Pat O Neill Consultancy can help you. Pat has gained valuable experience and has worked with some of the worlds major Hotels chains including Starwood Hotels & Choice Hotels.
Pat has also advised individual Hotels in Ireland and the U.K most recently D4 Hotels in Dublin.
If after we meet I feel that Pat O Neill Consultancy cannot offer you and improved strategy I will say it. It is all about Return on Investment.
If I think I cannot give you a R.O.I I will advise so. So what have you to lose? Get in contact today.
What Pat O Neill Consultancy Can Do For YOU!
Review your Pricing Strategy.
Drive Bookings and Revenue. Advise on how to best sell your Business on your Website.
Won't be bettered Website Development prices. Take the Mystery out of Google Analytics/Pay for Click/Social Networking/SEO.
Ensure you are getting the best R.O.I for your online strategy. Advise on 3rd party strategy to Maximise Revenue.
The most up to date advice on new products.
When we start a new job or challenge we sometimes can think it is what we do is the most important part of the company. The truth is that in all companies there are numerous roles that combine to make it a success.
This is very true of the Cork Swansea Ferry Company and its ship Julia. Were it not for the Bring Back the Ferry group the Julia would not now be docked in Cork.
Onboard the Julia it is even more apparent that getting the ship ready for its first sailing in March 2010 is a massive team effort.
You have the hard work being done by Tom Barrett CEO and the Coop team making ensuring the company is in the best shape for business 2010.
Owen the Ships operation Manager making sure Port, Fuel & many other deals are in place. Then you have Fergus, Bob and the team working hard to have the Julia itself 100% ship shape for the first sailing.
Today I was shown around the engine room by Eugene the 1st Engineer.
When you are in your office on deck 5 you can easily forget the massive work going on the lower deck.
The Engine room team are putting in 12 hour days now so we are ready for March 2010.
What are they doing? I am no expert and the best way I can put it is that is like getting your car serviced on a gigantic scale. The amount of machinery down in the engine room is amazing.
You can see the hard work involved down there so people can enjoy the cruise across the Irish Sea upstairs.
Some basic facts
The Julia has
4 main engines
5 ancillary engines
2 propellers and I lot of stuff I am afraid to mention just in case I get it wrong.
So work continues at pace as we look forward to March 2010.
If you are driving pass Hogan’s Quay in Cork & you think the Julia is looking peaceful as she lays docked spare a thought for 1st Engineer Eugene and the team working hard unseen on the lower deck.
The Montenotte Hotel Cork & the Boardwalk Bar & Grill Cork have teamed up to bring you a great value offer.
Why not visit Cork for your Christmas shopping and stay overnight at the Montenotte Hotel from just €44 B&B per person.
Once you have finished your shopping we will pick you and your shopping up and bring you back to the Hotel after you enjoy a free cocktail.
Offer Includes:
Overnight stay for 2 people in a double or twin room in our 4 star Hotel
Breakfast the next morning
Cocktail in the boardwalk bar and grill after your day shopping
Taxi pick up for you and you’re shopping from the boardwalk bar and grill downtown back up to the hotel.
Free parking at the hotel.
Use of Leisure centre
To book go to <a href=”http://www.themontenottehotel.com”>www.themontenottehotel.com</a> and check Shopping Special.
Week 2 onboard the Julia
Well I am starting to settle into my role onboard the Julia. I live in Kinsale & am telling my friends it maybe time to join the Kinsale Yacht Club. I am sure I would have the biggest boat.
The good wishes emails are still coming in at a breathtaking pace. Many questions are been asked. Top of the list so far is facilities for taking Dogs on board (no cats as yet?) I can assure all that because of all the emails on this subject we will be taking this seriously.
What have the team been up to this week?
The work onboard to make sure we are ready for service in March 2010 continues.
Agreements with Cork/Swansea ports.
Fuel agreements
Upgrading onboard facilities
These are just a small number of the many tasks that are in progress.
I have been involved in getting started the build of a new website. Next week we meet providers of booking engines. This will allow us the sell the service online.
On Friday we were delighted to welcome onboard members of East Cork Tourism.
