Hotel managers and operating managers should have a strong grasp of understanding cash flow and flow through. This skill involves the ability to track and manage the movement of cash into and out of the business, and more importantly, to understand and maximize the "flow through" rate.Breaking Boundaries: From Medical School Dropout to Marketing MavenMarriott's core philosophy, echoing the words of Mr. Marriott himself, centers on the belief that we must take care of our associates, who, in turn, will provide exceptional care to our guests. This principle is not just a theory but a practice deeply ingrained in our approach.A delicious reminder of the power of food to connect us to our roots and tell a story that transcends time.Read MoreSuccess will find it’s way to those who are passionate, hardworking, adaptable, continuously learning, improving, and implementing. That’s it. That’s all you need.
Knowledge is Power, Focus on the basics and authenticity of the cuisine is very important to be a successful chef.
Read MoreWe need to have greater consideration and benefits for entry-level associates to tackle the high attrition rate and to ensure longer association with a company.
Read More“In order to build a rewarding employee experience, you need to understand what matters most to your people”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I belong to the city of destiny, Visakhapatnam. Where I have completed all my schooling 10+2 from Kendriya Vidyalaya & Graduated in Business Management(BBM) from GITAM University., later I perused PG Diploma in IR&PM, Labour & Industrial Relations and Masters in Human Resources management(MHRM) from Andhra University.
I am a thorough Human Resources Professional with 13+ years of experience in the hospitality industry.
My career into hospitality industry is certainly an accident & was not aware of this industry any time before as a whole, however the destiny is what it decide for us to cherish lifetime. People also have this misconception that if you do work in a hotel then you’re either a receptionist, doorman or a housekeeping attendant which are all absolutely false assumptions and merely stereotypes.
It all started with the first flag ship hotel of Accor Hotels in Hyderabad, India i.e.; Novotel Hyderabad & Hyderabad International Convention Centre in the pre-opening as a Human Resources Coordinator (July 2006 to Aug 2011)., this is the property taught me all the skills & best practices that I have used in the coming stints of my career. later I was transferred to be part of another pre-opening property of Accor Hotels in Visakhapatnam, India i.e., Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach as Human Resources Executive and promoted to Asst. Manager – Human Resources (Aug 2011 to July 2014). I moved to Qatar Airways in Doha, Qatar as Huma Resources Officer (July 2014 to Jan 2015). I returned back to India and joined HMSHost International, An Auto grill Company as Asst. Human Resources Manager where I used to handle the Airport HR Operations of India and Middle East (May 2015 to Sep 2016)., later I have moved to Visakhapatnam with Fairfield by Marriott Pre opening team as Human Resources Manager (Apr 2017 to Aug 2019) and moved to Surat, Gujarat with Surat Marriott Hotel as Human Resources Manager( Aug 2019 to current)
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
The key thing for our industry is a definite commitment to a very high level of service culture and also a personal commitment to those beliefs. One have to keep personally motivated and passionate about the industry. I believe having the right attitude is the most important thing to succeed in the hospitality industry, along with common sense. A ‘can do’ attitude with a smile. Generally people see only the glamorous side of hotels, but there is a lot of hard work and long hours that go on behind the scenes.
Editor: What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
All it takes is to enjoy the work and sky is the limit. Honesty, passion, smartness and sense of humor., a mix of all these attributes with the right kind of attitude will definitely give an extra mile in his/her career.
Editor:What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
The right kind of attitude is definitely an essential part of what we look for when hiring for our hotel. Also, we require candidates to have strong interpersonal skills as they have to deal with clients and customers at all time and someone who is flexible and a team player.
If someone wants to be working with me should be no excuse, all that they need to have a right attitude towards work & associates, Dedication, the urge to be different from others, should be able to perform under extreme pressure, constantly challenging self for an improvement etc.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
The hospitality industry is competitive, and businesses need to keep up with the latest hospitality trends to avoid being left behind. Additionally, keeping pace with the industry as a whole is a great way to ensure our business delivers the kind of customer experience people want and expect. However, the needs and priorities of customers have also changed due to COVID.
1. Safety & Hygiene - As the world adjusts to the virus and efforts to contain the spread. It is essential that safety & hygiene are a priority for hotels, which will certainly builds confidence among the Guests and associates.
2. Mobile Check-In Service - Offering a mobile check-in service is one of the most useful hospitality trends for reducing the need for human-to-human contact and this is an especially important concept within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated efforts to contain the virus.
