Month: October 2018

How to be a Remarkable Hotel Waiter or waitress

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Very long ago in Trivandrum, somewhere in early or mid 2000, I used to visit Residency Tower roof top dining place with a group of friends for beer and chit-chat. One of the good thing that made things easier for us a waiter who welcomed us. 

We were not the high-profile dinners, still we were treated well, especially by this waiter whom we had acquainted over our visits. The good thing about him, was the gentle smile, and the readiness to find us a table – somehow, making us comfortable. 

Later, in one of our visit, we couldn’t find him. Later, we found that he got hired for a job in Gulf. It seems a regular customer who liked his service, hired him. 

After he had left, I haven’t found anyone close to this waiter. All those who came after him were the stone faced people, who have such difficulty even in giving a smile after the service. 

 I bet it’s a shame the way most waiters perform at their job. Probably, they are not trained or they are not given any incentive to be good with the customers. So, what’s missing?

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what are the instances you felt completely taken care at a restaurant? What was that special think that make you felt special about the place? Is it just the food, or the ambiance, or the knowledge or friendly waiter who made you feel this.

So, no guesses, this blog is about and for the thousands of foot-soldiers in every restaurant, tea shop and cafes who takes orders and makes our life a little easier.

  • Good communication skills
  • Experience in handling and serving
  • Good sense and knowledge of food that’s served
  • Trained in soft skills 
  • Polite in serving customers

  1. – Responsible for cleanliness and neatness
  2. – Must have a wide Angle Vision
    (Always scan the floor to see if customers require any serving). This is one thing that’s seriously lacking with most waiters. They appear to see through you – even when you raise your hand to get their attention. Why is this happening? Are they not properly incentivized?

    Sometimes, I wish there was a button in each table to call out to the waiter. Not a loud one, but a sound that will be audible to the concerned water. It will make things easier for the customer to get the attention of the water. so, till then, a waiter should ideally have the heart and mind to see the requirement of the customer, even when the orders are thick and fast.

  3. – Provide the information of portion size, spice levels, etc

Green Holiday Budget Friendly Hotel Home Candolim Goa

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Green Holiday Home 

Swimming Pool

Goa, always amuses me for various reasons – Goan fish thali, cheap beer, beaches, lime white churches, open fields, the old Portuguese architecture influenced houses, etc. So, on one of our holiday during Thanksgiving season, we stayed at Candolim, away from the busy Baga side.

This holiday, our first stop was at Canacona, South Goa. We stayed at Bridge and Tunnel shack/lodging at Palolem beach.

Bridge & Tunnel, Palolem
Website: http://www.bridgentunnelgoa.com/
Address: Palolem, Canacona, Goa 403702
Call Us on : +91 9822177450, +91 9420429819
email: info@bridgentunnelgoa.com

At Tunnel and Bridge shack, we stayed had a sea facing room – absolutely stunning view of serene bay. I wish I could stay here for a week, doing nothing but reading, watching the sea, and occasionally dipping for a splash.

Another Shack at Palolem Beach
Fernandes Wooden Huts
Address: Palolem, Canacona, Goa 403702
Phone: 070306 52114

Secret Garden Resort
Address: Palolem, Canacona, Goa 403702
Phone: 098509 25668
Budge hotel at Palolem – Around Rs 1,000

Stay at Candolim – Lodging with Swimming Pool at Green Holiday Home, Candolim

Google search landed me to Green Holiday Home. At first I was skeptical  of the pics seen online. They usually tell a better pic than what they are. Fortunately, Green Holiday home turned to be better than what they showed. This facility constitutes of four apartments blocks. And in the middle there’s a small well maintained swimming pool.

Highlight of facilities at Green Holiday Home:

  • A room with T.V and two chairs ( front room)
  • Bedroom with a with double cot and small balcony
  • Clean bathroom
  • A kitchen with gas stove with fridge 
  • ( Two plates, few spoons, a frying pan and a tea vessel) 
  • A small balcony ( covered with iron grill) to sit and relax

Situated at Candolim, this budget stay is just 5 mins ride to Candolim beach.  I felt it’s best for budget travelers and those who love to prepare coffee/tea or make some slight preparations. Daily, the staff will come to clean your room.

With a daily rent of 1,400 ( November) , I consider it to be a fair price.

