Face-to-Face: Martin Sinclair, General Manager, The Regent Singapore
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1) Four Seasons is consistently named as one of Fortune Magazine’s 100 best companies to work for. How does the Regent Singapore, as a Four Seasons hotel, keep its employees happy and motivated?
We listen carefully to the team, engage them and seek their constant feedback through direct line meetings, management opinion surveys and employee opinion surveys. In this way, we understand how they feel about the work environment, their development, benefits and so on. Ideas emerge in the form of suggestions to improve efficiency, save energy and improve service levels from all stratas of the organisation.
People are motivated if they know they have a say in what’s going on. Naturally, it is important to make things happen to keep the process meaningful.
Our staff also has cross exposure opportunities at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts worldwide. Recent examples include our Executive Sous Chef assisting Four Seasons Resort Maldives for a month and our Housekeeping staff gaining experience in Four Seasons Hotel Macau.
Having fun and receiving recognition is healthy and important. As such, special days were created for our staff to bond. Examples include Sports Day, Staff Party and Family Day. We also recognise them for a job well done through our Employee of the Month, Manager of the Quarter and Employee of the Year awards.
2) What are the strategies employed by the Regent to boost occupancy and MICE business in 2010 amid competition from the new Integrated Resorts?
We strengthened our existing relationships with our guests and meeting planners by understanding their needs, businesses and priorities. We listen to our customers and work with them to provide ‘cost avoidance’. As such, we are now promoting ‘Meetings with More’, a global MICE promotion with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Highlights include complimentary Continental breakfast, 24-hour Internet access and a 24-hour full service Business Centre. The look and technology in our meeting spaces, including the hotel’s two main restaurants are new and improved. This year, we are looking to offer innovative coffee breaks at our Bar where meeting planners can enjoy delicious food and a newly installed pool table and Wii station.
3) What effective measures are being taken by the hotel in 2010 to survive the downturn?
Last year, we sought to practice control without compromising the guest experience. Each of the hotel’s departments was tasked with the mission to see how they could cost cut without lowering service levels. Measures were taken to control overtime, casual labour, electricity and water consumption. In meeting customer’s changing needs, we now send our collaterals through electronic means. We are also seeking regional collaborations with our sister hotels within Asia Pacific in terms of cost savings through purchasing, printing of collaterals and cross training of our staff.
4) How do you see the future outlook for 2010 and beyond?
The Integrated Resorts will drive leisure figures up. First, they will provide tourists a reason to visit Singapore, second, the opportunity to extend their stay and third, a purpose to come back. We see a recovery lead by the leisure market with corporate and MICE showing steady improvement. Occupancy will bounce back, and rates will improve while we remain mindful of value proposition and new competition.
5) Considering your location near the Botanical Gardens and the Orchard Road shopping area, who are your main clients?
Our clients consist mainly of corporate travellers from the US and UK. The hotel’s discreet location yet close proximity to main shopping belt Orchard Road and tranquil Botanic Gardens make our property very attractive to the leisure market.
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