Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?

I was keen on joining hotels from the age of 14. Had seen a programme on the television about Hotel Management, during my school days and was quite fascinated. Gradually got to know more about the courses through a couple of my father’s friends whose kids had done Hotel Management and the interests grew.

However, I also was preparing for Engineering along with my 11 th and 12 th standard studies. I gave entrance exams for both Engineering and Hotel Management and got seats for both and eventually decided to go the hotel way! I started my career as a Banquet Sales Coordinator with ITC Fortune Ahmedabad, after completing my B.Tech in Hotel Management. But within a span of 8 months moved to Taj President as a Housekeeping Supervisor since working in Mumbai and with an iconic hotel like that was something I really didn’t want to let go. Since then the journey of Rooms Division commenced!

What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?

I think passion, patience, perseverance and people are the key to success in this industry. While the first three are your personal traits as an individual but when it comes to people, then, the ability to build a great team that helps you grow is equally important. So for me it’s the 4 Ps.

What does the future look like? For the industry, you, your project / initiative.

Hospitality industry is ever evolving. The future of hospitality industry is inclined towards ensuring:

• Personalized services

• Increased use of technology

• Emphasis on sustainable and eco-friendly practices

• Increased awareness on health & safety

We already have incorporated the use of advance technologies in the hotels, wherein the team can clear rooms through their smartphones, where guests can check-in and access their rooms through digital keys. Technology has not only made things easy for guests but also increased the work efficiency of the team and introduced a smarter way to carry out daily operations.

With regards to sustainability and eco-friendly practices, the industry is big on reducing the use of single use plastic to begin with and introduce sustainable options like, water bottling plants in the hotels, use of bamboo/corn starch made guestroom amenities like tooth-brush, combs, etc. QR codes have replaced menu cards and service directories. Emphasis is also on personalised service, ensuring the extra level of comfort and warmth that a guest would experience in the hotels. Introduction of healthy food options for guests and personalising their preferences. Last but not the least, enhanced security and safety procedures for guests.

Making a vision into a reality can be very daunting. We would love a deep dive into your process for all your initiatives.

When you have a vision, it becomes important for you to ensure that your team and peers also believe in that vision the same way you do. This takes a lot of efforts since it involves not only the vision but also the process. Getting all the resources and people on board to turn a vision into a reality is the most crucial part. Planning, delegation and execution follow once your goal and steps to achieve that is defined.

Divide the goal into smaller targets and have a time frame for completing them. This leads to getting all the fragments in together for forming the final composition.

Share some of your secrets in keeping an engaged, safe and happy team.

I very strongly believe that if you work towards ensuring that your team is empowered enough to take required necessary decisions at their level of operations then you have a happy and strong team. The trust that this aspect builds within the team is a catalyst to new ideas and innovations. I also believe that promoting talent and keeping the team motivated to do their best at all times helps them grow both professionally and personally. And the most important is having an open communication with your team at all levels.