Bill's Bountiful Blog
May I keep you posted on my thoughts, ideas, observations, and silliness?. Am I serious? Is it relevant?. Does anyone care? Probably not much.
But in today's age of everyone has something to say, why not me? And who can blame me for jumping into to the pool? For speaking up For laying it out?
"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." - Thomas Wiley, Journalist
Oh Canada - Lodging Newsletter June 30, 2023
By Wm, May
Published: 06/30/23
Topics: Education, Hotels, Housekeeping, Inns, Lodging Newsletter, Reputation, Vacation
Comments: 0

"Management by wandering around" explains a style of business administration which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace to check with employees, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work.
There may be no other industry as appropriate for MBWA than travel and lodging.
Great managers must keep their fingers on every aspect of every dang little thing. Nothing can be taken for granted, everything must be inspected, schedules must be maintained and, no matter how diligent a company, some guests will want more than they pay for.
But you'll only know that if you talk to guests, staff, vendors, competitors and even the government. All this in hopes that changes can be detected to find opportunities or to avoid problems in the future.
That idea can be stretched to walking around other businesses too, so for a few weeks we have been wandering around British Columbia and Alberta, staying at or visiting great lodges, speaking to staff, and just watching their world go around.
It has been said that Canada and the US are countries born of common ancestors, separated by a common language. The differences in lodging management are subtle but noticeable.
Businesses cooperate together to promote their destination in ways that can seem lacking elsewhere. Employees seemed authorized to make good decisions.
This letter isn't to say that Canada has everything figured out. Turning on the television shows some of the same political skullduggery that exists in every country. People just don't agree on everything.
As we departed one lodge we saw the attractive young manager, who had taken time to talk on several occasions, walking around the property, policing the area, straightening things up.
Walking around Canada provides new insights we can use to make our business better every day.
====================================
The pace of change is accelerating. Here are some changes we noticed in Canada, specifically in the stunning mountain towns of Banff and Jasper.
TEXTILES: Each property had daily housekeeping an "option." Some said, "Call us if you want maid service or just towels." Or here is a $5 coupon for each day you don't ask for housekeeping.
COUPONS: The coupons were to their in-house restaurant. They save far more in cleaning labor than the cost of the food, probably $20.00 or more. And guests lined up early to cash in.
STAFFING: Half of the lodging and restaurant employees who served us were young Aussies. Companies recruit in Australia for seasonal staff. Young folks love the travel and come back year after year.
COSTS: Staffing in this way is not cheap, as employers pay for food and housing. At the incredible Columbia Ice Fields (www.BanffJasperCollection), where you can ride onto the glacier on giant wheeled vehicles, over 250 staff room in what they laughingly refer to as "The Ice Palace", but looks more like a very old college dorm stuffed with people.
WELCOME BOOKS: None of these pricey places had an in-house welcome book - but they all had gorgeous printed materials about all the other things they were anxious to sell you - boat trips, gondola rides, museum walks and, of course, their restaurants.
CUSTOMERS: Canada has a fast growing immigrant population and the diversity of travelers is everywhere. Many languages, styles of dress and behaviors. Some cultures travel in big family groups, while others dominate the ever present tour busses.
GENUINE: Every business wants every staff member to exude friendliness. Although there are dozens of restaurants in Banff alone, from fast food to fancy food, employees provide quick service without seeming to be hurried. This is management honoring their people.
HONOR CODE: Most businesses had famed "Codes of Honor" proclaiming how well they would treat you and including how well you must treat fellow customers and staff. We bumped into them in fancy hotels, low-cost restaurants, in bike shops, in museums and even in Starbucks.
GUEST TERMS: Having started as vacation rental owners, we have always felt that a clear set of terms was essential to foster good guest behavior. We have wondered if we ask too much, but then we seldom have a problem guest. Perhaps, we should call them the "Codes of Honor."
STRESS: Banff sees 4 million visitors a year and the small business core is alive with visitors. Jasper welcomes 2.5 million per year. Together this is a non-stop stream of inquisitive travelers who could overload a system, but there is little stress because both towns admit that tourism is what pays the bills. (And pays them well.)
In U.S. locations, there are always curmudgeons who want visitor income but would prefer that people stay away. American cities and counties who are chasing vacation rentals out of town are myopic.
Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0960 – 06/30/23Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com
Hi Tide Resort Nearby But Far From Seabrook
By Wm. May
Published: 06/11/23
Topics: Hi-Tide Resort, Moclips Beach WA, Ocean Shores WA, Pacific Beach, Seabrook Resort, Wildlife
Comments: 1
We love our neighbor to the south. Seabrook Resort has brought more visibility and new visitors to Washington State's North Beaches from Ocean Shores to Moclips.
Now with 500 new homes perched on a cliff to the south of the town of Pacific Beach, it boasts stores, restaurants, a town hall for weddings, and thousands of neighbors. Newspapers have extolled its virtues and praised the developers for this "New Urbanism"
We are not sure what that means, but praise of our beaches is nothing new. Over 118 years ago, Seattleites hopped trains to "Visit The Shore" at Moclips Beach. and to stave off the city's sweltering summer heat in our warm clime moderated by the refreshing Pacific Ocean.
Since the advent of the automobile, families have zipped to the North Beaches to jump the waves, dig razor clams, collect shells, make sand castles, and watch the sun sink slowly in the west. This is where folks come to getaway, to relax and to invigorate their souls.
At Seabrook, you can pay big money to rent a vacation home for a week or weekend. Or you can rent a moderately priced oceanfront condo at Hi-Tide Resort directly on Moclips' Moonstone beach. And there is a difference here...
From Seabrook town center you will get to trudge 2,000 steps and then descend 200 steep stair steps just to reach the sand, with the ocean another several hundred feet beyond that. While at Hi-Tide you only need to stroll a pleasant 99 steps directly through the level dunes to the ocean. (No steps.)
Of course, if you want to stretch your legs further, you can walk for miles down the coast. And never need go back up any stairs.
Most homes at Seabrook don't have a view, while every one of our condos looks directly out to the rolling surf. The few Seabrook homes that do have a peek-a-boo view may provide binoculars or telescopes, in hopes guests can catch a fleeting glance at seabirds and boats on the horizon.
But you won't need binoculars at Hi-Tide. You can sit on the deck, put your feet up, smell the salty air and marvel as thousands of seabirds swoop and soar directly overhead.
In some seasons there are actually millions of acrobatic Rock Sandpipers, Wandering tattlers, Surfbirds and Black Turnstones migrating from Arctic feedings grounds far to the south. They pass directly overhead and just off the shore.
We must admit Hi-Tide has no swanky restaurants and no tony stores. But if you just can't wait to spend lots of money, take the 8 minute drive to Seabrook. Then after blowing all your cash, zip right back to Hi-Tide to spend all day and all night listening to the ocean and the birds.
Maybe you'll even see that legendary green flash as the golden sun drops below the westerly horizon each evening.
So how about this for a plan - Make a short pit stop at Seabrook to jostle with all the tourists and spend all your money. But stay directly on Moclips Beach at Hi-Tide Resort to rest, relax and recreate.
Author: Wm. May – Why Stay Anywhere Else, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0954 – 06/11/23Sponsor: Hi-Tide Resort – You can't get any closer to the beach than this. comfy, cozy, modern condos at Hi-Tide-Resort on Moclips Beach WA State. – Hi-Tide-Resort.com
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