In this episode of On a Roll, host Mike Michalowicz opens by thanking a series of corporate sponsors, then shifts to the central theme that while big service elements are expected in any business, it’s the small, unexpected gestures that truly delight customers. He illustrates this with a personal story about a hotel in Rochester, New York, where a warm, individually wrapped chocolate‑chip cookie made a lasting impression, surpassing the standard clean rooms and friendly check‑in. Michalowicz argues that businesses should get the big things right and then add a few thoughtful, low‑cost extras to create memorable experiences. He closes with a light‑hearted aside about being an accomplished violinist and pianist, adding personality and humor to the talk.
Chapters
Welcome to On a Roll. And now, here's your host, Mike Michalowicz. You know, this is probably the first time in your life you've ever heard this one: The small thing matters. Well, first, before we talk about that, I want to talk about the big thing: our corporate partners who are awesome! First, thank you to Skype. Second, thank you to Next Digital. I had to do that because I forgot who it was. Thanks to American Express, thanks to Prevendus Group, thanks to Nextiva, thanks to Intuit, thanks to Grasshopper, thank you to HP, Penguin, everybody, thank you! We're going to talk now about the small things. And here's the deal, when you have a business, the big things are expected. I don't care if you're in the hotel industry or if you're a dry cleaner. The big things are expected. You better deliver clean shirts. Yeah! If you're a dry cleaner. If you're a hotel, you better deliver clean rooms that I can stay in. The big things are expected. Friendly service, getting the project done right, all that stuff. But it's the small, tiny things that the customers notice. Now, I went to this one hotel up in Rochester, New York, and when I visited, I got checked in quickly, the service was friendly, the place was clean. But when I got my key, the guy also says, I have a warm chocolate chip cookie for you. He pulls out this warm chocolate chip cookie in a nice Sandy-wrapped bag so there was no finger germies on it or licking from other people. And it was delicious. And I remember that. That stood out. I'm like, this is the best hotel ever. A freaking chocolate chip cookie, people. You understand? It's the small things. Everything else was great. They did what I expected. They were the same as every other hotel, quite frankly. But that chocolate chip cookie blew me away. Get the big things right and add a few small little bonuses and your customers will love you. Your small thing matters. Talk about small things. A lot of people don't know this, but I'm a very accomplished violinist. That is how you pronounce it, and it is pianist. I am a pianist and a violinist, and here you go. Yeah, that's right. I'm soothing the inner beast.
