Guest blog from Bea Peck …
Day 1
It’s 8.50 on Monday morning, the first day of my work experience @thestudio, ¼ of my body weight is currently nerves, another ¼ coffee and the other ½ undeniable excitement. I suppose I should introduce myself – Hi, my name is Bea. I’m 17 and currently studying my first year of A levels but more importantly, I just spent a week @thestudio to learn how such a successful events company is run day to day.
Rumour has it, business people are scary. They’re crazy caffeine fuelled robots who type numbers into a computer nine hours a day – but not @thestudio. I was met with nothing other than a smile.
As I toured the building, I couldn’t help but grin at all thestudios’ little quirks; the bright and engaging décor, the goldfish on the second floor, even the toilet signs could lighten your Monday morning blues.
By 11am I had conquered my fear of the phone lines, it was until this week I had never transferred a call… embarrassing but true! Jyoti navigated me through thestudio’s social media pages, blogs and website, teaching me how keeping clients informed with thestudio’s recent activities or even gaining a twitter follower are all important aspects of establishing solid relationships with clients in this increasingly digital age.
Day 2
Today I sat with Pedro on the second floor reception, greeting puzzled looking guests and showing them to their rooms. Once again I manned the phone lines, discovering the talent of job juggling that the not-so-scary business people @thestudio perform so admirably. Here, I gained experience both behind the desk but also good customer service skills that I can transfer to any workplace in the future. (more…)
What’s got thestudio in a tizz?
One word: mornings. With a ritualistic dose of caffeine, the masses are alight with ambition to grab the day by its horns. Everyone has their own peculiar way of dealing with mornings, but aside from a strong coffee we noticed something… Do you know what else we all have in common?
Whether you consider yourself a shower performer or crank up the volume as soon as you get in the car, there’s no denying we all love a bit of music in the morning. From classical to heavy metal, your eclectic ears demand their own wake up call. One far more pleasant than your default alarm!
It’s in the music…
Did someone order a pick me up? Music has the ability to inspire, excite and better still motivate us. It kicks our brains into gear, evokes emotions and can even transport us to distant memories. What we listen to says a lot about who we are as individuals but collectively, within industry, it says a lot about brand culture. We love to provide an environment perfect for your ideas to take root and grow, hopefully our background melody helps set the right tone for the day. Unlike Depeche Mode, not everyone enjoys the silence!
Ever heard of the Dance Epidemic in Strasbourg?
Heard the saying shop till you drop? How about dance to the death?! In 1518 around 400 individuals partied their socks off for a month long of non-stop dancing. They partied so hard in fact a few people lost their lives!
Check out thestudio teams’ morning anthems…
Jyoti:
Music is one of the biggest loves of my life, I doubt I’ve ever gone a day without sticking my headphones in! I listen to everything and am even a fiend for listening to music in the shower, which isn’t really good for my wireless headphones :’)
Luana:
Our radio is stuck on Classic FM and our alarm is set to go off with radio …although it’s not always the best wake up music, especially when you’re woken up with a drum or a cymbal bang but hey ho…rise and shine!
Evie:
I normally listen to the Radio on the way to and from work. I like listening to the presenters more than the actual music!
Here @thestudio we’d love to hear what you think about our background music, feel free to make some suggestions as you’re an important part of our brand!
First things first… Happy 2017 to all!
Ever wondered how thestudio would look without it’s clothes on?…
Whether you’re donning a suit and tie or the type of person to rock up in your PJs, it’s clear that everyone has different standards of what they’d consider fashionable. With new trends constantly sprouting whilst others become embarrassing past relics that spur the feeling “what was I thinking!”, it’s no wonder people reinvent themselves with their dress sense.
But what’s fashion got to do with thestudio?! Well, last year we declared our idea of “brand” is all about perceptions, it’s what people say when you’re not in the room (click here to get up to date). Fashion is no exception, luxury labels like Prada and Luis Vuitton both paint a picture of wealth while Nike conjures up physical feats. But now there is a movement, a movement away from big flashy logos, to the point where individuals are removing them from their clothes!
“Why people are cutting brand logos off their clothing?” is an interesting article looking at why people are pulling away from being branded and literally removing trademarks.
A Sign of the times…
In this digital age where social media reins king, outward appearances are becoming even more so important. We’ve learnt that what buzz words a brand associates itself with, isn’t necessarily what an individual wishes to be associated with. Society’s affair with uniqueness has led us into being more self-representative and more aware of how we wish to be perceived. In essence, to be our own brand!
thestudio no more…
Remove our brand what would you be left with? A great team with a customer first attitude! Just like the loyal customer who has faith in the quality of their newest fashion statement… the proof is in the pudding!
On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
12 Drummers Drumming
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
Your wish list may not be as long as this but did you know it’s less than 12 days to Christmas! With not long to go, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to wrap up 2016 with our quarterly team meeting.
