This summer my wife and I took the kids on a mega road trip along the East Coast of the USA. Throughout the course of the holiday we must have eaten in more than 60 cafés and restaurants and – believe it or not – didn’t have a single bad meal! During one drive we started making a list of the top five places we had eaten – a difficult task, which soon turned into several top five lists for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was interesting how, even for our kids, the quality of the service played such an important part in our ranking.

The tipping system in the US, where staff rely on tips to bring up their wages, really does seem to drive good service. But I also think it’s down to the emphasis restaurants put on customer feedback. Some places simply included a link for online feedback on the receipt as is common in the UK, but most had a much more direct approach, with The Hamilton in Washington D.C. being the best example.

Our waiter Dan ‘knew his product’ and gave mouth-watering descriptions of the specials. He asked if it was our first time eating there, and what our favourite foods were, and recommended a few things from the menu. But the biggest surprise came at the end. After we’d paid the bill the manager came over to our table to ask us what we thought of our experience at The Hamilton. When we replied in true British fashion with a simple “great” he asked us three further questions:

• Was there something you would have liked to see on the food or beverage menu that was missing?

• Was there anything your server could have done, said or explained to make your experience more enjoyable?

• If you had a friend visiting Washington next week would you recommend us and why?

To us reserved Brits these questions could seem a bit pushy but it was done in a relaxed and friendly manner – and I believe it was a far better way for him to get feedback and sort any issues than through an online form or TripAdvisor. Now back at home I’m wondering how I could incorporate this direct feedback approach into our interactions with customers and what my  three questions might be.

At one of our weekly management meetings I mentioned how I thought we had all been getting a bit slow at answering the phones recently and asked everyone to keep an ear out when it rings. One of the newest members of our team was surprised at this – saying how we were about the quickest to answer the phone at any company she had ever worked for. That may be so, but there is always room to improve – and it reminded me of some excellent customer service I once received in a hotel in the Middle East.

For the past few years I have been lucky enough to get away with my wife for a long weekend at a very nice hotel in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. With a 5 star rating on Trip Advisor, it boasts great food, excellent rooms and staff that couldn’t be any more helpful.

Breakfast is to be found at a large self-service restaurant with a spectacular selection of food from almost every part of the world.  It may sound silly but one of the things I found most impressive was that when you chose something which requires a spoon to eat it, the waiter would notice and have a spoon waiting for you at your table before you’d even got back to your seat. One morning I decided to test the staff and picked out only foods that needed a spoon and each time I returned to my table a clean spoon had magically appeared.

On our most recent visit, however, the hotel had employed a new manager and we quickly noticed some changes, the spoons, alas, being one. This year we had to ask for spoons (I know – outrageous!). Although they arrived almost instantly, causing no disruption to our breakfast, it did make me think that the standard of service had dropped.

Going back to our management team meeting, we talked about the small things that can greatly affect customer experience and from now on, we are all looking for opportunities to give our customers a ‘spoon moment’ and deliver amazing customer support.

There are many parallels between the worlds of sport and business – and, showcasing some brilliant and appalling football, this year’s World Cup offered rich pickings for lessons about strategy and teamwork in action. Here are my top three conclusions from Brazil.

1. It’s all about the team

In the run-up to the World Cup there was a lot of talk surrounding the star players. Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Balotelli and Andres Iniesta were all cited as players capable of carrying a nation single-handedly into the final – and yet all were on their way home after the group stages. In business you could compare these players to the star salesperson, who struts around the office proudly telling everyone how great they are and how they are saving everyone's jobs as a result of their latest great deal. My experience is that you can only be the star salesperson when you have a great team around you delivering on your promises.

In my mind it was the defensive unit of Argentina, marshalled by Javier Mascherano not Lionel Messi that took them to the final. Germany, however, were the ultimate demonstration that the strength of a collaborative and selfless team far outweighs that of a lone star. As a business we need to acknowledge and celebrate the operational and administration departments that make us look so good week in, week out.

2. You have to take risks

USA’s Tim Howard’s 16 saves against Belgium were enough to set a new World Cup record. Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico also made a name for himself with a number of amazing saves. Statistics show that the USA had the best defence in the tournament, making the most blocks and tackles but neither the USA nor Mexico progressed to the final. Germany had the second best defence – but Germany also had the best passing record and the top goal scorer. A well-organised business with good processes is the foundation which keeps customers happy and coming back, but to grow and develop you need new customers and products. You can’t win in any discipline unless you’re willing to take calculated risks, go out into  different parts of the 'pitch' and try and score with some new customers and markets.

3. You have to believe

I sat with a friend to watch the Germany vs. Brazil quarter final and as we watched all the pre- match build-up, he turned to me and said: “Brazil are going to get thrashed.” They just didn’t look up for it. The Brazilian team completely overplayed Neymar’s injury and the lengths to which Brazil’s federation went to get team captain Thiago Silvawho’s suspension overturned sent a clear message to the rest of the team: we do not believe we can win without these players. Brazil lost hope and forgot to play. There are many occasions in business when we could convince ourselves things are not possible. We have all heard things like ‘we can never get that finished this week’, or ‘that company will never deal with us’. Opportunities and chances are dead before they are even started in a self-fulfilling prophecy. But a little belief can go a very long way.