It’s happened to most of us. Your appointment ran a bit longer than expected. You check your watch. You know it’s going to be close.
There is a sense of urgency as you plan your route to your car, weaving in and out of pedestrians on the sidewalk as you look ahead to the next crossing signal. It’s flashing. If you hustle, you just might make it…
A minute later, as you approach your parked car, you notice the piece of paper pressed beneath your windshield wiper and you think, “I’m too late…”
Out of breath from your gauntlet, you tug the notice out from beneath your wiper blade and prepare for the worst.
When this recently happened to my wife while on business in Cheyenne, Wyoming, she removed the notice and read the following:
Howdy Pardner!
WELCOME TO CHEYENNE
The Patrol Officer has noticed that you have violated one of our parking ordinances. This ordinance OVER STAYING THE ALLOTTED TIME is usually punishable by hanging, but seeing as how you are a visitor to Cheyenne we want to make your stay here as enjoyable as possible, so the offense will be overlooked this time. (Besides we couldn’t round up a posse in time for the hanging.)
If we can be of any assistance during your stay in Cheyenne, please call 637-6331. If you have any comments, please fill in the area below and mail by pony express or stop by the main ranch house at 2101 O’Neil Avenue and take a look around.
What a relief! How delightfully unexpected! This may be the first time that a patrol officer brought a smile to my wife’s face by leaving a notice on her windshield.
I recognize (as does the city of Cheyenne) that humor doesn’t offset the expense of running a city. But it does provide a laugh and makes a lasting positive impression on visitors to Cheyenne who will likely share this positive experience with others.
Whether you received a parking citation and fine or this “Howdy Pardner!” notice, you will likely remember the event either way—for evoking feelings of frustration, anger, and loss in the case of a ticket or delight, relief, and surprise in the case of this refreshing parody.
How do you want to be remembered by your customers?
What can you do in your place of business to transform something that may be creating predictably unpleasant memories into something that inspires smiles and lasting positive impressions?
