Friday, October 29, 2010

Patrick & Jules---You Rock....



Hawaii Hospitality……..



Customer Service…..what is it?



Watch commercials on TV or listen to them on free radio you hear a constant barrage of claims that one company’s customer service is soooooooo much better than the rest of the herd. As consumers we already know that 95% of all of that is bullshit.



So rare a moment in these busy times of our lives is that moment where we truly experience a significant level of customer service and genuine hospitality. I had one this week.



I traveled from Greensboro to Hawaii on Monday as I had to work in Oahu and Kauai this week. Well the whole week stated out badly when I missed my connection in Atlanta due to a severe thunderstorm. I finally got to Honolulu on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 in the afternoon. My body clock was stuck at 8:30pm.



I quickly got a taxi to attend a business meeting for the next three hours. I get headed back to the Honolulu airport for my 8:00pm flight to Kauai. Body clock 1:00am.



Arrived Kauai in a rainstorm at 8:45pm. It was 9:15 by the time I left for Kekaha where I was spending the night. While I am familiar with Kekaha, I did not know exactly where the B&B I was staying at was located. My poor Garmin lady friend seemed to have problems with the Hawaiian names of the local streets.



By 10:15, 4:15am on my body clock, I sensed that I had found the right driveway to the, “Kekaha Kauai Sunset” B&B. I quickly noticed 4 houses at the end of the drive. Ok….said to self….hope I pick the right house!



Out of the corner of my eye….that was the one not sleeping….I notice a woman standing at the end of the drive waving her arms to me. She is directing me to drive right up to the house on the left.



I lower the window as I stop the car a foot from her toes and this smiling beautiful person comes up to the car and speaks my name as I get out of the car. She promptly puts a lei over my neck and welcomes me to the B&B. I think…am I dreaming? On no… it gets better. She offers to take my roller board. Now I know I was dreaming!



She introduces her lovely self as Jules and states that her husband Patrick has the night off since it is his birthday. She then leads me into their house. She shows me my room and points out the tall glass of ice water and cookies she has set out for me. She explains that breakfast is from 6:30 to 9:00am the following morning. WOW!



I quickly get to bed and dream of the dream I just lived.



I awake promptly at 6:30 feeling both groggy & hungry. I go up to the dining room to find Jules waiting for me with a cup of coffee in her hand. She asked if I like my coffee black. She is an angel!



I go out on the lanai to enjoy my coffee and watch the sea crash against the rocks as the sun rises in the east. This morning is going well.



Jules eases her way on the lanai and asks if I might like some Hawaiian French toast? Hell of a way to start the day.



So off to work I go with a smile on my face and a great breakfast in my belly to power the beast. My mind drifts throughout the day as I begin to wonder what lies in store for on at this glorious B&B on the second day of my stay.



I’m here to tell you I was not disappointed. I awoke at 5:30 the next morning and quickly went out for a run along the beach. I headed west and took in the stars twinkling in the pre-dawn sky as I listened to the waves crashing ashore. Some 2 ½ miles I turned and headed east. The sun was just starting to rise casting beautiful hues of pink & purple in the early sky.



When I returned from my run & showered I went up to the dining room again to be greeted by Jules holding a cup of coffee for me. She smiled as she asked if I would like a pineapple & ham omelet. I smiled as I sat down to another feast.



Soon my stay at this wonderful place was over. I thanked Jules and her husband Patrick for their warm & unending hospitality. Their genuine appreciation of my business was real and certainly a byproduct of their character and thoughtfulness. They offer their guests the highest level of courtesy and customer service imaginable.



So at the end of the day my friends, it is a treat to discover such a wonderful place & wonderful people in the middle of the south pacific. Awesome! You really should look them up if you travel to Kauai!



Patrick & Jules McLean truly….” Make Dust”….and lot’s of it!








Mahalo my friends!