Italy: Roman Holiday. Five years later.
After 5 years, I again ended up in Italy. My bosses are holding a traditional for the company "rally" of clients in the open spaces of the main supplier of the company - a large Italian holding. In a couple of months, everyone starts to fuss - compiling guest lists, planning a program of events, booking flights, hotels, preparing a cultural program and much more. My visit to this event was not planned, because our most important boss is very worried at a time when I am absent from the office. "Lesha! Well, you won’t be there for 3 days, how could it be without you in the office! ”, - he says. In the office, in my absence, a good half of the questions really “freeze”. And it's not that I didn't understand the reason for such processes, how much the same bosses didn't have the political will to solve such problems. “Spectacled” they are with me - to tell the truth. They sincerely believe that "the old city is better than the new one, we know how it stinks. " In over a year of faithful service, I never broke the convictions of such a series. And then, in a couple of weeks, the miracle of “enlightenment” came to them, and it seemed logical to them that the first face of the company after them should be at the main “rally” of the company’s clients.
The preparation for the event looks chaotic. Clients fly from different parts of Russia and the CIS, so it was not possible to put everyone on one flight. We chose the main flight of Ural Airlines to Rimmini on 03/26/2014. We wanted to book the entire board, but who will allow us to do this. Having found out about a group of citizens who wanted to fly all together on the indicated day on this flight, gentlemen, the merchants sharply raised the price tag (initially, a round-trip ticket cost 12.000 rubles, later it began to cost 18.000 rubles). On the other side was Aeroflot with its daily scheduled flight SU2424 to Bologna. Some flew to Rome or Milan, and from there they traveled by car or by train to Pesaro - of course, the route points where our "rally" took place. Transfers were planned for all clients with the help of our Italian partners. For the most part, there were no problems with visas, everyone was given the treasured inserts in their passports for a period of 3 to 12 months.
Initially, we planned to book a package of services with tour operators, but the price of the issue went off scale. For example, a Moscow-Rimmini-Moscow flight with self-booking will cost you 6 million rubles, the minimum price from a tour operator is 10 million rubles. Flight operators are the same. The bus for 45 people with a day tour of the city cost us 600 euros, when booking in Russia - 1100 euros. Further, I think it makes no sense to continue - we booked everything ourselves. I would like to say special thanks to my leading marketer Natalia B. for her selfless work in organizing and preparing the event.
On the appointed day, the first group took off with Ural Airlines at 6 am. Of the 140 seats on board, a good half are our customers. Photos from that very flight shock even an experienced traveler - have you ever seen 70 people on an airplane standing in the aisle and "stupidly drinking"? And I saw! Moreover, our esteemed clients drink like elephants in a zoo. To say "a lot" is to say nothing. Interestingly, another group of passengers were Russian children on their way to a pioneer camp in Italy. For 3.5 hours of flight, both of them had seen enough of each other so much that they left the board without further ado.
The second group flew by Aeroflot, where your obedient servant is located in place 10A. My bosses flew here, only at different ends of the plane, and some VIP clients. Calmly, with the alignment of forces and thoughts. Everyone drank in the business lounge, went on board, drank there, slept, got off, got their luggage, boarded the bus, drank on the bus…. Further everywhere… What makes adult uncles drink so much and… attention!!!!....aunt…. I don't know. . . But the spectacle is not for everyone. I was preparing documents during the flight, so I did not notice how we landed in Bologna. At the airport, two clients left their fancy gadget from a well-known apple company on the plane, which I spent 40 minutes trying to return through the aviation security service. At this time, most of the group shamelessly drank, and did not get very upset while waiting for a couple of passengers.
The third group, the smallest, left Domodedovo at 15.30 on a Transaero flight, which put on the flight a dead old board with a seat pitch designed to transport only children. Fed tolerably, and the amount of alcohol drunk did not improve the quality of sleep - it was too crowded between the rows of seats. The guys also reached the final point of their route in 30 minutes - the Cruiser 4 * hotel, located on the waterfront.
It is here that our employees are always accommodated during a trip to the group's factories located around Pesaro. The hotel has a good bar, cafe-dining room on the second floor. The rooms have everything you need, with the exception of adjustable air conditioners. One night, for example, it was very cold, but it was not possible to add "heat" - the temperature control knob was broken. On the other night, on the contrary, I wanted to add “cold”, but the minimum temperature maintained by the device “hung” at around 21 degrees Celsius, which did not greatly save the situation. The main minus of the hotel is the audibility between the rooms. One of the moss bosses drank every night with a client in room 318 (I lived in 317), and in three nights I learned absolutely all their secrets. Which is not always good - sometimes I just wanted to sleep. The hotel staff is not always efficient - upon check-in, each client was supposed to put a gift in the room, but someone messed up something, and the gifts did not go to a group of clients, but they pleasantly surprised ordinary hotel guests who were not connected with us. There is no free Wifi in the rooms, the price of the service is 8 euros per hour, which is extortionately expensive.
