As I fly over Osaka, Japan, beyond tired, hungry and my body numb from sitting, I ponder just how precious life and my family is. I thank God everyday for providing me with a wonderful wife and children. I miss my wife, little Blake, Sydney, and Tori already and I have yet to begin my journey on land and complete the task at hand. I wish Dana was on this trip and not me. It's def you next time my friend :). 20 hrs on a plane is killer. There isn't enough batteries to keep my gadgets afloat.

i know that I will be ready to take a shower, and get into the concrete mattress and get the punch in the face of cheap chinese cigerettes as I enter the Hotel. I just pray that this tinge in my throat is bc of a lack of sleep and not getting sick. I've become a bit of a narcisist (sp) since h1n1 entered the scene with hand santatizer and vitamins.

ok back to watching people walk around like rain man. Funniest thing ever. Plane is packed full.
Stay tuned...

Today I had the pleasure of boarding several planes to reach my destination of Shanghai China. Well boarding and passing through the gates of security, they decided to pull me aside due to the amount of gadgets and computer equipment I travel with. During the investigation from the guard, he noticed I had a tool that consisted of several sharp objects, screwdrivers, and other “weapon-like” tools. Its basically a swiss army tool that has every screwdriver, knife, etc. He looked at it and put it right back in my bag. I then thought to myself, if I looked middle-eastern would he have taken that tool? I don’t know the answer to that because I am a chubby Italian man. So I thought to myself, “man how secure are we really”? I could easily use this as a weapon. As a constant traveler, I don’t feel safe on our airlines. I will bet that when I try to bring it back into the US, it will be confiscated from the Chinese Government. We will see how that pans out.
Point here is that next time you travel, test the system. See what you can pass through security and then ask yourself, “How safe are we really on airplanes”?

God Bless Everyone and Have a Positive Day!

Recently I had half a day wasted calling American Express in regards to a recent issue with our business card. The rep was not only worthless but could care less about me and my issue. Now I used to be a CSR so I know the job is not the most glorious and high-paying job, however as much I hated it, I still was corteous and kind to all the callers. This Amex rep was so rude, that they just lost my business as a customer and also my personal cards.

I am seeing a trend when it comes to customer service and quite frankly I am damn sick of it. Treat your customers right. After all, they fund your organization.

In respect to our company tekGIANTS, I make it our mantra that no matter what we are doing, we drop our lives for our clients. We treat everyone with dignity and respect and we never take for granted each and every client. From the guy hosting his web site for 10 dollars to the large clients, we are there when they need us...anytime.

These companies need to take note of their customer service and take note that if poor service is the main variable, then failure and doom is forthcoming.

 Ever wonder why Chik-fil-a is closed on Sundays? You would be shocked to know the amount of business they are losing because of this. Sunday is the busiest day for all restaurants. In fact, restaurants that are closed on Sundays lose on average 12% of revenue by not accomidating the church lunch-goers.

Well the answer is that the founders morals and values and instilled throughtout each and every location. And today, even without Sunday traffic, they have become the number one fast food chain worldwide. The founder is a devote Christian and believes Sundays are a day for church and family. This speaks volumes to me as a consumer because despite all the money to be made, morals and values trump the possibility of reaping the rewards of weekend business. Not to mention the family days, kids eat free, and just an overall commitment to excellence. When was the last time you have seen a dirty Chik-fil-a? Or anytime I go, the people are always so corteous and welcoming.

There is a lesson to be learned within thier vision and mantra and one we live by... And that is, don't be greedy...maintain your beliefs, do good onto others and deliver a quality product and people will come. Even though there have been Sundays where I wanted those fries, I thought "have respect for a company that has maintained morality and values even in a down economy".

Do right onto others, be honest and fair in business, and never bs your way to wealth. We operate as transparent as we possibly can. Our clients see our families, we know thiers, and its truly a welcoming experience. This is how we operate. A business and the owners should hide nothing from thier clients and staff. Wealth comes to those who do the right thing. You will be blessed by living the high road. Instead of speeding to try and squeeze every dollar out of your clients, look for ways to make a difference in not only thier lives, but everyone you come in contact with.

Let your clients know how much you appreciate them. Never take for granted that you are a business owner and you become successful not by how much money you make, but by the road you travel to get there.

We wish everyone the best. Always!