Many times Galactic must deliver beyond the ordinary assistance for VIP’s traveling on the group programs as hosts. Just such a situation arose when we were completing a program in Biarritz, France, where the idea of Mail Boxes, Etc. just doesn’t exist! We had a few of our client VIP’s who wanted to purchase antique mirrors and not just ordinary mirrors. They were 200 lb. antique carved mirrors purchased for their homes back in Dallas. We initially asked the antique store if they could arrange for shipment, but when their sales people called us about shipping them back to the United States, they said that the owners couldn’t be responsible for shipping such large and expensive mirrors. We approached our strategic partner and Destination Management Company, asking them to assist us in locating “crates” or a source for building crates to safely ship them back to Texas. We had to locate the appropriate shipping materials and crate builder, address the necessary paperwork, and get the cost estimates for both building and shipping. It was also necessary to ensure the VIP’s understood that this wasn’t something that we could sincerely recommend and that there would be no guarantees that the mirrors would arrive safely to their homes in one piece. Reluctantly, we proceeded with crating and preparation for shipment. Fortunately, after almost 3 months the mirrors were delivered to each of their homes in Texas and none were broken. The cost to ship the mirrors actually was more than the value of the mirrors themselves. The VIP’s admitted later that had they known what complications and extra costs they had gotten themselves into, they probably would not have made the purchase, had they to do it all over again. Yet it was the opportunity for Galactic to deliver the out-of-the- crate value that we think makes a measurable difference.