We value team bonding and the effort everyone makes to attend thestudio forum is phenomenal, Gillian even flew in from Glasgow! Our forums present a space where our tight knit team can freely discuss ways to develop in 2017, pledging to continually support each other across departments all whilst enjoying a cheeky glass of mulled wine and the odd mince pie.
Home Alone…
This year we opted to stay within our venue. Being firm believers that a change of scenery can truly inspire you, we transformed the Atrium into a Lapland wonderland filled with the usual suspects (Christmas tree, fairy lights) but with a few extra surprises!
No longer the new kid on the block, this year thestudio is celebrating turning 10. Since opening in Birmingham in 2006, thestudio has grown significantly over the last decade, now laying claim to four venues nationwide and a team of 68 staff members.
Known for its fresh and colourful take on the typically monochrome corporate world, thestudio has firmly secured its place as one of the leading independent venues to meet, train, and entertain. Since opening its doors to Glasgow earlier this month, the group has a total of 42 meeting rooms across its city centre sites. This expansion means that thestudio will have welcomed 137,000 customers in 2016 alone, a huge increase from its 2007 total of 30,600 visitors, and the reason behind its impressive £4.5million turnover.
Commenting on the decade of success, thestudio’s Director Emma Jennings said:
“This milestone is a huge one for the entire team at thestudio and we are so excited to be turning 10! When we started off with just 10 rooms in Birmingham, the dream was always to expand to the other major UK city centres while firmly keeping our ‘Customer First’ mission at the centre of what we do. Now that we’ve managed to do this, I am over the moon and I am so proud of all the success that we have had.”
thestudio can be found in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow, with each site having its own quirky accents: if you’re looking for a roof-top terrace, a 1950s police box, and a secret library, look no further than Birmingham; for a classroom and a train generated by tweets, it’s Manchester. However, if you want to get closer to the outdoors, with a moss-wall, silver birches, and 3 sheep, head to Leeds; and for an homage to all things Scottish, thestudioglasgow’s icon wall depicting favourites like Tunnocks Tea cakes, the Wallace Monument and even The Krankies is what you need.
“Each venue has been a labour of love for the team at thestudio and these little features are what make them all unique. We call them our TNTs: Tiny Noticeable Things. Every one of these details has been meticulously thought out and there is no feeling quite like walking into a newly completed venue and seeing it all come together. It’s what drives us and keeps us on the search for our next location,” added Jennings.
Whether you are looking for a space for 2 or 250, the team at thestudio can help you out. Each room is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, providing a comfortable and stylish environment for maximum productivity: guests can expect every room to have wireless internet connection, HDMI data projectors, Apple TV and integrated sound systems. Its breakout zones also take centre stage, as well as its open spaces for exhibitions, networking or simply a place for clients to recharge batteries. Customers are able to fuel their creativity with award-winning meals cooked on-site with locally sourced ingredients by thestudio’s chefs, not to mention free-flowing hot drinks and snacks throughout the day.
If you are interested in hosting an event at one of thestudio venues, the booking team is ready and waiting to hear from you. Bookings can be made by calling thestudio team on 0800 028 6694. For further details about thestudio, head to the website: https://thestudio.co.uk/.
Here at thestudio we like to think of ourselves as being game changers. We place you, our valuable guest, at the heart of everything we do. This being said, in today’s day and age an undeniable spotlight has been firmly placed on what we put on our plates.
Sustainable, less travelled, super food , gluten free, diary free and vegan are all words we hear more and more and are becoming a more prominent factor when our customers are choosing their venues for meetings, training and events. So with this in mind and the fact that we love food! … what we’re about to announce should come as no surprise!
We have only just gone and done it! We have achieved a Bronze Food For Life Catering Mark!
Why’s this something to shout about?
Well… this means all your food is freshly prepared to the highest of standards by using seasonal vegetables, ‘red tractor’ meat and eggs from free range hens. Did we mention there’s no place for additives or trans fats in our food? We meet the government guidelines for food and nutrition!
Now that’s something to shout about!
Our daily menu created by our chefs and complying to the awards standards always offer our delegates; a hot meat or fish dish, a hot vegetarian dish, which is always gluten and dairy free, hot side dishes, salads and super food of the day, with a little sweet treat of something to finish
If you’d like to see what storms our in-house chefs are capable of cooking up, check out our menu page! *warning salivation imminent*
We all can relate to the importance of a get together, be it family or friends. But for a lot of organisations, including ourselves, we see the value in getting our studio team together. So last Wednesday, we did just that! With a handful of new studio family members and a new venue on the ever brightening horizon, our quarterly round up couldn’t have been timed better! Check out what we got up to…
To kick off the session the team were presented with all things studio from none other than our delightful directors. Could you have guessed we’re forecasted to have had a whopping 137,000 customers by the end of this year! Now that’s a big number!
