The car industry has certainly weathered its fair share of storms this year. From recalls to repairs, car owners have been dealt just about every blow. But things are about to change in the car world, if the Ritz-Carlton has anything to say about it.
Bloomberg News reports that automotive giant General Motors is bringing in hospitality specialists from the Ritz-Carlton to teach GM employees the importance of customer service. That’s right car buyers — the next time you walk into a dealership, your experience might just be a little more luxurious (and a lot friendlier).
Ritz-Carlton employees are taught to go the extra mile to make their guests feel welcome. The result? Repeat guests. Repeat guests equal repeat dollars, but can the same equation hold true for the car industry? GM is about to find out.
According to reports, the Ritz-Carlton has already held training sessions in New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles with more than 1,800 dealership owners and salespeople. Rumor has it Cadillac has already taken a tip from Ritz-Carlton and created their “credo” card for employees to carry around in their pockets, which has customer service tips.
In addition to the customer service tips Cadillac is taking from Ritz-Carlton, Bloomberg reports the car lots are going through a mini-makeover, as well. Since GM cut its dealer ranks earlier this year, there’s more room to update the look of its dealerships and make a few luxury improvements.
Have some customer service tips for the employees of GM or Cadillac? Put yours in the comments section below and who knows, maybe your tip will end up on a customer service credo card.
Road trips are meant to be fun, meaningful, and inspire some reflection as you set out for the great open roads. When the driving gets a little dull, though, there’s plenty to see on the side of the road.
The eastern portion of the United States is home to many world-recognized sites, but many of these grandiose tourist destinations overshadow the lesser-known, roadside attractions that are just as worthy of your time. Here’s a round up of some of the best off-the-beaten path attractions along the east and west coasts that are worthy of a break on your next road trip:
East Coast Museum of Bad Art – Dedham, Massachusetts
The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Massachusetts boasts a collection of art so bad, it’s good. Visitors to this museum can peruse the various galleries, which contains an impressive (or is it non-impressive?) 400 pieces as part of its permanent collection. Popular pieces include their “Mana Lisa” — a painting that looks like the he-version of da Vinci’s famous smiling woman, among others.
Lucy the Elephant – Margate, New Jersey
At over 120 years old, New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant boasts the title of America’s oldest roadside attraction. She’s constructed of entirely wood and tin, stands 65 feet tall and weighs in at a whopping 90 tons. For $4 a person ($2 kids), visitors can walk inside Lucy’s belly.
The Shoe House – York, Pennsylvania
Ever heard of the old lady who lived in a shoe? Turns out, that old tale may have actually been true. Located off the Hellam exit on U.S. 30 stands an actual, livable house in the shape of a shoe. It was constructed in 1948 by Colonel Mahlon N. Haines as part of an advertising gimmick.
Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard – South Burlington, Vermont
Every time a flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream gets the boot, it makes a final resting place in their Waterbury cemetery. Each flavor gets a proper headstone so that visitors can walk by and pay their respects (free of cost). May Hunka Burnin’ Fudge and Economic Crunch rest in piece.
World’s Largest Ax – (Nackawic) New Brunswick, New Jersey
If there’s one thing Nackawic, New Brunswick in New Jersey is known for, it’s the gigantic ax that rests along the banks of the Saint John River. The ax represents the small town’s major impact in the world of forestry.
Miles the Monster – Dover, Delaware
Towering above the Dover International Speedway in Delaware you can find Miles the Monster, the mascot with menacing red eyes who watches over the NASCAR track. With a race car clutched in one had and a giant, muscular figure made of stone, Miles can be quite intimidating.
Yankee Siege Trebuchet – Greenfield, New Hampshire
You don’t have to know a lot about medieval warfare to appreciate the Yankee Siege Trebuchet in Greenfield, New Hampshire. This giant, 25,000 pound trebuchet (a chucking device) is most famous for its ability to hurl pumpkins incredibly long distances. In fact, in 2009 it set a world record by throwing a pumpkin 2,034 feet.
