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Mix the Right Cocktail to Satisfy Our Guests 独家专访天津富力万达文华酒店总经理

IMC国际传媒 BusinessTianjin 2021-10-10

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Elegantly poised alongside the Hai He River, you will find what could be arguably Tianjin’s most exquisite hotel. Furnished with luxurious gold and marble décor, Wanda Vista Tianjin’s splendour is unlike any other. Eager to find out more, Business Tianjin spoke to its General Manager, Nikolaos Chatzipetros, to get an insight on staff training, the inspiration behind the splendid interior and guest requests that you would not expect to hear about.


Hotel Exterior


Your 20-year long career in the operations of luxury hotels and resorts is quite remarkable. How did you start your career in the hotel industry?


Actually, it all began by accident. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do and so, as soon as I had finished my military service in Greece, I decided to travel around the world in order to identify the profession that I wanted to work in. I found a job working in the UK as a waiter in a hotel and then on the QE2, also as a waiter. After having done the world tour twice, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. Connection with the guests, satisfaction from providing a service and commitment to luxury was something that I wanted to pursue. I first started my career in hotels in Switzerland, moving to New York, and from then onward, everything is history.



How do you get to successfully launch flagship hotels and properties? What are your ingredients for achieving success?


There are a few key elements that you always need to have. Having the right people and communication at every level is very important, but at the same time, you have to have a strategy and a plan. You have to have the internal motivation and perseverance to achieve it on a daily basis. There is a cocktail of key components that would help you to achieve your goal. If you miss one of them, then the whole recipe fails. Sudden obstacles may come out of the woodwork, but you need to look at the bigger picture and move forward.


Riverview Suite


Among the many countries you have worked in, what endears you most to Asia? How are you enjoying the sights and sounds of China so far?

 

China is the leader in hospitality. It is the most economically advanced country in the world for its ability in technology while at the same time, displaying unique competitiveness. You know China will always give you an edge to produce something that is totally different. The Chinese are savvy travellers. In terms of services, they are very selective, very demanding, but at the same time, the competition is so interesting that you always need to go above and beyond. Therefore, if you are a fan of a competitive environment, success and wish to ensure that you achieve your targets, China is a great place to be.



For a first- time guest, how do you describe the Wanda Vista Tianjin hospitality?


It’s a value for money property. You know that you will get wonderful large rooms, polite and attentive associates and very down to earth, competitive services. It’s a property which is uniquely located along the Hai He River in a central location within 10-15 minutes of downtown Tianjin. At the end of the day, it’s a value for money property which clearly represents one of the market leaders in domestic hospitality companies.


Cafe Vista


How did you become one of the best-rated stay-cations in Tianjin?


I must say it’s due to our people. Our people are focused on service and we always try our best to look after our guests. Majority of our guests come from China, they are repeaters who mainly come from surrounding areas like Beijing. They are from a corporate environment which translates into the high demand requests that they have. At the same time, they are customers and so they are expected to have something that Tianjin has to offer in terms of hospitality.


What is the inspiration behind the interiors and look of Wanda Vista Tianjin?


The interior comes from the architectural design of making sure that the luxury feeling is there. There are elements of Tianjin itself which you will find by simply looking at the decorations in the lobby, for example. There are elements in paintings, sculptures and engravings not only in the rooms, but also in public areas.



Which delightful cuisines await your stay-in guests?


We have all day dining which produces a delicious breakfast for our guests including full American breakfasts, choices for vegetarians and even selections for kids. Aside from our À la carte menu, we have some great theme nights which we have just launched. The Tianjin theme night comes especially recommended as it is all about steak and sea food. Moving on, we have the ZHEN Chinese restaurant which serves typical Cantonese food with touches of local cuisine. This is extremely popular among local clients and business travellers.


In addition, we have the Club Reign which is our exclusive club occupying the top 2 floors of the property. Here you can find high-end local cuisine which has a touch of luxury and fine dining - all of which are open to local clientele. At the same time, we have banquets which are very popular with our guests. To accommodate these services we have a 1400 sq m banquet hall which is situated on the 3rd floor. So overall, we do have substantial facilities which allow us to easily cater for functions such as parties and weddings.


ZHEN Chinese Restaurant Lobby


For your business guests, what features of the hotel are most complimented?


The most complimented feature is the room-size. Not only are the rooms spacious, but they are beautifully appointed with wonderful, often panoramic views. Inside you can see many elements of marble and gold. Of course, the very fast wi-fi, which is important for the corporate traveller, is an added plus. We provide every service that the customer desires.


What would be the next major event that your hotel is preparing for?


We are planning for the end of year parties which will take place in December and January, for which we have already started making reservations. Preparations are also underway for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Eve. We are known to hold lighting ceremonies, for example, for our Christmas Lights, which are not to be missed. These events are all open to the public.



