By Ravi Wazir WE'RE DOING well. We’d like to grow, change things around a bit, improve our systems, train our people, bring some professionals on-board. But... we’re finding that hard to do!’ World over, the owners of almost any kind of family-run business echo such thoughts when they’d like to expand, re-engineer, bequeath or sell their business, or simply free up their time to retire or do other things. Professionalising a family-run business is certainly hard, but here’s how you can do it. Get your act together internally first 1. Agree on the individual responsibilities of each family member and the fundamental direction of the business, so as to speak with one voice. 2. Decide on whether your business needs a ’Change Agent’, and what his focus areas, deliverables and time-frames might be. 3. Commit to truly ’allow’ this outsider inside your business for the greater good and know your own limitations since the change advised may even mean ’you’. The Right Change Agent Your business may need a CEO, a consultant, or any other sort of executive hired on an interim or a permanent basis to lead the change you require. Globally, interim executive tenures range from 3 months to 3 years... not very different from permanent CXOs these days, and often even more apt for your business. Your Change Agent should: ’ Accept the present avatar of your business. ’ Understand what is expected of him. ’ Have an entrepreneurial resilience and comfort with ambiguity. ’ Have enough industry knowledge to chart out a roadmap. ’ Communicate objectively all around despite the people dynamic challenges. ’ Have an even temperament that gives your team, family and you comfort. Finding someone with all these qualities is a tall order and therefore it’s best to think through which of these are necessary and which are desirable in your candidate. Social networks provide great platforms to connect with diverse groups through whom you could find the person you seek. Your approach towards a Change Agent Once on-board, do your very best to retain the executive and build trust by making each interaction with him a good one. ’ Convey to him the scope of responsibility and decision-making of each family member whom he will report into. ’ Share your concerns about problematic people and pain points of the business. ’ Express what you are unsure about. ’ Realise that he may see things very differently from your team and you. ’ Let go of past and preconceived notions to give him a fair chance. Professionalising a family business usually involves working on people and processes and therefore... mindsets. An organization’s mindset is made up of both individual and collective voices that rule decisions. Pay attention to which aspects of your organization’s mindset might be blocking its development. An organization’s beliefs and habits are usually a matter of its inheritance, its experiences, its hidden agendas and biases. Acknowledging and changing them requires an extraordinary amount of commitment, time and rigour. Recognise that this is what your Change Agent is up against. Remember he is here to complement you and your team in fulfilling your business goals. Holding him individually accountable is fine, but if it leads to finger pointing, it subverts your collaboration with him and defeats the very purpose of the association. In the event of conflict between him and an old team member, establish the facts before taking sides. Objectivity simply means taking the side of whichever suggestion best serves the business’ interests. Declining anyone’s suggestion must be done inclusively... to encourage an enduring relationship with both old and new team members. If you often find non-alignment in your thoughts and that of your change agent, revisit your goals with him and if necessary also the continuance of his services. Keep in mind that your true purpose in hiring him is to nurture your family business by giving it whatever it needs; so that it can in turn give you what you all need. You will be doing your business a great disservice if you allow circumstances or lack of patience to get in the way of being its true guardian. Finally, to move from where you’re at, to where you need to be. You must switch your own mindset from management mode to leadership mode. As Steven Covey points out, ’Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.’ The author is a hospitality business consultant and has written’-Restaurant Startup: A Practical Guide’.
