Back in May I went to a workshop in London that was held at a Holiday Inn. Before we started, I helped myself to a mug of coffee from the row of jugs at the coffee station. None of those silly cups and sauces, which don?t hold much coffee and which need two hands. When we came out on a break, there was plenty of fresh coffee, as well as a huge range of different teas. And there were muffins! At every break it was same ? plenty of hot drinks and clean mugs, as well as an endless supply of lovely things to eat ? not just those biscuits in packets.

In July I attended a three day course in London, at another Holiday Inn. The service was exactly the same ? big mugs, an endless supply of tea and coffee, and different yummy, home made things to eat at every break. When you?re on an intensive three day course, from 9am until 6pm, you need a good supply of refreshments, as well as happy, smiling staff who are more than happy to find more biscuits, when you?ve eaten all they?ve put out for you.

Recently I spent another day at a meeting at yet another Holiday Inn and guess what? We got the same level of service. The only thing that was different was the pick & mix sweets and the pop corn that arrived for our afternoon break!

It?s not that I spend a lot of time in Holiday Inns on purpose ? it just seems to happen. However, because of the consistent branding and service, when I was looking for a venue for my full day workshop near Oxford, I?ve decided on Holiday Inn. When I went for a look round, they told me about all the different delicious options I could have at the breaks and yes, they serve the drinks in mugs!

So if you?re looking for ways to keep your clients coming back for more, look at how you can develop a consistent brand and service. And if you want some practical advice and exercises on developing that consistent brand and service, come along to the workshop on 16 November 2011. Click here for all the details and come and see how Holiday Inn do it!