“Manage the moment” doesn’t work for business – Liam Griffin

Those whose business policy is “manage the moment” will find that it doesn’t work in today’s economy which requires planning and strategy, according to hotelier Liam Griffin who was the guest speaker at the Licensed Vintners Association Annual Luncheon held in Bewley’s Hotel in Ballsbridge recently.

Calling for more co-operation among separate business groups to unite over common challenges such as the ever-increasing rates bills he pointed out that these rates demands cannot be appealed.

Unlike the situation in the UK, the 2001 Act killed the right of appeal, he stated.

In his own case, he’d paid some €5000,000 a year in rates at a time when his hotels business had dropped by 30 per cent.
Liam was also sceptical of bringing sons and daughters into an established business unless they could “bring something to the table”. In his own case, he worked with his two sons who themselves pointed out to him that “There’s no room for a village idiot here”.

But businessmen today had to look to the youth to tell them what’s going to come along next.

“We need to deliver new services or we’ve no chance,” he concluded.