PODD is passionate about helping you and your business. We will support you, your people, will help you deliver operational excellence while ensuring that your vision for your business is delivered through development, strategic planning and financial growth. PODD will deliver results for you and your business by assessing your business needs and challenges, creating solutions and plans for delivery and we will ensure you see the financial and reputational rewards your business deserves.Services offered include Business Planning, Funding Opportunities and Project Viability Advice, Business Improvement and Development, Staff Retention Projects, Start Up and Business Mentoring, Manager Mentoring and Development, Workshops and Training, Staff Performance Management, Interim Management. Nora Douds, director of Podd Management Consulting, has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality sector and in managing her own businesses. Nora has been employed as a senior manager since 2005 within the hotel, restaurant and pub sector and boasts a wealth of experience in all areas of the business from sales and marketing to senior manager recruitment and training to covering all areas of financial management. Nora is no stranger to the challenges of running your own business as she and her husband, Colin, have set up and managed their own businesses including fast food outlets, Ballaghbeg House B&B and more recently a self-catering accommodation business based in Belfast. With this experience of setting up, managing and marketing her own businesses while in full-time employment Nora is someone who gets things done!

Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the hotel on a day to day basis. Benedict's consists of 36 bedrooms, a first floor 200 capacity restaurant and a thriving ground floor bar. Responsible for ensuring that the hotel’s exceptionally high standard of customer service is consistently maintained with the intention to exceed customers’ expectations and to manage, motivate and inspire the large team to continually achieve excellence. Promotion and marketing of the business using both on and offline methods to ensure maximum sales revenue. Management of department managers to ensure delivery of excellent service, sales revenue and staff training and development. Management of the security door team. Dealing with all customer complaints, comments and feedback. Supervision of maintenance, supplies, renovations and furnishings. Ensuring compliance with licensing laws, health and safety and all other statutory regulations.

Financial Management: Managing wage, food and drink budgets. Budgeting and forecasting for all departments. Preparation of financial reports, reviewing financials monthly and preparation of business plans. Reviewing and reducing costs.People Management: Recruitment for senior posts, performance management of senior managers, implementation of training programs through the company; development and implementation of induction process to enhance and improve staff training and customer service.Change Management: Introduction of processes and procedures as investment projects are completed to improve the general performance of each business. Developing the vision of the individual businesses with each General Manager to develop team loyalty thereby improving the customer experience. Strategic Planning: Assessing investment projects for cost, impact on sales and development of the business. Short to medium term financial planning for each business including forecasts and seeking new markets. Liaison with Managing Director provide both strategical and operational advice to increase sales and to reduce costs.Regulation, Quality & Product Management: Management of all six entertainment licenses and all liaison with statutory bodies, including Building Control, Planning Service, Banking Sector and Tourism NI. Implementation of business operational procedures and policies, overseeing quality control measures, management of all utilities, SLAs, telecoms and overseeing of maintenance within the hotels, bedroom refurbishment projects (costings, liaison with suppliers, program management). Health & Safety reviews to limit insurance liability.Marketing Management: Development of three new websites within a six-month period, overview of digital marketing, recruitment of Sales & Marketing Manager (with Invest NI grant funding), overseeing all traditional print and design to maximise business profiles.

Business management: Overall responsibility for generating sales income, all costs and budgets. Maintenance of EBIDTA in last three financial years of 32-37% of turnover. High level of financial acumen and understanding of budgets and cost controls. Staff management: Responsible for ongoing training and development of all personnel. Management of mystery shopping schedule and staff appraisals. Resulting in high performing, award winning, customer service driven teams.Sales & Marketing: Development of marketing leading website, all SEO delivery (blogs, email marketing, newsletters), offline direct marketing strategy, management of OTA salesReputation management: No.1 hotel in Belfast on Tripadvisor.com since Sept 2007, Industry leading Tripadvisor management responses, high levels of customer satisfaction across all OTAs and online review sites. Listed in Michelin Guide 2016, Frommers, Lonely Planet as recommended Belfast hotelMonthly and Annual management accounts including all VAT returns, PAYE returns and other compulsory returns: All bank account management, cashflows, financial targets and delivery of monthly management accountsHR and talent management: Recruitment, training and management of all staff. Product development and strategic planning within existing property: regular accommodation package updates, working with other local businesses, implementing product upgrades (TV upgrades, interior design improvements, implementation of software upgrades to improve business processesFuture strategic planning: Ability to assess properties for business potential and project viability, development of business plan to present to potential funders, working with Invest NI to access funding of development of people and product within the business