Sep, Contrautimes

Inspirational Travel 1

THE CON TRÂU TIMESIssue 8 - Sep - 2012

2 Inspirational Travel

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Table of Contents

Tip of the month“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but

also believe.” Anatole France

PublisherHr Department

DesignerBui Minh Tan

Staff WritersPham Thi Dien

Nguyen Thu HuongTrang Kim Tuong

EditorBev TaylorRay Petts

Customers’s contributionMichelle Thomas

Katie WatsonArthur Jen

Credits1. Joining and Leaving Buffalo Family2. Best Staff of the month3. Recruitment News4. Launching ISO Project in BT Thailand5. First in-house Guide Training in Saigon 11 - 13 Sep, 20126. Mekong Delta Experience7. Guests’ Feedback8. 7 Tips to make you more productive9. Birthdays and Anniversaries of October10 New born Buffalo


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Joining Buffalo tours

Leaving us

MS. LE ThiEn huong – BTA TrAvEL ConSuLTAnT – Sg offiCEMy name is Huong. I’m very glad to become a member of the BTA team.I

believe Buffalo Tours has a positive work environment so I think this is a good opportunity for me work for a company where my skills and

qualifications can make a difference. I like to travel to various places and eat the unique local food.

Mr. nAruPonPLEAnChuEn (JEff)Jeff has good experiences in negotiating and contracting hotels from the travel trade, good with Adobe and is joining our Purchasing Team in Thailand. He enjoys photography, music, technology and traveling.

Jeff is very friendly, easy going and hard-working. That is why he can get along well with Buffalo Tour (Thailand) team.

MS. PATTAnuChnArongTrAirATPong graduated from Bangkok University with a major in Hotel &Tour-

ism. She holds valuable experience in tour operations from working with Japanese travel agent. Pong is already successfully running our

tours, cooperating with guides and clients in Thailand. Pong is very friendly, nice and easy going. That is why she can get along well with

Buffalo Tour (Thailand) team.

Mr. vo Duy TiEn - Sg offiCE had worked as a BTA Travel Consultant from 30th May 2012 until 14th

August 2012.

We all will keep good memories which you gave us and wish you to success in your life after leaving BT.


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Recruitment News:

Staff of the monthMS SuChEErA SASiSuriyABhooM (Pook) - rESErvATion STAff

of BT ThAiLAnD August was the start of a new monthly event, when Buffalo Tours

Thailand found our first staff of the month. The nomination criteria are similar to the ones implemented in Vietnam and ensure the Staff of

the Month exceeds standards for quality and job performance. We are proud to announce Miss SucheeraSasisuriyabhoom (Pook), from the

Reservations Department is the staff of the month in August. She has showed a great performance, flawlessly exceeding all the measure-

ments

vgroup Training Manager Assistant – hanoi office (01)Develop and conduct training programs for Buffalo Tours (Hanoi and Saigon), iVIVU, Cholon Tours and Mai Chau Lodge (Brands to be added more based on the business growth)

• A degree or BA or Teaching Diploma is a must• Fluent English and mother language (spoken and writ-ten)• Delivery Skills in training• Worked in the Training field as Training Executive or Co-ordinator level at least two years.• Working background in International five-star Hotel, Travel industry or Retail-Consumer-related function is preferable / an advantage.

vLanguage intern – hanoi office (01)To assist with the marketing and sales of Buffalo Tours for

German- French and Spanish speaking markets. Ger-man intern required to start immediately, French and Spanish positions will also be available around March 2013

• Native German – French – Spanish speaker • Student studying a degree or diploma in Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Marketing or Business Management

v Sales Manager - hanoi office (01)The Sales Manager is responsible in the Hanoi area for increasing BTA brand awareness, identifying new opportunities and increasing sales while enlarging the range of outbound products offered by BTA. • University graduate degree in tourism or hospitality • At-least 5 years of sales management experience, preferably in the field of tourism, hospitality or airlines


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in Buffalo Tours ThailandLaunching ISO Project

Process, Quality System, ISO Standards all this is very popular in Buffalo Tours now. We now understand about the process, the working flow and apply all the regulations on daily work accordance with the

ISO standards. Quality Management has been applied to all processes in our organization that is one of our company strategic decisions. Process approach that will help to de-velop, implement and improve the effectiveness of a quality management system and enhance our customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements. One year ago, with the effort of all members in all Departments in Buffalo Tours Vietnam and the support from management Broad, Buffalo Tours Vietnam has achieved the ISO Certification. Keep go-ing on with the achievement, Buffalo Tours wants to expand the Quality management to all brand names of Buffalo tours in other counties such as Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia…And now Thailand is our next step. On 17th September this month, we have a meeting between ISO Vietnam and ISO team in Thailand to kick off this project. ISO team has implemented the ISO training in Buffalo Tours Thailand. We presented the general ISO knowledge for all members in Thailand to understand about the ISO standards as well as the ISO system in Buffalo Tours Vietnam. All members now are eager to work hard and achieve the ISO certification is our target.

