Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

The Sweet Service Award  goes to Mark, the Manager at Willoughby & Co in the V & A Waterfront, for reversing a potential Sour Award into a Sweet Award.   A customer went to Willoughby’s just after 22h00, after seeing a movie, wanting a quick calamari meal.  Initially she was completely ignored.  A waiter then asked how she could be assisted, and when she said what she wanted to eat, he apologised, saying that the restaurant was closed, even though all the doors were wide open.   He was adamant that the kitchen had been cleaned up already.  According to him, the kitchen closes promptly at 22h00.   The customer asked whether it was possible to have sushi instead, and the sushi chef agreed immediately and made a hand roll most promptly.   Just at that point Mark arrived at the restaurant, and had heard that there was a problem, and came to the customer.  He expressed surprise that the closing time had been communicated as 22h00, as it is 22h30.  He immediately offered to have the calamari dish prepared.  It was delicious.  The “crowning glory” was that Mark refused to accept payment for the meal, a most generous make-good, and a sure way to build brand loyalty.  

The Sour Service Award  goes to Daniel of Planet Fitness in Durbanville, for calling a guest house in Camps Bay at 15h00 on a Sunday afternoon, to check if it had received undefined vouchers.   Daniel made it sound as if he was a long-lost friend, and as if the recipient of the call would know who he is.   He was told that direct marketing calls on a Sunday afternoon for business purposes were not professional.   His boss Heinrich agreed and apologised.  However, a day later, another person from Planet Fitness in Durbanville called, with the same question.   The recipient of the call had to explain to the caller that it was extremely unlikely that a Camps Bay resident or guest house guest would drive all the way to Durbanville, a journey of 30 - 45 minutes, depending on traffic, to use the gym!

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Conrad Gallagher, celebrity chef and youngest chef ever to win two Michelin stars, has had his restaurant Geisha Wok and Noodle Bar in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel in Green Point provisionally liquidated.   Affected by the liquidation too is the collection of Sundance coffee shops, which also belongs to Gallagher - the Sea Point and Buitengracht Street branches in Cape Town are definitely closed.

Gallagher owes the hotel rental, as well as MacBrothers for equipment.   In addition, his staff walked out during a meal, as they had not been paid for two months.  

In addition to his restaurant in Cape Town, and his coffee shops, Gallagher was a consultant to the Atlantic restaurant in the Table Bay Hotel, and was a consultant to the Sun International Hotels and the Trump Group.

Gallagher has fled to his home country Ireland, reports the Cape Times, but Gallagher claims that he will return to Cape Town.   It is reported that Gallagher initially left Ireland with a trail of debt.  

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The movie ‘Disgrace’, which is based on Nobel prize winner JM Coetzee’s Booker Prize winning book by the same title, is a beautifully shot movie, depicting South Africa’s beauty, as well as its social complexity, and should stimulate tourism to this country, if the viewers can look past the shocking depiction of the crime stereotype associated with South Africa.  The movie is set in Cape Town, Grahamstown and on a farm in the Eastern Cape.  It has just started screening locally.

Starring John Malkovitch as UCT Professor David Lurie, fortunately without any attempt to speak with a South African accent, all other actors are South African, and make one feel that one knows characters such as those depicted in the movie, and that one can empathise with them.   At all times the Malkovitch character feels to be the odd one out.

A Cape Argus review summarises the book and the movie as follows: “Like the book, there’s a definite sense that the person who created this piece of art loves the country and doesn’t understand the people.”  Local actress  and radio presenter Natalie Becker also stars in the film, as does South African actress Jessica Haines.  DO Productions in Cape Town co-produced the movie.

The book originally caused an outcry, being criticised for reinforcing racial stereotypes, despite the new South Africa.    Coetzee left for Australia soon after writing the book, and now lives there.   The director and screenwriter are an Australian couple, yet seem to have an excellent grip in representing life in South Africa.

The movie is showing at the Cinema Nouveau movie houses at Cavendish Square and the V&A Waterfront, as well as at Canal Walk, and was a winner at the Toronto and Middle East Film Festivals.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com 

Despite a public commitment to re-open Chapman’s Peak later this month, the Entilini Concession has informed the Western Cape government that it will not meet its deadline, due to the weather, the construction worker strike, and the delay in construction material delivery (the material previously came from Switzerland, but the supplier has gone bankrupt, and it now has to be imported from Japan), which hampered and delayed construction on one of the most beautiful scenic drives in South Africa, according to a report in the Cape Argus.

