Swapna Nair has been the General Manager at Ramada Plaza in Chennai since October 2022 and comes with over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked with renowned brands in UK, Dubai, and India. As a strategic business leader, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the operation to ensure guest and employee satisfaction, talent management, financial performance, and sales and revenue generation.
Key Milestones
Throughout my career, I have achieved several significant milestones. One of the key highlights has been successfully managing the brand positioning of homegrown hotels (Feathers, Chennai) amidst established competitors like Hilton, Marriott & ITC. By developing unique marketing strategies, revenue-generating strategies, identifying new business leads, and leading my team in pursuing these leads, I have consistently surpassed revenue targets and achieved success in a competitive market.
Overcoming Challenges
I think the biggest challenge we and the industry face is finding good qualified young individuals who find working in the hotel industry exciting and challenging. Unfortunately, many people do not think that the hotel industry offers promising career opportunities. Therefore, finding people who are genuinely passionate about working in the hotel industry and who have the potential to reach management positions is rather difficult. We have established an excellent training culture in the organization where the staff feels a sense of learning new skills which adds to their personal growth. This has enabled us to retain good employees and reduce attrition by almost 50%
Advice to Women
My advice to women in the hospitality field is to be focused, persistent, confident, and proactive. Embrace opportunities for continuous learning, build strong networks, and don’t shy away from leadership roles. Trust your abilities and contribute your unique feminine touch to the industry.
Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Maintaining work-life balance is crucial and it is equally important for everyone in the organization. I have prioritized health as a reason to leave home on time at least three times a week. I prioritize effective time management, set boundaries, and delegate responsibilities. Regular communication with my team and implementing efficient operational processes allow me to achieve a balance between professional and personal life.
