酒店释人生
-思喆(上海)管理咨询有限公司董事总经理华贝嘉先生一席谈
Hotel Connects My Life and Career
A Talk with Eric A. Waldburger,
Managing Director of i Solutions & Concepts Ltd.
Interview: Cherry Li Chinese Version: Clara English Version: Linda
Metropolitan Shanghai might not offer great natural views. It retains an aura of post-modern sophistication deepened by the city's busy commerce and booming retailing business. It was a warm autumn afternoon when we met Eric A. Waldburger, comfortably seated on a western style couch in the Park Lane Cafe at Lobby Level of Shanghai JC Mandarin. In operation for years, the five-star luxury hotel is both old and young, having lately the Park Lane Cafe revamped with amongst others adjustable curtains which you can draw apart whenever you feel like exposing yourself to the sunshine. Outside is West Nanjing Road, the relatively quieter part of the famous Nanjing Road compared with the eastern side, the Pedestrian.
Eric A. Waldburger, a veteran hotelier, had been Chief Executive Officer of Harbour Plaza Hotels & Resorts before he founded i Solutions & Concepts Ltd. in 2003 in Hong Kong and registered i Solutions & Concepts (Shanghai) Ltd. in Shanghai in 2007. Eric has been positioned in Europe, Asia, the United States and Bahamas over the past forty years, and has managed The Mandarin Oriental Macau, The Peninsula Hong Kong and The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, to name a few. His wealth of experience has helped him to set up his own business, i Solutions & Concepts Ltd., which offers a variety of hospitality related service to either existing or newly established hotels and restaurants. The company also assists developers in providing comprehensive hotel pre-opening technical service, and coordinates, supervises and directs all activities leading up to the hotel's opening. Owing to his prior experience and connections in the trade, Eric and his company did pretty well, but despite his age, he always pursues new experiences and fresh sensations. When asked by many people to explain his motives, Eric simply said his company needed constant breaks, and an enterprising spirit and a little adventure would make him achieve the goal and help his company grow.
Eric loves to share, and you can learn his experience and reflections on life in his book titled “Live Life with Spice”, a publication suitable for all readers including both novice and accomplished businessman. His gains and experiences acquired over the years are condensed into little stories telling readers to take the tough life easy, to share and work hard towards one’s own goal. The book reveals the simple and significant truth that people need time to study and improve. It is through his years of involvement with the hotel business that Eric gradually understands himself.
Today’s hotel general managers are like a whip top spinning around to handle various administrative duties, and there seems no end of meetings, e-mails, financial reports and other paper or electronic documents, which engross such attention that they seldom have time to meet with their guests in person. This management style is disapproved by Eric, who frankly admitted it is a bit frustrating if guests (or staff) see the general manager very rarely. After all, hotel business is largely based on people.
He observed, “When I was still a hotel general manager, I often found staying at office very boring. I would rather go out and chat with my guests and staff. If I’m relaxed, they’d feel it and ease up, too. I think this is also a good chance for me to show my personality, and the staff their ability.”
Having interviewed so many hoteliers, we are under the impression that if a hotel general manager greets his (or her) guests like a hospitable host, guests would normally feel better of the hotel. Just as Eric pointed out, a little more time spent with the guests will achieve something unexpected. As today’s communications technology is developing at an unprecedented high speed, some of us are so accustomed to e-mails and online instant messengers that they sometimes forget a face-to-face talk will make the other party feel one’s sincerity more easily, and deepen the understanding between parties involved.
Two scores of hospitality experience tell Eric that today’s customers require much more from a hotel, and they would leave without hesitation whenever they think service unsatisfactory. “Years ago when I was still in Macau, people went to that city chiefly for entertainment. They didn’t ask much, since they would leave the hotel soon after they had arrived, leaving luggage in the room; that is, they left before they could spot any deficiency or petty mistakes in service.” He went on to share, “Things are different now. Today’s guests demand more, and that’s why I often asked my staff to set high standards for themselves. Some guests were very fastidious about service or food, and I chose to face them directly, doing what was within my power to please them. We often became friends after the disputes had melted away.”
Service is usually taken into account when customers decide where to stop. Service and the way it is delivered combine to make good or bad service, said Eric, who, as a frequent flyer, has often been frustrated by inconveniences he encountered when arriving at a hotel early in the morning after a long and tiring journey that lasted a dozen hours, such as the Executive Floors guests can only check in at the Executive Lounge instead of the Front Desk, or a talkative bellboy who keeps asking how he feels about the trip, how many times he’s been to the hotel before and things like that in the elevator, while he, fatigued and tired of such civilities, only wants to be in his room as soon as possible and rest. Service which is not properly delivered can be awkward. “Deliver the right service to guests at a right time. Service is an action, not something you say. This is what guests expect from a five-star hotel.” Eric so defined great service.
He gave us a quick and direct answer when asked of his most favored hotel brand: “I do love Hyatt. I think it’s perfect in every respect – staff is self-motivated and creative, food & beverages very fine, and great service. The rooms are well furnished and comfortable. Hyatt properties are synonymous with efficiency and naturalness.” This brings us to the realization just how much he must value Hyatt, and that only people-oriented hotels can succeed and prosper.
When the interview came to an end, we felt we can never have enough of the stories told by a legend like Eric A. Waldburger, who not only shared his hospitality experience, but also his personal understanding of life, precious philosophical contemplations sure to light up the paths ahead of us, or at least some of us.
Eric A. Waldburger:
His criteria for selecting a hotel: Self-motivated and innovative staff; good food; great service.
His definition of great service: Good service delivered from the heart..
His favorite management concept(s): Good communication and confronting the disputes help to end the war in the business world, turning hostility into friendship.
His favorite hotel brand: Hyatt.
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