Puneet Dhawan
Working with our partners, clients and with high level engagement, we prepared a strategy that would help us navigate in the new environment
When 2019 ended on a buoyant note, Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP Operations, Accor India & South Asia expected 2020 to be another blockbuster year. The pandemic deeply disrupted everything in multiple ways.
However, he viewed this crisis as a catalyst for change. He regrouped quickly and efficiently to put together a strategic plan on combating the situation. “Working with our partners, clients and with high level engagement, we prepared a strategy that would help us navigate in the new environment,” he recalled.
QUICK OFF THE MARK
Having taken charge of his responsibilities at Accor band in the middle of the pandemic, Dhawan believed it was critical to build a robust and resilient system of communication with guests, owners, partners, and teams. “My first priority was to travel to most of our hotels in India, as it was important for me to understand first-hand their plight to show support and solidarity,” he stated.
One of the biggest changes that Accor embraced was the adoption of technology at every level. Taking a renewed approach towards its existing partnerships and campaigns, it curated memorable guest experiences under the ‘ALL – Accor Live Limitless’ programme.
“We rolled out ‘Vivaah at Novotel’ which was conceptualised for contemporary virtual weddings and offered an array of customised and flexible packages,” Dhawan noted. “We also collaborated with Microsoft to launch ALL CONNECT, a new hybrid meetings concept supported by Microsoft Teams.”
But most importantly, the company managed to overcome challenges by regularly engaging with its team. Dhawan explained that team members were encouraged to display an entrepreneurial spirit, take risks and adapt to the changing local conditions. “We pivoted from the usual long-term plans to take a flexible approach while concentrating on business recovery,” he added.
His biggest personal achievement was being able to bring the teams together in a collaborative way that allowed the company to move with agility and swiftness. Despite the unpredictable nature of the crisis, he strove to take care of the brand’s assets and people in the region.
“We displayed a good performance by understanding and reading the sentiment of the market. Successful implementation of the ALL Heartist fund initiative across all our hotels was one of the biggest achievements in this period,” Dhawan summed up.
