No football but plenty extra time

27 June 2002 by
No football but plenty extra time

I hate football. When the subject comes up in our local pub, my eyes glaze over. When colleagues say: "What a match yesterday," it means nothing to me. In games at school I was known as Peter "The Cat" because of my preference for snoozing in front of the fire.

On the day England played Argentina I was, therefore, at my desk as usual. Shrieks and roars could be heard from the office next door (a computer firm with a TV) while I prepared facts and figures for a series of regional meetings with our members around the country.

Normally, this would be interrupted by countless phone calls from strangers, with whom I have no intention of doing business, selling water coolers, integrated communications systems, advertising space, insurance or crisps. These can be time-consuming, since I have to politely take any call in case it is a potential member, sponsor or hotel guest. There are usually many e-mails, faxes and letters, too, that soak up time for no benefit.

I shouldn't complain too much. We dish out our share of direct mail - but all, of course, in the best possible taste!

On this day, however, the phones were virtually silent. E-mails were almost exclusively from countries with no World Cup prospects. My helper was unwell, so I had the place to myself. It was wonderful to be able to start, think through and finish tasks in such tranquillity.

A few hoteliers I know go away from their businesses sometimes to "plan". They say they can achieve more at home, in a villa or in a rented cottage than inside the hotel.

As a young GM, years ago, I never seemed to be free from the demands of customers or staff long enough to come up with ideas. It was a constant battle just to get through that day or night. Why didn't my employers send me to Bali for a period of quiet reflection?

My work in recent years has enabled me to meet some of the most successful hoteliers in the UK and elsewhere. If they have one thing in common, it is an ability to stand back from day-to-day operations and think about the bigger picture.

In an attempt to emulate them, I used the aforesaid lull to contemplate our marketing strategy and get to grips with occupancy survey results, distribution and reservations figures (which show a marked improvement on last year, by the way). With the luxury of time, I put these statistics into a semblance of order, with illustrations of the promotional work we've been doing this year.

It is possible that I shall now be able to sound as if I actually understand them myself.

I still hate football. But I'm glad so many others don't.

Peter Hancock is chief executive of Pride of Britain Hotels

Next diary from Peter Hancock: 8 August

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