The route, which links Noordhoek and Hout Bay, has been closed for over a year, due to rockfalls, despite having been extensively rebuilt in the past few years to prevent rockfalls.

Given the monies that the Western Cape government has to pay Entilini if the drive is not open, cynical Capetonians are saying that it is not in the interest of the company to re-open the route, and therefore are calling for the cancellation of the contract the Western Cape province has with the route operator.

No new re-opening date has been announced for Chapman’s Peak.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The bane of the hospitality industry is a website called TripAdvisor.com, which carries reviews of accommodation establishments, restaurants and tourism attractions in cities, towns and villages around the world.   The reviews are written by travelers, and are extremely candid in presenting their feedback, often with photographs.

Travelers have become very confident in documenting their feedback, especially when it is negative, and so it is quickly evident that the majority of reviews tend to be negative – unhappy guests tend to express their views, while happy ones literally use word-of-mouth rather than TripAdvisor to communicate their happiness with a tourism product.   Yet the website carries a high degree of “credibility” amongst trip planners, in making their accommodation, restaurant and tourism attraction decisions for their holidays.

Whilst the intentions of the website owners was very honourable in setting up its website, it appears to not have understood the human nature of both reviewers and of tourism product owners.

Tourism product owners have known for some time already that TripAdvisor is used by many vindictive guests, who may have experienced something to their dissatisfaction during their stay/meal/visit, and then tend to use TripAdvisor as a blackmail tool – “compensate us fairly or we’ll go to TripAdvisor”.  Those tourism product owners that stand firm against blackmailing guests run the risk of a string of negative reviews on the website, and unfortunately one negative review can set off another reviewer and colour the content of the reviews.   Tourism product owners have also observed that in their vindictiveness, the reviewers do not hold back in their abuse in disparaging the management of the establishment concerned, in exaggerating detail, in dishonestly describing the details, and in not giving credit for any reductions, freebies or any other compensation given to the guest.   Guests who have read the negative reviews, and still decide to visit a tourism product, are much more sensitive and judgemental, and could become negative reviewers themselves.

TripAdvisor offers tourism product owners the opportunity to send a Management Response, but they have very strict guidelines in the content they allow – one may not say that the guest (reviewer) is not telling the truth, one may not mention the name of the guest (most are written anonymously), one may not disparage the reviewer in any way, even if the management have been disparaged, or if the guest made mistakes or broke the rules.   A Management Response on TripAdvisor can come across as being very defensive, especially when written by an emotional owner/manager, and may do more damage than not responding at all.

Something tourism product owners have also picked up over time is that some negative reviews are written by competitors, who wish to slate their fellow hoteliers, restaurants and tourist attractions, to gain more business.   This is a low form of doing business, but is not visible to guests.   TripAdvisor would listen to an owner’s feedback if such a review has occurred, but the affected party will not be able to prove who the perpetrator is, and that it is not a guest writing a review.

It has also understood that some tourism guests are offered incentives by tourism product owners to write positive Tripadvisor reviews.

Now the shoe is on the other foot, in that TripAdvisor has received negative media publicity about its shortcomings, and has had to admit that many positive reviews have been written by the owners/management of the tourism products, a practice that product owners have known to be going on for many years.  News reports of late show that a number of TripAdvisor’s 400 000 products have been flagged as such by TripAdvisor on its website, until the owners can prove the contrary, reports Die Welt.  The red box next to a product states that TripAdvisor has reason to believe that the property has tried to manipulate the popularity index and rating of the product. As soon as the products show they are keeping to the rules again, the warning is removed by TripAdvisor.

Where does this leave travelers who want to plan their trip, and who relied heavily on the website?   Perhaps they should consider the following:

