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‘I’m back to turn Birchwood around’ – ceo

12 Aug 2015
Comments | 0

KEVIN Clarence has

returned to the

Birchwood Hotel and

OR Tambo Conference

Centre in an operational

capacity to implement a

turnaround strategy that

will promote efficiencies

within the business and

restore the establishment’s

“damaged” reputation.

He spoke exclusively

to TNW to outline his

plans for the hotel.

“Previously, I was sitting

at board level, practising

top-down communication

with management.” Kevin

says he watched as the

business he started with

his late father back in

1998 began to hire more

staff than necessary,

promote employees into

positions that did not

match their competence

and prioritise its BEE

scorecard above its

clients and the day-today

management of the

business.

The hotel’s reputation

began to take a knock, as

service levels dropped.

Tough economic conditions

and complex lease

agreements added to the

pressure, Kevin says.

“But we are starting

to clean things up now.”

Under Kevin’s leadership,

the Birchwood will redeploy

and retrench 180 staff.

The company is

also looking at new

opportunities to improve

customer service, with the

introduction and expansion

of products such as

Silverbirch@Birchwood –

an offering launched in

March to appeal to the

discerning corporate

traveller. “In a way, we are

entering an exciting phase

because it is almost like

we are re-launching the

Birchwood. With Silverbirch,

we can go back to what

we know and what the

customer wants while

bringing in people who

are competent enough

to be able to create that

experience,” Kevin says. 

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