Business

Why ensuring the wellbeing of its employees supports positive guest experiences

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2022

UNDERSTANDING your customers and staff is essential to ensure a successful business. For one of West Wales’ top tourist resorts, guest experience, employee training and wellbeing are at the heart of its business model.

Bluestone National Park Resort near Narberth, Pembrokeshire, attracts thousands of guests to its 500 acre resort each year. Ensuring every guest has the best possible experience is its number one priority.

From accommodation to food and beverage, outdoor activities to its Blue Lagoon water park, each area of the business has its own unique needs and requirements from guests and staff.

“You cannot underestimate how much work goes into ensuring we provide the best possible short break holiday experience for our guests,” explains Claire Lewis, Head of Guest Experience at Bluestone.

“Crucially, we strive to make sure that every guest that leaves Bluestone not only wants to return but tells their friends and family about what a great time they had. The slightest upset during their stay could impact on that. Therefore, we have to stay one step ahead at all times, and we do this by making our team a central part of the guests’ journey.”

Bluestone has been working with one of the UK’s leading customer experience insight providers to support this. Insight6 South Wales director, Mel Evans, works closely with Claire and the senior management team to track the guests’ journey, gauging their experience and ensuring employees are trained in providing the best.

From mapping the journey of a guest’s experience within all parts of the business to understand each and every eventuality, undertaking reviews of their stays, to advising on improvements and training.

“We work very closely with the team at all levels as every member of staff is an integral part of the guests’ experience one way or another. It’s not just the front-of-house team or the F&B members, it’s also the support staff, such as HR and finance. They all have an important part to play,” said Mel.

“With Bluestone, we undertook a deep survey among its employees. One of the areas raised by many was internal communications. Many felt they didn’t know what was happening within the business. This resulted in a positive change with the implementation of an employee app, providing live and regular information from all departments. It’s made a huge difference.”

Mel added: “We also worked with the People Services team using our employee feedback portal, which during the pandemic allowed the business to gather feedback from all its employees, measuring how they were feeling and allowing the team a safe place to express any concerns or stresses. People Services could then quickly react to anyone who needed help or support.

“The wellbeing of employees can impact on the way they interact with a guest, therefore ensuring they are able to talk and receive support if they have concerns, maybe stressed or just need someone to talk to is vital

“Good internal communications and positive wellbeing among employees will provide a positive impact on or guests to enable them to enjoy their experience at the resort.”

Mystery shopping has played another key role. A technique used for many years and in Bluestone’s case the guest experience is measured from the point of booking to the point of leaving the resort. It remains a crucial way to understand where and how a business is doing well or not so good.

Customer researchers are sent in regularly to gauge what guests are experiencing. This is then fed back for review, allowing changes to be implemented where they need to be.

“On an ongoing basis we also measure guest experience across the resort with QR codes asking for feedback “in the moment” in areas such as Blue Lagoon, Well Spa, restaurants, venues and other locations. Our feedback portal then flags if there has been any feedback that requires action and staff are able to respond to the issue immediately – the same day,” said Mel.

Claire points out how the feedback from one venue stated that guests would like more seating for busy periods. “As soon as that feedback came through, we immediately made more chairs available. It was as quick as that.”

Claire added: “Unfortunately, many businesses might understand their customer journey, but they only take a snapshot. That’s a moment in time and things can change, quickly. Our method is embedded into what we do day-to-day and there are constant measurements we use to monitor our guest experience from end to end.

“Working with Mel and Insight6 we have developed a robust and successful guest experience tracking system. It ensures we are constantly looking at how we can improve our services and is one reason we hope why our guests leave happy, relaxed and want to return.”

Business

TSB to close branches, including Carmarthen Blue Street

Published

7 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Tom Sinclair

TSB BANK has announced a substantial reduction in its physical presence, with plans to shutter 36 branches across the UK.

This move is anticipated to result in the termination of approximately 250 jobs.

A spokesperson for TSB remarked, “The decision to close a branch is never taken lightly, but our customers are now predominantly engaging in digital banking activities, necessitating a recalibration towards a more balanced provision of digital and in-person services.”

The banking giant has emphasised its enduring commitment to maintaining a national branch network while highlighting the expansion of alternative banking avenues such as video, telephone, and digital services.

