My friend, Rick Wilson DMD, is writing a novel.

The story features a wonderful brewery in England called Gack & Bacon Brewery, established in the 16th century, now fighting off its conglomerate rival, Slore’s. (Their motto? “It’s beer.”)

Gack & Bacon has an in-house pub called the Pig & Trebuchet. In a recent post (he’s sharing tidbits online with some of his friends), Rick shared with us a little of the magic of the Pig & Trebuchet – The Bad Table.

Every restaurant has one, that table by the kitchen or bathroom (or both) that has the built-in annoyances. No one wants to sit at the Bad Table. But the P&T leadership turned that negative into a positive by making the table special for all who sit there. Special menu, special visitors, special activities. Always some little surprise and delight.

And people come in asking to sit at the Bad Table. My favorite line from this part of the story reads…

…”I’ve been Bad Tabled,” was even local slang for being surprised by something excellent and unexpected…

How do you take a negative noun and turn it into a positive verb? The key is in the phrase surprised by something excellent and unexpected.

What are you doing to turn around a negative associated with your business with something excellent and unexpected?

• If parking is an issue, do you offer a valet service?
• If price is the driver of all purchases, do you have a lower priced item (from which you can upsell)?
• If location is an issue do you have billboards or wall signs directing people where to go?
• If convenience is an issue, do you go out of your way to make the experience memorable?

At this morning’s meeting my staff and I decided we are going to turn Toy House into a verb. To be Toy Housed is to be pleasantly surprised and delighted in such a way that you have to smile. We’ll accomplish that by first doing four things:

1. Play More
2. Listen More
3. Ask More
4. Know More

I’ll let you know when Merriam-Webster puts it in their dictionary.

-Phil