THE CON TRĂ‚U TIMES Issue 3 - Mar 2011
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
Inside This Issue
1 Joining the Buffalo Family 2 Celebrating Woman’s Day and Birthday in Hanoi 3 Songkran Festival 13-15 Apr in Thailand, Laos -Cambodia 4 Brief on AGM Meeting 5 ITB update 6 Message from Orientation Week and Mai Chau trekking 7 Feedback on what our members of staff have been doing 8 Birthdays and Anniversaries
Tip of t he mont h “If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.” Lee Iacocca
Joining Buffalo tours
Leaving Buffalo Tours
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong – Travel Agency Manager- BTA Hanoi Ms. Nguyen Tuyet Huong – Hanoi Operations Manager Ms. Trinh Thi Minh Hao – Online Sales Executive Ms. Tran Xuan Quynh – Admin cum Receptionist Ms. Nguyen To Tran – Travel Consultant BTA HCM Ms. Ngo Truong Phuong Thao – Travel Consultant HCM
Ms. Michele Whealy– Inbound General Manager Ms. Hoang Chau Kim Anh – Admin cum Receptionist HCM Mr. Jason Rolan – Country Manager BT Laos Ms. Tran Binh Minh – Admin cum Receptionist
Welcome to the Buffalo Tours team! Please join us in congratulating our new staff members on their positions at Buffalo Tours. We look forward to working with them in the future!
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Thank you for your contributions to Buffalo Tours and we wish you success in the future!
THE CON TRÂU TIMES
STAFF OF THE MONTH – MAR 2011 Ms. Thao – ticketing agent BTA HCM City “Ms Thao Ticketing Agent in BTA Saigon has been doing a lot of efforts to help reorganize the Ticketing team since the departure of Ms Anh. She has been very pro-active and has given a great support to all in spite of the lack of staff. Without her help, I am not sure how we would have overcome this hurdle. ”
MR. Quan and Son Laki – HCM City guides “Mr. Quan and Mr. Laki (Guides in Saigon) have done an amazing job with our 2 school trips in Mai Chau and Cat Ba, in spite of an awful weather and in spite of the scare following the tsunami in Japan (parents calling all the time about the acid rain SMS spam). Both have been highly and equally commended by the teachers and by the students.“
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
STAFF BIRTHDAYS AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATIONS IN HANOI AND SAIGON International Women’s Day and Staff Birthday celebrations at the Hanoi Office This month we combined our monthly Staff Birthday party with International Women’s Day celebrations. We had a great time with a speech from Mr. Kien (CEO) and present giving. Such a lovely way to spend Women’s Day!
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
International Women’s Day celebrations at the Saigon Office I started off the day wonderfully by receiving with a lovely greetings card, followed by a gorgeous flower bouquet and a then having a tasty pizza lunch. The most exciting part of the day was defiantly that everything was arranged by Saigons “Hot Men”! The “Hot Men” here were really cool and caring to have around the office! From preparing lunch and serving drinks to cleaning up afterwards (not everything though, we also helped!) they made all of us ladies really felt great and we all enjoyed the day!
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
Introduction – New Sale
& Reservation Team Leader in BT Cambodia For the past 2 years, Mr. Khim Ty (David) has been working in the sales & reservations department at the Buffalo Tours Cambodia Office. His contribution of excellent product knowledge, customer services, communication & problem solving skills, great attitude and hard work has been a key part of the companies’ success & growth. Therefore we would like to promote Mr. Khim Ty to be the Sale & Reservation Team Leader. We believe that Mr. Khim Ty will continue doing his very best in his new role, therefore, he is looking forward to working together with all of you and he is more than happy to support you in every need from a sales & reservations side. Again, congratulations to Mr. Khim Ty for his new position as the Sale & Reservation Team Leader.
