My advice to someone aspiring to be a Hotel General Manager is to cultivate a diverse skill set, continuously seek learning opportunities, develop strong leadership abilities, prioritize guest satisfaction, and always lead by example with integrity and passion for the industry.
We are continuously evolving to meet the changing needs and preferences of our guests, leveraging technology and innovation to enhance the guest experience. Our focus on sustainability and community engagement is also a key part of our future vision.
The hospitality industry scenario in India is moving quickly. My advice is to stay flexible and keep learning. Change is good, whether it is in tech or in what our guests need. The heart of hospitality, making guests feel at home, will always be the same. Keep improving your people skills and your passion for service. The future looks promising, and Iām excited to see how newcomers will shape it.
It is important not to give in to failures. We all have our good and bad days. A great guest comment can make your day.
Luxury Hospitality will mean more high end technologies, so the guests will be overwhelmed with joy! In the rooms, in restaurants, spa, gym, pools, banquet, and moreā¦ As well I would love to see the front desk disappear, so people do not have to do check-in and check-out. Meals could be order by looking at an interactive photos system on an IPad placed in the rooms, and orders will go directly to the concerned kitchens.
We are continuously working around ideas that have a touch of luxury & the warmth of home setting us apart from other functioning brands & their services.
At Marriott, we strongly believe that inclusive hiring is the need of the hour and walking this talk, an all-women team opened The Westin Hyderabad Hitec City earlier this year.
When hiring for the hospitality industry, we typically look for a combination of technical skills, personality traits, and specific attributes that are crucial for success in a customer-oriented and service-driven environment.
The paramount quality required for thriving in any industry, particularly within the realm of hospitality, is an unwavering passion for oneās work. It has been astutely stated that āThe only way to do great work is to love what you doā In this context, I firmly believe that to excel in the hospitality industry, one must not only be hardworking but also inherently passionate about their role.
Golkonda Resort & Hotels is a Hyderabad based Hospitality operation, We feel proud Hyderabadi, Son of Soil in terms of extending Nizami Delicacy to all our esteemed clients of the tech city, at the same time we try to be contemporary yet native.
Confidence, Communication, Culture Fit followed by ability to produce results and Job Knowledge are my 5 Point check list when I look for a team member.
Marriott'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.
My favourite interview question is, "If you could design an immersive guest experience that truly embodies the essence of India, what would it entail?" This question allows candidates to showcase their creativity, cultural understanding, and alignment with our vision.
In an age when business management is being more data driven, I still believe in the strength of my own business acumen, supremacy of common sense and emotional quotient over pure analytics.
My advise would be to expose yourself in different departments such as Housekeeping, Front office, Accounts, Revenue , Sales, Food and Beverage. When you find your interest in one of these department, start to micro focussing in that particular department.
Lead by example ā Have always believed this. As a leader, demonstrate the quality and behaviors you expect from your team. Be approachable , supportive and lead with integrity.
What is the one app / tech solution you would love to see?
On the lighter side, an app which will help in identifying a discount seeker or a guest who complains a lot.
One of the foremost skills that an individual must have in hospitality industry is to maintain strong guest relations. Patrons love personalized services during their stay and one who knows their customers and their preferences better gains popularity for their work in the long run.
As someone with extensive experience in the industry, I have identified five essential skills that I believe will be particularly important moving forward to provide exceptional service and create memorable experiences for their guests.
ļ Technology proficiency
ļ Cultural intelligence
ļ Emotional intelligence
ļ Sustainability awareness
ļ Creativity and innovation
By developing these skills, hospitality professionals can position themselves for success in the rapidly changing landscape of the industry.
Success will find itās way to those who are passionate, hardworking, adaptable, continuously learning, improving, and implementing. Thatās it. Thatās all you need.
With every new day we have new challenges and the property with different level have different requirement as per classification, market, ownership, brands. The taste of the guests have also changed in past decade and which is a vicious cycle always but the tech feature has forced the industry to accept and convert the strategies accordingly.
When you are at an entry level, you have to be skilful, passionate & hard working.
When you become HOD, you must know how to manage your colleagues, juniors, and your bosses.
However, when you reach the GM level, I think common sense plays a vital role more than skills. It is because if you reach this level, you already have skills, but common sense is not so common. This will make you different.
What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Pursue your passions. I know it may sound trivial but try to work around things that you are good at. Sometimes it takes trying something to know whether you are good at it. Experience can teach you twice as much as education can. Try to partner with the right companies earlier on in your career to grasp all the necessary knowledge and learnings you need to upskill yourself.
I always look for people who know their job and ready to learn more, we are moving more towards multi skilled team members, who have the hospitality attitude. I believe skills can be taught but not attitude.
AI is a fast-growing trend in all industries, particularly hospitality. We are starting to see some very interesting applications that facilitate the day-to-day operations and allow for a fast workflow and better experience for our guests.
My favourite interview question is asking about a challenging situation that the interviewee faced and how they arrived at the solution.
I would love to have software that picks up a guest's family photo from his social media and displays it on his room TV as a welcome page as soon as he checks in.-Manu Vashishth