Notes From the Road – What Happens in Las Vegas Stays in Las Vegas
On a recent visit to Las Vegas for business, I was given a great lesson in systems and people. While known for the casinos and 24-hour nightlife, Las Vegas is within minutes (to a few hours) of fantastic outdoor spaces. Yes, you can conduct meetings, see shows, meet people, eat, and party, but you can also get out and enjoy nature, which is not how most people think of Vegas.
Some of the best national parks, including Red Rocks, Lake Meade, and Zion, are no more than a two-hour drive, and the Grand Canyon is only 300 miles off. This juxtaposition between city and nature makes Las Vegas the perfect destination.
I had very productive meetings and great time with colleagues and friends. Then I spent my last day riding out to Red Rocks on a leased Harley, taking in the sites with fresh air. One call to Harley, and I was on my way. Nothing complicated. I paid and signed a couple of contracts, and they gave me a helmet, a full tank of gas, and a map.
I also squeezed in a two-hour bicycle ride daily before meetings, heading out of the city to the bike trails and neighborhoods, which is very easy from anywhere downtown. The bike shop (Bike Blast Las Vegas), which runs mountain and road bike group tours, also makes it easy to lease bikes. Within an hour of my phone call, they were at my hotel with two bikes (in case one did not fit), water bottles, and a map. Two days later, they picked up the bicycle from the hotel.
The bicycle and motorcycle rides and rentals were by far some of the best experiences I have had going out on two wheels, and I rent a bicycle and/or motorcycle in every town I visit, for business or pleasure. How do these businesses do it?
A Lesson for SMART Business Growth?
People, Communication, and Systems
When I called for a bicycle, Matt, the rental manager, knew when his next bike was coming in. He also knew how long it takes to do the mechanical check on the bike and how long of a drive it was to Ceasars Palace in traffic. He asked me a few key questions and then patiently answered mine. His driver showed up exactly at the time promised and was just as patient. He handed me the equipment and a map and then gave me suggestions for rides as well as a rundown of the bicycle culture.
My experience at Harley was just as smooth. Mike, the rental manager was waiting for me when I arrived. When the first bike did not fit, he picked out another quickly. The staff around him made sure the equipment worked well and that my luggage was properly stashed. Everyone had a smile and was fully engaged and geared toward making sure I had a great experience. Upon return, another staff member took the time to show me all the second-hand bikes for sale on the floor, patiently answering my questions.
At both places, it was clear that everyone was on the same page, focused on the customer, understood what they had to do and how to do it, and had enough leverage and information to execute. The employees were quick, patient, communicated clearly and exercised judgment, and supported by good systems. The systems were not cumbersome, and they were geared to the customer experience. I will return to Vegas in June for a vacation, and I have plans for using both businesses again.
Call to Action – Scaling Up
Systems and excellent communication among your team and with your customers are key ingredients to scaling up successfully. They allow you to provide an excellent customer experience, attract a recurring customer base, generate new customers, and provide a rewarding experience for employees. This allows you to drive higher margins and volume to grow profits as well as operating cash flow to inject into your growing business. In turn this gives you the ability to attract, reward, train, and retain the best talent—to get even better and faster and grow exponentially!
I rank my experience with bike and motorcycle rental and riding in Vegas 4 ½ stars out of 5.
On a scale of one 1 to 5 stars:
- How do your customers rank their customer experience?
- How do you rank your operating and information systems?
- How do your employees rank the ease of communication in your business?
