So I’m sat with my Mac, not logged onto Wi-Fi and I’m at the Holiday Inn in Garforth on the outside of Leeds. The Reason: I’m currently writing a proposal for my 4th book and in this world of distractions (or is it just me) I need to focus. Everything is going well until around 11am when my stomach begins making noises which are at risk of setting off the fire alarm. I was starving. Mathew behind the bar made his way over after I had beckoned him. I ordered a tea, my second of the day and I asked if I could have a buttered scone to nibble on until lunch. Off he went.
By the time he returned with the tea I was on the phone as I had forgotten to switch off the iPhone but who knows it may have been a client asking me to go speak out in Vietnam or some other wonderful place (it happened recently). I noticed the lack of scone buttered or otherwise but I would have to wait until the call ended before I reminded him. It may have been his first day on the job so I would go gentle. It wasn’t a request to go to Vietnam so I decided the phone should be turned off.
Mathew could see my call was over so made his way over and explained that there had no scones. “Don’t worry I’ve ordered you some toast”. Wow! Toast I thought. Perfcct. It was as though he had read my mind. I needed something to keep me going until lunch and toast was what I would have asked for. It was a little risky on his part but it paid off. I was taken aback that he had used his initiative so much that for some time I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
As I was leaving I spoke with his manager who was also working in the bar area. What surprised me even more was that it was in fact Mathew’s first day. Wow! Well, not quite his first day the bar manager had explained. He had been promoted from his position as back room staff but this was his first few hours working in the bar dealing with the public.
With that kind of initiative Mathew will go a long way.
How about you? How can you have people saying Wow about what you do? Your boss, your colleague, your client. Need some help? Go see Mathew at the Holiday Inn, Garforth Leeds. Word of warning: They don’t do scones.