I’m Enchanted… but “Don’t Feed the Monkeys”

I just spent a few days on the East Coast with a client, on a press tour for an upcoming product launch. Add in a wedding the weekend prior, and I’ve stayed at three Marriott properties in the last week. I get a laugh out of the new theme they have going on in the rooms… and a laugh after a long day of travel is a win for the Marriott marketing department indeed. Many of you may already know what I’m talking about… when I checked in, the keys to my rooms have said “walk in like you own the place” or “get both feet in the door.” The notepad stroked my ego: “leave a trail of genius,” and my ‘privacy please’ door hangar warned the maids “Brain Storm: It’s really coming down in here. Better wait until it clears up.” (and boy was it!)

Enterprise was another brand that really impressed me on this trip. I’ve had my share of poor customer service from them, and time and time again, I tell myself I won’t go back, but those low prices lead me to making additional reservations. When the CEO and I hopped into our car, we looked at each other with “wow” expressions on our face. If I counted correctly, we had seven (7!) reps help us within a five-minute period (if even that long). We were welcomed, offered water, computer-generated directions to our exact destination, our luggage was loaded for us, and most importantly… immediate and QUICK service. We loved it. The return portion was just as pleasant. I was making my first trip to Boston, so my first thought was, “wow, Boston people are really nice!” I’m hoping it’s a nationwide phenomenon with Enterprise as a company in general. Good job guys.

I also made my NYC debut on this trip. The energy of this city grabbed me immediately! Our last office briefing of the day left me with a few memories: we got the crazy NYC cab driver experience you see in the movies on our way to Light Reading. The front door to their office is backlit with a red glow and a fair warning etched on the door: don’t feed the monkeys. Their office was very “Google-esque” which was quite a contrast from the old art-deco style of the building they reside in (AT&T). We hit Jim’s favorite pick-me-up place (Starbucks) and I actually saw people using pay phones… a sight I haven’t seen that in forever.

We would leave the city the next morning so after a dinner meeting, Jim, the CEO I was touring with, gave me something I’ll never forget. This thoughtfulness in making sure I saw the vibe NYC has to offer meant a lot. He asked the cabbie to drive us through Times Square and even encouraged me to hop out to soak it all in. We swung past the Empire State Building, past all the Broadway show venues, and even a hotel lobby by a well-known designer he thought I should check out.

I actually wrote this on the flight back to SFO… we were chasing a beautiful orange/purple/pink sunset the entire evening. Our agency offices are truly beautiful places to work in, but after the week I just had, it’s going to be tough sitting behind a desk tomorrow morning.