Random Rants Archives

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Posted by Emerge Lakeland

Just before Christmas, my husband Anu and I took a three day trip to New York City. And as our luck would have it, we arrived the day of the transit strike began and left the day it ended.

Did it affect our mobility? Not really other than it affected our service for breakfast (the workers could not get into the city to report for work!) It was mind boggling to realize how hard it becomes to move around with no transportation. The cab drivers definitely had a monopoly on the situation. They could charge just about anything.

How did this affect our trip? Very little. We had a great time. We stayed in a wonderful place that overlooked Times Square. We walked for miles and miles. There was an arts festival in Bryant Park that was simply magnificent. The booths were decorated in lights, garland, and wreaths. People were walking in their coats, gloves, and hats admiring all of the crafts while sipping hot chocolate. Something that we enjoyed immensely.

We also ate at an incredible French restaurant called Un, Deux, Trois. The great thing about the city is that there are a million of these types of café restaurants and they serve the most authentic food. It truly is an experience in itself.

Of course, we took in a Broadway show as well. Our choice was ‘The Producers’. We laughed so hard. I do not know how these guys keep a straight face. It was one of the best shows I have seen in a long time.

Our trip was everything we had hoped for: fun, relaxing, and entertaining. If you get a chance, Christmas time is a wonderful time to be in New York City. It is such a revitalizing city. I might recommend, though, not to go when there is a transit strike. It limits your mobility.

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Posted by psaxena

In the next few months I will be spending more time working in the Lakeland area and need some suggestions for free WiFi locations (I prefer a virtual office). I know about SurfLakeland in the downtown area and Panera Bread, but I am hoping that some EMERGE members can suggest some other locations. Any ideas?

Update: Mitchell's Coffee now has free wifi.

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Posted by Josh Hallett

The following article was passed along to us by one of our Emerge Members. It discusses a similar young professionals organization in Manatee County and the impact it is having on their community.

Click here to review the article.

Any thoughts or reactions on how the ambassador program discussed in the article might work for Emerge Lakeland?

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Posted by Michael Wiener

My order had been placed six weeks ago, yet here I was, three missed appointments later, complaining to the customer service representative, again.

Finally, after holding for 45 minutes, I decided to drive to the store to speak to someone in person. Had the days when people were eager to have your business and eager to provide good customer service passed away? As I drove to the store, I passed a car dealership and as I looked on I became jealous, noticing the attentiveness of the car salesman.

We are all familiar with the stereotype of a car salesman and many of us cringe at the thought of being compared to one.

Maybe though, in our own occupations, we should all strive to be more like the car salesman because, in reality, a 'car salesman' offers good customer service.

Here's why:

A car salesman...

1. is always happy to see you
2. will go out of his/her way to ensure your complete understanding of the product
3. always lets you 'test-drive' the merchandise
4. acknowledges your needs
5. is eager to return your phone calls
6. knows the importance of negotiating
7. is friendly to your family or other decision-makers
8. dresses like a professional
9. has good follow-up
10. possesses a sense of urgency

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Posted by Samantha Hocker

It seems a few times each year there is a small celebration that Lakeland 'got' one of 'those' restaurants. You know, one of the major chains has decided to open a location in Lakeland. There is always much fanfare and anticipation of the new eatery.

Remember when Lakeland 'got' an Outback Steakhouse or the cheers when Carraba's arrived? How about the first Quiznos? Too long ago for you? How about some more recent examples like Bonefish Grill, Smokey Bones BBQ or Panera Bread?

When the new Lakeside Village was announced, rumors surfaced that The Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Chang's would come to Lakeland. No luck yet.

So what restaurant are we missing? Leave a comment below.

Or perhaps you want the chains to stay away so that local restaurants can thrive in their absence.

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Posted by Josh Hallett