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    Business Articles

    How Courtesy Killed Respect

    What amazes and irritates me, in equal measures, is the conflation of courtesy and respect. Somehow, we have substituted courtesy in place of respect and in return, we managed to wrap our relationships with one another with cheap glossy packaging…

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    Travel

    A Lesson Forgotten is a Mistake Repeated

    Many years ago I travelled to Baltimore, USA to attend a strategy planning brainstorm session.  In fact, I was running the session with a colleague from Baltimore and we spent weeks organising, planning, setting up; I was sure it would…

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    Shorties

    Cross My Heart

    A Driver picked me up from Bucharest Airport and drove me the 10-minute drive to the Pullman Hotel.  Before he set off, he crossed himself, a little reassuring to me.  Half way there, while traveling a notch below the speed…

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    Travel

    Air Kissing in Beirut

    I love Lebanon in general and I am particularly crazy bout Beirut, even in times of trouble. It is beautiful, dangerous, creative, vibrant, optimistic, lethal, addictive but above all, it is full of surprises, mostly pleasant ones, with the occasional…

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    Travel

    My Wee Fee & I

    Recently in a Paris hotel, I called the front desk. Me: Bonsoir Front Desk: Oui Monsieur, ow can I elp you? Me: Can you arrange for an iron to be delivered to my room please? Front Desk: we do not…

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    Travel

    Over-served & Underwhelmed

    There is a glitzy 5-Star hotel in Qatar that boasts Swarovski Couches in the lobby; they know who they are!  The management is determined to offer legendary service; whether you want it or not.  The hotel is way over-staffed at…

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    Shorties

    How Can I Not Help You?

    Algeria is a beautiful country but they don’t do “Customer Service”. Here is a conversation I once had with Reception in one of the most prestigious hotels: Receptionist: Yes? Me: Can you please send someone to stock the bathroom with…

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    Travel

    Checkout Anytime You Like

    This event goes back to the Seventies soon after graduating from university when I was reluctantly transitioning from studenthood to professional life. I travelled round the Middle East partly to look for work and partly as a tactic to avoid…

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