As rent varies with season, please contact Mr Seby at #9822155326, or Anthony at 9850474073. And if you meet Mr Seby, tell him you found the place through a blog. 🙂

Additional links:

– Stay with cooking facility in Baga Road – Martin’s Guest House

Guest House at Calungute Baga Road

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Martin’s Guest House

Relaxed Morning

Are you looking for stay in Calangute / Baga area? Heart of North Goa

Affordable / Budget Guest House at Baga Road
Here’s one place right in the middle of Calungute Baga area in Goa. It’s Martin’s guest house at Baga road. I’ve stayed in his guest house on two occasions – Nov 2009 & September 2010.

Location of Martin’s Guest House – Baga Road
Martin’s guest house is located on the Baga road. It’s adjacent to Subway on the Baga road, very close to Our Lady of Piety Church. It’s mid way to Calungute & Baga beach. This guest house is located on the Baga road, which leads to the night party joints like Mambos and Tito’s.

Daily Rent for Martin’s Guest House Baga
In September it’s around 700/800 Rs, and in November I think it hovers around 1,200Rs and in peak holiday season December it crosses 2,000 Rs. For longer stay, I’m sure you’ll get rooms for less price. Call Mr Martin for the current price.

Facilities at Martin’s Guest House North Goa
Each room has attached loo, with A/C and non A/c option. Daily Mr Martin personally cleans the rooms. This gives more safety to your valuables. He stocks the refrigerator with beers and few aerated drinks. Coffee/tea are available on request. He can arrange two wheeler rental through Mr John, who has couple of Honda Activa and other motor bikes.

Before you hire bike in Goa, ask the terms clearly. Some fellas give for the day’s usage, some allow 24 hr usage.

Guest house with Cooking Facility at Calungute – Baga North Goa.
Best part of Martin’s guest house are the two rooms with cooking facilty. It’s equipped with gas, refrigerator, frying pans, pressure cooker, utensils, plates, spoons etc. If you’re the culinary adventuresome kind, then I suggest this place. Calangute market is 5 min drive form this guest house and you can buy fresh fish, meat, vegetable to prepare your food on a holiday.

Enjoy hot cuppa under Goan sun
Rooms with cooking facility comes with your private portico. You can read books, play cards or get into a siesta. Or this parlor is ideal to savor endless cups of coffee or drown chill beer or watch the passing Goan beauties & life.

Holiday Cooking at Martin’s Guest House
If you are coming to Goa as a larger group, then you can take up one room with cooking facility. You can save money and have fun with group cooking. There’s extra charge for room with cooking facility. But then it’s worth to have you cuppa at your time.

Baga Road Martin’s Guest House ( Highs/Lows)
(+) side of Martin’s Guest house: Easy access to Baga/Calanute beach, cleanliness, safety, road access, affordable rent and good service.

(-) side of Martin’s Stay – Road noise, leaky pipes( during our visit), fixed rent (no room for bargain) 😦

Contact Martin’s Guest House
Contact Mr Desmond or Marlette Martins : Phone #: 0832 – 2277306 or 9822184621. Or email at martinsguestrooms@rediffmail.com. Ask for room availability, room rate, facilities and more.

NB: Details is the blog post is from my personal observation. I’m sure, he’ll get few equiries from this blog post.

Amen
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In 2012, I discovered yet another budget place to stay in Calungute, Baga Road, Goa. Check this post:

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NB: To whoever it may concern

If you’re reading this post, it’s because Google (search engines) pulled this post on a hotel in Goa.
Now, I’ve a question to travel marts owners, small guest house owners, or hoteliers or resort owners.

Do you like similar publicity for your resort/hotel/guest house/?

If yes, mail me at ( bcc2charles@gmail.com) & get familiarized on hotel blogging. Get more booking, calls from people searching for travel destination.

Did you know most travelers search internet to know more about the destination, lodging facility etc. If you’re there in the web, they’re coming to your place.

Here’s the big opportunity to use blogs for your hotel PR or to get full-house booking!!

Here’s how I can support you: I can…

  • Write blog post for your travel biz or guest house
  • Write interesting blog post about your travel outpost
  • Write about your hotel/resort/tour packages/facilities/tariff
  • Publicize contact information: Phone #, email address, website
  • Promote your biz in related travel directories
  • Optimize content with location specific details or destination, package
  • Benefits of hospitality biz blogs:
  • Get online visitors/ publicity and inquiries from your blog
  • Get more booking without investing heavily on traditional marketing
  • Get higher ranking in search engines
  • Create online visibility to your place
  • Cost-effective method to promote your biz
  • Get more publicity than your competitors

………………..
It’s your take.

Are interested to heighten your travel biz through online channels? If you’ve any doubts, questions. Email me . or call me at my # 99.00.11.49.82.

I appreciate the chance to offer my service to your business. Don’t hesitate to explore the power of blogging. Get more exposure to your business with your online presence.

