The server was providing exceptional service to the six of us concluding our Kelowna-area wine tour. The dinner was at one of the premier wineries in the region, outside, overlooking beautiful Okanagan Lake.
She was friendly, chatty and provided good service. Her efforts matched the exceptional service of the winery itself; being a little delayed, they’d already treated us each to a complementary glass of wine.
As our evening concluded and we were preparing to leave, she mentioned that she’d been recruited by the winery across the lake to serve the royal couple on their upcoming visit to the region. She told us about the police check and a security check she’d need to go through before providing them with service.
She was really excited about the opportunity. And we were excited for her!
We didn’t know anything more about her, nor why she’d been selected. But her service was certainly such that we could affirm her selection.
Nor do we have any idea what she will be compensated to serve them. But she never brought that up either. She was just thrilled about the opportunity and it was clear that the satisfaction simply of being selected was already the biggest reward she could imagine.
That wine tour was our pre-arranged, pre-conference tour for members coming to Kelowna for the first ever national summit of the Canadian Association of Rent to Own Professionals. For months, I, along with a team of colleagues had worked to provide the best possible experience for our members and others. We’d lined up a good schedule of speakers to help us all improve our services. Plus, there was a lot we could learn from each other.
But the response had been less than overwhelming! Though good, strong rent to own providers had signed up, they were not in large numbers. The Association had spent considerable money to make this event happen. Would it be a flop? Or a success? We knew we’d done our best; there was nothing to be ashamed of.
The all-day conference started the next morning. Attendees had flown, or driven in, from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and BC. But nearly 20% of the paid attendees failed to show up.
We carried on as we would have were there five times as many in the room. And everyone there seemed fully engaged!
By morning coffee, the person next to me (who’d flown in from a distance), leaned over to me and whispered: “If I get nothing more the rest of the day, I’ve already gotten my money’s worth.”
Yes!!!!
Similar sentiments were expressed throughout the day and the resounding consensus at the end was that this had been an exceptional event, and that we should do it again next year!
My personal satisfaction meter registered almost off the charts.
Neither I nor any of our presenters or organizers got a dime out of the event; in fact, it cost us all financially. What we came away with was increased knowledge and new ideas to help us all be even better at our craft. And, for us organizers, the satisfaction of success, despite the numbers.
We wouldn’t have experienced that, though, had we not poured ourselves into the effort, knowing that we’d done our best. The server would not have been selected to serve the royal family had she not previously provided service befitting such selection.
For the second time in two days, we were witness to the high reward that bears the label “Satisfaction.”
On reflection, I think Satisfaction is really the ultimate reward. Everything else pales when we reach that marker.
And I think that’s probably true in any endeavor that anyone puts their minds to.
At least, that’s how I see it . . .