1. How long ago was the review written?  Most establishments are devastated in seeing a review, and will address a reported deficiency immediately, if they have not done so at the time that the guest stayed. 
2. How many reviews are there per year/month?  The average guest house would have about 100 couples visiting in a month, and if a review frequency is only every 6 months, then the review only represents 0,2% of the total visitor numbers, and therefore should be ignored. Even one review a month represents 1 % - no establishment can run at zero defect, and because product staff are human, and their guests are human, it is inevitable that one cannot please all the guests all the time!
3. Is the review constructive, even if it carries negative information, and does it praise at least some aspects of the product?  If there is nothing to praise at all, the reviewer shows his/her bias
4. Read between the lines – put yourself in the owner’s shoes, and evaluate whether the response and actions attributed to the owner/manager are reasonable, especially if the product has been operating for a number of years.
5. Check for a pattern – is the same complaint coming up, or is it a rant about a different aspect of the property each time.  Understand that maintenance and repairs are a constant challenge for hospitality establishments, and it is reasonable to expect that something could be operating less than satisfactorily.  The establishment must be given a chance to fix the problem or to make good to the customer in another way, before TripAdvisor is approached.
6. Read other websites to obtain a full-rounded picture of the establishments, and do not rely on one website such as TripAdvisor only.   In South Africa all professional accommodation products are graded between 1 and 5 stars, and every year the properties are re-assessed, adhering to ever more stringent guidelines.  Check with the Tourism Grading Council if the TripAdvisor reviews reflect the property, for an alternative opinion.
7. Try to speak to guests who have stayed there before – they will be best able to give a fair review, even if they have not written a review on TripAdvisor
8. Check the length of the review – the longer it is, the angrier the reviewer is, and the less likely it is to be balanced.
9. Check the rating of the review - it is evident that most reviews are 1 out of 5, or 5 out of 5, rarely in the middle.   This does not provide a balanced picture, and often a pattern of a positive, followed by an extremely negative, review is observed.  No product can range between extremely fantastic one month to extremely terrible the next month.  What usually differs is the guests, and not always the product.

The writer of the Hotel Marketing Strategies blog spoke to Michele Perry, Vice President of TripAdvisor, and asked her for some guidelines regarding TripAdvisor.  Her advice was as follows:

1. Owners should read the feedback and should improve problem areas.
2. Do not offer any incentives to guests in exchange for a review – “a free night, a coupon off the next stay, a discounted meal, etc. – is strictly against our rules”.
3. Owner are invited to register on www.tripadvisor.com/owners, to learn about the TripAdvisor tools for owners/managers.
4. Negative reviews should be addressed via the Management Response service on the website.   “…how a property reacts to the criticism is more important to prospective guests than the negative comments themselves.”

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com 

In 2006 a German initiative, created by Kai Hill of a Berlin-based communications agency, was established to give a long-term perspective to 2010 disadvantaged children in South Africa, to coincide with the 2010 World Cup.

Hill is using the young South Africans’ love for soccer to give them a joy for life, and has involved a number of German companies and charity organisations to support his initiatives.   His focus is on children affected by AIDS, and those that are orphans or street children.

“KickAIDS” offers soccer training combined with health training, to enhance the knowledge of young people about AIDS, and to reduce its stigma.   A training facility has been built in Soshanguve, close to Pretoria, to allow 2010 children to be educated.   An agreement was signed with the University of Stellenbosch recently, to allow its sports facilities to be used for the soccer training of disadvantaged children.

The project is receiving good coverage in the German media, including Bunte, Hamburger Abendblatt, Bild, and Der Spiegel, which is good publicity for South Africa.

For more information, see www.stars-of-tomorrow.org

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, yesterday launched a Brand Messaging Book for Tourism, in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.

The Brand Messaging Book, a mouthful of a brand name which could have been more polished, was prepared by S A Tourism for South Africans who come into contact with foreign visitors for the World Cup, to ensure that they ’sing off the same songsheet’ when they discuss the country, and to make them “confident brand ambassadors for South Africa” says BuaNews.

The BuaNews (government news agency) media release describes the country as follows: “South Africa is the adventure capital of the world, offering visitors scenic beauty, magnificent outdoors, sunny climate, and cultural diversity - all of which have made it a popular leisure travel destination.”   The claim to be the “adventure capital of the world” seems inappropriate and unsubstantiated by the rest of the description provided, as well as relative to previous marketing messages about South Africa.

“Destination messages” are detailed in the Brand Messaging Book for core target markets, e.g. the global travel trade, consumers, and event organisers.   It also contains “inspirational messages”; beautiful photographs; ideas; information to counter “negative perceptions and realities” about safety, malaria and visas; recipes; and facts and figures about South Africa.

The Brand Messaging Book for Tourism can be ordered from itspossible@southafrica.net

At the same function Minister van Schalkwyk announced that soccer star, ex Bafana Bafana captain and Leeds United player Lucas Radebe has been appointed the S A 2010 Ambassador to the world.   Radebe will work with S A Tourism “to help deliver destination messages and to help grow interest in South Africa globally, not only as host of the FIFA spectacular, but also as a holiday destination.” says acting S A Tourism CEO Didi Moyle, as reported by Engineering News.   “He has the stature and the global credibility this role demands.  He is exceptionally well travelled globally, but his heart lies here in South Africa.  He loves our destination and our people.  He is a champion of South Africa’s ability to successfully host the World Cup.”

