Hi All,

A few bits from Paul McKay.

• I think I understand the dramas of the email and the clicks not working.  I you want one send direct please send me an email to paulm@... and for the next one you can register for more info on the home page
• I have uploaded a wad of pics from last year and other rides to this site http://picasaweb.google.com/paultmckay.  It was fairly easy (even for me) so if you have pics you want to share with others you can upload on this system, send me an email and I can link it to this page
• Thanks for your honest question Jinx and your inspiring response Richard.  I have been meaning to prepare a longer response so perhaps I shall bang some words in now eh.

My interpretation of the feedback on the ride is that people

1. Had a super time on the ride.  The survey after the ride used a “Net Promoter Index” process to measure this.  It is a US marketing methodology that suggests that in the long term most businesses rely on word of mouth for growth and NPI sets about measuring this by asking customers if they would recommend us to friends.  You can check out the process here http://www.netpromoter.com/.  Basically you take the top two scores (9 and 10 out of 10 and subtract the bottom 6) – sounds harsh to me but it’s their system.  Riders gave us a score of 54% which is comparatively fantastic.  I was personally thrilled when these responses came in so thanks to all of you for putting up with our first effort.    I must also say that it was an amazing experience for me and the team of people working on the ride.   For me it really was one of life’s great adventures – coping with the different dramas of each day, meeting a host of new characters – for those who didn’t attend I can try and describe what it was like but I reckon I would fail – you just had to be there.
2. My interpretation is that people are saying “wow that was super” and also “we see where you are going with the plumbing bits and please get them sorted by the next ride”. I thought the score was generous and I feel a debt to honor people’s goodwill and faith.  I think a few folk found some of the complaining tiresome and thought they might have been a bit tough on me.  Most of the time when someone was complaining – I actually thought they were not unfair and we do have lots to improve upon.  I found people appreciative and patient with our efforts.

Our analysis of why we ended up with and almost finished shower block, dishwashing and clothes washing facilities and a finished but not commissioned toilet block was that we/I was too soft when waiting for the right people to make their commitments and putting up with less than ideal performance delivery across many aspects.  Let me be clear that I reckon this is my fault – not theirs or anyone else.  And I and the team are working hard to resolve the key areas which I list as follows

• Admin.  We were not good at answering phones, responding to phone messages, responding to emails and had a troublesome system coping the admin around people’s entries.  This year we
• Have a super team of people in the office who love the ride and working real hard on the next one. 
• Our answering machine finally works and we are committed to returning calls by at least the day after they are left.
• I am personally answering the emails to Information@... Each day
• We already have a better online entry process and have a super team of people putting together a host of further improvements and adding some “dynamism” to the system
• Jack is looking after volunteers and making sure we get back to them and confirm their acceptance early.
• Plumbing
• I reckon the toilets were actually close.  There were lots that was great about them (the design, bowls, on the ground…) but the bits that were not tidied up let us down terribly.  We have a list of the things we need to tweak with them including – brushes for each cubicle, consistent water pressure, sanitary bins for the women, effective sight locks, sumping twice per day, constant attendant...  We also need to stick to the one pan for 40 people rule.
• Showers.  These basically just need finishing – seats, clothes baskets, a rose for each cubicle, find those grundfos pumps I keep talking about that deliver constant pressure and flow rate, build the floor…
• Washing up gear – again these just need finishing – a couple of days will have shaving bars, clothes washing and dish washing
• Catering – I thought most of the food was pretty good.  We are concentrating our efforts on improving lunches, ensuring HACCAP training for food workers, an possibly building our own portable kitchen
• Town Liaison.  Despite perceptions, all towns were contacted in February (except Riebick Casteil (sp?) and all had many visits to advise we were coming and to help them prepare for the ride.  Some chose to ignore this advice and some did not believe me.  Only Calitzdorp and Barrydale chose to forward emails to their list of local tourism providers.  This year we will continue to liaise, encourage, and cajole towns to make the most of the events.  We have had a fabulous response so far and expect that we will have more welcomes like Calitzdorp and Barrydale and les like Montagu.
• Road Approvals.  We have complete the application forms and met with the head of transport for the Western Cape.  I expect some improvement but also have to acknowledge that it is common for many rides to be finalizing approvals at the last minute.  I don’t like this and we will do all we can to streamline the process, but I must identify that the admin and bureaucratic process seem constructed to ensure this.
• Entertainment.  This is effectively a function of the number of people on the ride.  I enjoyed much of the entertainment last year and have a host of concepts to add this year and for future rides.
• The Route.  In my view this years routes are both better than last year and I thought last years was stunning.  In the Western Cape there are no dull bits – it is all fabulous and the Mpum ride is just made for cycling.

Sing out if you have any questions or thoughts on this.

Paul McKay