Let’s face it, self-introductions are always a bit awkward, especially if you’re new. So it was time to call in the big guns… an ice breaker to the rescue! Partnered randomly with someone we may have not worked with directly, we were left to our own devices to find out 3 interesting facts about each other. From missing bones to filming the Duke of Edinburgh, these ‘on behalf of’ introductions were both insightful and hilarious!
Keeping the team amused and engaged after a hard days’ work was high on the cards. With a studio themed pop quiz distributed and the fire of friendly competition raging in our bellies, we had an all-out battle to see who knew the most about our past, present and future! Team Mixed Bag took the title of studio encyclopaedia, closely followed by Just here for the Pizza.
As the night drew to a close, there was only one thing that could solidify our bond further: pizza. So it was off to Zizzi’s in the Mailbox (who have a deliciously diverse menu!).
Suffering from summer time sadness and wishing you too were on holidays? The weather might not be great but here’s a few things we think could brighten up your day, especially if you’re paying us a visit!
Don’t forget the sun tan lotion…
Being the number one topic of all our gripes and groans, the British weather is renowned for its ups and downs. This being said, when the sun decides to have his hat on, it’s important for us to make the most it! There’s nothing better than soaking in the sun and what a better place to do it on than our roof garden in Birmingham or terraces in Manchester and Leeds!
A toast to summer…
Is there any better way to celebrate the summer than with a tempting glass of prosecco or a soothingly cool luxury ice cream? Being firm believers of treating yourself, especially when it comes to food, our summer offer is one not to miss and available across all our venues. Check out our latest offers if you’d love an all-inclusive rate!
Where art thou Pikachu…
Pokemon Go has literally taken society by storm, all generations have come together to pursue childhood dreams of becoming a Pokemaster! Or they’re just curious… But for those who have a new found addiction to pokeballs, did you know thestudiobirmingham is sat right next to a plaque dedicated to William Shakespeare which doubles up as a Pokestop! Now you can top up both your coffee and stash of revives on your break. Happy days. (more…)
No longer a wee rumour, thestudioglasgow is set to be unveiled later this year. So in the spirit of our new Scottish home, here are some things you may or may not have known about Glasgow!
• We all know New York is a ‘hell of a town’ but did you know that Glasgow has its own Statue of Liberty?! Mounted on The City Chambers, the figure of Truth stands proud mirroring on a smaller scale its twin from across the pond.
• ET phone home… Fortunately this transmission’s origins were terrestrial; Scotland had its first taste of TV in the one and only Grand Central Hotel. A place familiar to thestudio team… Check out our Glasgow away day!
• Why the long face? Home to the longest bar in Europe, measuring over a whopping 104ft, the bar stretched its way into the Guinness book of records… and rightly so! Aptly named the Horseshoe Bar.
• Did you know Glasgow has the fourth largest population within the UK ? That’s a lot of Glaswegians!
• Third place to only London and Budapest, Glasgow owns the third oldest subway system in the world! Pretty impressive, and it’s even got its own nickname: Clockwork Orange!
• If you love a bit of football trivia this is one for you… the first international match was held on 1872 in the land of kilts West of Scotland Cricket Club. Though the team weren’t from too far afield: Scotland vs England!
• When it comes to law enforcement Glasgow was ahead of its time, having established their first police force in 1789, 40 years before London! Thankfully no sign of Robocop yet.
• A holiday that is either avoided or celebrated by the masses, St. Valentine’s Day is renowned for celebrating love. Funnily enough, this Saint’s remains can be found in the Blessed St John Duns Scotus church in Glasgow!
Now we all know a little more about our new home. If you’re curious about our new venue, stay in the loop on Facebook, LinkedIn or twitter! Have a lovely weekend all 😀
Yes, we are still harping about our new aesthetically pleasing and easy to use website. Technology is everywhere and has firmly planted its presence in our hearts and more importantly our pockets. So join the new age revolution, dust off those keyboards and let’s get creative!
1. Responsive. Don’t be scared off by techy lingo, a cheeky Google search will help you understand the jazziest of technical terms. The best way to think of it is “content is like water”, your webpage will respond to the shape (the device accessing your site) and fit it accordingly. Goodbye to awkward scrolling or trying to zoom into miniature text, your site becomes fluid, just like water.
2. Are you an internet explorer? As the home of all websites, we access the internet through various web browsers; did you know they can be a crucial part of how fast everything runs? So when things start lagging beyond belief, maybe switch it up and see what happens. Apparently Fire Foxes don’t bite. We know for some this maybe stating the painfully obvious, but spare a thought for those who aren’t computer savvy!
3. Images. Humanity loves images. They are quick and easy to process, much better than reams and reams of content. In today’s society people are busy, they’d rather just be quickly shown what they are getting then convinced it’s the right decision after. One size doesn’t fit all so think carefully about how your photoshoots are shot; square images don’t make great banners! (more…)
