Exclusive Interview | Sukhpreet Singh Bath, Front Office Manager, Fairmont Jaipur
/“The industry needs more innovation and creativity, both of which come with better planning, forecasting, and an open mindset.”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
With a defense background, I joined the hospitality industry to go out of the way and make a difference in my own way. I started my Career in 2006 with the STEP Programme at the Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development and got posted at Trident Gurgaon 2006-2009 batch. Post this, I enjoyed a successful stint with Leela Kempinski Gurgaon for two years. In June 2012, I took a leap of faith and moved to Centralized Reservations of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts outsourced to Genpact LLC in Jaipur, and joined as Business Leader/ Assistant Manager Operations. This led to a very productive tenure with Marriott across five years, in two properties – JW Marriott in Aerocity, a business hotel, and JW Marriott Mussoorie, the only JW Marriott Resort in India. In August 2019, I moved to the Pink City Jaipur and joined as Front Office Manager at Fairmont Jaipur, where I am currently blessed to be working.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
It is impossible to succeed in this fast-paced industry without working hard and having well-focused goals in your career. This has shaped my personality and my career to enhance the quality.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
Positivity, Passion, Confidence, and a pleasing personality. They should smile more and be open to challenges.
Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
Trainees have the advantage of being exposed to the entire unit, create relationships, keep learning and leave no opportunity untouched.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Hospitality is more and more tech-driven and is optimizing human touch along with technology. We are also getting progressively more technology-driven than emotional human touch. Also, post Covid travel mandates have changed the trends of yesterday’s hospitality which I foresee will come back to normal with time.
Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the techs that go into creating your guest experience?
Trust-you Survey is shared with guests for real-time feedback and direct communications to help the guest stay connected with our team. We have enabled QR Code menus all across the hotel, for each outlet to ensure a contactless ordering experience. Contactless payments and QR codes have made transactions much easier with less currency rotation.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
The industry needs more innovation and creativity, both of which come with better planning, forecasting, and an open mindset.
What can we expect in the coming year?
“The next boom in Hospitality Industry”- The business shall bounce back with more demands and expectations.
