Sitting in a MINI is meant to be fun. According to MINI, you do not drive, you “motor.” I remember sitting in the seat of the floor model for the first time. I do not feel like I am sitting in a regular car. The attributes of the car elicit the feelings of sitting in a go-cart. There are many standard features, like a cooled jockey box, that show how focused MINI is with small details.
After contemplating what color I want, silver, the salesman shows me my car. I want to hop in and check the fit, but I can’t. MINI saves that significant moment until after you sign the papers and the car is yours. That detail makes me sure I am picking the right car. No one else has been in my car; no one has taken it for a test drive; it is mine. I realize that MINI is very concerned about maintaining the MINI culture and this is achieved through details. I go home with a “Welcome to the Owner’s Club” gift set. I love driving my car. I also love getting monthly gifts in the mail from MINI.
One of the funniest gifts is a “MINI Motoring Messaging Kit.”
I receive a CD case filled with cards to flash to other “motorers” and drivers. I also receive a custom MINI mug that is designed after MINI realized the forward cup holders don’t hold standard cups.
When I take my car for oil changes, it is returned to me clean, washed, with mints on my car seats, and fun stickers on my windshield. I’ve always enjoyed small but meaningful details, but I have not realized the patronage I give to companies who do likewise.
As I think about my passion for details I wonder when it started. My mind is filled with other companies that are detail oriented, but I know it started with something else…
Me and my sisters are spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. There’s only enough beds for my sisters. Since I’m only 10, Grandma sets up a cot for me in the corner.She doesn’t want me to feel like I am being punished with a boring bed, so Grandma gets a bright quilt that my great-grandma made. I stay up all night studying the handmade treasure. I'm curious about the perfect intersections of the white squares and pink stripes. I see that each stitch around each tulip and leaf is put there by hand. My great-grandmother wanted to make the simple designs and fabrics fancier. Hand quilting changes the feeling of the quilt as well.It’s not a stiff blanket. The stitches make the fabric softer and I can tell it took extra time and shows the love of my great-grandma. Grandma sent the blanket home with me. I feel so special. I think I will try to figure out how to make a quilt.
While visiting New York City, my daughter and I go to Tiffany and Company on Fifth Avenue. After looking at the acclaimed windows, the first interaction with Tiffany’s is being welcomed by the security guard, wearing a Tiffany Blue tie, who functions as a doorman. While we enjoy browsing, elevator operators, reminiscent of times past, ensure we reach the correct floor. Tiffany’s goes out of their way with details when you purchase jewelry. All items come in the classic Tiffany Blue Box wrapped with a white ribbon, red at Christmas time. Even your receipt comes tucked in a white envelope. Of course, that box and receipt are placed in a Tiffany Blue bag. And even an extra bigger bag because it’s raining. They sell charms to remind you of your experience with the store. These details make me want to come back.
Driving home from school is much faster. If I push it, I can shave 40 minutes off my morning commute time. As I pull my MINI into the garage, I reflect on my thoughts of this morning. I am all about details, simple details, and not gaudy extras. Whether in a city, in a store, or in a piece of artwork, it is the small time consuming details that attract me. I enjoy the forest, but mostly I appreciate the trees that make up the forest.
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Image of Mini Cooper Service Stickers from northamericanmotoring.com