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
Songkran Festival 13-15 Apr in Thailand, Laos -Cambodia Songkran is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. It is one of the most important Thai festivals. At this time, people from the rural areas who are working in the city usually return home to celebrate the festival with family and friends. Songkran is a Thai word which means “move” or “change place” as it is the day when the sun changes its position in the zodiac. It is also known as the “Water Festival” as people believe that water will wash away bad luck. “Out with the Old; In with the New” is what it’s all about. Most of the foreigners understandably see it only as a “throwing water festival” as they enjoy participating in the fun and joy at the main tourist places like, Khao San Road and Silom Road in Bangkok, Chiang Mai centre and Phuket (the main destinations for tourists to celebrate Songkran). Foreigner visitors love to put on shorts, pack their wallets in plastic, and join the Thai people in the streets getting soaked, joyfully throwing water on each other! Besides the celebrations and water throwing activities at tourist hot spots mentioned above, “The gentle side of Songkran is little known to foreigners. Invisible common spiritual threads connect all corners of Thailand and the Thai people with regard to the origins & traditional practice of Songkran.” By: Mr. Hayo Massop - BT Thailand, Fox Area Manager
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES
Brief on AGM Meeting T
his year the 2011 AGM was focused on the theme ‘Develop Efficiency’. In order for Buffalo Tours to be able to ‘Develop Efficiency’ our strategy was to understand which areas are currently the least effective. To do this all Managers from all worldwide offices were requested to seek feedback from their staff to identify up to 5 key areas or processes that affects how productive they were on a daily basis. The information collected from the staff formed the main key outcomes of the 2011 AGM agenda. So even though not all staff were able to attend the meeting our process has ensured that everyone had an opportunity to have their say, add their input and contribute to the way the company moves forward in 2011. During the AGM meeting 5 teams were created consisting of staff from all different countries and departed to brainstorm the ideas and select their top three most relevant or practical ideas relevant to the specific outcome. At the end of the day these
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ideas were collated and new committees have been formed to create a work plan for the coming 6 -12 months which prioritises the tasks that will be completed first based on the company’s KPI’s. There will then be a discussion between the management committee members and the department manager agreeing on a specifc work plan, how the changes will be implemented, by whom and when plus identifying measures to monitor and ensure effectiveness of the change. The main management committee consists of myself, Kenneth, Pascale, Bach, Tuong and Panya. Two sub committees have also been formed to manage the implementation of IS09001 accreditation program and another team based on improving and communicating the latest updates with BRS. By Mr. Ray Petts – GM Buffalo Tours Australia and NZ
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ITB update
T
he average image of one of the leading event in the tourism industry will for many be cold European weather, Promoting business, socializing with peers in the Industry and old/new business partners. The frame for all this is Berlin in early March with Lots of people from all over the world gathered for the ITB. 9-11 March were professional days, while 12-13 March were open to public visitors. ITB is facilitated at Messe Berlin, a huge exhibition complex consisting of 26 fair halls located around an open garden. The indoor area is 160.000 m2, which equals a little more than 22 soccer fields. The garden in the centre is 10.000 m2, though a bit to cold really to put in good use in March:-) Statistics for this year’s ITB: 170.000 visitors during the fair, whereof 60.000 public visitors during Saturday and Sunday. 11.163 exhibiting companies from 188 countries witness a grand event. Trung and I participated as exhibitors at our joint booth with Life Resorts. Flying in by different routing Trang arrived late afternoon on 08th March and went straight to fair to make sure we were well set up regarding the booth. Later in the evening we met up to talk over the program and appointments with potential new business partners as well old acquaintances. Personally I had to really refresh my otherwise rusty German languages skills (still far from previous level), while Trung were going strong. Rushing out of the hotel early morning we arrived well prepared for the trade fair. We experienced a little slow start, though this also was a good start and soon picked up on the busy schedule. Over the days we met up with partners like FOX from Holland, Travelsphere from UK and a long list of German operators. We did talk with a number of old friends, business partners and contacts enabling us to meet up with as many potential partners as possible. A long number of appointments with lots of interaction made a solid list of follow up which is right now ongoing. Diamir joined our booth on the public days. This was a good experience and good to meet the product mangers and staff from Diamir as well getting firsthand knowledge of the requirements from German guests. Quite some good direct bookings generated during the Saturday and even more by Trung on Sunday.