Before I had time to check in, the bosses “pulled” me out for negotiations with Massimo, a representative of our other supplier, who specially came to us to discuss issues of cooperation that our side could not resolve. The weather was rainy and windy outside, many cafes were closed due to the low season. We took a table at the Margarita cafe, 2 steps from the hotel, where they serve nothing but cocktails, fruits and buns. For hungry people who had not eaten anything in the morning, and in Russia, this was critical. We drank "syringe" and ate chips with whipped cream. When the hunger let go, the bosses skillfully "dumped" Massimo on me, and they themselves went to rest. Negotiations lasted 3 hours, but we agreed. At 18.30 I received an SMS from the company - a reminder of a meeting in the hotel lobby at 19.00. My marketer sent such SMS on behalf of the company several times a day, reminding customers of something important.
For half an hour I only managed to come to the room and charge my phone, after which I again went down to the hotel lobby. About 110 people crowded here waiting for an evening dinner. Everyone walked to the Donna Amalia restaurant, where our Italian partner had booked a table. Italians do not know how to quickly serve groups of more than 20 people - this is a fact. Danillo, a representative of our partners, did not successfully reserve a microphone, although it was very necessary, since both company employees and customers wanted to speak. Salads "cucumbers-tomatoes-greens" were served only after an hour, appetizers - after two, and hot dishes - after three. During this time, many got drunk and dispersed to walk around the city. In general, about nothing.
It was difficult for many people to get up in the morning. For me, no, because I don't drink at work. Received a morning text, I went to breakfast, where I had a briefing with managers. At 8.30, 2 large buses arrived and everyone went to production. During the day, we visited several sites of our partners, presented certificates of honor to the largest client, ate in the factory canteen, gave gifts to our friends from Italy (last year there were matryoshka dolls, this time - boxes "Khokhloma" and balalaikas "Gzhel"). It rained all day and it was cold enough that everyone was given a corporate umbrella. They were of very poor quality - mine, for example, broke after 30 minutes of operation and did not close. In general, the organization of the Italian side for C grade.
We returned to the hotel around 16.30, the guys decided to see the city, despite the rain, and I went with them. There are few attractions in Pesaro - one main street goes from the sea (the famous ball) through the main square to the fort of the Italian conquistadors. On the way, you can visit the city's Basilica and the museum of the city's history, as well as visit numerous shops with consumer goods. You will spend 3-4 hours maximum for the whole route. In summer you can sunbathe on the beach, but we, as described above, were unlucky with the weather. The guys were here two weeks earlier and spring was in full bloom in Italy, two weeks later it was very warm. We did not "fortanulo" - cold and rainy.
In the evening at 19.00 we were taken to the iL Castiglione restaurant, which is on the second street from the sea, almost behind the hotel. Everything here was even worse than the day before. Appetizers and salads were served... attention!! !... an hour and a half after arrival, and all of them were eaten instantly. The second batch of appetizers was brought... in another hour and a half. The people, furious, began to disperse to other establishments where they could eat quickly and heartily. Only after the scandal was served heavily salted and overcooked hot - chicken, sausages, bacon. And even that half of the “persistent” who did not go to other restaurants remained hungry. Danillo, with his characteristic manner, “tucked his tail”, “blushed” and got drunk with “grief”, without resolving a single issue. And your obedient servant until late at night was preparing documents for Moscow, which were sent to me in two days in plenty.
The third day divided the group into two parts. One of the owners and I were heading towards Bologna to the factory of another partner. Another owner with a marketer were to visit the country-city of San Marino, a winery and an outlet. At the last moment, the boss who was supposed to go with the second bus decided to go to the factory, and switched places with me. I was not upset, because their part of the group looked like drunken monkeys in the zoo, but ours consisted of decent people who, if they drank, then a little.
