Merlin recognised as one of Britain's most admired companies

[Tom]

Admired by who exactly?

 

[Rob]

You've got to remember this isn't a list of companies that are good at running theme parks. It's a list of admirable businesses, and as a business Merlin invest heavily, are ambitious and are about much more than just theme parks. I personally think they are admirable for what they do as a business; as a theme park operator not so much but that isn't exactly what this is about.

 

[CupCakeMonster]

by bulk buying attractions

Or shipping containers

 

[TheMan]

As for the other categories of 'Quality of Management' and 'Use of Corporate Assets', the criteria for judgement is completely wrong. Just because you scrape savings by downgrading the quality of your product, doesn't make you are a good or admirable business.

As much as I think you are right in fair principle my friend, you are also wrong - that's exactly what is deemed great business nowadays.

You are right, and they are wrong - but by today's standards, it's juxtaposed in the respect they are right, and you are deemed wrong.

Merlin are lucky in this country in that they are a big fish in a very small pond. They could do almost anything in the UK and still make a profit because there is no competition.

Merlin has a market monopoly. There's no real achievement in their success. They don't deserve an award.

I quite agree, they win an award, for buying up struggling parks on the cheap, bulk buying attractions, creating near carbon copy parks, slowly eroding each parks USP, and doing it being heavily funded by a large group of VC's. Yes... er, well done, real rocket science that isn't it!

Like was mentioned a big self congratulatory pat on the back, from people who understand little of the "real world".

If however, this was a "squeeze the pips out of..." award. Well, that's an award they most certainly do deserve!! I bet Mr V does not need to fork out on a juicer, he could get all the juice from a punnet of oranges with his bare hands!! ;D

As for this:

Or shipping containers

HAHAHAHAHA!! ;D

The Merlin Cruise signature someone has STILL makes me laugh every time I see it!

 

[AstroDan]

Merlin are a successful business.

Bottom line!

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[TheMan]

Merlin are a successful business.

Bottom line!

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Can't disagree with that AstroDan!

 

[Meat Pie]

Merlin are a successful business.

Bottom line!

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That really depends on the criteria of success.

If the criteria is making a profit whilst cutting costs, then yes you are right. But if the criteria is customer satisfaction and providing a service that works towards the common aims of society, then no.

And before you say that isn't what business is meant to be, I disagree. What is considered an effective business model is reflected by the sort of society you live in. So there's the capitalist 'screw you' model, but alternatively there are quality driven co-operative models.

 

[nickhutson]

I think they're keeping a lot of people around the world happy:

New Legolands
New Dungeons (including London)
Reviving Blackpool Tower
New rides at Thorpe, Alton as well as Chessington's huge ride for 2013
New Sea Life in Manchester

If you want bad customer experience - look towards Six Flags.

We should be very proud to have Merlin in this country.

 

[Benzin]

Merlin carbon copy parks?

No (aside from Legoland, but that's a consistent brand image thing), fortunately for us, they are not Cedar Fair...

Although Merlin shoot themselves in the foot with the whole "second to Disney" stuff, they are at least better than Six Flags (who definitely have messed up financially a few times), and Cedar Fair (who are the epitomy of bland cookie cutter parks (and operations, least we operate in the rain ffs))...

 

[Adam]

Merlin are a successful business.

Bottom line!

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That really depends on the criteria of success.

If the criteria is making a profit whilst cutting costs, then yes you are right. But if the criteria is customer satisfaction and providing a service that works towards the common aims of society, then no.

And before you say that isn't what business is meant to be, I disagree. What is considered an effective business model is reflected by the sort of society you live in. So there's the capitalist 'screw you' model, but alternatively there are quality driven co-operative models.

I think the word you're looking for is a Social Enterprise.

Anyway, personally, I'm indifferent about Merlin winning this. Yes, they are greedy, but on the other hand (from the GP's perspective) they do own some of the countries most well known (and well liked) attractions, so I'm not surprised they won.

 

[aru]

I find it amusing that some people don't see how Merlin could be regarded a a successful business. Merlin have a huge portfolio of very good parks and attractions with strong brands across the world. They have managed to secure finance for and deliver massive ventures whilst most other sectors are on their knees. AND they're British.

Flakey paint or not (I know they are not perfect), Merlin are growing and are investing on a large scale. AT has a secure future with Merlin as reputable operator and we should be happy with that. The alternatives of the early 2000's were much more short-termist and uncertain.

