You ever had one of those moments that stops you in your tracks?

I was walking down Walking Street in Vietnam (of all places), minding my own business, heading to a bar for a quick drink… And who do I see? Only the lad I used to walk to school with every day! He lived a few doors down from me growing up… We’d knock on for each other every morning and kick a ball around til it got dark – we went everywhere together through school and into our teens. Proper good mates. Then, life happened. He emigrated to Australia in his early 20s… and that was that. Without the likes of Facebook back then, we just lost touch and time ebbed on.

Fast forward 30-odd years, and there he was. Standing outside a bar, pint in hand, same old grin – hadn’t changed a bit. Still a die-hard Birmingham City fan too (nobody’s perfect I guess). His face was an absolute picture when I walked up… We had a catch up, although we couldn’t hear much over the music – but it didn’t matter. That moment said it all.

What are the chances? It reminded me how big the world is… And yet, how small it can feel. You can be 6000 miles from home and still bump into someone you know – or who knows you.  And that’s an important thing to remember in business…  You never know who remembers you, who’s talking about you and who knows who…  People remember how you treat them. The service you gave. The promises you kept. Or didn’t.

So whether you’re moving goods, selling products, or delivering services – do it right. Deliver on your promises, give good service and leave people with something positive to remember. Because this world? It’s smaller than you think.

How about you? Bumped into someone you know thousands of miles from home? I’d love to hear your stories…