If a plant is getting really dry, is there a chance I could save it?

I can't promise because I don't know much about plants, but one of my clients had gone away for a few weeks and no one came on to take care of her plant. When I went in to clean, the day before she got home, that plant looked like a goner. Brown and shrivelled. But there were a couple of green spots close to the soil. I took the whole pot and put it in the kitchen sink and filled the sink with water. Left her a note explaining why. She called me a few days after she got home and said it was thriving beautifully. So, if there is any green at all, give it a fighting chance by letting it soak overnight in a sink full of water. What have you got to lose? If it's dead, you can't bring it back, if it isn't completely dead, you may be able to save it.