The affected branches, as outlined by TSB’s official website, are as follows:

Alloa
Bedworth
Birmingham, Pype Hayes
Bridlington
Buxton
Carmarthen, Blue Street
Cwmbran, General Rees Square
Dovercourt
Edinburgh, Leith
Felixstowe
Frome
Glasgow, Cardonald
Glasgow, Castlemilk
Haddington
Hounslow
Lerwick
Leven
London, Bethnal Green
London, Clapham
Longton
Manchester, Middleton
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Milvain
Peterhead
Sheerness
Stornoway
Torquay, St Marychurch
Whitehaven
Amble
Aylsham
Banff
Bedlington
Bude
Crook
Flint
Tenbury Wells
Whitchurch

The closures are expected to be implemented gradually, beginning this year, marking a significant transition in TSB’s operational strategy amidst the evolving landscape of banking preferences.

Business

Welsh home sales increase but pricing comes under pressure

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HOME sales continued to increase in number in Wales during April according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey as a higher number of listings and good buyer demand led to more transactions taking place.

A net balance of 35% of surveyors in Wales reported that house sales rose through the month of April, the fifth consecutive month that this balance has been on an upward trajectory. Surveyors in Wales also appear optimistic on the short-term outlook for sales, with a net balance of 14% of surveyors anticipating a rise over the next three months. This balance is the second highest across all UK regions, after Northern Ireland.

New buyer demand is also said to have risen through April according to the survey. A net balance of 37% of respondents in Wales reported that new buyer enquiries had increased.

On the supply side, a net balance of 47% of respondents in Wales note that new instructions to sell had risen. This is at a faster rate than was seen in March when the net balance was 41%.

However, surveyors are not as positive on the pricing front. A net balance of -8% of surveyors in Wales reported that house prices have fallen over the past three months, which is just below the UK average which sits at a net balance of -5%.

Looking forward on house pricing, a net balance of -15% of Welsh surveyors expect that prices will edge lower over the next quarter.

The intense demand for rental property appears to have softened a little in April. A net balance of 17% of surveyors in Wales noted a rise in tenant demand for rental properties which is down from 50% in March. Supply of rental property is said to have fallen flat through April. On the expectations front, a net balance of 17% of respondents in Wales anticipate that prices will rise over the next three-month period.

Commenting on the sales market, Melfyn Williams, MRICS of Williams & Goodwin The Property People Ltd, in Anglesey said: “The property market in our areas is showing promising signs of activity, particularly at the lower end. Homes in this bracket are ticking over nicely, keeping the market vibrant and buoyant.”

Anthony Filice, FRICS, of Kelvin Francis Ltd in Cardiff said: “There was a marked increase in listings, viewings and sales agreed across all price ranges, even over £1,000,000. There is a wide choice of properties, and if sensibly priced, are selling well. There is confidence, but it is still a buyers’ market.”

Discussing the rental market, Paul Lucas, FRICS of R.K.Lucas & Son in Haverfordwest added: “Demand for all types of property remains in a dwindling supply. Many landlords are leaving the letting market.”

Regarding the UK picture, Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist, RICS, comments: “Feedback to the latest RICS survey demonstrates the sensitivity of the sales market to interest rates at the present time, given the continuing challenge around affordability.

“A modest back up in mortgage pricing has contributed to the flatlining in the buyer enquiries metric over the past month, as well as the slightly more cautious signals around near-term expectations.

“That said, there is still a strong perception that activity in the market will pick up in the latter part of the year and into 2025, irrespective of any political uncertainty around the general election.

“As far as the lettings market is concerned, an increasing number of respondents are also drawing attention to affordability constraints, and this is reflected in a more modest pace of rental growth. But a fundamental problem in the market across much of the country remains the imbalance between demand and supply with new instructions continuing to decline”.

Business

Paul Butterworth appointed Vice Chair of Regional Learning and Skills Partnership

Published

1 day ago

May 7, 2024

Richard Lewis

Paul Butterworth, the CEO of Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, has been appointed as the new Vice Chair of the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership (RLSP) for south-west Wales.

Covering Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea, the RLSP is dedicated to bridging the gap between education, skills, and regeneration. It aims to ensure that the skills provision is aligned with the economic priorities and opportunities of the region, as well as tackling the new skills landscape that is happening within the energy, construction, manufacturing and digital sectors.

As CEO of Chambers Wales, Paul brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the economic and skills development of Welsh businesses with him to the board.

As the voice of the business community with policymakers, Paul will advocate for enhanced skills training, infrastructure improvements and the creation of skilled jobs, all aimed at creating local economic growth.

Upon his appointment, Paul said: “I am determined to create a better and fairer business landscape for West Wales to ensure that the local economy has the best available skills development for future project development and the transition into the green economy and energy sector to ensure West Wales thrives.”

Jane Lewis, Regional Partnerships Manager at RLSP, said: “We are delighted to have Paul on the board. He will be instrumental in achieving our goals and look forward to the positive impact his appointment will have on the region.”