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FeaturesYou are in: Isle of Man > Features > Are we being served?  John Inman in "Are you being served?" Are we being served?Are we a nation of rude, lazy servers or are we wonderfully friendly and helpful? The debate on Manx customer service (or lack of it) rumbles on, but is there light at the end of the tunnel? Jack Edward Bate from Laxey sees it as his vocation to go that extra mile for his customers at the Laxey Campsite. He was recently awarded “Best Customer Service from an individual” in the Isle of Man Government Tourism awards 2007 after several nominations from happy punters.  Retired Fireman, John Bate “My wife and I have been campers for many years and when I took the job of Campsite Warden over 4 years ago I decided that I was going to treat the campers as I would expect to be treated myself. When someone arrives who has never been to the Isle of Man before, I tell them to set up their tent, while I make them a cup of tea. I’ve always got a pot of tea brewing in the kitchen. Many people have had a long journey to get here so a little hospitality goes a long way. I try to get an idea of what the visitors are interested in and then I get some leaflets together so they can get the most out of their trip.
I guide them a bit if they need some direction because I know about all the wonderful things the Isle of Man has to offer. I have lived here for 38 years so I can also tell people the easiest ways to get around the Island. I always check with my visitors about how their day has gone and some people invite me to sit with them and share a beer in the evening. One of the things people write in my visitor’s book is that I exceed expectations. Without wanting to sound immodest I do think this is true. I work hard to make sure it’s true. People pay a lot of money to come to the Isle of Man and in my opinion they deserve the very best treatment. I love to tell visitors about the interesting sites here on the Island. There’s so much to see and people are generally very impressed. I have been a TT Marshal at Kate’s Cottage on the Mountain Course for over 30 years so I have an endless supply of stories to tell the bikers who visit for the TT! The Marine life also attracts a lot of people. I can recommend the best places to see basking sharks and whales at different times of the year.  John's long serving marshal certificate It’s important to keep in touch with all the different things which happen locally so you can pass on knowledge to folk who only have a few days to pack everything into. The cost of getting to the Isle of Man is so high now that I always feel a responsibility to make sure people have a good time. If the travel prices were cheaper we’d definitely have more tourists but nevertheless over the four years I’ve been working at the campsite I have noticed an increase in numbers despite the high cost of getting here. I don’t want to sound big headed but people do keep coming back to my campsite year after year. People say that I have made their holiday by helping them with introductions and by the way I have treated them. That makes me feel very proud." last updated: 28/11/07 Have Your Say
david archer SEE ALSOYou are in: Isle of Man > Features > Are we being served?
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