If you read these blog postings with any frequency, you know that I’ve been more than a bit dismayed by the less than enthusiastic attitude among several store clerks I have encountered across the country. Given today’s economy, these attitudes strike me as especially surprising. If ever there was a time for a clerk to welcome prospective customers into a store, certainly this is the time.

 

I am pleased to report that some companies “get it,” and those that do deserve some recognition. Today, I’d like to recognize the Hotel Monaco in Chicago, a member of the Kimpton Group; I’ve tried to stay at this hotel whenever business travel has taken me to Chicago. Here’s why.

 

Last Friday I arrived in Chicago for a series of meetings to be followed by a presentation first thing on Saturday morning. Before heading out to my meetings, I asked the front desk to deliver a coffee pot and coffee to my room, explaining that I would need to get juiced up on coffee after my 4:00 a.m. wake-up on Saturday. When I returned from my meetings, I was impressed to find a coffee pot and enough packages for me to prepare eight pots of coffee. That was impressive.  The hotel was also kind enough to leave a couple of complimentary bottles of water.    

 

After my Saturday morning program delivery, I drank the water the Monaco had provided as well as two additional bottles of water that I had carried from the program delivery site. After working all Sunday morning, I took a mid-day break, allowing housekeeping to straighten my room. When I returned, I found two more bottles of water and a note from the housekeeping staff.  The note read: “I noticed that you enjoyed water. Please accept these on me! Your Housekeeper, Claudia.”

 

I have yet to meet Claudia. She is, however, worth her weight in gold to that hotel. Because of her small kindness, I will gladly spend my money at the Hotel Monaco again, and in fact, I would be hard pressed to stay anywhere else in Chicago.