3. Healthy & Organic Food & Drinks - There has been something of a cultural shift with people becoming more aware of the things they are putting in their bodies, leading to healthy food and drinks trend., hence hotels are now are very much keen to cater the healthy & organic way of food style.
4. Sustainability - This has been one of the most noticeable hospitality trends of recent times, customers are concerned with environmental issues and want to know that the businesses they deal with are behaving ethically & promoting the eco –friendliness.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
With the changing trends & competition, the hotel industry is making all the best possible efforts to meet the guest & associate satisfaction., however 2 things I would like to change in our industry would be
1. Long working hours, especially at the shop floor which is an on-going and need to be changed for a proper work life balance of associates.
2. Salary structures or pay scale, which is still a debating point in most of the hotels but not all.
One with a Team
An ideal hospitality professional is characterized by a combination of interpersonal finesse, a genuine passion for hospitality and to diverse situations, a keen eye for detail, and a commitment to continuous learning.
One of the highlights of my journey has been the involvement in the preopening phase of several hotels. This exposed me to the challenges and excitement of setting up a new property, honing my skills in strategic planning and operational execution.In my view, passion towards your work is required to succeed in this Industry. It doesn’t matter if you are a Front Of The House employee or Back Of The House employee, you should be passionate enough for the happiness of your internal and external customers.
Unlike most hotels which work for 6 days, we but being the leader in the industry, we have 5 days workweek for our employees.
you are enjoying what you are doing, along with your hard work and commitment a person will definitely succeed and prosper-Neha Kumari
Consistency & Creativity will lead you to success-Neha Rana Dutta
What would you like to change in hospitality?
Hiring Process Without Resumes. Focusing solely on human potential and providing employment to anyone willing and able to work. I believe this approach is 100 % possible in Hospitality.
With the dynamic situation in the market, we must review our revenue targets on monthly basis & similarly review the level of manning required to serve the expected level of business.
Human Resource is more than a department. It is dealing with Human and their emotions. You need to be compassionate towards the employees. They expect you to listen to them and their problems and provide the best solution.
Two things you would like to change in the industry
India
1. Minimum wages to be set for line staff or entry-level staff
2. Equal gratuity distribution among all staff.
Outside India
1. Selection and promotions should not be based on qualifications, not the nationality of the person
2. Benefits and packages should be set for the position, irrespective of other factors.
Read More“We look for Positive attitude, Team Player, Product knowledge, Integrity & Leadership skills”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
Nikhil: My journey started in the HR solutions from Adecco & then Randstad where I initially worked in the staffing sector for them. Post that I worked in Fortune ITC & then moved to my current role in Marriott. In my career I have worked with various sectors & gained good insights while working in the said sectors. It’s been a fruitful journey of 11 years in which I have learnt a lot. The biggest learning was basically in the pre-opening of Fair-field by Marriott Pune Kharadi in which my knowledge from the HR Solutions Company & compliance helped me in having a seamless opening of the property.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
Nikhil: Good communication, and by communication I mean able to actively listen to the guests concerns & being able to get them resolved. Also taking the feedback from the guests in the right spirit helps us in converting the guests to become a loyal customer thus getting repeated business. Good communication from everyone impresses the guests and this help us in succeeding in the industry.
Apart from communication you need to be a good observer and calm personality. An observer observers all the fine details and listens carefully which is how we are able to give a personalized service to each guest and create a wow moment for them which is also called an experience. Calm personality is equally important as you don’t know what come through that door. A guest who had bad start of the day, a celebrity , a guest who missed his flight or a family who is on vacation with lots of expectations. With a calm mind you can take correct decisions for your guest, company, team and yourself.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
Nikhil: Turnover and hiring new employees can be both time consuming and costly for businesses. We try and retain as many hard-working associates as possible, promoting internal talent is the first priority that we in Marriott have. There are certain qualities we look for when hiring new employees, which often can be discovered in the first interview. Few of them being Positive attitude, Team Player, Product knowledge, Integrity & Leadership skills. For People who want to work with Marriott, I believe they should have the above said attributes but the most important would be is to have positive attitude in life towards everything & smart work.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Nikhil: The biggest trend that I foresee in the hospitality sector is going to be the safety standards that will be followed post the Covid 19 normal. People will be more conscious about their well-being in the hotels rather than the luxury part. Also a lot of hotels would see more emphasis on accepting the new normal ensuring the safety and security of the associates and team.
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?
Nikhil: Marriott as a company believes a lot in being tech savvy. We have platforms such as GXP (Guest Experience) which enhances us in serving the guests more efficiently. It helps us in identifying repeat guests and anticipate their needs using past requests and case history. Collecting and managing guests preferences. Mobile chats with guests right from pre arrival to check out to ensure the guest journey is seamless. A guest experience is created from the time they think of taking a holiday or business trip and they start planning.