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By BW Hotelier MIRAH HOSPITALITY has partnered with-Big Appetite Hospitality Pvt. Ltd to expand its presence in Kolkata. This is the 30th outlet in the Country. Spread over a sprawling 3,000 square feet space, Khandani Rajdhani can seat about 100 people. Announcing the tie-up, Gaurav Goenka, Managing Director, Mirah Hospitality, said, ’Khandani Rajdhani is our flagship brand, which has served millions of thalis over five decades. Our growth has been spurred by great love for our food, loyal patronage and increasing demand. After strengthening our presence here, we are foraying into many world cities soon, such Dubai and Singapore. We have a healthy presence all over India with over 30 units.’ Manajri Agarwal, Director, Big Appetite Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, said, ’Kolkata has always had a very vibrant food culture. With Khandani Rajdhani, we bring to the city authentic Rajasthani and Gujarati vegetarian fare. It’s popularly perceived that the people here love non-vegetarian dishes but that’s not entirely true. Vegetarian food is equally loved and I am sure that the people here will lap up Khandani Rajdhani’s amazing, traditional Indian food. We couldn’t have had better partners to foray into the hospitality sector, than Mirah Hospitality who are leaders in their own right.’ Aji Nair, Chief Operating Officer, F&B Division, Mirah Hospitality, said, ’Khandani Rajdhani’s Kolkata outlet is special because with this, we mark our presence in the heart of Eastern India; 21 Park Street, Kolkata, bringing to it the best food from the Western states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. We have many exciting offers that pack in so much value that customers will find them hard to resist. Our take-away option is sure to please those who can’t always visit us for a meal. With our snacks and outdoor catering, we are going to be Kolkata’s favourite Vegetarian Brand!’ Photo: Manajri Agarwal, Director Big Appetite Hospitality, Maharaj Jodharam Choudhary and Gaurav Goenka MD of Mirah Group pose for a photo.-
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By BW Hotelier INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Group (IHG) has announced the global launch of two new initiatives for business travellers. IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point will be rolled out across more than 4,900 IHG hotels to enhance the experience offered to business guests and corporate partners. Brian King, VP Global Sales Strategy & Enablement, IHG commented, ’We are always looking to innovate and improve the services IHG hotels can offer our business travellers.- Having listened to the specific needs of our customers, IHG has introduced IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point to provide a more efficient, simple and streamlined way of working with businesses ’ whether they are hosting meetings or staying at our hotels.- IHG Assist answers the increasing concern for traveller safety and security, and IHG Meeting Point enables us to offer the right meeting space at the right hotel, with an unparalleled level of service and sector-specific expertise.- These industry-leading initiatives help build more trust and loyalty with our business guests.’ IHG Assist IHG Assist is a suite of global initiatives designed to help IHG’s corporate clients address their growing concern for traveller safety and security. It is being implemented in direct response to requests from corporate clients and underscores IHG’s commitment to responsible business practices. As employees visit locations prone to natural disasters or experiencing political or social unrest, these initiatives will help ensure appropriate security measures are put in place. Specifically, these include: IHG Assist Groups & Meetings Service: A 24/7 phone line to answer client concerns regarding traveller safety and security. IHG Security Consultations: Security consultations between a corporate client’s security team member or travel manager, and a member of IHG’s Global Security Team to address risk assessment concerns and security queries. Guest Location Services: Corporate clients will be offered access to information about their employees’ location during times of crisis and emergencies. IHG Meeting Point IHG Meeting Point is part of IHG Small Meetings Solution ’ a streamlined approach to small and mid-size meetings, which solves an industry need for higher levels of service. IHG Meeting Point has been introduced as a first-to-market meetings solution for the Pharmaceutical, Automotive, Energy, Technology and Manufacturing industries.- With industry-specific regulations and requirements, as well as safety and security issues, these sectors have a very dynamic set of needs.- Through a dedicated training portal, tailored by sector, IHG Meeting Point enables IHG hotel employees to develop industry-specific knowledge, which directly caters to the needs of clients. IHG Meeting Point addresses these specific needs in many ways, which includes the following: Pharmaceutical companies are driven by a heavy regulated industry in which exclusivity is key ’ having two pharmaceutical companies staying or hosting events at the same hotel, during the same time is prohibited. IHG Meeting Point allows IHG hotel staff to manage these confidential bookings in a way that ensures no two pharmaceutical companies are staying in, or meeting at, the same hotel at any given time. Energy companies value offerings such as the IHG Green Engage system, a global standard across the IHG portfolio helping hotels in delivering greater sustainability.- IHG Meeting Point helps bring together clients with hotels who meet the advanced ’Level 3’ criteria for our IHG Green Engage system.
