Published: Friday, January 16, 2004 at:11:30 PM




The View From the Helm
"A Year of Fine Tuning the Rig"



By Sandra L. Grisham, Managing Director

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been just a little over a year since I took the helm at The Bitter End Yacht Club. And in that year the immediate challenge was: how do you improve on almost 30 years of guest satisfaction and fun? On-going support from the Hokin Family (the Hokins have owned BEYC for over 27 years), made settling in at the helm a breeze. And, after weeks of listening to and chatting with guests (a practice we continue daily), it was clear that dramatic change was not the mandate. Rather it was the subtle fine tuning of a sloop with both sails already drawing. But perhaps we could adjust the outhaul, and trim the jib a bit!

With that in mind, our Food & Beverage Manager Andy Woodrick (see Andy’s column on p. 6) set about updating our popular but aging menus, adding specials, and theme dinners. Presentation and service were also improved, particularly at breakfast, and new players were brought on board to add fresh perspective. The Pub has become a popular snack spot and after-dinner hangout. And everyone from multi-repeats to first-time charter guests are raving about the best coffee in the Caribbean!

On the activities front, we’ve added new excursions, bushwhacked breathtaking new hiking trails, repowered excursion boats, and added to the fleet. All the while, Gordon Overing continues to run the best watersports and activities center in the world, bar none. Meanwhile, Dave Pugsley and Brent Hollink upgraded the Freedom 30 fleet, the marina and visiting yacht facilities to a very high standard.

Upon check-in and checkout, repeat guests will notice that we’ve streamlined, simplified, and computerized the previously antiquated process. Everything now occurs at the front desk, where it should. Technology matched with familiar faces to greet you: Mary Jo Ryan, Enid Lennard, Eva Shillingford, and the whole crew.

Perhaps our biggest bow to progress comes in the rooms. No, we haven’t gone out and redecorated them! One past guest enthusiastically described our Beachfronts like “a comfortable Top-Sider—it feels the same every time you put it on.” However, the venerable Beachfronts are now “wired.” Phones are available on (and only on) demand. The phone stays unplugged in the drawer until you want or need it!

But what really makes the Bitter End experience work is guest—staff interaction. And we like to think we have one of the friendliest and most content staffs in the Caribbean. It’s not unusual to see a waitress in the restaurant recognize a repeat guest upon returning, by name, and sometimes with a big hug. We’ve recently increased the guest/staff ratio, and added training programs that empower the managers and frontline staff to provide guests immediate satisfaction.

Overall, we’re blessed to have a very grounded staff. A third have been with us over 10 years, and 30 have been on board for 20 years or more—that’s longevity. On that note we report the departure of Nick Trotter (see story page 7), who returns to the States after 24 years in the BVI, 20 at Bitter End. Nick was an invaluable member of the waterfront team over the years. We will miss him, and we all wish him well.

So read on to find out how we’re constantly fine tuning the Bitter End, improving on a formula that has kept us at the head of the fleet!