Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
We (my bride and I) have safely returned from St. Louis. The ATSI convention was great. I snapped hundreds of pics—hopefully a few will be good enough to print. I also recorded 7 interviews for future podcasts, which will be posted online at podcast.connectionsmagazine.com starting this week.
The drive there and back was uneventful (except for one short traffic delay from an accident). Driving only took a tad longer than flying. I surely didn’t miss the airport security and all the other hassles of flying.
The hotel was typical for its price class: $9.95 a day Internet access, $3.95 bottled water in the room, and a sign reminding me that they would only provide fresh towels if I asked. To see what they would do, I didn’t ask, but they replaced them anyway.
Why do upper tier hotels pull all this stuff, with the lower priced ones acting much more accommodating and providing better value? In the room, I was amused by the granite counter-top adorning a vanity with a cheep veneer face. I do, however, give high marks to a polite and helpful front desk staff.
One evening, we had a chance to visit the arch (just a few blocks away). Since it’s next to the Mississippi, we got an up-close look at the flooding, which was a fearfully awesome sight.
On Friday night, we met my cousin; this was the highlight of the trip. He took us to a local pizza outlet (IMO’S) and then to Ted Drew’s, a local frozen custard stand. It was the most wonderful tasting dessert I have ever had. I’m still salivating over it.
Their website mentions shipping orders anywhere in the continental US — for $90. (This gives me an idea for another “Smokey and the Bandit” sequel: deliver a trailer full of ice cream across state lines before it melts. And because CBs aren’t cool any more, they’ll communicate via text messaging from their cell phones. Very hip. I’m sure it would be a hit.)
Anyway, if you are ever in St. Louis, you must check out Ted Drew’s—you’ll be glad you did. And don’t be put off by the long lines—they move quite quickly, plus its part of the experience.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center industry.
Read his latest book, Call Center Connections.