 

[BigDave]

I agree that Merlin is a admirable company, but they certainly know how to screw things up too! Huge investment in park wide TV's 7yrs or so ago and it's only now they seem to be working. Millions spent on YourDay and where's that now?

They are a fairly large company with some of the best attractions, but they have a long way to go to catch up with the other big attracion operators out there.

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[thefatone]

Love it and got it pretty spot on - merlin is an exciting company and it does stand out from others in UK.

Got to remember, theme parks is not a market, days out is a market. Merlin compete with every single tourist attraction or destination in the UK - people don't just suddenly decide to go to a theme park then choose which one, they wanna go on a day out and choose where to go. That's the market.

Plus, with all this (maybe true, but incredibly boring) lack of investment in infrastructure. It's the same as these people applauding Tesco (an example) for being amazing at business, but not realising their customer service is shoddy or their shelves aren't clean.

Nit-pickyness

EDIT: Big Dave.. both of your examples are external companies where no cost was outlayed from beginning? Towers eventually put a bit of money into YourDay (but left it externally run), and eventually took over from queueline tvs operations. But neither were their original investment, nor their goals or strategies. Maybe mentioning rides which last barely any time at all or have high downtime would be a better argument..

 

[BigDave]

Excuse me? Merlin/Tussauds (same group of people essentially) spent millions on YourDay. They paid for all the ground work and for the installation. YourDay going bump wasn't Alton Towers fault, but the park ended up shelling out loads for a product that doesn't work in both cases.

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[thefatone]

Did they? Thought they had nothing to do with original outlay, only later purchasing the cabling and equipment after they went bust first time round?

 

[aru]

Love it and got it pretty spot on - merlin is an exciting company and it does stand out from others in UK.

Got to remember, theme parks is not a market, days out is a market. Merlin compete with every single tourist attraction or destination in the UK - people don't just suddenly decide to go to a theme park then choose which one, they wanna go on a day out and choose where to go. That's the market.

Plus, with all this (maybe true, but incredibly boring) lack of investment in infrastructure. It's the same as these people applauding Tesco (an example) for being amazing at business, but not realising their customer service is shoddy or their shelves aren't clean.

Nit-pickyness

EDIT: Big Dave.. both of your examples are external companies where no cost was outlayed from beginning? Towers eventually put a bit of money into YourDay (but left it externally run), and eventually took over from queueline tvs operations. But neither were their original investment, nor their goals or strategies. Maybe mentioning rides which last barely any time at all or have high downtime would be a better argument..

Tesco is a prime comparison. They have admitted themselves that they have gown so fast internationally that they have neglected the core UK market. Within the retail market Tesco are sneered at for their shabby, poorly maintained stores, but they are still the market leader because their brand and market share.

You can make comparisons with Merlin, AT and the other UK parks. AT still has a good product and brand but sometimes I wish quality control was pushed with maintaining the park. I still think the park is no worse in this respect than it was 10 years ago but there is no real sense that top management have this as a priority.. :-\

Yourday and park TV's are a drop in the ocean in terms of park investment and will mean very little to Merlin top brass. I do believe that Yourday was originally an external investmentn which went bust, AT then took on some of the operations at a later date.

 

[BigDave]

It was an external company that offer the park a product nowhere seen before. The park paid for the installation of the equipment, but the day to day running was done by YourDay as far as Im aware. Alton Towers would see improved guest satisfaction as well as a percentage of the profits made. Once again this is just what I understand to have taken place.

The product didnt prove as popular as they had expected so neither party involved made any money. YourDay went bust and Alton Towers were left with installed equipment, but didnt own the technology used and so had to buy the rights to use it off them. Even with this extra help, the product still wasnt popular and Alton Towers didnt make as much money as they planned. They scrapped the idea and because the originally and now bankrupt yourday still own parts of the technology used, Alton Towers are left with equipment they partially own, but cannot use.

 

[cotda]

I was a huge fan of your day, it was an amazing investment and its such a shame that it didn't become popular enough to continue, plus it was much better (footage style) and value for money than the equivalent system Universal use on HRRR. (Only one I could think of compare to)

Anywho, im not surprised as this is business ran, however if it was based on satisfaction, not so much. However, i would not be surprised if they ranked highly in satisfaction rates as most people i ask dont notice half the stuff, cost cutting, that we do.

 

[James]

AT has a secure future with Merlin as reputable operator and we should be happy with that.

I disagree with you there. Merlin can easily crumble and fall apart, much like every other company in the world. Just because they are big (and have a monopoly in the UK) does not mean they will be stable. That's a bit of a misconception. They can easily one day break down.