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

My journey as a hotelier started 25 years back when I graduated from IHM, Pusa, New Delhi. I have had a long association with Hyatt: This is my second stint with Hyatt, having previously worked in the chain for seven years. I, started my career with the Hyatt as Conferencing & Banqueting Manager at Hyatt Regency Delhi, in 2002, and moved up to Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at the same property. Mumbai came calling next and I joined as Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at Grand Hyatt Mumbai, in 2006 where was instrumental in opening ‘China House’ – one of the most successful restaurant and lounge of its times. I was then promoted as Director Food & Beverage at the luxurious Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa to enhance the dining experience at the property. 

To gain experience in launching new properties, I joined Hilton and was part of the pre-opening team of Hilton Chennai as Director of Operations. Further moved to DoubleTree by Hilton, Gurgaon, where I ensured that the hotel opened successfully; during the tenure, I was also deputed as part of various task forces for the opening and conversion of hotel brands. 

My tryst with the Hyatt reoccurred in 2013 with a takeover of Ista property in Pune where I, joined as its first General Manager under Hyatt brand name. During the tenure, the hotel was awarded the most prestigious Hyatt Award - Donald N. Pritzker Award for Hotel Team of the Year, for the EAME & SWA region. The award recognizes Hyatt's top-performing hotel teams. I, then took over the role of General Manager at Hyatt Regency Pune, in June 2016. My stint with Hyatt Regency Pune lasted 2. 5 years. For successfully turning around the property was privileged to be awarded the General Manager of the Year 2019 (upscale & luxury hotel category) by Hotelivate at HOSI ( Hotel Operations Summit of India).

Then I was transferred to my current assignment at Hyatt Regency Gurgaon as General Manager in January 2019. Hyatt Regency Gurgaon is a 450 room property and has one of the largest banquet & convention facilities, with a 20,000 sq. ft. of pillar-less hall.

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

There are no shortcuts to success. 

Hard work and perseverance are the most important elements to success in our industry

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

I look only for 3 things – Zeal to learn, passion towards work, and attitude.

Editor: What is the single factor that got you your promotion?

I would attribute it to dedication towards work and teams support 

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

Safety & Hygiene, focus on wellness tourism, F&B deliveries, Virtual tours. The Digital space is evolving rapidly, it’s impacting everything in the industry right from buying decisions to how we conduct our daily business, and this will constantly evolve with millennials constituting the majority of the guest base.

Another trend is the ‘Experiential Hospitality’ where guests are expecting hotels to be fulfilling more than just their boarding and lodging needs, people are looking for ‘Unique Experiences’ than cookie-cutter brand standards. Hence there is more emphasis on ‘Going Global but Think Local’, embracing local culture and experiences. 

Editor: Tech is now an enabler for great hospitality. Can you share with us some of the technology that you use that helps in enhancing the guest experience? 

Contactless experiences will be important. Encouraging digital menus with QR codes, contactless e-payment options to avoid contact through cash or credit/debit card transactions. Cloud-based property management systems enable us to manage the events entirely off-site ranging from event spaces virtual show rounds, to manage reservations to setting rates.

The human interface can never be replaced with tech, however, it enables hotel teams to enhance the guest experience. For eg. at Hyatt, we initiated online room check-ins prior to arrival and soon moving on to mobile keyless entry where your mobile phone will be your room key, so cutting down the check-in time and making it seamless.

Editor: Two things you would like to change in the Industry.

1. To upscale the entry-level compensation across the industry immediately in order to make hospitality a profession of choice for the younger generation.

2. Have an industry-wide repository database of blacklisted / delinquent customers/ influencers, something like what airlines have ‘no-fly list’ or like Uber/ Ola, where customers are rated by the drivers.