Secret Caverns – Cobleskill, New York
The secret caverns just outside Albany, New York were discovered in the late 1920s when a few cows had an unfortunate fall into an 85 foot deep hole. Explorers decided to check out what was down the hole and happened upon a magnificent 100 foot waterfall. To check out this natural phenomenon yourself, Take I-88 to exit 22 and follow the hand-painted road signs.
West Coast
The Thing – Tuscon, Arizona
Located off exit 322 on Interstate 10 exists something that travelers refer to as, “The Thing.” So what is this thing, exactly? Supposedly, it’s a mummified mother with her dear child. If that weren’t enough, the museum also features a car rumored to be owned by Hitler himself and a stuffed Armadillo clutching a beer.
Trinity Site – Whites Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
On July 16, 1945, the world’s first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, an area now referred to as the Trinity Site. Tourists are able to visit the site twice a year — the first Saturday in April and October, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There, you can view the 12-foot obelisk that marks the explosions hypocenter and walk around the huge crater, which is still littered with green, glassy pieces formed by the explosion.
Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, Texas
This free roadside attraction is one of Texas’ most famous. It’s located in Amarillo along old Route 66 (Interstate 40) and was created in 1974 by artists who referred to themselves as Ant Farm. The art consists of 10 Cadillac cars halfway buried into the ground and covered in paint. Visitors can add to the artwork by painting their names or a picture.
World’s Tallest Thermometer – Death Valley, California
This 134-foot working thermometer is easily the world’s largest. It’s home is in Death Valley, California at 72155 Baker Blvd. Passers by can stop for pictures or simply determine what the current outside temperature is.
Giant Cabazan Dinosaurs – Cabazon, California
Nestled between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California, tourists and locals alike can walk –or drive– amongst the world’s largest dinosaur statues. These life-sized dinos are part of a museum that’s open year round (excluding holidays) to adults and children. Visit this Western roadside attraction and you may feel like you’re living in prehistoric times.
Metaphor: Tree of Utah – Wendover, Utah
If you’re already in Utah to visit the state’s famous salt flats, you may as well take a gander at this quirky tourist attraction. It’s nicknamed the “Tree of Utah,” and is a tree-like statue created in the early ’80s by Karl Momen, a Swedish artist. It’s located on the north side of I-80 approximately 95 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Antler Arches – Jackson, Wyoming
The Antler Arches of Jackson, Wyoming are precisely what they sound like: arches that is constructed out of dozens of antlers. The arches themselves are pretty massive and rest at each of the four corners of Jackon’s town square.
Shoe Tree – Shaniko, Oregon
If you have an old pair of shoes to spare, you may as well chuck them onto the famous shoe tree in Alfafa, Oregon. After all, the tree houses hundreds of random shoes, tied together and swung over branches. You can find this quirky tree on Highway 26, east of Mitchell, Oregon near mile marker 89.
TV Simpsons’ House Replica – Las Vegas, Nevada
Even if you’re not an avid fan of television’s The Simpson family, chances are you’re at least familiar with the long-running series. In 1997, a house was constructed to look exactly like the Simpsons’ humble abode in Las Vegas, Nevada right off exit 64 on Interstate 515. The house is 2,200 square feet and part of a new subdivision appropriately titled, “Springfield.”
Where will the future of our economy – from the global economy, even – come from? Forget about garages in Silicon Valley, illicit side projects in Manhattan cubicle farms and the online tinkering that happens in the Harvard dorms. Instead, take a look at hotels. Specifically, peek into the lobbies.
As travelers, we pass through the hotel lobby. The only reason to stick around is because you’re waiting to meet a local friend or your kid forgot something and had to run back up to the room. Sure, there are lobby bars that give you a reason to hang out for a while, but that’s not really the lobby. I’m talking about the couches and chairs that may be festooned with the day’s newspaper but don’t come with drink service or any other raison d’etre.
Yet, as hotel guests walk from the front door to the elevator bank, especially in major cities, there are always a few people lingering, alone or in groups. They talk in hushed tones, pluck away at laptop keys and occasionally shuffle papers. These transients look like any other business traveler … because they have trained themselves to blend in.
