Making productive use of the slowdown due to Covid19. A special contribution by Aditya Shamsher Malla, General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton

The current lockdown and slowdown in business across the globe even are unprecedented.

I doubt any of us in leadership roles currently would be able to call upon similar experience to ascertain the best way to deal with this situation.

As we are all doing our bit in the learning curve, I thought of sharing a few activities we are keeping ourselves busy with, after taking necessary steps to cut overheads including planned leaves, floor shutdowns, section closures etc. With the numbers down to skeletal staff and only a handful of guests in the house, if at all, my team decided to use this opportunity productively.

Sharing some insights:

1. Cleaning and Maintenance: Divided into small, cross-functional groups, we dedicate a significant time in the day to clean specific areas of the hotel looking out for repair or maintenance issues. This helps to keep the rooms and public areas of the hotel in good condition even while not in regular use. One team addresses Heart of the House areas like walk-ins, lockers and stores to undertake deep cleaning and reorganisation.

2. Tending to our Chef’s Kitchen Garden. Plucking the fresh vegetables helps the kitchen too! Involving some interested guests in this activity adds to the fun.

3. Reading and online Training: Most of our Team members on shift have an exhaustive reading list. With the supply of newspaper disrupted, we spend a couple of hours reading and taking some interesting courses from the online Hilton University - sharpening the saw!

4. Cooking: we take turns to lend a hand in the only operating kitchen to ensure the team members dining at Adda, our Team Members’ restaurant get a varied taste. The other day our Chief Engineer cooked some home-style biryani for all of us! A rare treat!!

5. Exercise: we take out a few minutes to exercise within the confines of our office or within the hotel compound to ensure we remain physically agile.

I am sure with time, hotel teams will come up with innovative ways to keep in step with team engagement and maintenance of the property.

Aditya Shamsher Malla

General Manager

DoubleTree by Hilton

Pune Chinchwad

Radisson Hotel Group Announces New Area Senior Vice President Appointments For Eastern Europe , Russia & Turkey AND UK, Ireland & Western Europe

 One of the most dynamic hotel groups in the world, is pleased to announce the new geographical responsibilities of Area Senior Vice President for Central & Southern Europe (CESE), Yilmaz Yildirimlar, and Area Senior Vice President for Northern Europe, Tom Flanagan Karttunen.

Further to their current roles, Yilmaz and Tom have now been appointed as Area Senior Vice Presidents for Eastern Europe, Russia & Turkey (EERUT) and UK, Ireland & Western Europe (UKIWE) respectively

Yilmaz started his career with the Group in Vienna in 1995 and has held several leadership positions at Radisson Blu Hotels in Amsterdam, Manchester and Bucharest. He has served as District Director for South Eastern Europe and Regional Director in Eastern Europe, based in Moscow, until his appointment in 2017 as Area Senior Vice President, Central & Southern Europe.

Originally from Turkey, Yilmaz Yildirimlar studied hotel management and holds an MBA in Finance. He has also achieved several degrees in the fields of leadership, real estate and asset management.

Tom joined Radisson Hotel Group more than 20 years ago and has grown within the company, holding different leadership positions in numerous business areas at Radisson Blu Hotels in Copenhagen, Beijing, Manama, Hamburg and Galway. He has served as District Director Turkey, Azerbaijan & China, based in Istanbul, before being appointed as Area Vice President Eastern Europe & Russia, based in Moscow in 2009, and then Area Senior Vice President, Northern Europe.He has a track record of success in leading Northern Europe, one of Radisson Hotel Group’s most mature markets, and is sure to have equal success in UKIWE

Born in Ireland, Tom holds a Diploma and B.A. Degree in Hotel Management.has played an integral role in ensuring the progression of business growth.

Robots are taking over hospitality industry

International vacationers and travelers believe that robots are best used for unpleasant and strenuous tasks such as disposing of garbage, cleaning, and carrying and storing heavy items, says a new study from Ball State University.

The study examined how 1,676 respondents from 103 countries and territories feel about the use of automated machines in these sectors

The study found:

• People perceive that robots should not be used in position that require sophisticated judgment calls.

• The public seems to be generally accepting of using robots to deliver services at receptions in hotels and other facilities.

• In general, respondents consider robots as suitable for housekeeping tasks, and show support for robot use for laundry.

• The respondents show a willingness to have robots do many tasks in the food service industry, apart from preparing food.

• The data from the survey show a great deal of skepticism in terms of accepting the use of self-driving vehicles, whether a car, train, bus, ship, or airplane. Self-driving airplanes are the technology that respondents seem to be most against.

• The data suggest that customers expect that the use of robots will cause a reduction in costs to them as end consumers of services.

“Implementing robots in these industries should be done in a cautious way that enables customers to see the benefits, keeping service levels high and cutting the cost of services to the end-user, "

“The future is more automated and travel, tourism, and hospitality industries have to realize the transformation is already here,”

“The technologies that allow for automation improve in quality by the day and the demographics in developed countries illustrate a long-term labor shortage in service industries,”

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP TO ROLL OUT BULK AMENITY DISPENSERS GLOBALLY

This initiative is expected to eliminate approximately 500 tons of plastic annually by implement bulk amenity dispensers across all brands by the beginning of 2022, replacing small bottles for common bathroom products

 The company has made a global commitment to #refusethestraw, ensuring plastic straws and plastic stirrers are no longer used in its hotels by 2021, with eco-friendly alternatives offered to guests upon request

They are also run a series of pilot projects in various locations, with the aim of finding new ways to drive plastic reduction globally. These include the upcoming roll-out of a waste collection and recycling program for the new bulk-amenity-dispenser containers and soaps in North America

SOURCE: hoteliermagazine.com

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The 1 Thing You Can Do To Get Whatever It Is that You Want by Prabhjot Bedi

I heard about this a little late in life but I was still grateful that it had come my way.

The thought that I could get what I want, but by doing something for others was both confusing and a little overwhelming.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Here is the 1 Thing You Can Do To Get Whatever It Is that You Want:

“You can get whatever you want in life, by helping enough people get what they want”

It’s by Zig Ziglar, and it is a fantastic, life-changing, life-affirming statement.

So let’s break it down:

1. You have to know what you want in life

2. You have to know what others want in life

3. You have to help them get what they want

4. You have to find a way for them to help you get what you want

Let’s delve into each for a little more detail:

Read The Full Text