Last weekend I was in Glasgow for a Toastmasters International conference. Toastmasters is the organisation that has helped me so much with my communication and leadership skills – I credit my fellow members with helping me to gain the confidence to set up my speaking and training business and write my book. There were 260 of us staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel alongside the SECC on the banks of the River Clyde. The service at the hotel was almost faultless, no mean feat for a large hotel and conference centre. The staff smiled, a lot. They were all polite and I could see that they took pride in their jobs. We were told over the weekend that Glasgow hosts more conferences than even London, and on the evidence I saw, I’m not surprised. There was even attention to detail. While 260 of us were taking our seats for the gala dinner on Saturday night, members of staff were discreetly circulating, asking if there were any special dietary requirements. I have never seen that done at a conference before – usually those with special requirements have to identify themselves. All in all a great experience, and on a par with the Crowne Plaza at Dubai Festival City, where I stayed on business a few years ago. It looks as if not only are the front line staff working well to create a great brand at Crowne Plaza, but the support functions within that business must be in synergy too. Well done to all!

Contrast that with my visit to the Great British Business Show at Earls Court 2 yesterday. I was left, mostly, with an impression of people who had paid so much for their stands that they had to sell something. It was almost impossible to walk past a stand without being approached, apart from one stand that was constantly surrounded by people. That was the 4Networking stand, and it was different, because it was staffed by members who are enjoying the experience of 4Networking so much that they were prepared to go and share their passion with other businesses. Then there was the catering. I queued for 15 minutes at three different catering outlets to get a cup of coffee. I may not be the most patient person in the world, but I fail to see how it is necessary to make people queue for fifteen minutes for a cup of coffee. Later in the day the queues were longer. Then I saw a little coffee cart in the corner! I queued again, maybe for five minutes, and ordered a filter coffee from a pleasant enough member of staff. She went to get my coffee, then turned to me, a little embarrassed. ‘Oh’, she said. ‘We haven’t got any milk’. The exhibition had been open for just over an hour, and the coffee stand had run out of milk. Somewhere, I’m sure, there was a manager or supervisor whose job included making sure that coffee stand was properly resourced. They had failed, and unfortunately, that failure is the memory I will take away from Earls Court 2.

More worrying is the fact that we are now less than a year from the great spectacle that will be the 2012 Olympics. On yesterday’s evidence, perhaps they should have been held in Glasgow.