Arts & Culture

The Apprentice Week Eight: A Silverstone experience

1 March 202222 March 2022By
The Apprentice Week Eight: A Silverstone experience

This week the eight remaining candidates were summoned to the headquarters of Aston Martin in Gaydon for their briefing by Lord Sugar. For this week’s task, they learn they will be laying on a racing-themed corporate away day at Silverstone. They will need to negotiate a price per head with their clients and organise a tour, a racing experience and food and drink to give their clients a top-notch day. 

Previously: Sophie was in the driving seat, but her vision caused confusion, her team went off track, and sales slumped. 

Akeem led the other team but struggled to take control and despite doubts on the design, orders sored. 

In the boardroom, Sophie was towed away, leaving eight business partner hopefuls. 

“This week, you will be at the home of one of the Great British brands, F1. You need to organise a tour, racing experience and food and drink to ensure your client has a top day,” Said Lord Sugar. “A word of warning, if your away day isn’t up to scratch, then the clients can ask for a refund. The team that makes the most profit will make the podium.”

The first pitstop was to pick a principle.

The PM role for team Infinity went to Harpreet. 

“I’ve gone for a premium team building activity because I want to lay on a premium experience. I don’t see any reason that just because spending a little more money doesn’t mean you won’t make the most profit.” Said Harpreet.

Stephanie took the driver’s seat for team Diverse and wanted to push luxury throughout her away day. “Don’t forget this is a luxury experience.”

“Stephanie has sent the team off to focus on high luxury. However, there is also a contradiction element of – just pay mid prices- there is a chance you could be really clever, but it could also backfire.” Said Campbell.

11 am:

Half of each group met their corporate client and the other to firm off the food choice.

Dealing with a corporate tech client, Brittney and Aaron went in with £600. This soon went down to £310 after negotiations.

“Brittany has told them they are going to get an experience in a VR machine. Top-quality high tech. Well, it isn’t. It is a motion simulator, and a tech company like this is going to know the difference.” Said Brady. 

Stephanie and Kathryn nearly walked out without a sale with their corporate client. With an asking price of £700, they walked out with a much lower price of £245. 

“I think Stephany and Kathryn have spent more time engaging this client and finding out a bit more about who they are, and they might have got a better deal. Unfortunately, they spent so long badgering them about a price. They were really lucky to walk away with a deal at all.” Said Campbell. 

2 pm:

Silverstone is notoriously the iconic home of the British Grand Prix and a base for 100 corporate events each year. 

The next pitstop for each team was to decide on food options. 

Akshay and Nick took charge of team Diverse, who opted for option two, with each dish costing £13 per person…. This also included Akshay and Nick washing the dishes after.

Innkeeping with high quality, Harpreet and Akeem went double the price of the other team, going for the high-end dish. 

7 pm:

 Qualifying was over. Tomorrow, it is ‘go’ time. 

9 am (The next day):

With half of each team on kitchen duty, the rest have to keep away day on track. 

Stephanie and Kathryn start their event off with a guided museum tour. 

“Kathryn and Stephany are only a few minutes into their tour, and they are already lost. This is not a great start to what’s meant to be a luxury experience.” Said Campbell.

Later on, the girls still failed to engage with their clients during the tour, as they got lost and confused whist in the museum. 

“They are supposed to be engaging with the client. However, they have let the wander off aimlessly, and the guests are unsure about what they are meant to be doing.” Said Campbell.

“It feels like we are finding out what to do ourselves rather than someone explaining it a bit.” Said one client. “It’s a bit like here is a room, go and enjoy it.”

Brittney and Aaron seemed to have more control over their tour, with Aaron bringing the hard-core facts about Silverstone. 

Over on the other side of the track, a storm was cooking up.

While Nick and Akshay struggle to work the kitchen, Harpreet and Akeem made the kitchen look like a military operation. 

“The minute you lose focus, the minute you faff about, or you lose time, is the minute the guests won’t be happy. You need to crack on and go at full speed.” Said Harpreet. 

“Harpreet makes Gordon Ramsey look weak.” Said Brady. 

With Brittney and Aaron’s tour still on track. 

“Brittney and Aaron are encouraging lots and lots of photos, which is exactly what Harpreet said not to do. She wants to sell the photos, not have a load on their phone they haven’t paid for.” Said Brady. 

The other team arrive back early from their tour, throwing off Nick and Aksay’s kitchen schedule.

Forty-five minutes after sitting down, there is still no lunch for Stephanie’s clients.

“It’s been an absolute shamble. I’m really disappointed with how Akshay and Nick have organised the lunch service.” Said, Kathryn. 

“There seem to be a few annoyed faces because it was late.” Said Stephanie. 

3 pm:

After lunch chaos, both teams were on their second leg of their away days. 

Brittney and Aaron take to the pit stop. And aiming to get back on track, Stephanie and Kathryn send their clients driving in an Aston Martin. 

“After the lunch, we felt we had to make up for it. With that experience, I feel like we have actually caught it back now.” Said Stephany. 

Out of the kitchen, Akeem and Harpreet begin to defend their simulator activity, with many questioning if it is VR. 

“This experience was sold to the client on the basis it was really high-tech virtual reality. The client has arrived. It is not virtual reality. Not a really high note to end on.” Said Brady. 

7 pm:

“I’m really concerned about tomorrow. We have gone for the most expensive team-building exercise when we could have done it ourselves. And we went for the most expensive food.” Said Brittney.

“I wouldn’t be too surprised if someone did want a refund. The lunch experience wasn’t good, and we did sell it a luxury. But hopefully, because the rest of the day was good, they have gone home happy.” Said, Kathryn. 

Tonight: Refund recorded and profits processed. 

Boardroom:

Diverse: “They only spent £895.30, and they took £145 in photo sales. This gave them a profit of £1,554.70. Unfortunately, the client felt they didn’t receive a luxury experience as they were sold and asked for a refund of 20%, which equated to £490. Giving them a final profit of £1,209.” Said Campbell. 

Infinity: “They spent a lot more, £1,283, and they only took £109 on photos. The clients gave me a lot of feedback, but all of it was fantastic. They had a special day, thanks to Brittney and Aaron. So, they had no refunds, giving them an overall profit of £1,926.”

Winner team Infinity was off to Tottenham Hotspurs. 

Back to suffer the boardroom: Stephany, Kathryn, Nick and Akshay. 

“Kathryn, I don’t really know what you have been good at in this past eight weeks.”

“Stephanie, you should have been able to do this with your eyes closed, and yet it completely backfired.”

“Akshay, yet again you are sitting in that seat, five times you have been here.”

“Nick, I’m just not sure what you have given me in the last eight weeks.”

“Nevertheless, Akshay, you have been here five times, and Kathryn three times here and Nick three times here.”

“Nick, you are fired.”

“The rest of you go back to the house.”

“I would run if I was you!” Said Brady.

Now Seven candidates remain. 

Next Week: Live shopping.