Your’s through blogs : )

Charles

Hiring Squad

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
This is an idea for T.V shows, a mix of reality TV attributes – action, positive stories, hope and more.

So, what’s this HIRING SQUAD!
In our daily life, we come across many workers – sales girl, Waiter, Cook, Restaurant cleaner, Intern, Janitor, Security Staff, ATM Staff, customer service agent at a store, etc. Out of the many support staff or blue color workers you interact, some are outstanding in their job for some reason and that stays in our mind for a longer time or it could make our day a better one.

Why they stood out?
Probably, it could be the solution they provided, positive attitude, helping us with the right answer about products, went out of their way to help us, or their friendly smile, empathy, etc.  Most often, they too are forgotten.

What if these people are giving more opportunities for growth?

This is where a Hiring Squad does. A T.V program that could run for a season. Here’s how it can work. First there will be a call to public to recommend people who are doing exceptional work at their job. For instance, you know a waiter who serves customers with a smile or by saying hello. You think, she is doing an exceptional job. So, you call the studio number and tell your experience and whereabouts of this person. Likewise, any person can refer.

Let Talent Get Rewarded

Hiring Squad also can contact business owners who require exceptional sales staff.

Next, armed with the information of potential hires, the team visits the store or shop where the people are working. They record the subject in action – at their work also interacts with them, without their knowledge. Probably, they will have more than one or two visits. \
During the interaction, they analyze the work and if selected, they propose a new job with salary.

Get Hired to a New Post with Better Pay

Will this be a good topic for a new T.V series, where such a story is captured and aired. Also, the T.V show can sponsor a talented person to take higher courses – For instance,  send them for a short course in beauty treatment, or any specialized course. So, all of this together becomes a Good Karma show on T.V. Something we people in Kerala needs the most in the days. 

Hartal in Kerala – 21 Things to Do on a Hartal Day

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Looks like Kerala is fixated on hartal. No amount of public debate, movie lines, or public resentment is going to change the occurrence of hartal. So, it’s time to accept this as an aberration from our so called 100% literacy state.

So, given the scenario of facing at least one hartal a month, I thought of how people have started accepting this as a fact of life. 
For people working in any of the Government offices in Trivandrum, hartal is just another holiday and in some cases they are forced to sign on the attendance register for fear of loss of pay. This means, these are the people who are least affected by hartal.

If you’re working in IT related biz in Trivandrum, you have no option but to take some risk to reach office on time. 

Worst hit people are the small biz owners, restaurant workers, laborers, people who are friends and relatives at Medical College or those who don’t have much means for daily livelihood. Well, we won’t get to hear their story. Who’s really bothered about the hardship of marginal people who don’t have the means to hire a Uber or get alternative arrangement! 
In this given scenario, I’m thought of how and what options are left on a hartal day – well not the usual theme of watching TV or cleaning the attic, or taking a much deserved nap.

Well, here are different activities in store!

Entertainment
1. Pick to watch a drama on Youtube
2. Gather your friends to play an outdoor game
3. Avoid TV news or whatsapp for a day and read a book
4.

Business

1. Start a FB page on any business or cause you like to associate
2. Start a blog on a topic of your choice and post 10 posts
3. Teach someone to blog 
4. Give a hand to a small business trader and suggest tips
5.
Social

 1. Call some 5 friends you had not called in the last 6 months

2. Plan a 1 day trip to any wilderness ( No hartal in the woods)
3. Get few people to clean the clogged drain in your locality
4. Visit an Old age home and give them company or share a meal together
5. Find and dispose 5 things from your home ( de-clutter)
6. 
Read and by-heart a poem

Ease or Difficulty of Doing Business in Kerala

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
For a long time I have been thinking, planning to let out a part of my house for home-stay. The idea on such a home-stay facility was to create a second or third-income stream. However, I’m just sitting on this idea, not taking steps to fulfill the paper work required for obtaining the home-stay license.

One factor is that I’m lazy.Second, I find the home-stay application procedure a cumbersome process.

Well, the kind of formalities you have comply is the the least we can expect from any Government related application process.

So, here are the documents required for applying for a home stay license in Trivandrum or the rest of Kerala.

     1. Clearance certificate from the Panchayat/ Municipality/Corporation
     2. Police Clearance Certificate from the Local Station House Officer,
     3. Document regarding the ownership of the building
     4. Layout map of important road stretches from the building,
     5. Building plan,
     6. Checklist of the facilities and services providing,
     7. Checklist should be duly filled in and signed on all pages,
     8. Pictures which depicts the interior and exterior of the house.
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The set of formalities makes me think of this fav song by Bob Dylan – Blowing in the Wind.