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By Sourish Bhattacharyya NOT LONG after Marriott International announced its $12.2-billion merger deal with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the grapevine was abuzz with the news of an impending partnership between the latter and the Berlin-based, 296-flag-strong Design Hotels, whose affiliates include The Park, Alila Diwa and Anya hotels in India (nine of them in all). Proving those rumours right, Starwood today (Wednesday, December 2) announced that Design Hotels will be its 11th brand, joining a global line-up that extends from Four Points by Sheraton in the budget segment to St Regis and The Luxury Collection at the super premium end of the market. What it means is that members of the privilege programme, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), will be able to add points to their kitty each time they stay at a Design Hotels partner. SPG members will also be able to book their stays at Design Hotels partners via the Starwood website, mobile numbers and customer contact centres. For more than two decades, Design Hotels has served as "a global distribution, sales and marketing affiliation for 296 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts united by the vision of bold, diverse hoteliers, known as 'Originals'." Not all affiliates of the Design Hotels, though, are going to join the partnership with Starwood at once. The Park hotels, for instance, are still working out the many modalities that a marriage of this kind entails. The partnership will progress in phases. The first batch of SPG partner hotels will include the legendary Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City (which is famous for its Warhols and private park), Ten Bompas in Johannesburg, C-Hotel in Lake Como, Italy, Nira Montana in La Thuile, Italy, Nira Alpina in St Moritz, Switzerland, and Kruisherenhotel Maastricht in The Netherlands. The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Iceland, Tribe Hotel in Kenya and the Grupo Habita hotels in Mexico will join the partnership before the year-end. Early next year, Design Hotels partners will join from major destinations, including London (Town Hall Hotel), Istanbul (Gezi Istanbul), Shanghai (The Waterhouse at South Bund), Athens (New Hotel), Singapore (Wanderlust), France (Les Bains) and South Korea (nest hotel). Commenting on the partnership, Starwood's Interim CEO Adam Aron said in a media release: "It will create a special niche in our distinct portfolio of global brands and offer more options for travellers to stay with us around the world. These independent, design-forward hotels will benefit from Starwood’s powerful loyalty and distribution platforms." Design Hotels Founder and CEO Claus Sendinger shared Aron's sentiments and said: "As we continue to grow in our niche of the 'New Luxury Segment', we are excited to see an initial selection of our member hotels take the opportunity to join SPG and be among the first to benefit from our partnership with Starwood. We expect more and more to take advantage, with at least 40 member hotels projected to join by the beginning of 2016." The big question now is: When will The Park, or for that matter, the Alila Diwa or Anya, join this club? And with Starwood on a massive expansion drive, would this alliance lead to serious conflicts of interests when Starwood 'originals' find themselves in competition with the Design Hotels 'Originals' for the same market? It'll be interesting to see how the relationship pans out in a competitive hothouse like India. The author is Consulting Editor of BW Hotelier.- Photo: The Park, Hyderabad.-
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By BW Hotelier THE CONCEPT may not catch up anytime soon in India, but Hotel Buddy, which opened in Munich Germany doesn’t have any staff. You can manage everything here during your stay, from booking the room, checking in and out as well as paying for it all, from a mobile device. The brainchild of a Munich hotelier, Johannes Eckelmann, who already runs the well-known Cocoon Hotel brand, Hotel Buddy at Stachus Square (photo of room above) is a new concept, low-budget hotel that is completely staffless. It’s made possible largely thanks to the cloud-based hotel management platform from hetras. "The benefits for guests are pretty obvious," explains Eckelmann. "That is, they are staying in a modern, brand-new hotel right in the heart of Munich, and at an unbeatable and affordable price." The seventy-five hotel rooms are located inside a large office complex and distributed over several floors. Guests can check in early, even days in advance, and they just need to sign their name on the pad at the kiosk upon arrival. This signature is then saved together with their reservation. Once signed in, guests collect their key card from a machine. This code-based key card will then automatically transport them by elevator to the correct floor. All of the technology behind these staffless systems - online booking, online payment, early check-in or kiosk-based check-in at the hotel, the interfaces to process guests’ credit cards and create key cards, the automatic check- out technology, not to mention the system for managing car parking spaces - is provided by hetras and controlled with hetras hotel software. "This technology is a perfect fit for the demands of young target groups that are used to organizing their travel on mobile devices and online," explains Tanja Baier, hetras sales manager. "Just as urban travelers today just check in online for flights, they would also much rather be able to check into hotels the same way - quickly, without any fuss and without having to stand in a queue." As Eckelmann further explains, "One of the many advantages of using a cloud-based platform is that there is no need to invest in any hardware. All data are automatically saved and always available to hotel staff, no matter where they are." This centralised access to data means that jobs like distribution and revenue management, which are keys to success, can also be centralized. For this reason, Eckelmann's two Cocoon Hotels at Stachus Square and Sendlinger Tor will now also be switched to the cloud-based hotel management software from hetras. Buddy Hotel-is a unique, mini-budget hotel concept created by a Munich hotelier, Johannes Eckelmann. It was brought to life as a vibrant alternative to his two existing Cocoon Hotels, which are based on a budget lifestyle hotel concept with a retro design. Together with Oliver Massabni, Eckelmann set up the first of the Cocoon Hotels in Munich at Sendlinger Tor in 2008, and the second one opened at Stachus Square in 2012. Another Cocoon Hotel near Munich Central Station is set to open at the beginning of 2016. Both Cocoon Hotels currently have a very high capacity utilization rate of 90 per cent. At present, plans are underway to expand the hotel brand beyond Munich to either Hamburg or Vienna.
