Hippy-dippy stuff? Not at all. Central London serviced apartments are directly responsible for my winning a contract I never thought I’d get.
Have you ever traveled to London to see prospective clients and ended up in a small business hotel in the middle of town? It’s a pretty soulless experience, all breakfast buffets and spotlessly ordered, but generally uninspiring, rooms. And everyone around you has that air of transience you normally associate with airports and railway stations.
So a friend told me about these Central London serviced apartments – full on flats with all the mod cons and not a penny more expensive than putting myself up in a reasonably sized room in one of the aforementioned small business hotels,
Next time I needed to go down and make a pitch I booked into one of those. The difference in my experience was incredible. I was met, greeted and shown round the apartment by a very nice young lady who told me I could phone her office if I had any questions or needed anything extra. She pointed out the web connection, the complimentary DVD collection and the well-stocked kitchen. I thought, I’m going to like these Central London serviced apartments…
I wasn’t prepared, though, for the massive difference my apartment made to my pitch. Until I contrasted the experience in my mind with my normal in and out of London affair. In the bad old days I’d have to be up, dressed and prepared for the meeting before I’d managed to get myself down to the breakfast buffet – to ensure I was fed and alert before the masses arrived and I missed my train. In Central London serviced apartments, I get up later because there’s no rush to beat the crowds, cook my own breakfast with my own music on, and head out the door when I’m good and ready. Refreshed and most importantly relaxed before the big pitch.
Pacing around in the apartment the night before the meeting, drinking my beer from my fridge and running over my pitch in my head, I had all sorts of new ideas for turning it from a working pitch into a really impressive one. There’s nothing like a bit of space to help free your thinking.
And the next day, fresh from my Central London serviced apartments, I walked in there and sealed the deal. I’ll be staying there every time I go to the City from now on.
