The people at WestJet and their commitment to the spirit of service motto will always impress me. The customer service aspects of this company are second to none.

Whenever I travel, the logistics are not a simple task. My needs are fairly standard for anyone in an electric wheelchair. Let me give you a brief run down on what a trip might look like. I arrive at the airport in this wheelchair that is powered (Thank Goodness). I drag my bags behind me, even though the bags are on wheels. I get up to the check in clerk where she takes the bag and places it on the carousel. Then I’m told that due to my late check in time I must head to security, where I’m checked over from head to toe by guards which is great. On the other side I can relax, but just for five minutes as I’m being told that I’m must get to the gate for Pre-boarding. The Pre-boarding operation is handled without a flaw. There are four or five other passengers that get on the plane with me in the pre-boarding stage. At the door of the plane I’m guided to my seat which is in the first row of the seats. Then the other passengers are allowed on this plane.

My seat mate is a very interesting person from Kelowna that I happened to know. What are the chances of that happening, well um……

The crew readied the plane, and the using the company slogan “let’s get this bowing going” we were off. Well during the flight the crew was extremely attentive to everyone’s needs and especially mine. My seat partner accused me of having the ladies wrapped around my finger, they were looking after me so well. I guess my charm was working rather well that day.

Remember the precedence for getting on the plane; well it was just reversed for getting off. As I kept looking back, only to see people in a line coming at me, one can only hope it ends soon. This little old lady with a cane brings up the end.

The crew in Kelowna had my wheelchair sitting at the door of the plane waiting for me. I felt like I was the only customer that WestJet had that day, and to that is the way everyone within the service industry must make every client feels when he or she leaves your door.

The spirit of service that runs through this company must be modeled by all organization from the largest of the large, to the one-man companies just starting out. If you adopt this model, you cannot help but build a winning team.

For more advice on how to bring the “Spirit of Service” into your work place, contact Mike at michaeldhaines.bowtiekreative.com.