The reality is not what it seems.Hotel lobbies offer great places to meet. You can usually pick up a wi-fi connection, people come and go without asking questions and there’s plenty of traffic to conceal the fact that you don’t belong. And, you don’t. If you’re among these hotel-squatters, you’re not a guest of the hotel, and you probably shouldn’t be availing yourself of the free meeting space. Nonetheless, it happens all the time – and good things come from it.
Cash-strapped entrepreneurs have been using free spaces to meet for years. I first saw (and took part in) the practice in late 2001, when the Boston area was reeling from the dual pressures of the dotcom market’s implosion and the economic effects of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. I was starting a business at the time, and I was meeting with other entrepreneurs to discuss potential partnerships. Though we met in Starbucks locations, train stations and any number of public places, hotel lobbies were always the most comfortable.
And of course, I didn’t want to bring any potential business partner to my apartment (or my neighborhood, for that matter).
All that was almost a decade ago, and I haven’t spent a whole lot of time meeting in hotel lobbies since then – until this year. In the past few months, I’ve already been to two business meetings at the W Hotel Union Square in New York to talk to entrepreneurs with grand dreams and carefully managed execution plans. It occurred to me that the ashes of the financial crisis are awaiting their Phoenix, and I may have met it.
Hotel lobbies do serve a purpose, even if not for the hotel or its guests. This week, we’ll take a look at how entrepreneurs use these vast, free spaces to take their shots at becoming your next employer.
This is a week-long series from the writer of White Collar Travel about the role hotels will play not only in the recovery of our economy, but in giving an early home to the businesses that will define tomorrow.
The big national parks are popular for a reason, but here are 10 other national parks and forests you may not have visited, and some fun activities to do while you are there. Consider one of these off-the-beaten-path parks for your summer round-trip:
Acadia National Park is a beautiful piece of the Maine coastline. Bring your alarm clock so you can wake early and hike to the top of Cadillac Mountain just before dawn. From this spot, you’ll be the first person to see the sun rise over the US!
The White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire has some of the most rugged hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Mount Washington is located here and has the highest recorded winds on the planet. Take the train to the top and check out the buildings that are literally chained down so they don’t blow away!
While the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park, few travelers leave their car. Take a few days to hike the Appalachian Trail here. It bisects the park and delineates Tennessee from North Carolina. See if you can count the 100 tree varieties found in the region.
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, has the tallest sand dunes in the nation (Star Dune is over 750 feet). Bring your old skis or snowboard and spend a day sand-boarding!
The Bridger-Teton National Forest, in Wyoming, includes the Wind River Range. Don’t forget your fishing pole or your backpack. The high alpine lakes are home to world-class trout fishing and humans rarely venture to these parts.
In southwest New Mexico, the Gila National Forest encompasses the Gila Wilderness. The Gila was the first place to receive a Wilderness designation and for good reason. The hiking is epic and varies from high alpine forest to deep desert canyons. Be respectful, but look for the abandoned cave dwellings that you can still explore!
Dinosaur National Monument is in both Colorado and Utah. This area is famous for the hundreds of dinosaur skeletons excavated here. Raft the Green River on the “Gates of Ladore” stretch. It takes you through the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers and into the monument. The white water is exciting and the views are spectacular.
Arches National Park, located in southern Utah, boasts the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Bring your running shoes to do a short trail run in Devils Garden.
Also located in southern Utah, Bryce National Park is a chimneyed deep canyon. Travel via burro to the bottom of the canyon for a unique experience you are sure to remember!
Redwood National Park, located in northern California, has the tallest trees on the planet. Either bring your bike or a convertible because you will want to look up to this humbling experience.
This summer take a road trip and explore some National Parks and Forests. It is a great way to stretch your legs and see something new in the U.S.
Eric Fischer, a computer program, used geotagging data from Flickr and Picasa to plot maps of New York and 71 other cities, using a system he created for determining which shutterbugs are locals and which are from out of town.
Using this system, we can divine the following:
Tourists shoot Yankee games, while there are more locals snapping away when the Mets are playing at home
Locals prefer the Manhattan Bridge, and tourists flock to the Brooklyn Bridge … yet Brooklyn itself is packed with local photogs
Nobody goes to the Upper West Side (unless he or she lives there)