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(2007-03-16 15:45:05)| 分类： 软文 |
A Significant Talk with Miriam
Greaton, Executive Director of Art de Vivre
采访/Interview: Cherry
Li 文/Story:
Kongyan Photo: Zhu Xiao
Ci
场地提供：上海世茂皇家艾美酒店豪华套房
Venue: Deluxe Suite, Le Royal
Méridien Shanghai
Art de Vivre is an Asia-based
PR agency specializing in media relations, market survey, branding
and strategic consultation. Renowned for its enterprising spirit
and refined tastes, Art de Vivre has branched out from Hong Kong,
where it is headquartered, and set up offices in Shanghai and
Beijing, offering a plethora of strategic communication-related
services to high-end brands which lead the fashion of their
respective fields.
Miriam Greaton is the Executive
Director of Art de Vivre. A sophisticated contemporary career
woman, Miriam travels frequently around the world for contacting
clients and making meticulous arrangements for marketing and PR
campaigns, and her experiences lend us an insight into luxury and
hotels.
Grand Hotels: First, let
us know something about your company and yourself.
Miriam: I was born in
the mainland, and moved to Hong Kong when I was only five. I spent
a couple of years in a boarding school and went to Australia at 12,
and later to the UK where I finished my education. About Art de
Vivre, we are devoted to providing a series of strategic solutions
in relation to branding, market positioning and professional
consulting. As proven by the past years, we’re pretty successful,
and now have three offices in Shanghai, Beijing and HK. We’ve
built a good cooperative relationship with Rolls Royce, Land Rover,
Esprit, Escada, UBS and other key clients in the field of
automaking, fashion and banking, etc.
Grand Hotels: What about
your work, as Executive Director?
Miriam: My work
obligations consist of three parts. I’m obliged to manage the
company, to establish and consolidate relationship with our
clients, and to personally plan and implement projects. Naturally I
am doing less and less for the third part, as the company grows and
becomes more mature day by day.
Grand Hotels: We know
you’re the chief representative for Tahiti “Black Pearls” in
Asia. Can you elaborate on it?
Miriam: First of all,
Tahiti “Black Pearls” is our client. They came to us and required
to increase its presence in the whole Asia, and I was invited to
act as its chief representative in Asia. We re-branded what was
known as “Black Pearls” to the improved impression introduced as
“Perles de Tahiti”. Earlier we invited correspondents and the
Travel Channel to fly to the picturesque place of origin, Tahiti,
and shoot a video. In addition, I will host a product launch and
present “Perles de Tahiti” to major jewelry dealers and outlets
such as Chow Tai Fook and Cheng Huang Temple Jewelry.
Grand Hotels: You are
very busy and have so much work to do. How do you arrange the
travels?
Miriam: I spend most of
the time in flying here and there. (Laugh). My work requires that I
should often take long flights to Morocco, the Mediterranean,
Geneva and other places in Europe. During the days while I am not
“flying”, I am in HK, Beijing, or Shanghai. Mostly in Shanghai,
which accounts for half of the days.
Grand Hotels: What are
your standards for hotels to be recommended to a
client?
Miriam: It depends. When
I am planning an event, I would consider the style, scale and
positioning. To decide whether it is a high-profile occasion or a
low-key one, for example. In recommending where to stay, I would
pay more attention to service and details of the hotel. More
importantly, I’d measure whether the style of the hotel is in line
with the client’s taste. All in all, I strongly believe that a
satisfying hotel experience helps our clients to feel great at
work.
Grand Hotels: What is
your opinion of the properties of international chain hotels in the
mainland, especially the properties in major cities like Shanghai
and Beijing?
Miriam: According to my
personal experiences, I think they grow really fast. A full range
of hotel brands have launched China, and we can see a considerable
improvement in the quality of service.
Grand Hotels: As a
frequent global traveler, you must have experienced lots of
high-end hotels. What are the major elements that differentiate
luxury hotels in the mainland and their sister properties in HK and
Europe, from your perspective?
Miriam: The first thing
is size. It is probably because Chinese people love “big
occasion”. Luxury hotels in the mainland normally impress us with
“space”. Ballrooms are capacious enough for accommodating
hundreds or even thousands of guests at a time, and the interior is
grand and majestic as a whole. While in HK where big-scale events
are fewer, the hotels are comparatively smaller in size. The
situation in Europe is similar, and the hotels rooms are small and
sometimes even “cramped”. Another important thing is that the
service level is fairly high. Since we’re now in Le Royal
Méridien Shanghai, I would like to compare it with properties of
the same brand elsewhere. Personally, I feel this one should stand
out in terms of facilities and service, and I’d say its
performance/price ratio is the highest. We guests are virtually
“spoiled” here.
