Rosy’s final feedback

We asked Rachel from Rosy’s Guesthouse to provide us with their feedback on the Skills Exchange. Click here to read their initial requirements (before the project started) and see here for a detailed description of the help given during the Skills Exchange and most importantly what they learnt as a result.

“As the Pilot Skills Exchange draws to a close, and Simon and I are reflect on all that we have learnt and gained from the project, albeit it a whirlwind for the two weeks that Steve was here and the difficulties involved with online communication only both before and after Steve was with us regarding all of the marketing material/website etc, we are both very happy to have applied and very grateful to have been chosen to participate. We feel that we have learnt lots from both Steve and his team with the design processes involved in each separate item, as well as more information than we thought we could take in regarding online social media, marketing and targeted ads. The suggestions and push in the right direction in the office is invaluable and yet completely logical and something that we are already putting into practice and seeing results from since Steve has left. The accounting advice given was explained to us in a way that we could completely understand and is something that we will be able to build on and develop in the future and that I am very keen on developing further as soon as we are familiar with the first steps taken. As a result of talks with Steve during his time here, and understanding more about organisations working together as the project went on, Simon and I became open to the idea of joining the STAY WYSE organisation and its benefits to those in the travel industry and have started the application for joining as the first individual member in Cambodia.

I hope that Steve from umi Hotels, his teams are umi marketing and 2am media also gained from this project and that there was something they could take from it, I’m sure they hadn’t worked with Khmer script on signage before! I know that Steve has developed some connections with several local charities here which he is keen to strengthen now back in the UK. We are glad that others in our community of Siem Reap have also benefited from the Skills Exchange.”

Considerate Hoteliers Association Director says it’s time for more hospitality businesses to “stand up and be counted” with their CSR work

John Firrell MIH, Director of Considerate Hoteliers Association when told of Steve’s mission commented, “It is always inspiring to hear about hoteliers who make that extra special effort, take their social responsibilities the extra mile, and put their efforts where others merely pontificate. Steve has humbled many of us by going to Cambodia, rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in.  He supported the very worthy work of the Hotel School whilst there but also indicated his willingness to both support and promote the work of the school from here on in.  We could do with more people with the vision and “can do” that Steve has exhibited – truly a Considerate Hotelier. There are many within the responsible hotel sector who do get involved, and long may it continue, but equally there are many less responsible hoteliers who do not. It’s time to stand up and be counted, as Steve has done.”

And the website goes live

Hey there Guys. Sorry for the silence but it has been a busy old week!

Good news though… The new Rosy Guesthouse Website is live so go check it out on www.rosyguesthouse.com ! Share it and let us know what you think about it! Check out the press release about the exchange project here http://tinyurl.com/5wou2ah

Check out the difference!

The end of the ISTC exchange … for me at least

Well that’s it from me in Siem Reap. As I sit here for the final time in the restaurant of Rosy’s, looking out onto the bustling streets of Siem Reap, I thought it would be a great time to recap on what has been a whirlwind few weeks.

The experience has been wonderful and really hope that the work and help done both at the guesthouse, and at the charities, will be fruitful for all parties.

From the minute I landed I have been so impressed with the warmth and friendliness of everyone here. The Khmers are a wonderful set of people and this is a wonderful country, which despite the obvious economic and social problems, still is a friendly and enchanting place to visit.

Highlights of my trip are difficult to pick out as there has been so much done.

I think all the charities I visited had to be high up on the list. The work that these people do is truly remarkable and wish them all well with all their projects. I hope in some we can raise awareness for them a bit, as well as raise some money to help the projects continue. So thanks to Grace House, Trailblazer, ABC Rice, Sala Bai Hotel School and Globalteer and good luck with all your projects.

Thank you to Simon, Rachel and the Rosy team for everything; the food, the smiles and the hospitality. I hope all the work we have done will be of benefit to the business and look forward in keeping in touch to seeing how it all progresses and the website going live next Tuesday!

I really hope this pilot project is the first of many that ISTC can do in conjunction with STAY WYSE and the other associations within the Youth and Student Travel industry. It has been a fulfilling experience on so many levels I would recommend anyone to try their hand at doing an exchange likes this in the future.

Ha Kuhn!

And now, the end is here, and so I face the final curtain

Hey there all. A little bit of Frank Sinatra on my last evening in Siem Reap. So the ISTC skills exchange draws to a close.