Lobby Lounge


Can you share what has been the most challenging hotel guest request so far and how did your staff manage to accommodate it?


There’s nothing challenging, but there are unusual requests at times. For example, back in Dubai, I had a guest who wanted to have bagels from New York. He was living in a presidential suite and said he wished to have a particular type of bagel but it was only available in a traditional bakery owned by a famous family in Queens, New York. We had to accommodate this and indeed we brought in 12 pieces the next day. We receive unusual requests here as well, for example, for families in Beijing who spend weekends in Tianjin, they often want to have particular tickets to shows, to the zoo or would like us to arrange a romantic dinner in a different location in the hotel. For us, saying ‘no’ is not an option.



What kind of training is your hotel staff put through? How do you ensure professionalism and quality service?


We have very rigorous training which is held on a daily basis. We provide training that focuses on service and on the basics to ensure that everybody is on a constant level of alert. We internally conduct mystery shopping, meaning we have people go in and check particular areas of the hotel to ensure that the services are always of the highest standard. If we have a constructive comment about an issue in one particular area, then we focus our training to improve that area. We make sure that this is something that is not going to recur in future.



Grand Ballroom-Wedding


How do you keep your team motivated?


There are many ways to keep a motivated team. Our goals are very much well-defined and are communicated through our team, we know where we’re going and we communicate that to our staff. We let them know how we’re doing, we share our results with them on a monthly basis and we look after them in terms of accommodation. We also cook for them every Friday. I personally make sure that I am there to cook with the team so that we can establish a connection. I feel that this is extremely important. At the end of the year, we also hold a benefit party for them because obviously if the hotel is successful, everybody benefits from that.



As you observe the trends in the hospitality industry, how do you manage Wanda Vista Tianjin to meet the changing expectations of guests?


Communication is the key. Awareness of what’s happening in the market and action to change things immediately is also necessary. We conduct different meetings with the leaders and we must act swiftly because the market is moving at a fast pace. If we all agree after our discussion, then we move forward immediately and execute our plans. Tianjin changes very quickly. Even if you move away for a week and come back, you’ll see a change. The past few years have witnessed a bigger influx of corporate companies and it has translated into more demand for the Wanda Vista Tianjin. We have become a more selective choice amongst many companies in Tianjin and our results in 2018 clearly reflect this increase.


Indoor Swimming Pool


When at work, what is it that puts a smile on your face?


I think the ability of the team to bring a smile to the guests’ faces, to get results and to be competitive plays a major role. The reply on social media that this property is doing well through consistent efforts of the team is something that also makes my job very enjoyable.


What top advice can you give to aspiring General Managers?


Work hard. Have a clear vision of what you want to do. Don’t stop at the hurdles, and just treat them as those little challenges that you see in front of you. See the bigger picture and be competitive at all times. You need to plan and have the aspiration to achieve it. It’s a day to day effort towards your goals and objectives. It’s a matter of hard work, dedication, and sometimes, even luck.


We thank you, Mr. Chatzipetros, for your insights into behind-the-scenes world at the Wanda Vista Tianjin. After all the effort that you put into training and motivation, it is small wonder that the associates are so excellent. We look forward to hearing more about the events your hotel will be holding this Christmas!


全心全意为客户量身打造最佳的服务

采访Nikolaos Chatzipetros

天津富力万达文华酒店总经理


天津富力万达文华酒店毗邻海河坐拥绝美河景,可以说是天津最精致的酒店。酒店拥有豪华的金色大理石装饰,与众不同。 为了了解更多信息,《津卫商务》对酒店总经理Nikolaos Chatzipetros 进行了独家专访,了解员工培训等内容。


您在豪华酒店和度假村20年的职业生涯非常引人注目。您是如何开始从事酒店业的?


实际上,这一切都是偶然发生的。我不确定我想做什么,所以,在希腊服完兵役后,我决定到世界各地旅行来寻找感兴趣的工作领域。我在英国的一家酒店找到了服务员的工作,之后在伊丽莎白二世游轮也是做服务员。 在完成了两次世界环游后,我知道这就是我想做的事情。 与客人沟通、为他们提供满意的服务以及对奢华的认知都是我想要追求的。我最初的职业生涯始于瑞士的酒店,然后搬到了纽约,之后的经历都是一段段难以忘记的历史。


您对有抱负的酒店总经理有什么好建议?


努力工作。清楚地了解自己想做什么。不要害怕困难,只需将它们视为你面前的小挑战并逐一攻克,这是一项每天都要面对的工作,要有专注的精神,当然有时也需要一些运气。


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更多精彩,请访问我们的网站www.businesstianjin.com或关注我们的微信公众号:business_tianjin。





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