<Grand Hotels>: A Dialogue with Charles Lai

对话黎自豪先生

Interview: Cherry Li  Chinese Version: Vivian   English Version: Linda

Photos: by Ivy

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc, the largest of its kind in Singapore, is a dynamic global hotel company which owns, asset manages and/or operates over 110 hotels in 18 countries around the world. Ranking No. 35 in the world, the company has established Millennium Hotels and Resorts which comprises three distinct brands – Millennium Hotels, Copthorne Hotels and Kingsgate Hotels and Resorts. Grand Hotels magazine interviewed Mr. Charles Lai, who heads the marketing and sales teams of Millennium Hongqiao Hotel Shanghai, Grand Millennium Beijing, Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, Copthorne Hotel Qingdao and Millennium Wuxi.

Grand Hotels: How will you describe the corporate culture of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc? What is the role of this culture in managing the employees?

Charles Lai: We not only feature coveting facilities, but also offer outstanding services, an advantage benefited enormously from our staff training programs. Instead of laying emphasis on the corporate hierarchy, we treat every employee as a stakeholder. This culture is established based on the understanding that we are a big family, where each member performs his or her duty. We are in the same boat, and only when we cooperate with one another can the boat move forward in the right direction. Our well-known staff canteen is as chic as TCC or TDC. Our corporate culture revolves around the concept that “take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your customers”.

Grand Hotels: What is your expansion plan for 2009?

Charles Lai: 2009 is a busy year for us, with two new properties to open in Wuxi (opened at the end of May) and Chengdu (opening soon), respectively. While people may wonder why we don’t follow in the footsteps of other hotel companies and postpone or even cancel projects, the answer is that the economic downtown shouldn’t prevent us from carrying out our strategic investment plan for Greater China, which was drawn up 5 or 6 years ago. The plan is focused on several key cities, in the order of Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao and Xiamen, which are followed by Wuxi and Chengdu. It is the time that either you move forward, or you’ll fall behind. The plan must be executed as scheduled so that we can take a vantage position once the market recovers.

作为新加坡最大的国际酒店连锁集团、世界第35大酒店集团，千禧国敦酒店集团目前拥有、管理并经营着全球18个国家的110多家酒店，拥有千禧、国敦和君门三大酒店品牌。此次千禧国敦国际酒店集团黎自豪先生带领来自上海千禧海鸥大酒店、北京千禧大酒店、厦门海景千禧大酒店、青岛国敦大酒店和无锡千禧大酒店的市场销售团队接受了《大酒店》的采访。

《大酒店》：贵酒店集团以怎样的企业文化管理自己的团队？

黎自豪：我们不仅有值得骄傲的硬件设施，同时具备优质的服务。而这得益于我们对员工的培训方针。对于每个员工，我们强调的不是上下级关系，而是利益相关人。之所以建立这样一种企业文化是因为，我们相信我们是一个大家庭，团队每个人的区别仅仅是彼此各司其职。只有整个企业同舟共济，船才能向正确的航向前进。我们有一个非常漂亮的员工餐厅，和TCC,TDC一样有名。我们这样来建立团队精神，员工满意，客户才能满意。

《大酒店》：贵酒店集团在今年有怎样的拓展计划？

黎自豪：今年对于我们将是格外忙碌的一年。将有两座新酒店拔地而起，一家在无锡，一家在成都。无锡在五月底开张营业，成都酒店也开业在即。同行都会问，其他公司的项目都延期或中止，而你们却反其道而行之，为什么？在5～6年前，我们就制定了大中国区的经营战略，中国几大城市是我们集团的重点。继北京之后是上海，然后是青岛、厦门，接着就是即将开业的无锡和成都。我们不想因为大环境的不景气而中止我们的战略投资，越是这样的时候越不能停下前进的脚步，只有这样才能在经济复苏的时候抢得先机。