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By BW Hotelier THE INDUSTRY website AirlineRatings.com has awarded Lufthansa as the ’Best Long Haul Airline (based in) Europe’ second time in a row. The highly respected editorial team also honoured Lufthansa as one of the Top Ten airlines globally. These awards acknowledge the best in the airline industry, helping passengers to choose who to fly with in the coming year. A panel of experienced industry experts judged based on the best in comfort, innovation, value and safety across all classes ’ Economy, Business and First Class. As a result, Lufthansa stood out on the innovation that has resulted in exceptional performance in market position, customer service, financial performance, fiscal management and operational safety. ’For decades Lufthansa has been a pillar of dependability, safety, inflight service and environmental leadership. AirlineRatings.com editors were unanimous in their praise for Lufthansa’s leadership in the industry in aircraft selection, product innovation and dependability,’ said Geoffrey Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of AirlineRatings. He added, ’Lufthansa is a technology leader constantly seeking ways to make travel safer and more environmentally sustainable, yet affordable. The excellence continues with the airline’s subsidiary Lufthansa Technik, the world’s leading independent provider of maintenance for the world’s airlines.’ Jens Bischof, Member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Executive Board and Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group said, ’We take pride to be Europe’s No. 1 as this award reconfirms our leading position as a quality airline. Thanks to a product-investment programme of more than 4 billion AUD over the past few years, our customers enjoy a consistent state-of-the-art product, at the airport and onboard our entire fleet.’ He added, ’This award especially goes to our crews on board and on the ground, whose personal service makes for an outstanding travel experience every day. This recognition given by Airlinratings.com for a second year in a row motivates us to continue to go the extra mile.’ Recently, Lufthansa has been presented with other important awards as well. During the World Airline Awards in June, they came top in the categories ’Best Airline Transatlantic’ and ’Best Airline in Western Europe’. The airline also received the award for ’World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’. Business Travel Awards 2015 honoured Lufthansa with the title of ’Best short-haul Airline’. With innovations such as the Premium Economy Class and the new Restaurant-Service in Business Class, Lufthansa have taken further important steps to becoming a 5-Star Airline.
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By BW Hotelier K B KACHRU, Chairman, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group was felicitated with the prestigious ’Franchise Leader of the Year’ award by World Franchise Congress, recently. The selection committee included top leadership of corporate houses including PepsiCo. The committee presented their shortlisted nominees from several diverse industries to Ernst & Young subsequent to which the Finalists were concluded upon. This award has been given for his pivotal role in establishing Carlson Rezidor as the largest international hotel company in India. Nilesh Mitra, Senior Director-Human Resources, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group also got an award of ’Excellence in Human Resources’ during this forum for his ability to manage the emerging talent strength across brands and leading transformation by building a culture of empowerment leading to high levels of ownership and strong performance. Photo: KB Kachru (third from right) with his award at the function held recently.
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By BW Hotelier BERNARD MARTYRIS, Chief of Human Resources of VFS Global, has been appointed as the Group Chief Human Resources Officer of Kuoni Group. Kuoni Group is VFS Global’s parent company. In his new role, Martyris is responsible for the overall Group’s HR strategy, leadership development, and talent and performance management. Martyris joined VFS Global in 2004 and led the corporate HR function of Kuoni Group on an interim basis from 2013 till the beginning of 2015. He will be based in Dubai from where he will concurrently continue in his current VFS Global role. This move comes as part of amendments made to the management structure of the Kuoni Group as part of the accelerated implementation of the Group’s strategy. As part of this strategy, the three divisions of Kuoni Group will be made more autonomous and accountable for their respective businesses. Martyris has over 35 years of experience in handling human resources and over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry. He has held long standing senior management positions at the Oberoi Group and at the Taj Group of Hotels. Through his association with the Tata Group, Martyris also served as an independent Director on the Board of Tata Coffee in 2003. On the international front Bernard was the first Indian HR professional to be invited to join the HR Council of the Conference Board of USA, which includes the top HR professionals of Fortune 500 companies. Additionally between 2007 and 2009, Martyris held the position of Chairman of the HR Committee of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce. Martyris graduated from Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) in 1976.