The Buffalo Tours booth was just across from our Thien Minh colleagues from Victoria, leading to collegial talks and acquaintances in a good atmosphere. First evening a nice event with World Insight was a success. Trung missing rice a bit on the second day and had a solid go at Asian cuisine together with peers in the evening. Standing out was the last meal we did together on the Saturday was a true foodie highlight. Trung mentioned early on, that we should try out the Eisbei, a real Berliner specialty. We had this well served in a quite local and traditional restaurant, huge portions of the either grilled or boiled pork leg/knuckle and we were happy. All in all we had busy and constructive days in Berlin and hopefully can follow up well regarding new business and maintain existing business for BT. It was noted by a number of persons visiting, that the ITB felt a bit more quite than previous years, maybe to be related to the ongoing developments in parts of the world as well as changed behavior from exhibitors and buyers. Not all exhibitors were ready to commit long term regarding rates as in the past, were ITB was the indicator of next year’s rates, while some Travel Operators in Europe were focusing more on day to day business as recovering well at the moment from last years of financial challenges in the market, hence attending with less buyers etc, though the overall statistics for the ITB was at level and slightly better than last year. We are now both back from Europe and many experiences richer. By Mr. Tran Nam Trung & Mr.Kenneth Joergensen
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R O F K E R UT
THE CON TRÂU TIMES
A H S C R I E A B M M E M F F A T S NEW
I
t was on a rainy weekend of March when we had a trekking tour to Mai Chau. We’d been told that it was one of our best-selling products, and it would be a good tour for us newcomers to experience. Originally, it is a 3-day trip however we took was a shorter 2 -day trip. Arriving at 94 Ma May at 8 AM, we waited for another member of the group to arrive, whilst there we met our guide – Mr. Dan and our driver – Mr. Linh. The atmosphere was relaxed as we all introduced ourselves to the group. The conversation flowed and we spoke about our families, hobbies and about our trips in Vietnam. After a 4 hour drive, we reached Lac Village. Ms. Mai- the host of homestay No. 6 welcomed us and fed us with a meal of stir-fried chicken with young bamboo, vegetable and green bean that she had prepared for us. In the afternoon, we were transferred to Sa Linh for our first trek. The distance is not extremely far however the ladies of the group soon got tired and we took stops to look at the scenery and rest. Along the way we passed villages, peach
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gardens in blossom and other stunning sights. It was really fantastic. Being in the fresh air was so refreshing and the smells of grass and wood around us just added to the sceneries beauty. Arriving at the home stay in Hang Kia, we freshened up, playing in the garden where we took pictures or the beautiful flowers, vegetables and surrounding scenes. Our dinner was delicious and the laughter and jokes were quickly going between us all! The next morning, we woke up early, walked around the surrounding area and had breakfast. After eating, we said goodbye to the host, and went to visit Hang Kia School, Hang Kia hospital and some other homestays in the village. Leaving here we headed for the real adventure through the forest. The trek was around 6 – 7 hours long and was 16 km. As it had rained the previous day, some of the road was slippery and some of us fell into the mud! We trekked through valleys, forests, over streams and past mountains! The scenery was stunning.
