This has been a tough week for me. On Tuesday evening I traveled to New York to give two presentations at a New York firm on Wednesday. When I put my MacAir computer in a tray and on the belt at DFW, I watched as TSA backed up the belt and my computer fell to the floor. After I got through security I tried to turn my computer on, and to my horror, nothing happened.

Fortunately, I had wireless on the plane. I started going through potential Plan Bs. With my iPad I contacted lawyers I knew in New York in the hope one might have a Mac computer. I loaded the presentations on my iPad, realizing I had not brought the VGA connection for my iPad and would need to buy a new one.

Joyce began trying to convert the two presentations from Keynote to PowerPoint. This was time conuming and difficult. Joyce also contacted Clarice, our contact at the New York law firm.

Clarice came up with a great plan for us. The 5th Avenue Apple Store is open 24/7 and 365 days a year. Joyce made an appointment at the Genius Bar for me at 10:00 PM and directed me to take a cab directly from the airport to the store.

Apple 5th jpgI arrived at the store in my suit and tie with my suitcase and briefcase. As I waited to see the Genius who would work on my computer, I bought a VGA cable for my iPad and went through the slides. Two videos would not play on the iPad, but everything else seemed to work. That would be my Plan B.

In the last five minutes before I saw the young man at the Genuis Bar, I decided turn on my computer, just to see what would happen. Miracle of miracles, it started and seemed to be ok. When I got to the Genius Bar, the young man did a complete diagnostic check and everything checked out. Yesterday, the presentations went well, my computer worked fine and all the videos played.

Thank you Apple for having a store in New York that is open 24/7. Next time you are in New York visit this store late at night. You will find more people in the store than in a large department store during a year end sale.

That is a lengthy introduction to what I originally wanted to share with you. When I asked my construction clients to help me create a Client Service Policy statement, they specifically told me they wanted us to meet deadlines we had set to complete a task.  They also wanted us to be accessible, which they explained as being available to talk 24/7.

I had a client who regularly called me at 6:30 am. His receptionist, who was at work that early, had every way to reach me possible.  Fortunately for me I had no clients who tried to reach me late at night.

My clients wanted Joyce to know where I was and how I could be reached.  Finally they wanted me to be available to travel to their offices and project sites on short notice.

A few years ago Nancy and I were off to Laguna Beach for a romantic four-day interlude at the Ritz Carlton. When we got off the plane at Orange County Airport, my Blackberry had a message to call the administrative assistant for my largest client’s CEO.  When I called she said “Ken needs you in Denver tonight to meet with him for dinner and prepare for a meeting that has just been called for 9 am tomorrow.” I looked at Nancy, who knew what was coming.

We drove to the Ritz Carlton, checked in and ate lunch.  Then Nancy drove me back to Orange County to catch my flight to Denver.  The next evening she picked me up at the airport in time for a romantic dinner.  She understood that we have a lifetime for romance, but when Ken needed me for a meeting, I had to be responsive.  As you might imagine, I am fortunate to have such an understanding and supportive wife.

P.S. I am now tuned into belts in security lines in airports. My computer would have never fallen off the belt at LaGuardia Airport. Next time you fly out of there, check out what is different about the belt through security there. I hope a TSA employee at DFW reads this and makes a suggestion for belts at DFW.