I just got back from three days on a business junket of sorts in the Big Easy. I’ve been to NOLA a few times and the after-effect is always the same: I need some sleep.

Retailers everywhere – from the big boxes to the corner mom and pop store – universally struggle to deliver a consistent experience that meets or exceeds the customers’ expectations. Yet I would argue that the little town at the end of the mighty Mississippi delivers just that to visitors. Despite dishing up a smorgasbord of services – from high-end cuisine, to loud, live music and tankards of cheap hurricanes (the drink not the weather phenonenom), to certain pay-to-play activities I won’t mention here – the city that almost drowned manages to do it in a consistent spirit and energy, leaving almost all its visitors happy and wanting more. Though one must leave after a few days to catch one’s breath, most will become repeat customers.

And isn’t customer retention the name of the game?

Yes, the city has challenges: Katrina struck a huge blow, the government is rarely in full working order, and there’s a might socio-economic disparity among locals.

So, why does it work? Why do people swear by this city? I think it’s about spirit, not mechanics. It’s not scripted, it’s not “Disney-fied.” For the most part, it’s still authentic. And people can taste that – not just in the food, and the drink, but in every aspect of the experience.

So what’s your “spirit?” If you don’t know, and if all you have are scripts and processes, you may be in trouble. Take a trip south and do some field work. Walk down Bourbon and then branch off. There’s something to learn down there.