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

I was fascinated during my school days by an elder cousin who was working in hotels. His stories and experience amazed me. I took admission in IHM Kolkata (then Calcutta) post my school and my first assignment were at The Oberoi Udaivilas as a pre-opening team member in Housekeeping.

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

Three attributes are key to succeed in the industry:

1. Honesty - Be brutally honest with your work, your colleagues, your supervisors and yourself. Honest approach will ensure you have a free and flexible mind to learn, develop and grow.

2. Attitude - A positive attitude will take one places and help being recognised. Hotels and hospitality, though glamorous and highly rewarding, can also be taxing at times. Being positive and a great attitude is best friend one can have.

3. An eye for detail - I was taught once by one my bosses, "Devil is in the detail". Somehow, this phrase stuck with me over years. Look for minute details, understand small preferences, looking to enhance things, these are some of the key attributes which differentiate between an average and great hospitality experience.

What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?

I look for attitude and passion. If someone has a great attitude and absolutely passionate about what they do, that's a victory for me.

Anybody who wants to work with me needs to have a great attitude, passion and transparent approach towards work and the team.

What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?

In these times, there has been loads of speculation and views on the New Normal. One thing which I foresee happening in the coming months is an enhanced and increased Pre Arrival Connect. Hotels would like to pre-capture details of guest like arrival information, IDs, room preferences, credit card details etc. This will ensure contact of guest and hotel team is minimal during Check-in. Similarly, with pre-captured information, room cleaning time, food delivery, meal preference can be customised and kept ready for guest with minimal physical contact.

Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?

Hotels have adopted loads of technological support over years to enhance the guest's experience. Few tools which are very helpful are -

1. PMS - Great PMS with the option of storing guest details, historical data and option of interface with other software (back end finance's software, reservation tool etc) available saves time and assist a great deal in interacting with guest and enhancing the stay experience.

2. Smart tablets, which are interfaced with PMS and the loyalty website. Great way to record guest's likes/dislikes, know about a guest, instant information on fingertips while talking to a guest. Some hotels have also successfully used them in their cars, which guest can use to communicate with the hotel before their arrival and pre-order food, leave instructions etc.

3. One thing which is currently evolving and yielding great results is one integrated window, which has PMS, loyalty tool, preferences, an option to check-in and check out a guest, convey guest's requests to concerned departments, financial information. Every hotel chain has assigned a different name and look to this window/software. This is an amazing tool and ensures associates have only one software to log into and operate from.

Two things you would like to change in the industry.

I have seen the industry-changing and evolving in the last two decades. I would like to change the following

1. How we communicate with our young hoteliers. Two decades ago, aspirations and the way of looking at things were very different. Today's generation wants clarity, clear instructions and uncomplicated approach. They not only want to know what will it take to achieve the next step but also how long will it take them to be there. It is important that we are clear, transparent and honest in our communication with them.

2. We may think that hotels are driven and evolving through technology, but one of the key things that are driving hotels are their guest. It is important that we engage these guest on different platforms and listen to the. However, this evolving and emerging perception that engagement of guest is more important than customer service and great hotel experience is alarming. I would like this perception to be changed. There is absolutely nothing which can substitute a great customer experience.