So, how many offices must a man walk through before he gets the application approved. Answer my friend is …

Jokes apart, here are the department or offices you must set your foot to get the application.

1. Panchayat or Corporation Office
2. Police Station
3. Hire a contractor or an engineer to make a building plan ( if you have a copy of earlier building plan, that would suffice)
4. Village Office for ownership

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Simplify or Complicate! Why Not Make Life Easier for Citizens!

We have come a long way ( Independence), but we are still tied with the knots of bureaucracy. Why are things very complicated in Kerala or in the rest of India?
  1. (Why or how long will you leaders, bureaucrats think this of simplifying official procedures? 
  2. When will citizens make it their right to have a simple process?
  3. When will my India really grow beyond these petty things? 

NOTE to Heads of Department! 
This is a note to all the politicians, the top brass who move around Trivandrum city in lightening speed in fancy and posh cars, top-heads, leaders, IAS officers – First thing we people want is ease or to get things moving fast in our life. As I write this, I know that many rules has been taken out. However, there are many things which are still left complicated purposefully. What the heck!

Meanwhile, any Government if it’s really concerned about the welfare of people or thinks about the value of time, must simplify the application process now. Why?

People in Kerala are going through a tough patch – money from Gulf is drying up, typical jobs in Kerala are taken by people from other states, and the cost of education, healthcare, rent etc is on the rise. So, one way to earn is the money is through tourism.

More Home-stays – More Cash for Common People

We now have a system where all licences – from a quay license, to liquor license to food safety to shop license are all require multiple steps and often days to weeks to process. Why can’t we make it simpler for a man to start a business? Is this the way it’s done in developed countries?

 Is there a study done on that front? Means, if anyone has studied the way licenses are issued in US or UK or Australia or China?

Office to Simplify the Official Procedures – 
It’s time Kerala should formulate a separate cell or wing or office to simplify all the forms, procedures or even have an agency to help people to get licences.

Probably, Akshaya Kendra will recruit people who will got to individual’s house to get all the application for a fee. Imagine, how easy it would be for common citizens who has money but not time to get the required licences.

Another way Kerala can get into news is by Tweeting the changes in application process. Daily or Weekly a Tweet about how it has simplified a process. Imagine how much more Kerala brand will get into the news.

BENCHMARK The APPLICATION PROCESS With OTHER STATES and COUNTRIES
We frequently hear news of ministers going for overseas trip to study such and such process. What are they learning during the trip? I wonder and public also wonder? Can we make it mandatory for every politician or bureaucrat to pen down his or her overseas visit with a note or recommendation.

For instance, after every visit they should write 10 things they learned and 5 things they should implement to makes things better or improve the situation.

IN this case, if a politician visits another country, they should ask them how they carry out the license factor and how much time it takes to issue a licences. After all, we need to improve and keep on improving the system in place.

PROMOTE HOMESTAY in KERALA – WHAT TOURISM DEPT SHOULD DO

1. Set up booth during exhibitions or conferences and educate public about the home-stay application process
2. Set up centers during Onam or Christmas fair and give leaflets promoting homestay
3. Train public on how to treat homestay customers and how they can give a better experience to visits and even cross selling
4. Give training on marketing their homestay on Airbnb, TripAdvisor, or by starting a blog

Additional Information:

1. Scope of homestays in Kerala covered in Indian Express

2. List of home stays in Kerala

2008 Recession in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Recession fever in Bangalore
But recession is not all that bad news to me. Often I have cribbed about the rising apartment rates and rental charges in Bangalore. And now I find some solace in the news that reality sector is hit and I’m glad that I’m not a property dealer. This credit crunch has put on brakes on the spiraling reality prices which Bangalore has witness over the past 5 years. A good pause of growth is fine for a any sector and to put slight brakes on rising greed in our citizens.

Along with the stalled prices of real estate I would like to see lower rates for rent. This is something which is yet to come in a big way. Even now these shady brokers insist that apartment rates are still on the highs. A two bedroom house in Koramangala still fetches across 10K and even a single bedroom dingy houses owners expect a good 6 or 7 K.

Another visible sign of recession in Bangalore is lower attendance in the new age coffee joints. Thin crowds of cuppochino cowboys and girls is another index to go by about the lower spending from these yuppie crowd.

Opportunity does exist in recession:

All is not lost for companies that work to serve for global economies. Recession is a good time for more small business to provide vital biz saving services at a lower cost. It’s also time for Indian business to look closely at customer’s satisfaction as a key matrices to jingle their cash registers.