THE CON TRĂ‚U TIMES
One thing that I did see that was upsetting was an area of the forest where all the trees had been cut down. I was told that this area was originally forest and under conservation. However, it was clear to see that people had been cutting the trees for some time and there seemed to be no signal of being stopped by the authorities. As we reached a main road the bus was waiting and transferred us to a Thai house to have lunch. Lucky for us we arrived on the wedding day of the oldest daughter in the house. The hosts invited us in for drinks and food. The food was so diverse and delicious; it was a wonderful way to end our trek. Everyone was so tired that after having lunch, we all ended up having a nap! The return to Hanoi was a quiet one with everyone so tired that most of us slept the whole way! I had such a great time with all the new colleagues, and it was brilliant to experience one of the company’s best products. I do hope that we will have more chances to join other trips to other destinations with Buffalo Tours! Thank you for the training course! By Ms. Thanh Hai BT Hanoi -UK Agent Sales Executive
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WHAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DOING
FEEDBACK ON
THE CON TRÂU TIMES
Dear Buffalo Tours, This is just a note of thanks on our recent visits to Laos and Cambodia. This is our second time with Buffalo Tours. Our first was two years ago in Vietnam where we enjoyed our tour immensely. This time was the same!!! Everything and every person with Buffalo Tours did an outstanding job. Ms Houng in Laos worked with my wife to put this itinerary together and was very accommodating and helpful. Her quick response and input was greatly appreciated. Mr. San, our guide in Laos, was with us for 8-9 days. His knowledge of the country, his eagerness to share the culture, and his insight into specific areas was apparent and added a lot to the tour. He has such a great personality, willingness to help when needed, great English and very educated on various topics. His great sense of humor was also appreciated. Mr. Vutthas, our guide in Cambodia, was with us for 8-9 days. He was also an exceptional guide and person to be with. His knowledgeable approach to each part of Cambodia was impressive and very helpful. He couldn’t do enough for us as we traveled through the country. Vutthas’ English was not only very good, but he was very keen on constantly learning more and bettering his proficiency. It was apparent that he loves being a tour guide with Buffalo Tours. He loves to study different subjects regarding the areas and topics in Cambodia. Hence, we gained a lot from our time together. Since we were on a private tour in each country it made our time with Buffalo Tours even more worthwhile and enjoyable being with two of your outstanding people. I would definitely recommend that you use them both as often as possible. They were great ambassadors for your company. We are interested in a trip to Myanmar in the future. Please contact us if Buffalo Tours decides to add this to the possible itineraries. Thanks for a wonderful trip filled with many memories that we will share with others. And thanks for providing us with two exceptional guides that made our trip very successful. All the Best, Wayne and Susan Andrew
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THE CON TRÂU TIMES Congratulation Mr. Bui Anh Tuan our IT Team leader! His baby was born on 8 March and weight 3,3kg. Her name is Bui Phuong Linh and her lovely nickname is Bong.
Birthdays & Anniversaries Birthdays: Nguyen Thi Thu Trang Nguyen Hoang Hai Tran Lan Anh Pankaj Pradhan Panya Thin Tania Koesten Pham Khanh Ly Nguyen Thi My Le Nguyen Thi Le Hang Le Ngoc Linh Pham Van Trang Nguyen Thi Xoan Ittipol Puttiasiri Le Dinh Chien Le Thi Thuy
22 Mar 21 Mar 26 Mar 28 Mar 2 April 3 April 5 April 10 April 12 April 14 April 18 April 21April 27 April 30 April 29 April
Operation Executive Group Reservation Executive Sales Executive- BT UK Manager – Center of Excellence Country Manager - BT Cambodia Manager - BTA Hongkong Online Sale Executive Travel Consultant - BTA SaiGon Group Reservation - Team leader IT Support – Cholon Tours Agent sale Executive – UK Team Operation Executive Senior Sale- BT Thailand Project Team Group Reservation Executive
Anniversaries: Doan Thu Hien – Accountant – Completing 3 years of service Nguyễn Tuấn Đat- IT Supporter – Completing 3 years of service Phùng Thu Hương– GR executive - BT Laos- Completing 7 years of service Lê Thị Thúy- Group Reservation Executive – Completing 7 years of service Hà Thị Thảo - Group Reservation Executive – Completing 4 years of service Nguyễn Thu Hương- Online Sales Executive – Completing 4 years of service Lỗ Thị Việt Hà- BTA Hanoi- Completing 4 years of service Bùi Anh Việt- Delivery– Completing 7 year of service Đặng Hồng Hải- Diver- Completing 3 year of service Trần Đình Hường - Diver - Completing 1 year of service Lapasrada Janma- PA & HR , Admin (BT Thailand) - Completing 1 year of service] Rosalie Berghuis- Pattya Office Reservation Executive (BT ThaiLand) - Completing 1 year of service Hayo Massop- FOX Area Manager (BT Thailand) - Completing 1 year of service Sucheera Sasisuriyabhoom-FOX Reservation Executive (BT Thailand)- Completing 1 year of service Mattie Scholts- Operation Manager Assistant (BT Thailand)- Completing 1 year of service
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