A Quick Straw Poll
18 Nov 2008 by Peter Barrett
We recently had a marketing conference near Gatwick. From our office in Bracknell I knew there were at least 7 people who would be travelling there – probably on their own. So I decided to do a bit of market research: I emailed all the relevant people and suggested we try and share cars wherever we could, plus it would be good to have a chance to catch up on what each of us was doing (At the conference, there is so much organised there’s hardly any chance to talk!).
So what happened?
One person told me she thought it was a great idea but she was seeing a friend after the event and needed to take her car to get back on her own. She could take people one way, but didn’t think that would be a great idea!
Another offered me a lift – right from my front door – and another said she would be happy to join us. We met her at the office, had breakfast together, drove to Gatwick, then found a very nice tea and sticky bun shop near our hotel and had elevenses (as you do). We arrived at the venue, feeling full up and a little bit pleased we’d also done something environmentally positive. Incidentally, the car we went in was a Toyota ‘hybrid’ – that’s probably good, too.
I did not hear from the others.
However, I had to stay for another meeting after the ‘official’ end of the event, so I was planning on getting the train home as my original driver had already left with her colleague. Then I bumped into another Bracknell office worker who offered to take me home. He’s a pretty busy guy, so it was good to be able to spend an hour in the car together. We had a really good conversation and he gave me some useful insights.
So that’s 4 out of 7 who responded positively in some way. Not sure what that means, but I certainly enjoyed the experience!
Related Action
Liftshare
(Blog photo taken from here.)
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About the Blogger
Peter Barrett
A fan of Arcade Fire, U2, T-Bone Burnett, Radiohead, Everton football club (since I was zero), Liverpool (the town where I was born), poems (writing and reading them), Flannery O’Connor and David Mitchell, coastlines and deserted places, changing the world while having fun and films by Martin Scorcese.
GB , 20 Nov 2008
Just goes to show peter if you don’t ask you don’t get….
Good on you for taking the initiative and approaching your colleagues.
Sounds as though it worked out well.