Decided to reach as many immigrants as possible, we sent our marketer at the Independent Hotel Show. Below is her story.
Terrified by some spider web that appeared around my car door handle, armed with a satnav and some business cards, I started my way on conquering London. Things went well and fast (so fast) till beyond Uxbridge, then I found a complicated intersection. I fought tooth and nail to get access on a specific lane, suggested by the Satnav. Actually, it was the wrong lane so I’ve done something incredible: used a bridge to turn my car on the appropriate way. Nevermind, after 3 more u-turns, I landed in the car park of a train station, called fancy on the internet “park and ride”.
My way into Independent Hotel Show
From the car park to the subway
Rushed like the heaven is gonna fall, I stopped the car right in front of the door and invaded the employee of the train station with questions about the parking. The poor guy told me he works once every 7 months there, doesn’t know much about it. Every attempt of him explaining anything was barred by me with “I’m the first time here. I don’t have a clue”. Once I extracted all the information from him, only I know how, managed to park the car between other 2 cars, legally, without destroying anything, not even the spider web from my car door handle. My heart grew so big than I forgot to pay the parking. And I remembered after a girl put me on the right platform, the train arrived and already moved 2 stations. Going back brings bad luck so I decided to carry on to the show. After all, what if the employee would have made a heart attack by seeing me again?
From the subway to the building
Once I evaded from the subway, I took out my phone, with the GPS set from home to show me the route to the event. I walked till it shouted at me “Your destination is on the right!”. Immediately after, I entered in a big building called something with “Olimpia” and my phone was wrong. The entrance was on the other street, far away from what my phone lied to me. On the road, a red-hair guy with Spanish accent, started to talk with me, after hearing that I’m looking for Independent Hotel Show. This event is really a people-magnet! It’s like a party in Ibiza or something, business version. Trying to be funny, I started to joke about my parking abilities. But I think I scared him, cause immediately after I was stopped on the entrance to have my purse checked, he vanished and never saw him again.
Best companies from Independent Hotel Show
Beekeeper
The first company that attracted my attention was Beekeeper. I was shocked to read that their application has “translation in 30 languages” and imagined 10 people like me, in the same place. Brrr… A very professional lady quickly approached me, so my panic went away. One word led to another and this is how I told to her a story about a Spanish housekeeper, ex-workmate of mine. And yes, I’ll take a quick break to tell you too.
Once upon a time, in the UK came a housekeeper from Spain who knew only “yes” and “no” in English. In a sunny day, after the check-out hour, she had to clean a room where the guest was still living. Since she didn’t know too many words, she said a short “OUT!” to the guest. The lady from the room was a very loyal customer of the hotel and made a huge complain to the reception. But, no one can really blame the housekeeper, she simply couldn’t speak enough words in English.
Instigate
After a good laugh with the lady from Beekeeper, we exchanged the contact details and moved on to meet other people. This is how I discovered the company Instigate. They offer a full assessment of the hotel and provide solutions to make it be more efficient. Running a hotel is a very complex business. Finding ways to make it more efficient is even a more complex matter. For sure, a company like Faulty Towers would need it.
(my) hr director
Then, I met (my) hr director, a company dedicated to help the small hotels make the most out of their employees. Usually, small companies don’t need an in-house HR person, but they still need to provide some HR services to their employees. This is where (my) hr director comes for help.
Dress Code Uniforms
When I was already decided to go home, the beautiful design of the Dress Code Uniforms simply made me stop walking. Behind them is Diana Christie, a very talented designer. Her uniforms were much more elegant than anything ever seen. And the most beautiful part is that they can be personalised in lots of ways. If I would have a hotel, I would definitely order from her.
Leaving from Independent Hotel Show
Delighted by the variety of company, but worried about the unpaid parking, I decided it’s really time to go. So I walked aimlessly among the stands, looking for an exit. This is how I discovered one scene where 4 women were talking about the hotel industry. Then, I’ve discovered an exit sign, that was leading to some emergency exit. Judging by my lack of spacial orientation, I considered this route too dangerous, so continued to walk. As a desperate measure, I started to talk with a guy about swimming pools filters, allowed him to pitch, asked countless of questions, then revealed that I don’t have anything to do with his industry. The aim was to determine him to show me the exit. He didn’t, he only gave me the business card of a woman. On my intense exit searching, I also discovered a stand with magazines. I took one and continued to walk. In the end, I discovered again that stand, but this time I realised that right next to it was the dear exit.
The last person to torture on the Independent Hotel Show
In order to leave the show without becoming homeless in London, I needed a girl from the entrance to explain me 5 times how to find the Barons Court subway station. Somehow, I understood, but on the way, I got hooked by an ad about falafel. I entered in the shop, ordered one without halloumi and some dolma for home. The dolma is known as “dolmadakia” in Greece and “sarmale” in Romania. If you don’t want to crave, please close the eyes while scrolling past the pictures. I adore non-spicy arabic food. Especially when, while eating it, I watch how an employee is giving all the financial details to some indians, looking to buy the restaurant. I even got locked inside, cause the arab had to go down to show the kitchen to the indians :D.
The road to home was a whole new adventure. I left London around 6 pm, cause I struggled to pay for the parking. When I thought it’s time to leave, I had to find someone to take out the car from the parking lot. Then, the London was crowded, the motorway full of motorbikes so I evaded on countryside roads. Much later, after countless of lost ways, I came back on motorway and arrived home.
And, at the end, once I parked home, do you know who smiled to me from the rear-view mirror? No, not me. A spider smiled, happy that its web from the car door handle, resisted to the 70 miles an hour wind.
