Exclusive Interview | Vignesh Mani, General Manager : Oakwood Residence Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok
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“One attribute which I seek is inquisitiveness”
Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
Firstly, I want to thank Eclat Hospitality for this opportunity to share my story with your readers and to wish you success in all your endeavours!
My journey as a hotelier started 17 years ago at my alma mater WGSHA, Manipal, India. After which I added a Management degree to further hone my skills. I then started working with the Marriott in India in Sales, later moved to Oakwood with whom I have grown my hospitality career covering multiple regions and projects.
Over the last 12 years with Oakwood Asia Pacific, I have been involved in numerous new projects, pre-opening, renovations and conversions. It's been a great learning experience and an adventure with this amazing company.
What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
Determination, smart work and genuine care for both our guests and team members take you a long way in this people-centric industry.
What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
One attribute which I seek is inquisitiveness; genuine care for people comes in very strongly as well.
What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Artificial intelligence is coming in a big way and will definitely change how we conduct business in the near future. Secondly, the majority of guests today are self-sufficient, tech-savvy travellers who are constantly on the go managing their work and personal life through the mobile.
Operators will need to make sure their offerings are up-to-date and technology-friendly. At business meetings and conferences, travellers expect hotels and serviced apartments to have high-quality technological equipment and knowledgeable support staff.
Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the tech that goes into creating your guest experience?
Technology is definitely making hospitality exciting and more accessible than ever before. A simple illustration would be with the PressReader service that we offer, where we are able to digitally provide a wide range of literature from around the world, from daily and business news, current affairs, to travel and lifestyle anecdotes – all on one single platform, customised to your reading preference.
Technology also gives us insights on guests, enabling us to have customised applications which enhance the guest experience. TrustYou is one such example for which we use to track and manage guest feedback. With the evolution of chatbots and AI, we are now also able to engage with guests in a non-obtrusive manner.
Two things you would like to change in the industry.
Taxation should be relaxed and Licensing should become easier and affordable.
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