It was also my pleasure to give a tour Darragh Doyle & Partner from www.boards.ie . Darragh is in town for the Jazz Festival. Darragh has the stressful task of reviewing 16 gigs at the Jazz Festival this weekend. Someone’s got to do it. Next year we plan to be part of the festival itself.
We also send out our 1st Newsletter. Many thanks to Adrian Brentnall for all the help with this.
There is still time to be part of the Ferry Co-op. It is your chance to part of an amazing group of people. It is because of them the Julia is here in the port of Cork. For more info check www.fastnetline.com
I arrived at Hogan’s Quay on Monday for my 1st day with Fastnet Line Cork Swansea Ferry. I must say the Julia looked impressive as she lay berthed in Cork Port. I have already had a tour onboard so know she looks equally as impressive onboard.
The 1st thing that hits me is the story of how the ferry is back. Basically a group of regular people got together and started a campaign to bring back the Swansea Cork Ferry. I know we all have our own pet likes and we all say at one time or other we are going to do something.
The difference with these people is that they actually made it happen. As I stand on the deck on the Julia I am very aware that I would not be here if it was not for the efforts of the bring back the Ferry Campaign. For more details & history of this amazing campaign check www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com
I meet Tom Barrett the CEO. Tom & I worked together with Choice Hotels Ireland. As I have seen Tom in action before I know the Fastnet Line Company could not be in better hands. Tom introduces me to Owen & Fergus. Both these guys have a major job getting the Julia ready for her 01st sailing on the 01st March 2010.
While this might seem a long time away both Owen & Fergus are already putting in a lot of hours. Everyone will have a part of getting ready for the 1st sailing; both Owen & Fergus will play a major part.
On of the 1st tasks I have is to get the www.fastnetline.com updated. Many thanks to Adrian Brentnall for his speedy help with this. We do plan to have an other site update in the coming months. I am very encouraged by the many emails coming in wishing us success. There is a genuine goodwill for this Cork Swansea Ferry service.
We are currently working on our pricing. A big part of this is getting a booking engine. It needs to be easy to update for Fastnet Line, flexible & most important easy to use for the public. We should be selling online by late Nov.
I have looked at our competitors & they currently have prices up to late this year & not for 2010 yet. Needless to say we would still like to get out prices to the public as soon as possible.
What will we offer? We can guarantee you we will be very competitive. We want to give people a chance to cruise across the Irish Sea overnight and enjoy our many onboard services at a great price.
So 1 week down. Main points to remember.
The Julia is here and docked in Cork Port
The service will start on the 01st March 2010
Sailings will be overnight departing at 2100hrs and arriving at 0700hrs
You can save up to 600km driving on a round trip by sailing on the Cork Swansea Ferry route.
Check us out on www.fastnetline.com
You can also follow us on Twitter @corkswansea
Until next week.
Pat O Neill
The new Cork/Swansea Ferry run by Fastnet Line have updated their website www.fastnetline.com
The service will start 01st March 2010
Tags: Cork Swansea Ferr, Cork Swansea ferry
On Monday I start a consultancy with Fastnet Lines who will run the new Cork/Swansea Ferry. My role will be Revenue/Ecomm Manager. It is a role that is really exciting me. I see it as exciting & massive challenge.
The history of the Cork/Swansea sea route is very interesting. The 1st Innisfallon ship got sunk by a U-Boat in WW1. The 2nd was sunk by a mine in WW2. Thankfully all other ships on this route have had natural endings.
The SW region has always had a great affection with the Cork/Swansea Ferry. There is genuine affection for this service.
My pervious roles have been in Hotels but I can see many similarities already. I am also sure I will learn a lot on the voyage.
How will I get on? I will do regular posts I hope will be informative & maybe a bit of fun. Stayed tuned.
Pat
Tags: Cork Swansea ferry
The Arlington Hotel in Dublin became the 1st Hotel in Ireland to go live on the Louder Voice review software. This allows hotels to ask guests who have stayed to review the Hotel. They guests can also send their review to their Twitter & Facebook accounts.
The LouderVoice system is great for raising your Hotel profile and helps with SEO as each review also gets posted on LounderVoice main website.