Marriott has made sure it is present on social media and interact with all kind of travellers by giving them great information and insight about the city, hotel, places to explore. Mobile check-ins are available at most of hotels, we have robots serving in some hotels , now with Covid-19 all our hotels will offer contact less dining experience in a sense you can see the restaurant & IRD menu on you mobile , you can order food on your mobile when you are in the comfort of your room, you can pay directly via QR code.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
Nikhil: I as a person would certainly like the below mentioned changes in the industry
A) Parity in norms for operating
B) Ready pool of talent across the board
An ideal hospitality professional is characterized by a combination of interpersonal finesse, a genuine passion for hospitality and to diverse situations, a keen eye for detail, and a commitment to continuous learning.One of the highlights of my journey has been the involvement in the preopening phase of several hotels. This exposed me to the challenges and excitement of setting up a new property, honing my skills in strategic planning and operational execution.In my view, passion towards your work is required to succeed in this Industry. It doesn’t matter if you are a Front Of The House employee or Back Of The House employee, you should be passionate enough for the happiness of your internal and external customers.
Unlike most hotels which work for 6 days, we but being the leader in the industry, we have 5 days workweek for our employees.
you are enjoying what you are doing, along with your hard work and commitment a person will definitely succeed and prosper-Neha Kumari
Consistency & Creativity will lead you to success-Neha Rana Dutta
What would you like to change in hospitality?
Hiring Process Without Resumes. Focusing solely on human potential and providing employment to anyone willing and able to work. I believe this approach is 100 % possible in Hospitality.
With the dynamic situation in the market, we must review our revenue targets on monthly basis & similarly review the level of manning required to serve the expected level of business.
Human Resource is more than a department. It is dealing with Human and their emotions. You need to be compassionate towards the employees. They expect you to listen to them and their problems and provide the best solution.
“My mantra for Recruitment is simply to ‘look for the heart’”
Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
With over eight years of experience in Human Resources, Learning & Development and core Operations, and Bengaluru born, I majored in Hospitality Management as the dynamism of the sector excited me. My career in the hospitality segment commenced as a Corporate Leadership Trainee with Hyatt, specialising in Food & Beverage Service.
Having gained thorough exposure across the Hotel Business and Operations, and spanning all portfolio of Restaurant Management, I further took over Divisional Training, where People, Talent & Development dawned upon as the true calling. I further moved onto Hilton to handle Learning & Development, where I drove talent and culture for the hotel.
I joined the Marriott family in 2017 as the Training Manager for JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, where I forayed back to Luxury and further took on an enhanced domain of Quality & Training Manager. I have been an aspirant to expand my portfolio to core Human Resources Management, and thereby joined Courtyard by Marriott Chennai to head the People & Culture function as the Human Resources Manager for the hotel.
I have contributed to and championed several initiatives in my Human Resources tenure, spanning across Change & Quality Management, Driving Innovation & Culture, Talent Acquisition & Youth Development, Talent Management & Learning and Employer Branding. I have been a recipient of the APEC Training Leader of the Year Award with Marriott and PeopleMatters Are You in the List Emerging HR Leaders Award Winner.
I am an alumnus from Christ University, Bengaluru and a passionate wine and food enthusiast who yearns to be an influencer of luxury and lifestyle.
What it takes to Succeed in this Industry?
The industry is extremely competitive and it requires a great amount of passion and perseverance to excel and make one’s mark.
What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
My mantra for Recruitment is simply to ‘look for the heart’. I wholly believe in hiring for attitude and training for skills. One must look at imparting the career opportunity to individuals who hold the opportunity as dearest to them
When the yearning for the job role is high, the learning and pursuit of performance and potential will naturally be high as well.
What are some of the challenges you see impacting the hospitality industry?
My key priority is to prepare and home-grow the talent for the future and thus look forward to enable the talent with skills and competencies that will help them be more ready for the dynamic road ahead.
As the focus of businesses across sector currently is on identifying and developing future ready talent, I would also like to work towards solving this challenge.
What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
The industry is moving at a faster pace than ever. Development is at a boom with Brand Loyalty as the driver – hospitality stalwart organizations are in the big race.
Guest experiences are at a digital high, loyalty benefits spurring travel, food and beverage constantly innovating. Sustainability measures is what will define a major change across 2019 and 2020. These will brace a visible impact on in-room experiences for all travellers.
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