Exclusive Interview | Jai Kishan, General Manager, New World Phu Quoc Resort, Vietnam
/“Our core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Transparency, Ownership, and Service from the Heart at every touchpoint are the success mantra for any business.”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I, Jai Kishan, was born in South India and had the pleasure of studying and living across India, as my father was a professional banker. I successfully completed my 3-year Hospitality Education from the “Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition”, Chennai in 1995 and started my career in Hospitality.
Soon after I had the opportunity to explore, travel, learn, adapt, work & excel in all dynamics of Hospitality Operations spanning 25+ years across Rosewood, Accor, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Oberoi’s, and Taj Hotel Groups in India, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia & Vietnam. My skill set includes delivering positive, sustainable results across all dynamics of Operations for Guests, Ownership, Team & Community
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
In my humble opinion, passion for business excellence infused with relationship hospitality with all stakeholders – our teams, guests, brands, owners, community & eternal optimism is the core for delivering positive sustainable results. Our core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Transparency, Ownership, and Service from the Heart at every touchpoint throughout my career aided in my success thus far.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
The attributes I am on the lookout for during the interview process would include a sense of commitment, clarity in communication, ability to work in teams, attention to detail, cultural awareness, positive attitude, adaptability, empathy, passion, and ownership.
The review of soft and professional skills would depend on the position we are hiring for and the key is to find the right person for the right role at the right package with the right commitment.
If there’s an aspiring Lady or a gentleman, willing to explore the possibility of working with me, the best way is to reach out to my Talent & culture Department or apply for the role through our Careers website.
Editor: What is the single factor that got you your promotion?
A strong foundation of my Hospitality Skill Set encompassing professional & soft skills.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Besides the obvious negative effects of Covid, not only in hospitality but also to the world, there are several evolutions in response to this that bear potential future upside for the industry.
At a human resources level, job enlargement, enrichment, and rotation have become commonplace along with the sometimes overlooked zero base manning calculations. These efficiencies should be retained even after future recovery as it has a positive impact on cash flows. I believe this will be a future trend.
Capital expenditure planning and new build properties will also consider hygiene aspects in programming the interaction between hotel spaces and guests. This would affect everything from lobby design to ventilation systems to capitalizing on all frescos areas to meet the needs of this new world.
I also believe leisure guests’ expectations as travel begins to return will also be higher than before. From a consumer psychology standpoint, the desire to travel will be greater than ever. This in turn will lead to more discerning choices at the consumer acquisitions phase. At the time of consumption of the hospitality service due to the additional time and efforts by the guests, the expectation of a higher return for their experience is inevitable. The industry must prepare now and there is no room for error.
A General Manager must have the intellectual ability to not only identify trends but more importantly and paramount is to also be an industry trendsetter. The first-mover innovation advantage of doing so has benefits not only towards the property but also the brand. This of course also bears risks, however, with no risks, there are no rewards.
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the technology that you use that helps in enhancing the guest experience?
Virtual reality has been one of the biggest emerging hospitality technologies of recent times and the coronavirus pandemic has only heightened its uses. Virtual reality tours provide the ultimate means of experiencing a location from afar, recreating the environment in a way that allows for some degree of exploration and immersion.
For leisure customers, this can offer the opportunity to experience a landmark or tourist attraction, or view the inside of a hotel. For event customers, it means the chance to explore wedding or event venues, without needing to physically travel there for viewing. This is especially valuable at a time when travel is restricted.
It is important to be able to see through the noise of what is a gimmick and what will truly enhance the guest experience. As a General Manager, my decisions on technology selection are always in line with the overall strategy of positioning my property within the marketplace and globally.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the Industry.
Firstly, plans for a more sustainable future. Before the pandemic, the travel industry as a whole was on track to an entirely different type of reprioritization. As alarm bells continued to sound around the environmental crisis, more and more hoteliers acknowledged tourism’s role in the problem. Hotels big and small took steps to align their properties with plans for a more sustainable future.
As a hotelier, you can take this chance to approach the environmental problem with renewed vigor. Why not build on the opportunities provided by the currently lowered impact of the tourism industry? Or adjust SOPs to approaches that are more mindful of the environment? Taking steps at your hotel to mitigate a return to former levels is all it takes to begin.
Secondly, eco-friendly travelers are encouraged. According to recent research published by Phocuswire, several of the consumer trends driving travel in 2021 are related to minimizing the environmental impact of trips. This particular insight is significant, as it demonstrates that no matter what type of hotel you currently run, publicly implementing eco-friendly practices and initiatives into your operations will benefit your business as well as your footprint. Taking steps to adopt eco-friendly approaches to running your hotel can, in short, include your hotel in the all-important group of travel brands that are working to make a real difference to the current state of the environment. It just so happens too that these traits are the very qualities that appeal to today’s travelers.
