A bigger place for the event next time would be much appreciated. It got a bit too crowded. Otherwise great evening.

Sarah-Jane,

many thanks for organizing this event...as usual it was great to meet new people

looking forward to the next one

tarik

Great and nice event as usual.

I just have reservations about the place : too small and quite expansive

Hi lovely!

I love the place and the atmosphere. But as usual it was really crowded and if we wanted  to have a  chat it was really hard to go through the mass of people. So we left without knowing new people

Best,

Kaki

Sarah-Jane,

Great event as usual - you're a fantastic organizer.  I love the place also, but I agree with the lack of space for such a big group (but where else can we go in Geneva fwith a group of 100 persons). Maybe they could open a salon for us next time, where we would have a bit more space?

Just on minor which also comes back regularly - pricey place, and it gets worse. As I mentioned to you yesterday, the orange juice has gone up from 12 francs 2 weeks ago to 15 francs - 25% increase - not bad...

Didier

SJ:

Thanks for pulling this together! Your NMD's are getting too popular...(-;

All:

I'm one of the site's co-founders, so ensuring the NMD's keep working well is top priority for me. Sarah-Jane shares all the feedback with me and with the Hotel, and all together we're trying to ensure that the space issue, and the price issue, is solved. Keep you updated...

Nir 

As always,  friendly people, lots of laughs and new friends.

I agree with all the comments above about the prices, fair enough it's a posh hotel in a prime spot in Geneva, however there should be some sort of deal for the New Members drink evening.

I think they lose out in sales. In my case, instead of having two or three drinks like I normally do elsewhere I limit myself to one.

I'm sure this is not an issue for a lot of well off members, but I  think that Didier is right to bark at a 25% price hike overnight, 15 francs for a glass of  orange juice (probably out of a carton too). Ouch!

We count on you to get on the case Super Nir

Anyway, thanks for all the hard work, your lovely smiles and sense of humour Sarah-Jane and Nir

Thank you for organizing a great meeting. 

You did a wonderful job!

I had a great time to meet new people.

Arrived late, had a great time, met good friends, made new ones, missed Nir and the paparazzi, did not find it that crowded, mixed up languages although had only two drinks, enfin... will return!

Thank you to all for your feedback..

The issue of space and pricing is being discussed.....We will do all we can to try and resolve these problems.

Have a great weekend !!

Sarah-Jane

The only way to solve the problem of space and equal and fair rotation among memebrs is to organise a new event called "Musical chair "style" double speed meeting  new (and old) members drinks!! 

p.s. im a snob and i drink only beer so no complaints about the price!

Sarah Jane thank u for the event.  XXX

Tony - you can drop as many hints for speed dating as you like but the big boss is not going for it ..... but thanks for the feedback

I would like to inform all of you of some changes to this event. Thank you very much for your feedback, it is very valuable to us and helps us keep things running as smoothly as possible.

Nir, myself and the team at the Mandarin have discussed the problems raised at the last drinks...Here is what we have come up with..

TOO CROWDED - The drinks will now be marked at full when it reaches 80 people.

SLOW SERVICE - The bar has noticed that the most popular drinks are beer & wine, therefore to help take the pressure off the bar staff they are setting up a wine station.

DRINKS PRICES - The price of the orange juice was a mistake & they have apologised for this accordingly. The Mandarin are offering us all drinks at 2-3chf less than the marked prices... All the bar staff have been re-briefed on this matter, so this should no longer be an issue.

Hopefully these efforts from the Mandarin and us will help these problems get solved.

Thank you again for your time and patience with these matters.

Your Hostess, Sarah-Jane  

Hi Sarah-Jane,

Thanks for the follow-up. The next event will probably be even better (without me since I'll be in Asia). 

Orange juice price an error? So do I get a free drink next time I join?  I can tell you I complained and the lady assured me that the price was correct and showed me a ticket (on which there were several other drinks - I only realized later that this was not normal). Seems more like a rogue server to me.

A pity because the place is nice. Have fun next Wednesday.

Didier

Didier,

The hotel made a mistake of CHF 3 frances on your juice, and now recognised this in public and ensured all waiters are aware of the reduced gloclas prices. Plus I am sure they'll offer you a juice for free next time.

If you run into an issue any future time, pls let me or Sarah-Jane know on the spot and it will fixed.

Nir

Point taken Nir. Looking forward the better price-quality ratio in the future.

Btw, I'm just coming back from the Internations.org drink - 2.5frs the orange juice (I could have 5 for the price of 1 at the Mandarin), and believe me the place was also very nice (Brasserie de l'ìle), full of very nice people and we had more room to move around than at the Mo bar.

I don't mind spending money since I'm well paid as you know - but not everyone is in that case, and I feel I'm voicing loud what a lot of people think (see other comments).  Couldn't you try other venues?

Didier

Bonjour Didier

On behalf of those less well off I thank you for your comments.

We've had this discussion in a forum before and I think that most of us agreed that we have to compromise on some things. I stick with one drink, unless if some generous wealthy glocal offers to buy me one, which happens occasionally.

I buy them a drink in at the "Cheap Drinks" in return...

I think the Mandarin is very nice and conveniently located.

The service is slow and they seem to be short of staff (like every bar and café in Switzerland no matter how posh).

Having said that, I think Sarah-Jane and Nir have good access to the management and they try their best to organize a great event for us. And succeed !

They managed to get the prices down by  about 15% (I think...) that's quite impressive.

Thanks guys!

Hey!

A few quick ones:

1. The OJ price mathematics overshadowed the bigger news that SJ announced: real improvements in the next NMDs. The #1 issue we had was that it got too crowded. Next NMD we'll cap RSVPs earlier, and the hotel will open an additional wine corner for us, so service is faster. Thanks SJ!

2. Re trying another venue: we did, many times, and ended up back at the Mandarin. We've been doing the NMD's for nearly 3 years now, and it's only in the past year or so that we settled in on the Mandarin.

True, their prices are luxary hotel prices, and not brasserie ones. That won't change. If the NMDs were mainly about cheap drinks, we'd move from the Mandarin tomorrow.

But there are other factors, more important for the NMD in my view, which lead us to stay with the Mandarin long term:

 - The management is extremly flexible to our needs. This means they reserve an area for us in winter inside and in summer outside, they add bars for us when too many people show up, they engage with SJ and me when there's an issue, etc. For a long term collaboration this is critical. 

 - Their physical venue allows a more 'group' feeling for our group. When 50-60 glocals show up, we take over the place, and the feeling is that every person you meet is from the group.  

 - All their staff speaks English, which especially the brand-new members appreciate. 

The Mandarin, like any other venue we go for, will come with some downsides. But on balance, it's the best place we found so far for the NMDs. 

Nir

Nir,

Just to be clear, and as I told you and Sarah-Jane F2F several times, you are doing a GREAT job with Glocals, and all of us appreciate your work.

Just remember (from your good ol'time at P&G) that "feedback is always a gift" The NMD are your FMOT (First Moment Of Truth) and that's why we all want it to be the best event possible.

I will leave you all in peace for the next 3 weeks (going sailing in the Pacific ).

Did

Didier:

Pls keep the the feedback coming, we like and need it. 

Nir