What does your job entail on a daily basis?
Well, my daily routine starts with taking the department briefing, checking the grooming of the staff, and assigning them to the appropriate floors. I go through the status of the check-out rooms and allocate them to front office, while ensuring that guests in any DND rooms are not disturbed. Overall, we try to create a ‘wow’ experience for all the guests coming to the hotel.
What is your favourite part of the job?
Firstly, it would be the creativity by which we keep the aesthetics and hygiene of the hotel intact for a superior luxury experience for our guests. Secondly, the immense satisfaction we get after creating a positive impact on our external as well as internal customers.
Which parts of the job do you not like and how do you motivate yourself to do them?
The job is very demanding on all the fronts – physically, mentally and emotionally – and the biggest challenge is to maintain a balance on all three fronts, as well as between family and work. But then, the toughest steel has to go through the hottest furnace, and that’s the true challenge.
What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you at work?
Once, during the check-in of an American guest, I was talking to a staff member in Hindi regarding his room amenities and so on, and we were taken by surprise when the guest also spoke in Hindi about his amenities preference. At the time we felt quite embarrassed about the whole incident, but a few days later, we had a good laugh over it.
When was the last time you saw a movie in the theatre?
Last month – ‘New York’. Excellent movie.
If you could do any job in the world what would it be?
A lady possesses natural housekeeping skills, and taking that forward on the work front is like an extension of oneself. I would like to continue in this profession for many more years to come.
Which celebrities have you met at work and what were they like?
I have met people like Nandan Nilekani, Ricky Ponting, Rani Mukherjee, Shahid Kapoor, Preity Zinta, MS Dhoni, Anupam Kher, Sanjay Dutt, and Katrina Kaif.
Which is your favourite hotel in the world?
ITC Maurya!
How do you unwind after a long, hard day at work?
By spending time with my kids and ensuring that their academics don’t suffer.
What is your motto in life?
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war – very true in housekeeping!