The other Hotels in the Louise Fitzgerald group are next to go live along with the Castlemartyr resort in east Cork.
Hotelcounsult.ie are extremely pleased to be part of this rollout.
For more information contact pat@hotelconsult.ie
I am looking for a quote for a website build with a CMS for a client. Please see below for requirements.
The site will need an excellent easy to use content management system which will allow the client to update most if not all ongoing content.
The system will be owned by the client after payment & site codes/keys to be passed to client after build complete.
The provider will have to coordinate build with a SEO consultant.
Speed of build is important. Any agreed timeline for the build must be adhered 100% with no overrun. Time management is key for the client.
Cost is also VIP
Ongoing business may result from Site build.
The client will need to see previous work and will check references.
Please contact pat@hotelconsult.ie with an ballpark cost and time proposal (please don’t call before emailing)
Before I spread my wisdom I have to say I am still a bit of a twitter virgin. I have been using Twitter now for 3 months now. I don’t claim to be an expert (who is) but I have seen some ways people use twitter I feel are good & bad.
Irish Hotels use Twitter to build profiles. There is nothing wrong with this. I do it myself. I have seen some Hotels do this well & some hotels I feel not so well (putting it mildly)
Some Hotels just talk about their hotel & offers 100%. I see others barley talk about the hotel. As they say in politics you cannot get in power without winning the centre.
My advice.
Talk about the hotel, your area & whatever people discussing on Twitter that interests you.
Engage with other Twitter users. Don’t think that you are the only person on Twitter that has something interesting to say. If you talk about you 100% & do not engage with other users they will see your Twitter posts for what they are. Me me me.
ReTweet
You will see RT@ a lot on Twitter. This is where Twitter users pass on a twitter post by someone else so that their own Twitter followers can see what you have said. Why do people do this? They may have found what you have said worth passing on. If you have engaged overtime with other Twitter users they may just be using Twitter courtesy by RT your comments.
Human nature being what it is if someone RTs your comments & you do not return the favour at times it will be only a matter of time before they say stuff you. What ever people are saying on Twitter it is interesting to them. This is probally the nbr1 error I think Irish hotels make on Twitter.
Spam Followers
Don’t get into look at how many followers I have trap. Spam followers are useless. They do not read your comments. Other then give you a false sense of importance they do nothing for you. They also will not make you look credible to genuine Twitter users. Cleanup spam followers as often as you can (need to do myself)
Follow other Twitter users.
When someone followers me once they are not a spammer I don’t care if they are a scientist or a car park attendant I will look at their profile & follow if I feel they contribute to Twitter. Maybe that is just me.
Content
Twitter is all about what you are saying & not how many followers you have. When I did some work for D4 Hotels I answered a post on Boards.ie. I answered questions about the hotel and the post went on for 4 months before they kicked me off for hogging free advertising. It was fun when lasted.
Twitter offers
Try to give real value offers to Twitter. They way I look at it. If you have rooms for €100 you pay some 3rd party providers 25% commission. Offer the room for €80 on Twitter & the guest and you win v the 3rd party.
As I have said I am not claiming to be an expert but most of what I say above is common sense.
Any comments as they say give it wellie.
With all the talk about the new Cork Swansea ferry I have taken a brief look at the history of the route.
The route will always be remembered by Cork people of a certain age by the name Innisfallen.
The original Innisfallan was build by the Cork Steam Packet Company in 1896. She was sunk by a German U Boat in 1918 on her way from Liverpool to Cork.
A new Innisfallon was built in 1930. She served the Cork Fishgaurd as one of her routes. Again a sad ending as she hit a mine near New Brighton in 1940.
The 3rd Innisfallon was build by B&I lines in 1948 & served the Cork Swansea route until she was sold in 1967.
The 4th Innisfallon was launched in 1969 and was used on the Cork Swansea route until the route was closed in 1983. I sailed myself on this ship.
The Cork Swansea route was launched again in 1987 by an Irish company Swansea Cork Ferries LTD. The ferry sailed until it ceased in 2006.
A new dawn.
It just won’t go away? Fasnetline will restart a new Cork Swansea service operated by the Julia on 01st March 2010. Why do I get the feeling this route will not go away easily.