I came across this video clip recently on YouTube, and I love it.  I don’t know who made it or promotes it, but - as always here at LifePotential - I’m happy to pass on anything I feel will help us develop ourselves to the fullest.  Our behaviour is often influenced by little things we see or hear.  See what you think of this.

 

This is really about going the extra mile, doing that bit more, providing that extra special service.  I read an article in the Irish Times last week about a woman who is opening an old fashioned Tea Shop in Co. Cork.  Her research included a trip to afternoon tea at the Ritz in London.  She said it cost her £42 per person, but that it was worth every penny of it.  Now - do the Ritz serve better tea than anywhere else?  I doubt it.  Do they make better cakes/scones than a home-baker from Cork?  Most unlikely.  So why did she feel it was worth it?

 

She said that the welcome, the service (they had a waiter dedicated to their table), the crisp white linen cloths & napkins, the smiles, the “nothing-is-too-much-trouble” attitude made it worthwhile.  She decided that that atmosphere was what she wanted to replicate in her tea shop.  She bought proper china cups (from charity shops) rather than mugs.  Her daughter decorates each cupcake individually by hand.  She makes the tea in old fashioned china pots with knitted tea-cosy, on to keep it warm.  All in all, she is bringing the care and attention to detail of her Ritz experience, to her own tea shop.

 

I found it a warming read, just to see someone going that extra mile to provide a luxury service to her customers.  And she’s not getting 42 pounds a go for it.  But I hope that she is getting loyal and happy customers.  People know what they like: - they like to be welcomed, treated well, fed good food in good company and to leave with a smile on their face.

 

There are always areas in our daily lives where we have the chance to do a little bit extra for someone, to give a little more, to try a little harder, to be more pleasant in an exchange (smiling costs nothing as we’ve proven before!), to be more welcoming, to offer to help, to spend 5 minutes with someone who needs company.  There are as many opportunities as there are moments in the day.  Try some for yourself.  Tweet me how you get on.  You can start right now.  If you’ve ever thought how someone you know would like to read these blogs or tweets, forward this to them right away.  Job done.  It might give someone a little lift.