“Can I help you sir?” A confident voice asked from behind an impressive marble topped, dark oak wood podium. I had just flown to Los Angeles from the Midwest and couldn’t determine who would win the battle brewing inside of me. Am I more hungry than tired or the other way around? If there were a restaurant less than a block away my stomach would win. But, to crown one or the other impulse champion I had to know the lay of the land. There I stood at the concierge desk looking for the tie-breaker and answers.
I replied her inquiry by laying out my dilemma succinctly.
“All day on flights with just coffee, a stale chicken salad sandwich and airplane pretzels. Where’s the closest place to get a decent meal?”
Dutifully she pulled a map from her drawer and with a bold red pen and firm stroke circled the hotel on the map. All seemed to be going well and I anticipated what board of faire would be tickling my palate in just moments.
A green leafy salad or succulent steak, spicy shrimp tacos or 6 inch tall burger with bacon. It made no difference, all sounded delicious. Her confidence and willingness to help me had swayed the battle inside of me. Now the thought of chowing down on nearly anything she would suggest won the day. I could even feel my mouth water with anticipation.
She spun the map around with boldness and declared, “You are here.” My mind raced and I impulsively licked my lips as my eyes darted around the crude rendering with the bright red circle… But then all my thoughts and dreams of a delicious banquet were dashed in a moment with her saying, “Oh wait that’s not the hotel.”
She was very impressive and so were her surroundings. The hotel was very nice (nice enough for a concierge desk) and likewise her post and smart business attire exuded authority. She spoke with a certain assertiveness that gave me reason to trust her judgement. But, I had been had. She wasn’t even sure of where the hotel was on the map.
In one glance she could tell by my now stunned and bewildered look that I knew something was amiss. All of her assuredness seemed to evaporate before me as she apologized and admitted she just started that week and this was her first night by herself on the desk. She went on to further explain that she was not from the area, got turned around easily and never had even been to any of the area restaurants.
Unfortunately, that happens a lot where we fall pray to people that are trying their best and they have impressive back up, but their real experience allows only for guesses instead of answers.
We see this phenomenon often in the elevator business. A building owner, designer, architect or general contractor hungers for a solution to their elevator woes. And there are plenty of woes. Slow installation, arrogance, plugging up the work site with elevator components, delays and more delays.
Big elevator companies are not into solutions for vertical transportation. They focus on up selling maintenance agreements. Help is seemingly limited.
Modular elevators are a solution as the siren’s song beckons with the lure of an easy fix. But, then you find yourself lodged on the rocks of disappointment when the solution you were hoping for was only backed up by lack of experience, the approach of a neophyte and the smoke and mirrors of slick marketing and canned responses. No answers, only guesses.
What must be kept in mind is that elevators are complex and usually the largest moving object in any building. Then that complexity is compounded by various needs required from engineering to install. The result is that it takes true professionals and experience to make it all come together flawlessly and without disappointment.
The issue is not with the modular elevator concept, only a few in the modular elevator business. See, modular elevators are the solution to so many of the problems with traditional elevators, but only if they are backed up by experience. Modular elevators are the future and the present if done professionally and you get legitimate answers.
After all they are quite impressive and down right amazing and the results can be off the charts (recent project quotes from a GC). But to pull off the complexities and make the project go off without a hitch, it takes real experience. And that is what you will find in the leaders of the modular elevator industry at MEM.
MEM elevators are produced with more experience and higher skilled personnel than any other in the modular elevator industry. We provide quality, consistency and simplicity for every job we do. That means that you will find the experience refreshing and easy. We do all the heavy lifting with competent and professional project managers willing to answer any questions and guide the process from beginning to end.
What went wrong at the hotel was two-fold. I was taken in by the promise of food when I was hungry for answers. And the concierge put forth a façade of experience that encouraged me all the more. I then dreamed of the potential and the promise of a meal. Instead it was Cheetos and beef jerky for the main course and Peanut M&Ms for dessert.
I wanted a great meal, but instead got the vending machine.
When you are hungry for a solution to your elevator issues and you see what seems to be answers, think about the true experience of MEM and the value we bring in providing what you are really desiring. To get the ball rolling on the best solution for any low or mid-rise project, click the link below to receive a professional FAST TRACK quote. Or if you want to see how we produce a quality commercial elevator that installs in four hours schedule a LIVE VIRTUAL TOUR of our facility. Join the elevator revolution with real answers to elevator issues not guesses.
Boy been there done that. Front desk once sent me on a wild goose chase for a bar I never found. Must have had a deal with the cab company. Experience is crucial with modular or anyone in the construction biz.
Sounds like a trip to Cincinnati I once had. Thanks for the comment and keep us in mind if you ever need an elevator.
Experience is so important. Nearly gave up on modular after another company kept pushing our delivery date back. Then we found MEM! When they say something you can believe it.
Thanks for your comment and using MEM for all your elevators. We really appreciate your business and will work to keep your team using MEM elevators.