Exclusive Interview | Magdalena Martorell General Manager, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao
/“You need to see Hospitality as a lifestyle and not as a 9 to 5 job to Succeed in the industry.”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
Born on the resort island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea, I grew up surrounded by hotels and tourists. Although none of my family worked in the hospitality industry, I was always curious about foreigners visiting the island, and I quickly developed a passion for learning foreign languages to be able to communicate with others.
As I grew up, I realized I enjoyed the interaction with people and felt happy when I could assist someone and give great tips about the island. When I was a student, I worked during the summer at the front desk at a hotel. The general manager gave me the opportunity to help implement a quality certification for the hotel. I started to learn about all of the different departments and how a hotel works. I felt hooked by the complex organization of a hotel and simultaneously rewarded by the fact that everything you do creates an impact on the guest experience.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
First of all, you need a lot of passion for this industry to succeed in this industry. It is hard work that requires long hours and commitment. Therefore, you need to know that if you decide to work in hospitality, you need to see it as a lifestyle and not as a 9 to 5 job.
The personal qualities you need to succeed are:
Being a ‘people person – people are a hotel’s main asset. It’s crucial you are a team player and work well alongside your colleagues. Do note they are all different personalities! And you must relate well with your guests. Interacting with people is such an important part of the job.
Common sense – this is key to providing solutions and having a well-organized hotel.
A ‘can-do’ attitude – hospitality is about helping others. Be it helping other hotel departments or helping our guests to enjoy their holiday at the maximum level.
Willing to relocate – experience working in different areas and countries enriches your knowledge and skills! The more experience you have and cultures you are familiar with, the better in this industry. Such rich experience leads to innovation as well because you’re more able to think outside the box.
A combination of your personal qualities and technical knowledge will help you succeed in this industry.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
Attitude, Attitude, and Attitude. I look for potential and qualities in the personality. Technical knowledge can be learned but without the right attitude, the goals will not be achieved.
Editor: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring hotelier for their internship?
Deem every task you are given as important. Look around the department you work within and analyze its processes. Ask yourself: ‘What could be improved? And why?’
Make every effort to enjoy your internship and learn everything you can during your time on the frontline interacting with guests. As you grow in your career you’ll have to dedicate more time to strategy and it’s important you know the intricacies of the operation through first-hand experience.
I see many employees pushing for promotions to rush to higher positions yet they don’t recognize that they should give themselves adequate time to truly assimilate and consolidate their positions as supervisors or department heads. And this time is key to practicing their management skills on a smaller scale.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUGMENTED REALITY
I would say technology is having a profound impact on the hospitality industry, and I am not talking about robots delivering room service. I refer instead to the collection of customer data, combined with the improvements to computer technology, meaning that artificial intelligence can be used for a huge range of functions, from basic customer service, to personalization tasks, and even for sales processes and direct messaging. Visualizing your future events in the hotel with augmented reality is an example too.
WELLNESS
Wellness was already a significant trend before the current pandemic and it has taken on even more meaning in the wake of COVID-19. Guests are looking for healthier options for their meals and have a greater interest in wellness activities such as yoga, sports, and meditation. Staying healthy and boosting your immune system is more important than ever.
TAILOR-MADE EXPERIENCES
People don’t want to feel like part of the crowd and are seeking bespoke travel experiences suited to their specific needs and preferences. An example is providing a private Pilates lesson instead of a group class.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
It would be great to see the industry as a whole adapt faster to change. Hospitality has a long tradition of serving guests but sometimes it is difficult to change mindsets and thus embrace changes in society, technology, etc. What I mean is that the industry tends to do things like it has always done because these approaches are tried and true but I think now is the time for the industry to study the new values that are emerging and adapt to them to continue delighting our guests in the future.
Editor: What is your favorite interview question and why?
I like to ask interviewees about how their hospitality journey started to learn more about their background and what has motivated them to apply for the job. In this interview with HospeMag, I admit the first question is my favorite. I had to think about how it all started and enjoyed remembering the beginnings that provided the foundation for my career.
