The Macy’s Day Parade was an epic success this year! But it could have been an utter failure for us. You never know what obstacles will have to be hurdled. We’ve learned we can handle anything and still put our clients first.
A Fire at the On Time Elite Lot
After months of preparation, we anticipated the big event, just a few days away when. . .our lot went up in flames. Now that some weeks have passed we are taking this week’s blog to address what occurred. As detectives and officials have chalked it up to an “act of God,” we know this much is certain: seven of our units burned to a crisp and we had a mere two days to bring in inventory to make this parade a success.
It was 6 :00 am when I got a call from the owners at On Time Elite informing me the business was up in flames. Frantic, I could not believe my ears and immediately went into damage control. Our advisors told us to clarify with the news outlets that called us to find out about our business and ties with the Macy’s Day Parade. At first I was brief as we did not know the magnitude of the situation. Not until NBC, ABC and FOX sent helicopter footage of the fire did we know the damage was serious.
The Macy’s Day Parade Must Go On!
Our clients at Macy’s called us freaking out: we were two days shy of one of the biggest live events in New York City and our clients were watching the artists’ units go up in flames. Naturally, we assured our clients that we had the inventory to replenish the lost vehicles. But while any other small business owners can relate, you spend days, weeks, and years working for the ultimate growth and success of your company.
What makes On Time Elite special and sets us apart from all other vendors is our ability to create unique units that cater to celebrities and staff alike. While other vendors just take the bookings for a quick buck, we take on the projects and elevate them. For us, this fire was devastating, but we did not have a chance to mourn, because at On Time, the client always comes first, and we had to work double-time to be able to fulfill the Macy’s order.
With Danny as our fearless leader, we managed to bring in eight units that were intended to be remodeled out of production and deliver them to the uptown ops. It was a 36-hour booking and we assisted the Macy’s staff in blowing up all the balloons. When the balloons were successfully blown up, we proceeded to bring 13 units to the downtown ops team. By 5:00 am, all the units were in position, and all artists and performers quickly sheltered them for warmth and luxury.
The Most Successful Macy’s Day Parade to Date
As we reflect on all that occurred, it seems so bizarre that we can compile it all into mere paragraphs. Although we may never know how this fire came to pass, we do know that our values and ethics remain as strong as ever. Many would throw in the towel and mourn the loss of units that have seen many events and been a part of successful campaigns, projects, and photoshoots. We did not. We turned the page and had the most successful Macy’s Day Parade to date.