Christmas Crunch

DEC 19, 2007

Here it is, the third week in December at a ski resort. If you don't have your staff together and humming the same tune by this time, you are setting yourself up for a tough holiday high season. I thought I did until yesterday when one of my key cooks blew out his knee on the slope and I had a no-show on one of my PM dishwashers.

The cook thing sounds more critical, but it actually is less severe of a loss than the DW. Cooks are easier to find than a decent DW, and I can always sub-in for a cook, but it is not good for me to sub-in for a DW.

The season-ending injury is my second for the season so far. Over the years I have come to expect 10 to 15% of my staff to be out on injury at some time or other. Considering my staff is 17 people, there should be 1 or 2 more injuries. But for two to be out in the first month of ops is not good. Hopefully this will not be a banner year for injuries.

Other than injuries, things go well and the staff has jelled nicely. There have been a few tests and they have passed with flying colors. It is good that we are having a great early season for snow as the revenues and skier counts have been approaching record levels. This gives us an opportunity to practice under busy conditions. And the snow is good for employee morale. More than 100 inches already and nearly no rain to wash it away.

Can anyone name the resort and area I am skiing above?

Have a great holiday!!

Ross