Nguyen Thu Huong – HR Executive


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We have been after this

initiative for quite

some time and it was

really exciting to see

this happen after

initial support from Ray and Bob! The

training course includes 1 day class-

room and 02 days on-tour mainly fa-

cilitated by the internal Guide Trainer,

Mr. Son To Laki. The Guide participants

were trained on key information

about Buffalo Tours, Company Policies,

Service standard requirements and

especially professional Guiding skills.

The training has been very successful

and well received. We believe every-

one had a good learning experience

and would deliver better service in the

very near future.

Huge thanks from the heart to Laki

for your hard works! Also thanks to

Thy and team for your supports to

make this event a great hit! This is very

encouraging!

I would let the pictures and feedbacks

from participants tell how exciting it

was

“That was the wonderful training trip.

It has given us new knowledge, experi-

ences and lovely friends. The training

trip would have been better if it had

more guides. Anyways, this training

trip has been one of the best trips that

I’ve ever done! Thank you very much” –

Quoc Anh (5 years experienced Guide)

Trang Kim Tuong - Saigon Branch

Manager

in Saigon 11Sep - 13 Sep, 2012First in-house Guide Training


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in Saigon 11Sep - 13 Sep, 2012


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Mekong Delta ExperienceMekong Delta usually gives me an idea of floating mar-kets and huge and spacious rice fields. However, my ex-perience after 01 week travelling to this area, I realized that Mekong Delta offers you much more than that. I have travelled from Saigon to Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Can Tho, Ha Tien and finish my trip in Chau Doc


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other province in Mekong Delta that were full of fruits gathering at the Cai Rang. Some boats even departed their home from mid night to get there in time. Many families also use the boats as their mobile home

4. hA TiEn – A PEACEfuL SEASiDE BorDEr ToWnIt was very long drive from Can Tho to Ha Tien. 5 hours driving and I almost got exhausted. For cycling trip, clients have to get on and off the bus several times. The cycling route is off the beaten path therefore I had no opportunities to see the route. For all cycling trips, picnic lunch is highly recommended.

Despite of being tired, it was worth to come to Ha Tien as I found this town peaceful and attractive. Tourism hasn’t reached to this area yet. The Xa Xia border is small and just busy because of local trading between local people in Ha Tien and Kep (Cambodia). Even Ha Tien is closed to famous beautiful Phu Quoc Island, you only can see locals to at the ferry for speed boat to Phu Quoc. It’s very good option to travel off the tourist attractions.

The hotel is in front of a river going directly to the sea. However you can’t hear sounds of big waves. Staying right besides the beach but feeling in an oasis is a very special experience that I’ve ever had

5. ChAu DoC – MEkong DELTA iMMErSion

I was so eager when depart Ha Tien for Chau Doc. The route was even beautiful from beginning. It is also cycling road along the canals. There you can enjoy the countryside of sugar palm trees.

The 2 things appealed me most in Chau Doc is a great cruise to Tra Su Ecological Gem and the kindness of local people. I was greeted, cared and welcomed by all people at Victoria Chau Doc. They showed me the original characteristic of Mekong people: honest, kind, warm and friendly. Chau Doc was the last destination of my trip and would be the happy ending then

Pham Thi Dien – VET Executive

1. vinh Long

Vinh Long reflects my imagination about Mekong Delta when I was at high school: a complex network of many canals with riverside water coconut palm, man-grove, and river specialties like Mekong river shrimp and mullet. You almost can touch many fruits while cruising along the canals or cycling along the small paths of countryside on An Binh Island:

2. TrA vinh – TyPiCAL khMEr CuLTurE

It took only one hour from Vinh Long to Tra Vinh but it’s seemed that I was drifted into a small Cambodian area. I can see Khmer Pagodas everywhere on the way. Be-sides the time working at sugar cane fields, and mak-ing sedge mat, they spend their time in the pagodas, helping the monks in cleaning or just praying for their family. Pagoda is considered as a community center, an education center for children and religious center – of course. Monks play very important role in the life of Khmer community there

3. CAn Tho – ThE hEArT of MEkong DELTA

We departed our hotel for Cai Rang Floating Market early morning. There I saw how early the local people start their business. There were many boats from all

The boat is fulfilled by rambutan fruits

The biggest lying Buddha statue

Local starts their business early morning


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Feedback on

what our staf

f members have be

en doing

• Our tour guide Laki was very knowledgeable went out of his was to meet our expecta-

tions. our driver was very friendly & kept the bus immaculate . Overall fantastic experience

Mrs Michelle Thomas & Mrs Joa

• Our guide- Mr. Nguyen Minh Thang is excellent, professional, fun, informative, and a fan-

tastic ambassador for Vietnam. Best tour guide we have ever had in all our travels. Buffalo

tours is lucky to have him with the company.

katie Watson and Jessica

• Truely, sincerely and honestly, this experience has been one of the most prfound and

enlightening of my life. Thus far, thank you so much for your im

mense efforts in organizing

this trek and making this opportunity available. It has altered my life direction and affirmed

my studies with regards to their purpose.