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By BW Hotelier WITH THE days turning colder, many start to think about taking a quick family break. To help ensure that travellers make the most of their much needed vacation time, Hotels.com, online accommodation booking website, has compiled a list of travel tips to ensure your holiday is a memorable one! Travel light: It is always best to pack light. You might have to run-up and down hundreds of stairs to catch a train with a heavy bag or spend additional money for those extra kilos of baggage. Talk to your well-traveled friends or a stylist at a fashion store to help you plan your wardrobe for your holiday. Pack the essentials: The items below are a must-have in your travelling bag for winter: Woolens: Stylish and trendy jackets, cardigans, scarves, leather boots and caps to keep you warm. This will also accentuate your winter getaway look and can be matched with different attires. Skin care: A nourishing moisturizer to protect you from dry skin is a must. Do not forget to carry a good waterproof, high-factor sunscreen if traveling to beach destinations and a medicine box for emergency. Arrive at the airport early: Winter is a busy season for airports. You are bound to face long queues, delays in parking and so on. Hence, it is always safer to arrive a little early and give yourself enough time to complete the formalities. Online check-ins are also recommended. Keep a check on your flight status if traveling to cities where fog is a nightmare. Look out for last minute deals: If your trip is planned at the last minute, do not worry! Last minute deals on hotels can save you a considerable amount of money. For instance: Hotels.com app for smartphones and tablets gives you access to 20,000 last minute deals on popular hotels worldwide. Make use of loyalty programs: Winter vacations tend to be longer in duration. Hence, it is best to be a part of a loyalty program and make use of the points you accumulate on your holiday. For instance: If you sign up to the Hotels.com loyalty program, Hotels.com Rewards, you can get one night free for every 10 nights stayed. Choose your destination wisely: While the Swiss and Alps continue to remain travelers favorite, to grab a best bargain it is advisable to opt for an off-beat destination. One can also find some amazing deals to these locations as they are not the most sought after destinations by travellers. Skiing holiday: Another option for a last minute winter break is to head off on a ski holiday! By not booking your trip until the last minute, you can ensure that there’s plenty of snow in your chosen destination ’ making sure that your trip will be a great getaway. Whether you fancy heading to a resort in France or want to head over to the mesmerizing valleys of upstate New York and Denver in USA, there are some great last minute deals available ’ especially if you can be flexible with your dates. When to book: Booking 2 months in advance is ideal if you opt for a popular destination as last minute availability might be a constrain. If you have to travel at a certain time or have a specific room or hotel requirement, booking in advance will mean you won’t have to compromise on your day of departure, or any other element of your break ’ as you can choose your hotel or hotel room type, destinations and holiday length. Opt for the middle weeks rather than traveling at weekends to keep costs as low as possible. Compare airline options: It’s simply down to the fact that a large part of the holiday cost is driven by the air fare, and airlines have some great sales to attract passengers for those months. It’s vital you compare various airline options for all the deals and offer.
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By BW Hotelier ZUBIN KARKARIA, CEO of VFS Global, has been appointed as the CEO of Kuoni Group ’ VFS Global’s parent company effective November 5, 2015.- He is the first Indian to be appointed as the head of the 109-year old travel services company, and will concurrently continue in his function as the CEO of VFS Global. He will continue to be based in Dubai, UAE. Kuoni is in the midst of implementing a strategic directional shift whereby it has exited from its traditional tour operating business and is increasing its focus on three core activities ’ global travel distribution, destination services and visa services ’ in all of which it holds leading positions. After exiting the tour operating business, Kuoni is aiming to accelerate the implementation of its new corporate strategy, and that will be one of Karkaria’s key priorities in his new role. Karkaria founded VFS Global in 2001 and expanded the company successfully as global leader in visa services for governments worldwide. Within the Kuoni Group the VFS Global Division has shown the strongest growth and profitability. VFS Global serves 32 client governments, with 314 visa application centres across 19 cities in the country. The company has served the Government of India since 2008, in 8 countries.
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