I was originally going to write about how much I can't stand Raley's new "It's a mom's world" campaign. And I will. But I don't feel like being negative today. So instead, I just wanted to share another real world example of Companies That Do It Right. Today's example should come as no surprise—it's the Ritz-Carlton, after all.
Yesterday was my son's 7th birthday. We spent it up at Northstar in Tahoe because we were up there for a wedding over the weekend. On Saturday morning, we decided to have breakfast at the new Ritz-Carlton hotel at the top of the mountain. My girlfriend has wanted to check it out for the longest time and it was a perfect day to sit outside and let our two boys enjoy the sun.
As boys their age tend to do, they charmed the socks off of the staff there. And they had a great time in the process. The buffet was delicious and the service was exceptional. I mean, even for the Ritz-Carlton, it was exceptional. I think my son liked it even more than I did, because he insisted on going back the next morning for his birthday brunch. We tried to persuade him towards a... well, less Ritz-Carlton breakfast in Truckee, but he was persistent. And it was his birthday, so my hands were tied.
When we returned, they recognized us right away and the hostess's face lit up. I told her it was my son's 7th birthday and he chose to spend it back at the Ritz. It was like you could see little elves scurrying in the back when they heard the news. They were about to cook up an amazing experience. I just had no idea how amazing it would be.
It started with a small cheese pizza as an appetizer while we waited for our foot. On the house. Not just any cheese pizza. But one of the yummiest you've ever had. Nothing could make two exceptionally hungry boys any happier.
When our food arrived, it was accompanied by two specially-made cranberry virgin cocktail drinks with cherries on top of the straws. Birthday drinks for the boys. The bartender had made them especially for them. On the house.
I don't need to go into detail about the meal itself. Five-star all the way. I want to eat brunch there every day. But our server, Wayne, kept referring to the boys by name and even put together that my girlfriend and I have different last names and used them accordingly. (The boys had explained the whole who-belongs-to-who situation the day before. Let's hear it for the honesty of children.) He had been our server the day before and we commented that he looked just like the animated Anakin Skywalker. We knew that because my son is a huge Star Wars fan.
So the next surprise probably shouldn't have surprised me. But it did. The entire restaurant staff came out to the patio where we were eating and presented my son with a delicious chocolate dessert with his name written right on the plate. But they didn't sing Happy Birthday. Instead, they placed on the table an iPhone that was playing the Star Wars theme as loud as it could. We hadn't mentioned his fanaticism since the day before. But they remembered.
And if that wasn't enough, one of the servers placed a Ritz-Carlton bag on the table and said that if it wasn't the right size, he could exchange it downstairs. My son opened the bag and found a card signed by the entire restaurant staff. He also found his very own Ritz-Carlton t-shirt and an adorable Ritz-Carlton baseball cap. He put them on right away and they both fit perfectly. And within minutes, his shirt even had two little chocolate stains on it. At the very bottom of the bag was a huge bag of Gummi Bears.
I was overwhelmed with gratitude. The whole staff had made my son feel like a complete VIP on his very special birthday. The supervisor came to the table and as my girlfriend and I were thanking her profusely, she explained how important it is at the Ritz-Carlton to create customers for life. They made no secret about it—they hoped my son would love his experience there so much that he would keep coming back for the rest of his life. It wasn't enough to just give us good food and good service. They wanted to create an experience for us that we would never forget. And they did.
In these economically uncertain times, it's easy to balk at the excess of places like the Ritz-Carlton. I'm just as guilty of it as the next guy (something my girlfriend will gladly attest to). But the truth is, you get what you pay for. No matter where you go. And in these same times, there is something to be said for being treated like you matter and that your business is appreciated.
And while I want to believe that they went above and beyond for my son, I'm also aware that this is also part of the way companies like the Ritz-Carlton choose to do business. They are in it for the customer. And they are continually trying to make new ones. No matter how old they are.
And if the joy my son took in recounting his birthday brunch is any indication, they succeeded.
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