Grand Hotels: When you
consider accommodation or plan an event, will you just cling to one
certain brand or keep trying new hotels?
Miriam: For a hotel
stay, I think acclaimed brands are a safer option. In the case of
event, as novelty/highlight is the key, and clients anticipate more
in innovation and originality, we would visit new hotels
immediately after they are opened, to check out what is all about
and note down worthy points. For instance, Le Royal Méridien
Shanghai is in the list of “hotels visited”, and we think it’s
ideal for hosting events.
Grand Hotels: What do
you think is a good hotel?
Miriam: Maybe I value a
hotel more from the business angle. For luxury chain hotels on the
whole, facilities are good, and it is the details that concerns me.
Firstly, good location is the key. The hotel should be easy to
reach. Secondly, small details make a difference. The hotel should
pay attention to the trivialities, such as satellite TV,
international newspapers, functions and facilities of its Business
Center and things like that. The true quality of a hotel is
reflected by the small details.
Grand Hotels: What
suggestions would you give to luxury hotels in the mainland, from
the perspective of a female consumer?
Miriam: As I’ve said
previously, details make a difference. I would like that luxury
hotels in the mainland could take more efforts to improve the
details. Here is a simple example. Mirror in the separate bathroom
of a suite. In some cases, the user looks pretty good in the
mirror; but in some other cases, it reflects a pale countenance,
which makes the user feel low. Of course, this is trivial and
insignificant, but small things should deserve deep thinking. After
all, small details can delight a customer, male and female
alike.
Grand Hotels: You are
yourself a corporate executive, how do you value the role and
significance of a hotel General Manager?
Miriam: What a General
Manager means to the hotel is similar to parents to the kids.
He/She plays a model role, and contributes to shaping the overall
service style with what he/she says or does. As the soul of the
team, the General Manager leads the team on and on. A General
Manager is successful when his/her management style is perceived in
every corner of the hotel.
Grand Hotels: Our
magazine has been highly concerned with hotel F&B. Have you
often dined in hotels? How do you feel about it?
Miriam: I am an eater on
the more traditional side. I seldom eat cold, and prefer authentic
Chinese food. The breakfast buffet on offer at hotels in the
mainland is really to my taste. There are a variety of options for
you to try at your own wish. Silky congee and delicate sides are
something I think I’d never give up for bread and coffee. For
lunch, if I have to dine out, I would most probably choose a luxury
hotel where the business feel is stronger, and setting is better,
which is, I think, one of the good points of hotel
F&B.
Grand Hotels: In
addition to developing Art de Vivre business, what other commercial
attempts have you made in Shanghai?
Miriam: As a matter of
fact, I have just opened a restaurant focusing on high-caliber
fast-food; the second one is in planning at the moment. Besides, I
am a board member of Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club. I love riding
horses; I love the horsemanship, which not only allows me to
experience the sensation on the horseback, but also helps to
exercise the body and polish the characters. Horse-riding is the
stone that kills multiple birds. It gives me opportunity to meet
lovers of equitation who come from various trades. I am also
involved in the management of the polo club, especially PR issues.
With all these, my life in Shanghai is full and happy.
Grand Hotels: In many
cases, personal success is determined by his/her characters. Which
character has had the biggest impact on your career? Or what is the
most impressive part of your characters?
Miriam: I would give the
credit to my honesty and sincerity. I fulfill what I’ve promised,
no matter who the recipient is, and try to make the best of it. In
return, I hope other people could try their best to carry out their
work obligations, not just mechanically reach certain standards and
relax. The same rule is applied to hotels: I pay considerable
amounts in a luxury hotel in the hope of, naturally, getting the
highest degree of service and enjoyment. And the major part of my
concerns shall go to details which would delight me not a
little.
Editor’s Notes:
Support from Le Royal Méridien
Shanghai is acknowledged and appreciated, who not only shows us
great respect by arranging the interview in the Deluxe Suite, but
also is considerate enough to serve tea drinks, coffee and cakes.
Both the luxuriously appointed suite and the views outside are
pleasant to the eye, contributing to a happy and successful
interview. Miriam Greaton shares with us the intelligence and sharp
insight of a high-end customer. Her deep understanding of hotels
and significant comments shall inspire and enlighten us readers,
and benefit hoteliers and trade insiders as well.
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