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Sweet Award goes to Paarl Motors for effortlessly dealing with a customer’s car for a service, in collecting it from and dropping it off in Franschhoek, returning it beautifully cleaned, and charging an affordable price for the service, even though the vehicle is three years old.  The customer sent her Garage Card along for payment, and it was returned safely, and payment taken efficiently.

The Sour Award goes to Boulder’s Beach and its management, the National Parks Board.  Penny Klann, a registered tour guide, writes as follows:”National Parks is paranoid about letting people in without paying at the penguins at Boulders Beach (and at other tourist attractions such as the Cape Point nature reserve) and have instructed staff at these paypoints to check the tour guide’s i.d. card to make sure that they are a bona fide tour guide. Tour guides go in for free, as we ideally like to accompany our pax to see the penguins in order to give information to our pax about these fascinating birds. I have been going there on a regular basis as a tour guide for 15 years, and in the past year it has become irritating to say the least to be treated by these pay-point officials as if I am trying to get in illegally. For a while I had a tour guide card i.d. which had expired, but I had already paid up my new membership and was waiting for the new card to arrive. I explained this to the woman at the gate (who was intent on wielding her authority and blocking my access, as well as the 40 German tourists I had who were champing at the bit to get in to see the penguins, not to mention other tourists also waiting in the queue). As she would not accept that I was a paid-up official tour guide (in spite of my badge and the fact that my 40 tourists all obviously were with me), I showed her my Wild Card. This should have allowed me in without paying, even without a tour guide card, but - no - the woman insisted that I should show her my ID document to prove that I was the correct card holder. Unfortunately my Driver’s Licence was in the coach, parked some 400 metres away… and I tried to explain this to her, but she was determined to undermine and humiliate me in every way she could. She forbade me from going in with my pax, which meant I had to wait outside the gates and let my 40 German tourists go in without me. They were absolutely gobsmacked, and I felt like I was a criminal. These pax had had me guide them around the whole of South Africa for 2 weeks, and now their guide was being barred from entering a site of prime importance on their tour itinerary!  Yesterday I was at the penguins with 2 high-profile VIP guests, and the woman at the gate studied my Tourist Guide ID card for a long time, and then said “You are not registered for the Western Cape”. I realised that she was looking at the back of my card, which lists the provinces for which I am registered. In my case, because I am a National Tour Guide, it states “All provinces”, which was obviously too complicated for this woman to understand. She got very uptight when I explained to her that the reason she didn’t see the province Western Cape mentioned is because I am registered for all provinces. Do these officious-minded people who work at this pay point have nothing better to do than be sour, unwelcoming and downright pathetic? They should be glad to have a job at one of the world’s most popular, charming tourist sites. They should be making the tour-guides who bring them paying customers feel welcome, not be intent on humiliating us in front of our pax. Why would we tour-guides want to get in for free in any case if not for the service of providing our pax with commentary? We tour guides have all seen the penguins countless times!”

Governor of the Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, caught the market and most economists by surprise today, by cutting the interest rate by 50 basis points, to 7 %, a positive sign that may signal a reversal of the credit crunch.

The interest rate is an indication that the recovery of the economy has not been progressing as speedily as the government would like it, given the previous interest rate cuts since December.  It could also be Mboweni bowing to the pressure from trade union federation COSATU for a cut in the interest rate.   Finally, the cut may be a reflection of the slow but certain decrease in the rate of inflation.

The cut in the interest rate eases the pressure on family and buusiness incomes, and should have a positive effect on tourism.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Domestic and short-haul tourism are important markets for South Africa, and should be nurtured, says Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk, reports Travelwires.

The credit crunch has demonstrated the vulnerablity of the international tourism market, Van Schalkwyk said, and therefore the new domestic ‘Sho’t Left’ campaign is vital, he said, which he unveiled in the form of a mural.

The Minister said that the local tourism industry had “managed to keep its head above the water and has in fact performed well amidst difficult circumstances”.   While domestic trips declined by 8 % in 2007, the total spend on domestic tourism increased by 17 % to R 26 billion, he added.

“We understand ….many South Africans and visitors from short haul markets are again discovering their own backyards, so to speak.   Visitors are again realising the exceptional value for money South Africa offers as a destination, and we must step up our efforts to boost domestic tourism” said Van Schalkwyk.

The Sho’t Left campaign encourages locals to travel locally, by offering them value for money packages.

Whale Cottage Portfolio www.whalecottage.com