Balcony Garden Ideas

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
It’s another fresh green idea rolling down from Domlur. Well, I got this stuff in mind while driving towards my home after an interesting TT game at Citi Nest. Well, how I got this TT partner is another blog story.

Forget about that now, this idea came to my mind after I heard a lady telling that apartment life is like pigeon house. This lady who came to our house was impressed with the open spaces and the few plants I had maintained. She said, she has kept house plants in all nook and corner in her place. Probably, she must be mooted by the lack of greenery in her life.

So, coming to the idea of balcony garden.

Do you know any nursery which does exclusively for apartment balcony. We know the number of apartments in Bangalore and the limitation of setting up a balcony garden. Now comes the interesting part. Imagine a nursery which makes customized balcony garden. So, if a nursery has a model balcony garden set for customers to see and walkthrough, then it would be easy to floor them with samples.

For example, they should make balcony garden with different theme – tropical, woodland, dessert or could have a walled garden with ferns or orchids

The first advantage would be this:

Customer who buys a balcony set will get the entire plants, settings. The nursery guys should transport the entire setting to the customers place. this could include balcony plant holder, to wind chimes, or terracotta figurines, dripper ( water irrigation tool), etc.

Moreover, here are few garden themes which could be made

1) Bonsai theme ( All miniature plants)

2) Water lilies and ferns ( To those who love such kinds)

3) Bamboo and such sorts

5) Croton varieties and begonias

6) Rock garden kinds ( Japanese garden kinds)

7) All ivy kinds ( Imagine a ivy setting)

8) All vegies ( from ladies finger to curry leaves)

9) Geranium and flowering plants)

Check out these Ideas and Designs

  • Inspiring ideas to design your balcony
  • Ideas from Pinterest
  • Balcony greenery ideas
  • Patio inspiration

Other add on’s which can be supplied:

  • Wind chime
  • Automatic water drip item
  • Terracotta stuff
  • Mirror or fen sui items
  • Water lilies
  • Alarms and binoculars
  • Protective cover for balconies
  • Sound proofing
  • Wind fan or solar panel
  • Balcony stands
  • Garden furniture
  • Garden umbrella

Balcony Garden Store in Bangalore
While there are couple of small shops like Sunny’s Balcony and other shops which deal with accessories for balcony, there is a shortage of a complete balcony set up shop.

A shop where you can walk in and come home with the entire balcony make-over. From a grafitti artist to plant stand or a plant wall or carbet or chairs, or a mini fountain, you can make your balcony stand out in a matter of days.

Even safety gadgets for balconies should be included. Such as alarm when kids are in that space.

What do you think, will such kind of stuff work in Bangalore? I fell it would, b’cos the customer seems what exactly he or she is getting. It’s not just one pot here and one pot there. They are getting the entire garden set in just a day or in a week’s time.

Well, time is money in places like Bangalore. And, people who can afford this kind of personalized and customized stuff don’t want to be bothered with the task of  going slow, growing stow.

I was imagining what other things can make an impact on a balcony…..What could it be? What would make people happy….

  • Have a coffee table
  • Automatic water spraying to keep it cool ( It would work in summer and when the heat is soaring.)
  • Balcony chairs ( Exotic and customized ones)
  • Balcony bar or game set ups
  • Music system for balconies
  • Water tubs for plants

Ideally, the person who implements such an idea should love gardening, and who really loves to make a difference in the daily life of an apartment dweller. Btw, you can source many apartment garden related items, furniture or design stuff from China. Just thought of it now!

To a Greener Balcony

Body Posture Correcting Service

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Posture Power

I’ve an arch shaped back. Well, looking at my old black and white pic of me walking with no clothes on, I can make out that it started very early in my life.

Now, when I walk, my tummy juts forward making it look sloppy. Most of the time, I’m not aware of the fact that I have a slouch in my walk. Recently, my partner reminded that my walk is getting more worse and it looks terrible. Shame on me!

Oh, how do I go about fixing my bad posture? Is there a doctor or a service to correct my bad posture.

I’m not sure if I’m the only one with a bad posture. Probably, there are many like me, and few others who are not aware of the way their body shows.

This made me think of a small biz idea – what about starting a clinic which takes care of fixing ugly pose. Such a clinic will have to talk about the benefit of having a straight, erect pose, which is good for health, looks and radiates a confident look.

So, are you ready to start a posture clinic?

However, for people like with a bad pose, there are few help around. Check out wiki page on correcting the bad posture and also this page on http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment.html

Get into Power Pose – You Can Do it!

Source: http://www.bodybuilding.com/