This weekend’s Thrival Festival, conducted by Thrill Mill was excellent. The investor pitches that happened at Google’s Pittsburgh Office in Bakery Square were among the most polished pitches I’ve seen. Then the evening’s music festival across the street was hopping.
Early in the evening, I mentioned to Bobby Zappala (co-founder of Thrill Mill and organizer of the Thrival event) that I was not able to grab my ticket online because ShowClix had had shut down ticketing already – and his reaction demonstrated customer service at its finest: he reached into his pocket and pulled out a $20 bill (the cost of admission), handed it to me, and said. “Use this. I’ll get it back later from the person at the gate.”
Now I understand why his portfolio companies looked so good in the afternoon and why the event went so well. His reaction showed class, quick thinking, and an attitude that doesn’t hesitate to put the customer first.