In this brief segment of the "On a Roll" podcast, host Mike Michalowicz, alongside a co‑speaker, emphasizes that while businesses must reliably deliver the big, expected services (clean rooms, dry‑cleaned shirts, etc.), it is the small, unexpected gestures that truly delight customers. After thanking a series of corporate sponsors (Skype, Next Digital, American Express, etc.), the speakers recount a personal hotel stay in Rochester, New York, where a warm, individually wrapped chocolate‑chip cookie was offered at check‑in. The cookie, described as delicious and hygienically packaged, left a lasting positive impression, illustrating how a minor extra can elevate the overall experience. The segment closes with a light‑hearted personal aside about the speaker’s violin skills, underscoring the informal, conversational tone of the episode.
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 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 Prevendis 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. And the big things are expected. You better deliver clean shirts if you're a dry cleaner.
If you're a hotel, you better deliver clean room 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 Sani wrapped bag so there was no finger jermies 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.
And 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 penist. I am a penist and a villainist. And here you go. Yeah, that's right.