Ms Arthur, Jen

Mr Ashcraft, Jacob

Ms faison, rhonda


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7 Tips to Make

You More Productive

Do you feel like there are never enough hours in the day to do all you need to do? Maybe the problem isn’t time, but how you’re using it. Try these 10 tips to power up your personal productivity.

1. Streamline. Get control by paring down to one master organizing system which works best for you.

2. Go step by step. When big tasks seem over-whelming, break them into small steps. Take one step a day, and you’ll make steady progress.

3. Don’t over-schedule. Be realistic when setting deadlines and goals. Figure out how long a task should take, then build in a “cushion” of time in case something goes wrong. Leave at least two hours each work day unscheduled so you’ll have time to deal with the unexpected.

4. Harness your natural rhythms. Observe your-self for a week or so to figure out what times of day you’re most (and least) productive. Sched-ule tasks that require complex thinking, creativ-ity or interaction for your energetic hours. Fill your natural down times with easier tasks like handling paperwork or organizing your office.

5. Prioritize. Before the week begins, write down your key goals and tasks for that week. Try to predict problems that might arise and how you will handle them. Every night, jot down a to-do list for tomorrow with three key goals.

6. Fit in fitness. A little activity each day makes a big difference in your productivity. A brisk 10-minute walk at noon, find ways to fit in fit-ness.

7. Think long-term. It’s easy to get caught up in checking off your to-do lists and putting out fires. Also make time for long-term thinking and strategic planning. Whether you spend one day on this, or every Friday morning, set aside a regular block of time to focus on your business’s future


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nguyen Minh ThangPham Thi Diennarupon Pleanchuerosalie Berghuisnguyen Thi vuiPattaranida Lohakulnguyen Thi kim TuyenChau Cam Coha Thi Thaonguyen Thi khanh ThuTran Le DungTa Thi Tuyet huongTu Tuyet Maikong SokthinPham Thi Thuynguyen Thi Thanh Trucnguyen Manh hungha Thi hong nhungho Thi Thu Thuynguyen Phuong Thuykritmanee ratanaphaisalTran Thi Thuy ngaPham Thi Phuong Thaongo Anh Phuong ChiSarah griffinTran Xuan Dannguyen Thi Thanh hainguyen vo ngoc Chau

1-Oct1-Oct1-Oct1-Oct4-Oct4-Oct5-Oct5-Oct6-Oct8-Oct11-Oct13-Oct14-Oct15-Oct16-Oct16-Oct16-Oct17-Oct20-Oct22-Oct24-Oct25-Oct25-Oct27-Oct27-Oct30-Oct30-Oct31-Oct

Tour GuideVET ExecutivePurchasing ExecutiveSales RepresentativeOperation ExecutivePAIT SupporterTour GuideFOX ExecutiveBTA Travel consultantInbound Operation ExecutiveCashierTour GuideOperation ExecutiveFIT ExecutiveAssistant Branch ManagerIT DeveloperChief AccountantPR and Marketing ExecutiveOnline SalesSales Team TeaderBTA Travel consultantBTA Travel consultantOperation ExecutiveCountry ManagerTour GuideLegal officerBTA Travel consultant

Birthdays:

Birthdays Anniversaries&

Luu Thao LyCao Thi Minh ngocnguyen Thi Thu Trangnguyen Dao Thien ynguyen Bao QuocBev Tayloryuwadee Laovechprasit Atithlady LATSAvATh Chipseng Thor

02 years in service05 years in service03 years in service04 years in service03 years in service01 years in service02 years in service04 years in service03 years in service

Operation ExecutiveFIT team leaderOperation ExecutiveOperation team leaderDeliverMarketing directorPurchasing Team leaderAccountantVolunteer Project Coording

Anniversaries:


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Anniversaries New born Buffalo

1. Congratulation to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Van – FIT Executive – on the birth of your hand-some baby on 9th August, 2012. His name is Hoang Duc Minh and nick name is “Popo”.

3. Congratulation to Ms Sophea – Accountant of BT Camdodia – on the birth of your handsome baby on 6th September, 2012. His name is Phal Sophearithand.

2. Congratulation to Mr. Bui Minh Tan – MKT Designer – on the birth of your beautiful baby on 6th September, 2012. Her name is Bui Vu Minh An and nick name is “Susu”.

4. Congratulation to Ms. Bui Thi Hao – GR Executive – on the birth of your beautiful baby on 25th September, 2012. Her name is Pham Bao Ngoc.

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