Following simple ‘Smile’ strategies are the key to success feels Jai Kishen, general manager, Novotel Kolkata
BY R BARIK
Give us a short background of your journey.
A global hotelier (Australian citizen) with more than 18 years of luxury hospitality experience which spans 10 years with The Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, Taipei, New Delhi and another eight with Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore, The Hilton Taipei and The Oberoi Grand Kolkata, India. The hospitality industry being a dynamic and vibrant one has taught me a lot as each day brings with it new opportunities and challenges. My expertise lies in exceeding guest expectations, enhancing team productivity, delivering brand promise and profitability with a smile.
What have been some of the important lessons that you have learnt from your experiences.
Some of the important lessons which I have learnt on the go:
• Hospitality is an amalgamation of hard work, courage, dedication, patience, attitude, gratitude, empathy and love.
• Service excellence is a journey driven by a passion to succeed
• To make it happen, follow the golden rule of keeping it simple with smart strategies.
• The show must go on, so be the mentor to your team.
When did you take charge as GM of this property? What are the changes that you have initiated?
I took charge two days before the opening, in August 2014. I have ensured enhanced team work, set key performance targets, launched all our facilities with necessary planning and fanfare for their success and have set the roadmap for making us the hotel of choice in Eastern India.
What is the best part of being a general manager?
To be able to transform moments into memories for guests and be able to provide help to every team member in moving towards and achieving their goals.
How do you keep the morale of the team running high? How do you motivate them?
I follow a few simple steps towards keeping my team’s morale and spirit high:
• Ensuring a structured career plan for everyone with a transparent periodic monitoring system
• Ensuring a smart learning and development plan dedicated towards each and every employee with remuneration and career progression
• Inclusion of everyone in the decision making, where ever necessary
• Timely grievance redressal with compassion and empathy
• Providing medical assistance, transportation and enhancing security to all team members
• Spending quality time of 10-30 mins over a coffee or a meal with every team member and his family on their special occasions with a motive of us becoming a part of their family
• Organising high spirited theme events, including Yoga, fitness, meditation, movies, camping, outdoor activities and sessions with motivational speakers
• Acknowledging them on their special days and celebrations with them
• Meeting everyone in the morning with a ‘Good day smile’ and ending the day with a ‘Thank you smile’
What are the challenges that you face as the GM?
Today staff movement poses a lot of pressure on hotel GMs. This causes hindrance in planning and providing continuous intensive training and in maintaining a superior service quality.
What are the revenue-enhancing strategies that you have adopted/introduced at the property?
Accurate identification and subsequent optimisation of talent base in the hotel for all revenue generating areas including the Front of house and Back of house. Recently we have achieved a great turnover from a variety of industries such as sports, health, tourism and showbiz. Our suite of rooms, the Square, Sante, Delice, (the bakery) and spaces for social gatherings are a constant source of revenue.
What are your favourite areas of the property?
Cascades. It’s the zen zone with chirping birdsong, the soft sound of water trickling from the cascades, beautiful sunlight, open skies and peace. Also Le Jardin. I get raptured in its serene scenic beauty. (Always reminds me of the classic scene from Titanic.)
Share some of your good/bad/weird experiences.
Good: A thank you letter from a girl aged 16 for having donated blood to her brother who was undergoing cancer treatment.
Bad: A 12-page letter written in Shakespearian tone by a Non Resident Indian guest, expressing his intense dissatisfaction and over a smile passed by another guest across the buffet counter during breakfast.
Weird: A 62 year old fashionista requesting for
a Chinese Dragon Tattoo (20 cms X 10 cms ) on her back with shots of snake blood to overcome the pain.
What has been the turning point in your career?
Winning the Best Employee Award at the Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore after going through eight stages of rigorous competition turned out to be a major turning point in my hospitality career. This award reinforced and enhanced my passion to succeed against all odds. It felt great to be recognised for my efforts! It made me feel on top of the world.
What according to you is the most important thing for success in the industry?
Never say never attitude.
What are some of the positive changes in the industry in the last decade or so?
Recently, the hospitality industry has witnessed a plethora of positive changes, such as the rising awareness and concern about one’s environment, advanced education opportunities with higher employability, ambitious/flamboyant work forces, rapidly expanding micro markets, quicker ways of doing business, convergence of technologies, smaller world with sophisticated, accessible, quick mode of transporation, amplified voice of guest through all channels, enhanced affordability and an open mind to explore, attempt and transcend.
What is the worst thing about being a hotelier?
Maintaining a fine balance between professional work commitments and personal responsibilities.
If not a hotelier, what would have been your second choice of career?
A Doctor, as I would have loved to save the world and make it a better place, and brought out those healthy, happy smiles.