We spent the afternoon going over some further designs, having a bit of a recap of all the stuff we have done, and discuss various reports and figures that have all been completed and are now being used ! The website will go live next Tuesday which is very exciting and also it has been great to see the guys here embrace some of the operational changes suggested. I think a lot has been achieved in a very short period of time and am looking forward to hearing from the guys over the next few months to see how the changes have worked and if it has helped the business.

Check out the new Rosy Flyer Design

In the evening I went with the Rosy resident tuk-tuk driver Chantha (who impressively has a website http://cambodia-tour.net/ ) to a local BBQ restaurant where I was presented with a buffet of raw meats and fish and then filled up and cooked them on a strange stock and grill combination. Check out the photos on the link here http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=283231&id=518049903 .

I will blog a bit of a summary tomorrow and after that, the next time you will hear from me I will be in London (for a few weeks at least!).

And the Exchange is coming to an end

Well has time flown FAST!

These are the last few days of myself being in Siem Reap and a lot of the work we have done over the past week or so is not coming to a head. The website design is pretty much finalised and is to be built next week (will let you all know when it is live), the branding is out there for the first time on a poster for the Rosy Charity Raffle on Friday as well as confirmed designs for some paper based literature (done by Laurence at umi Marketing). Today, Rachel finished the final budget complete with other revenues (had only done the rooms revenue last week) and Simon, Rachel and I sat down and went through a few hours of both competitor analysis and SWOT analysis and a bit of a brainstorm as to where we can improve things further at the guesthouse. Finally, we have been frantically writing content for the new website so that it will be an easyish for the guys at 2am who have kindly agreed to build the website for us (www.2ammedia.co.uk ). New Rosy Business Card . V funky! Check it out here

All in all a very hectic but enjoyable day. It is great to see the excitement in the Khmer staff following the training yesterday as well as they have been asking further questions today which shows that it sunk it and they want to learn more. It is also great to see that Simon and Rachel have been really enthusiastic about not only the creative design bits and pieces but embraced the more formal accounting and strategic advice.

It is a bit sad that this exchange is coming to an end but really do feel that I have made some great friends here and also think the exchange communication and development will continue for a few weeks yet!

Hotel School in Siem Reap

Well another inspiring day seeing what people do here and the Sala Bai Hotel School was no different (http://www.salabai.com) .

I first went there for lunch and had a lovely two course Asian inspired meal cooked and served by students. Delicious, well presented and served with a great big Khmer smile!

I then sat down with Jean-Paul Dethomas (the School Program Director as well as meeting the training coordinator Anne and the communications manger Emmanuelle ) to hear the story of the hotel school and how it all works. I will summarise the story but it is truly great (more can be found on their website) . Basically, it is a hotel school for under privileged young people, aged between 17-22, who have not been to school for  5 years or longer ,and are from a family that earns less than $100 a year (combined for the whole family). The selection process is very strict and with inspections and interviews from social workers, candidates are checked that the information they give is true and because everything is paid for (from housing to medical assistance to teaching to uniforms) that they really want to do it . The course lasts 11 months which includes English lessons, a little French, both practical and theoretical hospitality skills in 4 major topics ( Front of House, Housekeeping, Food service and Food Preparation/Cooking ) and 2 work placements in local 5 star hotels. The students come from all over Cambodia, but 75% are from Siem Reap and 70% of the total yearly intake are female. The school also works really hard to make sure that the students get employment (and they all tend too; there are a number of staff employed at Rosy’s  with the students often sending 50% or more of their salary back to their family (many are from orphanages and send it back to other relatives) . The money they earn once skilled can really meaningfully change their lives and provide them with a real future. This is all funded through various charitable donations, sponsors, volunteering so that these students do this on a full scholarship basis. The students train in a live environment as there is a fully functional breakfast and lunch operational kitchen and a 4 bedroom hotel where the revenue from both functions goes towards funding the students scholarships.

I think the photos below sum up a lot but if you would like more information about the story, or how you can get involved check out their website or even email me on steve@umihotels.co.uk  and am happy to explain.

All in all, I think you will agree, an amazing initiative that puts the stuff we do in the west to shame and something that I plan to get involved with, as much as possible with supporting them, along with the other charities that I have seen here, both personally and through the businesses and associations I work in. I can honestly say that where I may have given business & marketing skills one way, I have been truly humbled and inspired (and skilled if that makes sense) by the many generous people who give so much time here as volunteers,  helping those less fortunate than themselves.

Enjoy!