 Poster: A snowHead
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The operator of Britain's two Xscape snowdomes - and former manager of London's Millennium Dome - PY Gerbeau - has made a passionate case for the service industry ...
... in advance of his third snowdome opening at Braehead, Glasgow, in April.
PY Gerbeau, who originally worked for Disneyland Paris, says:
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| "People need to understand there is nothing wrong with serving as a profession. We're creating 1000 new jobs at Xscape, plus we're going to add a whole new dimension to the service industry. |
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| He also quipped, with characteristic joie de vivre: "Actually, it's the best job after the oldest profession." |
Gerbeau is intent on changing attitudes to service, believing that working in the service sector is nothing to be ashamed of. His comments are reported in this article from the Glasgow newspaper The Herald.
Are these comments fair? If you've visited the two existing Xscape snowdomes at Milton Keynes and Castleford, what were your impressions of the service?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
PY Gerbeau, who originally ...
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the incredible bullshitting Frenchman is back!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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He can be very funny though. At the height of the
crisis, when the place was virtually emptying the nation's coffers into the River Thames, he was interviewed by Eddie Mair on BBC Radio. Eddie Mair has a superb dry wit and is capable of reducing listeners to helpless laughter on news programmes.
He asked PY Gerbeau (who actually inherited the crisis and kept the madhouse on the road) some fairly penetrating questions about the financial situation, which got Gerbeau increasingly rattled. Finally he replied "Sure, just blame the Frenchman. Please blame the Frenchman."
I'd love a tape of it, because it was about the funniest news interview I've ever heard.
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i wish PY Gerbeau did work in a service industry and sort out the bloody mess that is the MK snowslope...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'm a PY Fan. He funny! 
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Well paid executive can't understand why people don't want to work in a generally low paid industry with little career progression. Well I never.
Oh and apologies for being a pedant but Braehead is in Renfrew, not Glasgow.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 27-01-06 14:26; edited 1 time in total
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| Lager wrote: |
| Well paid executive can't understand why people don't want to work in a generally low paid industry with little career progression. Well I never. |
Quite!!His statement merely shows he has lost touch with the people who help feed his substancial income.People engage in their chosen career for a whole host of reasons;I doubt that recieving the mimimum wage is one of them 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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PY rekons he is going to add a whole new dimension to the service industry....prehaps he should go to the USA or better still New Zealand if he wants to learn about customer service
the problem with the service levels at Xscape is the same one in MK, Castleford and at the snowdome in tamworth, they move out the profeesionals in the industry, the highly qualified ski instructors, mangers with skiing knowledge and technical staff in favour of moving in an accountant and a bunch of underpaid kids off the street to run the slopes. not the fault of those working there, they are trying their best and being paid bady for the priviledge, it is more a greed from the owners looking to constantly cut costs and maximise profit (normally by cramming as many lessons on the slope as is unfesibly possible)
last time i went to Tamworth (and i know this one is not PY) it looked like blackpool on snow......santas winter wonderland ...whatever next
the problem i see with the braehead slope is that the Scots (i am one) will not pay the price when there are 2 perfectly good plastic slopes within 15 mins of the new site...they may go for a one off, but not on a regular basis and especialy if the service levels are not very high, the two slopes in glasgow; Glasgow ski centre and Bearsden ski club are amongst the best run slopes in the country, with some of the highest qualified instructors, xscape simply won't pay the money
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I was at the 3hr session(ramp & rail)at Tamworth last night,and frankly,it was a bloody disgrace!!Normally crowded,but last night it was rammed.Along with all the usual skiers and boarders,we had beginners lessons(ski & board)on both sides of the main slope.The usual bottleneck on the bend turned into a wall of bodies,all trying to get through.There were a fair number of people who,quite obviously,were not up to 'recreational' standard.A good number of spills,on an already crowded slope,not good!!
Now,I expect some nights to be busy.I am actually pleased to see that plenty are taking to the snow and,for that,we must thank the domes for providing access to (real?)snow.
But,in the clamour for profit,safety is being fudged IMHO.I have written to Tamworth and,as a family member,I expect a reply  I have posed a number of issues to them,will report on their reply(or lack of one)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Tamworth is, of course, not one of PY Gerbeau's pistes.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| Eddie Mair has a superb dry wit and is capable of reducing listeners to helpless laughter on news programmes. |
Not this listener, who finds him insufferably smug.
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He asked PY Gerbeau (who actually inherited the crisis and kept the madhouse on the road) some fairly penetrating questions about the financial situation, which got Gerbeau increasingly rattled. Finally he replied "Sure, just blame the Frenchman. Please blame the Frenchman."
I'd love a tape of it, because it was about the funniest news interview I've ever heard. |
Now PY is funny. You have to admire his chutzpah!
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| Tamworth is, of course, not one of PY Gerbeau's pistes. |
.............yet
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You know it makes sense.
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Don't worry - I live 6 miles from the 230 metre dry slope in Pontypool run by the ever so proleteriat local authority. Service is ok in a a mates together kinda way but the quality of the mat and sprinkler system the last time I went was appalling, the equipment is definitely old school precarving gear.
So for our family 3 kids included the treck to Tamworth is well worth it. However, when we went last I was told that my 5 year old was not welcome on the Wednesday evening ski only nights, despite the fact that he can parrallel as well as my 13 and 16 year olds. when we got there the slope was being used by a wide selction of users including those who couldn't even plough.
Get hold of PY and make the best of it. The biggest ptoblem with the castleford and I would guess MK runs and presumably the new Scotland centre if they follow the same formula is a) the price and b) the dead straight run. I'll probably be saving my cash for a weekend trip to the Alps as when you add up 3 trips for a family of 5 to any of the three it comes to about the same.
BTW Any news on an indoor in Cardiff?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The snowdome on Cardiff Bay - part of the major redevelopment there - was first talked about years ago but I've nothing about progress for a while. The SCUK site keeps tabs:
http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/slopes-cardiff.html
Click on the link for news and updates, but there seems to be nothing firm. Talk of the slope opening in 2010.
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Poster: A snowHead
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David Goldsmith wrote:
Eddie Mair has a superb dry wit and is capable of reducing listeners to helpless laughter on news programmes.
Not this listener, who finds him insufferably smug.
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WHAT !!
Eddie Mair is a DUDE.
EDDIE for Prime Minister 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Peter S, if only for, say, Paxo to give him a taste of his own medicine!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Back to Braehead:
The new Xscape snowdome, due to open in April, is now recruiting: 1000 jobs up for grabs, including ski instructors:
This report from Evening Times, Glasgow
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A bit rich coming from a man who runs one of the least customer focussed organisations there is. Can't book some session online then they charge you an extra £1`for the pleasure of being put on hold on a premium rate phone line. No advance notice of slope/lift closures available online. Appalling slope conditions often with no refunds. Premium priced parking outside what is essentially a glorified shopping mall.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I suspect PY is the most reviled Frenchman on the planet given his predeliction for US style homogenising service culture which lines the pocket of the few and rips off the many.
Apparently he's a good ice hockey player, however.
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Service at Castleford - huh! The lifties are unfriendly, unhelpful and almost nasty, the same goes for the gear fitting guys, rude and ignoring. The only nice people I met was the lady at the lift pass desk.
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FAQ
