger is a burger.  How many ways can one grill a salmon?  Certainly finite.  However – it’s not just the burger or the salmon that makes Vegas, Vegas.  It’s the look of the menu, the cool music, the sensual energy that seems to pervade the city’s very fabric.  And it’s also the people – talk to them, understand them.  It’s actually humbling

3.       Technology is important.  Knowing how to use it – more so.  I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve done some knuckle-headed travel things in my day.  The floating casino in New Orleans … umm, I’ll save it for another day.  However, my latest shenanigan is up there among the all time greatest knuckle-head maneuvers.  Hilarious now, not so at the time.  Kudo’s to the Mirage Hotel for locating the video of us getting into the cab --- in all of 2 minutes … thanks to technology and an excellent knowledge, it all ended up fine.  Perhaps, I shortened my life by a couple years … but hey – who’s counting

4.       Go to the Laundry Room.  Stat.

5.       Don’t take yourself or things too seriously.  Stuff happens in Vegas.  Good stuff and bad stuff and stuff that you have no idea whether it’s good or bad.  But roll with it.  Work it – an poker parlance, “Play the hand you got, not the one you wish you had”

6.       Go with the right people.  Dunno what was more awesome … they people I was with or the people I was with. And very importantly, I made sure to stop and pause for 5 minutes every day to thank G_d.  The end. 

Why Owning A Problem Pays

Buying a barbeque is not the kind of thing my wife and I get excited about so it was with dread that we found ourselves at Lowes last weekend.  Buying a new one turned to be easy, and dare I say – even pleasurable. The sales guy (Chris) knew his stuff, smiled, made a joke or two,  asked about our needs so he could recommend something appropriate – and he even upsold us.  We were in and out in 20 minutes, enjoyed the experience and got what we wanted.  We also paid them to assemble the beast (I’m good with money --- my hands … well not so much).

 

I was to come back to load said beast in a flat-bed (specially rented for the occasion) and to take it home.  All good, until I got to my street, within sight of our house actually.  While rounding the final corner, the barbeque became untethered and flipped on its side with an ominous thud.   Sixty seconds later I was on my driveway – the beast --- bad news.  Dented, broken and badly scratched.

Now, let’s be straight up here.  This is 100% my problem.  Not Lowes.  Not Lowes at all.  Nada.  Zilch.  

And nor did I expect Lowe’s to do anything besides order another beast and charge me full-pop. 

S&^t happens!

Got back to Lowes 15 minutes later.  It’s a busy afternoon there.  Spoke to a helpful young lady at their customer service desk.  I explain this issue – she listens, smiles, nods and understands.   I’m quite prepared to pay for my error in not having tied the beast properly.  Mistakes cost money and why would this mistake be any different from any other mistake I have ever made. 

The assistant manager comes over.  His name is Rob.  Greets me with a smile, looks at the now broken, dented and scratched beast. 

“Irreparable”, he explains. I know it.

Rob confers with this associate – and without me even having to ask, agree to replace my barbeque.  FREE!!!  Yes, they’re 100% paying for my error in not having tied the beast to the flat-bed. 

In other words, they’re owning my problem.  Wow!  Next week, I’ll go back to Lowes, pick up a brand new barbeque – and this time will tie it properly.  Promise.

So, what’s to learn and observe?

• Lowe’s were well within their right to do nothing for me – they used this opportunity to do everything for me
• They greeted me and dealt with me, with smiles – who says a smile does not go a long way?
• They took ownership of the problem (my problem) – that was caused through NO fault of theirs
• Yeah, they took a loss --- a big loss on the transaction, but they’ve made me a Zombie Loyalist  (this one’s for you Peter Shankman) for life

Thanks’ Lowes --- and to all the people in the store who dealt with and fixed my stupid boo-boo. You turned what could have been a very crappy experience for me, into something awesome.  So awesome in fact that I've told all 1,356 people who read my blog about this.

Cheers to kick-ass service.  And Lowes … I’m a customer for life.