By Siddharth Savkur
There was an interesting poster online that poked fun at how a hotelier must be ready to wear many unexpected hats – firefighter, babysitter, caregiver, singer, dancer, gymnast, therapist, accountant, doctor and more. Hoteliers-at-heart will tell you that this is the very reason that we love our vocation so much. No two days are alike. There is unexpected action, always lurking around the corner, and by the end of your career you will surely have enough stories to write a book!
It is disheartening to see the drastic drop in students opting for hospitality programmes. It is hoped that the various initiatives taken by stakeholders will be successful in making the industry attractive to young aspirants once again. When a young hotelier starts their career in today’s fast-changing world, there are some skills that will hold them in good stead.
Sensitivity
A good hotelier will strive to ensure that their guest comes away with a positive experience from their interaction, no matter who it is. Treating every guest as a unique individual is a great way of doing that. Gauging the mood and mindset of the person across from you, and moulding your demeanour according to theirs is a good way to build rapport. Awareness and sensitivity towards beliefs, orientation, gender pronouns, and disabilities are also critical in today’s society.
Blending technology with human touch
There is much talk about using technology to enhance the guest experience in hospitality. This, of course, is inevitable and comes naturally to most young hoteliers. The challenge will be to master the balancing act between tech-orientation and human connection. This becomes even more relevant when you consider that millennials and Gen Z have had access to technology from a very young and impressionable age. They must consciously remember that technology is only a tool to aid them in enhancing guest satisfaction, and that their own personalities will play a far more impactful role in how their guests feel.
Awareness of the world
One of the more enjoyable aspects of being a hotelier is the opportunity to have interesting conversations with guests about aspects of their lives. It could be about their land of origin, their profession, their hobbies, their culture and so on. A young hotelier can contribute to – and learn from – such interactions if they have some level of awareness. Maintain a sense of curiosity about the world, ask questions and pay attention to the answers, and learn to appreciate the diversity in our lives and opinions. This will make you a great conversationalist for your guests, thereby creating memorable experiences for them.
It’s not always about the bottom line, except when it is
Passion for service may be a critical element in being a good hotelier. However, it is also important to remember that the primary reason for being in business is to achieve profit. Sometimes, hoteliers can get carried away with “exceeding guest expectations” and ignore the bottom line. A sound knowledge of how their decisions impact financial performance can be very helpful for young hoteliers. That does not mean that every guest interaction has to be weighed from a financial perspective. Occasionally, a decision may be taken to satisfy a guest that may not, in isolation, make financial sense but is warranted to handle that
particular situation. Traditional, old-world hotel companies often placed guest satisfaction above financial prudence and that led to their slow but sure downfall. Modern hotel companies, on the other hand, run their assets shrewdly as individual business units, balancing guest expectations with a strong bottom line. It is these brands that we see dominating the global hospitality landscape today.
The skills listed here are in high demand across sectors, as they are sought after in any service-oriented industry. Young hoteliers must therefore focus on honing them to their advantage, wherever their career path may take them.
(The article is authored by Siddharth Savkur, CEO of Kamaxi Group. He is a hospitality expert with 20+ years of experience in hotel operations, asset management, strategic planning and business development with international hotel companies across different markets.)
