THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I RECEIVED EARLY IN MY CAREER WAS ALWAYS TO BE ONE STEP AHEAD OF YOUR BOSS ; ANTICIPATE THEIR NEEDS AND YOU WILL DO WELL .
– MARCUS HANNA
processed and delivered – over 1,000 a day ,” says Managing Director of Swissôtel The Stamford and Fairmont Singapore Marcus Hanna .
While doctors and nurses were mostly considered frontline workers , Hanna says his operations team members were serving in a similar capacity , which included reassuring quarantined guests during those uncertain times . “ As much as the last two years have thrown us challenging curveballs , the pandemic has also reminded us to always be flexible and adaptable ; not to take things for granted ; to review old and possibly dated processes ; and apply new ways to operating our businesses .”
Hanna recently spoke to HOTELS about his experiences of managing a hotel during the pandemic , measures to attract both new and existing guests , enhancing the hotel ’ s brand , creating new revenue channels and more .
HOTELS : As travel restrictions ease in Singapore and travel rebounds , what are you doing differently to attract new guests and bring back existing guests ? Marcus Hanna : In the post-pandemic world of hospitality , hygiene and cleanliness are expected norms to uphold . To prepare for the hotel ’ s reopening , we started deep cleaning the premises more than a month prior .
With technology and innovation having always been central to the hotel ’ s offering , we were thankfully well positioned when the pandemic hit . We implemented a range of contactless smart technology solutions in the adjacent sister hotel , Fairmont Singapore , to enhance the overall guest experience , which also played an integral role in ensuring safety and protecting wellbeing . This will similarly be introduced at Swissôtel The Stamford in the near future .
MH : Many of our colleagues haven ’ t checked a guest in or out for the last two years . Our focus was on regular training and re-training to ensure every element of the guest experience is well taken care of .
We are also actively recruiting to fill several positions . Manpower shortage remains our greatest challenge . Over the past two years , we ’ ve witnessed many hospitality colleagues seeking alternative career opportunities across the sector .
When the pandemic hit , we did everything we could to secure secondary opportunities for our colleagues . For example , we had team members working temporarily in essential industries , sectors which required added manpower to cater to increased demand . By looking after our team then , we ’ re in a better place today as we reopen .
We ’ re also working to shore up the supply chain . The pandemic exposed major flaws in the global supply chain and we are making it a focus to ensure reliable supply chains and do as much as we can to grow our own produce locally . We also continue to push forth more initiatives on the sustainability front following our 2019 launch of the world ’ s first urban aquaponics farm within a hotel .
H : How did you keep the staff motivated during the pandemic ? MH : We had a huge amount to learn and this couldn ’ t be done over a webcam . We had to be there on the frontline and ensure operations were up to par . We all took turns at the Vaccination Centre , for example , ushering people to their stations and colleagues who were not seconded also did their part and assumed roles to support operations in wedding banquets ,
H : What were the main challenges you faced during the reopening phase ?
Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore lobby
July / August 2022 hotelsmag . com 95