After three years of hard work, Managing Director Cecilie Trøan Kjelsaas at Wallmans can finally celebrate a solid profit. The celebration will last for an entire year!

— The numbers for 2019 are pleasing. We have a profit of 1.6 million NOK. That’s 600,000 NOK more than budgeted and 4.2 million NOK better than last year, says a delighted Cecilie Trøan Kjelsaas.

MANY SMART STRATEGIES

Trøan Kjelsaas emphasizes that they didn’t save their way to the profit but that it’s the result of several different measures.

— We have worked on our margins, revisited every contract, and secured better deals at every level. We have also worked on changing our marketing strategy over the past year and are seeing the effects of that. The customer journey has had a special focus, and we’ve introduced our customer promise, “Leave happier.” In a company like Wallmans, the employees are important, and we continuously work to have the right and skilled people in place, which means ensuring a good working environment. We have also worked on making it known that our venue is perfect for events, and in addition, we’ve promoted our “chambre séparée”—Turbinen. As a result, we have had more private parties than before. Our show has also received an upgrade, and we have invested more money in the production than ever before, explains Trøan Kjelsaas.

WALLMANS RESTAURANT SCHOOL

The restaurant by the Akerselva in Oslo is renowned for its spectacular dinner parties with singing and dancing waitstaff. Wallmans artists are selected from 1,500 applicants and undergo an audition before they get hired. In addition to performing, they also serve guests. This challenging combination provides employees with unique skills.

— All our staff undergo Wallmans’ “restaurant school.” Besides learning the art of waiting tables, we provide training in wine and beer so that the waitstaff can better recommend wines—thus offering the right wine with the right food. Customer service is also part of our curriculum. It can be busy here, so we offer our guests the opportunity to order drinks at the time of booking. Being proactive is good customer service. This is also in line with our “Leave happier” concept, meaning customers should leave a bit happier and more content after an evening with us.

A FESTIVE ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Wallmans has an enchanting location by the Akerselva, at the top of Grünerløkka. They have just signed a new lease agreement, ensuring they will stay in their current premises for at least five more years. In addition to a solid profit, they are also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.

— 2020 will be a celebratory year for Wallmans! We have a lot to celebrate, and we will celebrate ourselves all year long!

Our Wallmans friends will experience great deals at times, and there will be a grand anniversary party in September in conjunction with the premiere of our new show. We are also taking all employees on a two-day trip with Color Fantasy to Kiel. Doing fun things together and having some meet-ups throughout the year is important for the work environment. All the employees in the Wallmans family do a fantastic job, so it is well-deserved.