Just because we're no longer together in San Antonio doesn't mean the learning and sharing should end! We loved meeting all of you and want to keep the information and networking flowing. Over the next year we'll take the lessons learned at our Building a Service Mentality Forum and send you reminders and examples to help as you navigate through challenges with your internal and external clients.

Never Let Backstage Come Onstage:
Remember from the book Lessons from the Mouse, the "backstage" was the behind-the-scenes location where cast members ate, drank, smoked, complained about management, gossiped, and did what any normal person on a break would do. These were the things the public is never supposed to see because we should always be show-ready. But it's not just about the physical elements, but also about our behavior. These Smoking Cinderellas could be anything from a cluttered desk that a client walking through your office sees to the language we might use that we'd never want a customer to overhear. The organizational “magic” or “illusion” to what you do (dealing with technicians, vendors, clients, and those darn sales people all while remaining calm is magic in our book) should not be compromised by letting the backstage come onstage.

Question: What do you do to ensure that your operation is always show-ready for customers?