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What Tenerife could learn from the Redcoats
By Joe | July 20, 2007
Having just returned from a press trip to Butlins in Skegness I have the urge to rant about the hospitality attitude in Tenerife.
I have to admit, that my expectations were fairly modest. I was a Butlins virgin, and as such, I had only the misconception of all-day Bingo, sychophantic Redcoats and noon-till-night knobbly-knee contests as my guide.
How wrong could I be.
Butlins was great.
Mr B has been serving up what the holidaying public want for over 80 years, so you’d figure he and his staff know what they are doing by now - and they do. But it’s not just the facilities, cleanliness and entertainment that make Butlins such a success. The most important - and outstanding - asset is the staff. Or more precisely their attitude.
Having lived in Tenerife for over 15 years now, the disdain for Billy’s (as residents like to call holidaymakers) has reached epidemic proportions. Whether Canarian, or British, the number of businesses in Tenerife who put zero percent in making any effort to be friendly to their customers is quite frankly appalling.
How are our visitors meant to feel welcome and enticed to return if the level of service at the island’s bars, restaurants and shops rarely tops grunting level?
At Butlins, every one of the 1,200 staff employed at the Skegness resort (well, the dozens I encountered, anyway) put in some effort to do their job properly. They greeted you with a smile, listened to what you wanted, and genuinely tried to do their best in whatever role they were assigned. There was no disdain, no “It’s only another dumb tourist who’s left their brain on the plane” attitude. And this wasn’t just the ever-smiley Redcoats. This was the toilet attendants, the food servers, the ride operators, the barmen etc.
And do you know what? Above all else, it was precisely this that has made me want to go back next year. With the general malaise and attitude spoiling the service industry here in Tenerife, frankly I’m amazed that we see so many of the same faces returning each year.
Perhaps we should get Mr B. to come over and show us how it’s done.
Topics: Tenerife, General musings |