We got to San Marino in an hour. You had to first go to an outlet that no one liked to understand that people need more time in San Marino. Natasha and I did not know this, and by 11.00 we moored at the city's bus stop. Time - one and a half hours. In the 5 years that I have not been here, nothing has changed - all the same shops with leather goods, limoncella, pasta and other tourist nonsense, where only Russian-speaking sellers work. The group dispersed to walk around the city. Many wanted to buy leather goods, but mistakenly believed that prices were lower in the outlet. It is not true. The lowest prices for jackets, bags and more are in San Marino. But then we did not know this, and at 13.00 we took the people to the Big Chick outlet. I have not seen such a “divorce” for a long time - branded clothes and shoes cost 2 times more here than in Moscow. Clients are only Russians, others do not come here. One aunt, who looked like a “mommy” from a roadside street with a dubious idea of taste, strenuously “sold” us her services of a personal “shopping consultant”. It took a lot of effort to get rid of her. In the outlet, after walking for about 10 minutes, people realized that this was a waste of time. We gathered a group, refocused on the SM Fashion shopping center in the city center. Here, of course, there is also no “ice”, but in any case, the choice of prices is better than in outlets. For example, I became even more entrenched in the idea that after shopping in the USA you don’t want to go to buy something in other countries - the choice is weak, the prices are high. Dissatisfied people began to discuss their trip. Realizing that it smelled of “fried”, I picked up a bus microphone, on behalf of the company’s management apologized to everyone for all the “jambs”, and began to tell them stories about local attractions, invented “finds”. Our business tourists quickly got involved, and even forgot about San Marino, where their cherished leather jackets, bags, belts, etc. , remained unpurchased.
At XXX winery at 4.40 pm we were met by a waddling grandfather who spoke only Italian. We called Danillo, who promised to come to us as a "lightning bolt" as an interpreter. For me, that meant at least an hour. I had to “turn on” the impromptu again - I translated to people what I understood. Seeing the cellars with wine and distillation machines, our comrades cheered up, and when they started tasting, they completely forgot about all the imperfect purchases. We tried 5 types of wine, but we all got drunk enough. Then Danillo arrived, who translated from Italian into English, and I translated from English into Russian. And then our tourists bought an unreal amount of wine, olive oil and other souvenirs from the winery. The management of the institution was so happy that they gave me, Danillo and Natalia several bottles of expensive wine, some creams and other useful things. A trifle, but nice. The tour was delayed, we left the winery at 18.40, while we were at the hotel at 19.30.
The second group at that time was already in the hotel and all quarreled. Apparently, the moods of those who got drunk in the “dowel” and those who “did not finish it” did not match. Some members of the group were even forgotten at some crossroads. And they returned only in the morning of the next day. My crew was pleased with the results of the trip. On the third evening, Danillo took into account the experience of previous evenings and booked the fish restaurant Polo Pizza, which has been proven over the years, which is on the first line near the ball, exactly where the central street of the city begins. Here the food was fast, tasty and in the right quantities. Can they do it when they want to? Natasha, who fell ill after the rain, and I made lists of transfers for the next morning. Natalya and her group flew away at 6 am, so I had to "steer" the rest.
On the morning of Saturday, March 29, the weather "cleared up". Sun, warm, good. . . Some even swam in the sea. . . It was sad that many left. Natalya's group, for example, was already in the area of responsibility of the Moscow air hub. Still, in 3.5 days we became a team, although I, as one of the organizers of the event, was very tired.
At 9 in the morning we took a bus to Bologna, where we arrived at 11. Only 20 people got on the return flight with me, while 42 flew “there”. Many decided to extend their visit to Italy for the next weekend. At the airport, everything is slow and tedious, as in all of Italy - the unhurried work of the staff was annoying. Aeroflot flight SU2425 took off half an hour late at 14.10, and at 20.20 safely landed at Sheremetyevo. During the flight, together with the flight attendant, we called Moscow via special communications, passed on the lists of passengers who were late for connecting flights. A meeting with a name plate in the terminal was very useful for many - everyone managed to catch their connecting flights.
We were given a parking lot at terminal 1, while we received our luggage at terminal 2. Here it is, “service in Russian”, - passengers were transported along the airfield in stuffy buses. Aeroflot! ? . At the same time, 40 minutes after landing, we were not given our luggage, which was traveling to us in the same way - around the field. The airport was very crowded, I see this only on New Year's holidays. We shook hands, I breathed a sigh of relief, got into a taxi and went home to sleep. And the moral is simple - I understood, looking at my clients, what I should strive for in my work. They are their own masters, what they want, then they "return". The same cannot be said about me and many of my colleagues. But, nothing, everything is fixable ? , the main thing is to realize in time where you go next. See you, friends, until new adventures... .