Heard myself on Newstalk Down to Business this weekend and actually think I might be acquiring an Irish accent, which is a concern to me as a paid up Yorkshire Nationalist.  However this weeks post has to be about THE speech and Biffo.  Call me a bit soppy but I quite like a politician with faults who confronts them. Raised as I was with the first generation of Thatcherites anything is better than the handbag approach.

So he made the right speech to the wrong audience at the wrong time – do we not always risk that? I was so impressed I almost (but not quite) texted Newstalk with comments that morning. Sorry guys but the Yorkshire genes do not allow the expenditure of 30 cent on a text – and I was late for the meeting already. Anyway Biffo socked it to them and I for one am impressed.  Who reading this has not woken up 3 months into a job and realised that they did not need the PR people or the speech writers. And done what seems right at the time.  Anyway they will be toasting him in Clara this weekend , and we are after all an island of tribes….

And I have failed in my resolution not to tackle politics in this blog….

Does anyone else resent the dumping of large unsolicited office supplies brochures on their desk this week – we received two from AJ products who we have never heard of. Our office supplies people never send unsolicited brochures – we call or email them with our needs and they make recommendations, usually with a web link.  Quite apart from the sheer waste of money have these guys missed the eco plot altogether?

Doing business in the current environment is about building strong relationships not mammoth brochure drops! Get real guys and excuse me putting them right in the recycling bin (having taken off the nasty polythene).  While I prepare to play with our wonderful new CRM system from Adecsys – we referred these guys to clients like Professional Tradesmen and Irish Grasslands Association and finally commissioned our own system.  Beats ACT hands down….and most info exported trouble free. A much better investment that filling my recycle bin.

On my way up to Donegal this weekI caught John McKenna of the Bridgestone Guides on RTE bemoaning the faceless character of ‘developer hotels’. I like John a lot and am working my way steadily through his guide recommendations – I even call him now and again to get a tip for a good party venue. And he does have a pretty good blog too.

By co-incidence I was about to check into Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny and I recall that some 20 years ago as THE place to get posh tea in the town. Boy has that changed.  Its fine for me as I need space, value and wireless broadband in order to fuel my work up here but ask yourself – would a tourist like this view from the window? Is that why they come to Ireland?

Moving this discussion on now to Talk Tourism !