The Echo-Chamber

Most of the restaurants I speak to are very concerned about the costs they face in having to carry their business through the quiet months. And nearly everyone is either thinking about or they are already in the process of getting a glossy flyer printed with every intention of hitting that well worn path that leads to the B&B’s. But how effective is this going to be? Printing is not cheap and I dont think many realise just how much effort it takes nor what an utterly wretched job it really is.

Would it not make sense to pause for a moment and ask ourselves whether we could not achieve a lot more by doing it slightly dfferently? Would it not be in everyones interest if we started pooling our efforts and looking for ways to work smarter.

Of course it would. That is what this initiative is all about. There is a need which can be addressed but only if people are prepared to change the way these sort of things have always been done and only if they are prepared to look for and work towards answering the question that arise.

Who really knows? I saw the Garden Route Investments headline asking me whether I was arriving or whether I was leaving and I never bothered to take the matter any further. Its a moot point and a question we are all asking. But in the meantime we still have to get on and deal with those day to day things .

For our part we have set up our first quality circle and are busy promoting the concept to the restaurants, food and hospitality industry. This with the objective of providing a service and resourcing a full time employee who can commit the time that’s needed to get this organisation running.

Whatever your opinion and although there are arguments whether it is true or not, it does seem as though we are heading toward a global recession. Apologies if I am coming across a little pessimistic but all the indicators are there. This is why it is more important than ever to re-establish the Knysna Chamber of Commerce. There are undoubtably some tough times ahead of us and if we want to keep our heads above water we need to start working smarter. We also need to recognise that a lot of what needs to be done needs to be done collectively. So here we are ladies and gentlemen, The Knysna Chamber of Commerce is available (free) to help coordinate a brighter future and despite ESKOM and everything that they cant or wont to  make it any easier.

Rather ask what you can do for you. We have ideas but there is a fair amount of work to be done before any of it is going to happen.