Management Interviews

Management Interviews

In this section of the report we intend to keep the anonymous presentation. While we have the original unedited sets; due to the sensitivities of the subjects matter names and or sequence of interviews will not be released at this time. Hence, the following does reflect the accurate general views, opinion, frustrations and feelings of the various properties operation managers (At ALL levels). Objectivity will be required in the process of comprehension here, while aiming for enhance:

·  Missing team players (under staffed)

·  Service quality needs improvement through out

·  Team evaluation skills / abilities is needed

·  The right man in the right place through out the property and the company

·  Training – Training – Training

·  Upgrade the equipment to current standards

·  New market segments, specially with the new connection facilities

·  Sales & marketing department………currently is too week the new Director of sales & marketing has a challenge

·  Service elevator need to change, too old and parts are hard to get

·  Cooling tower (stand by) need replacement

·  Executive level rooms need extra phone for fax (business man need)

·  Power factor corrector is needed

·  very high turn over

·  HR imposes staff on departments

·  Invest in bringing high caliber staff the return on investment is great

·  There is a high Turn over is due to (low salary – long working hours) 27% locals

·  Cost of turn over is very high = 10.000 SR per person in the first 90 days Target for 2005 is to reduce the turn over to 10% instead of the recent value which is 27%

·  Room rate vs. occupancy for better results (10% - 15%occ.)

·  More benefits to Management (Based on productivity and achievement)

·  Sales Team out all day (lunch even out of offices ) to get best sales benefits

·  F&B: promote package for offices / building around hates

·  Dept. heads improvement – decartelization (business marketing at property / department level)

·  Get closer to the owner for more acquaintance

·  Appreciation / recognition / incentives are not applied

·  Bangladesh nationality in the hotel is 12%!!? (Smell is bad………HK example – guest compliment)!!

·  Overall Saudi Arabian (SHARKO) is 14% when it should be 30%?? ( that makes it harder to get visas for expatriates)

·  Decisions are made too slowly at all levels

·  We should have hotelier leading our company

·  The right person in the right place

·  Experienced department heads are needed (HR/FC.)

·  Proper sales and marketing department staff is needed

·  Need incentive business and weekend business , aiming to medical / pharmaceutical companies

·  Additional banquette and conference facilities are needed to attract new businessmen

·  Should build a nice ALA cart "5 stars casual dinning restaurant by the water.

·  Need Bring the property up to 5 star international standards

·  Refreshments on Wheels during peak periods to travel hourly during the day along the village … and by the beach when crowded..

·  HR / Staff and system need to be up to "PAR" of the industry

-  No knowledge of inside of the business at the crop. Office

-  General Manager has no authority to divide for his property best interest

-  Red tape and reporting ……….no action is taken for any of studies, reports, recommendations

-  Some Regional posts are more like a secretarial job (for us) …no decision making ability …they are just reporting to the "board"

-  The company is in a bad need for a training / quality assurance manager

-  Uniting the company identity through out……PR of the company as is behind all other chains in the KSA

-  Decentralization need to be applied and at property level as well

-  The company is not keeping up with the trend….they living in the past

-  The GM's and departments heads need to be brought together every quarter (or six month) to exchange ideas, problems and solutions

-  When hiring new staff, we have to get approval from the corp. office we have no power to hire!

-  We get No contributions from the corporate office

-  The control is out of hand at all levels

-  No motivation from the main office of SHARCO, no incentives or appreciation acts.

-  They need to consult with GM's and department heads when it comes to operation decisions….they should not impose …but rather share the decision making

1)  Total remodeling of hotel FF&E

2)  Upgrade the lobby and main building to 5 star standard as well as facilities

3)  Presentation of village need to be brought to life … it is TOO doll!

4)  Children grounds, games and water sports will have ROI

5)  Quality assurance controller…to maintain the 5 star standard

6)  Twice a year, at least, we should have regional GM meeting to bring team together and document

7)  Cross marketing / sales between each other / fact sheets display in lobby of all company Hotels and resorts

8)  Training/development manager (train the trainer) and develop the future management for the company….

-  was not promoted due to the fact that departments heads are entitled to bring his wife and it will cost the company he was promised to receive the promotion , five years sgo and nothing happened

-  Salary scales are not fair and annual increases are unusual and unfair

-  Short staff due to salary scales …….we recently lost over 5 people due to that over the year

-  The kitchen equipment are too old and not sufficient for the operation –tools and materials are also short

-  Staff housing for rank file at basement is very uncomfortable and its location is not practical (83 staff/4 each room) next to the store rooms / laundry department/ staff Cafeteria ....no security too...any one can go to guest rooms (service elevator)

-  Not enough banquette/meeting rooms tools and equipment

-  No one is motivated – to produce under these conditions

-  No standards and systems …….the manuals are in the cabinet …but tools are not with us to apply

-  With staff shortage, there is not time or energy for training and developing staff……..moral is down….the work and living conditions are not permitting us getting ahead

-  We lost good staff …like "...... & ...... " in ...... departments who were forced to work in his day off without compensation (one time)

** What you would you do for hotel

1)  remodeling all kitchen and change all staff to new team

2)  Housing Staff outside the hotel and to better conditions

3)  Bring the staff manual guide up to standards and apply it

4)  Evaluate the salary scales and benefits to both current and new staff

5)  Hire sales and marketing team and monitor thier activities

6)  Improve F&B outlets

7)  Remove red tape between regional and hotels

8)  Harmony and family environment is needed / Humbleness is badly needed

9)  Leading by example / hospitability

*** Currently the GM send a request to the main office for any staff members vacation time and who should be replacing him during vacation that leaves the GM with no decision making abilities while he is the one who knows what is best for his hotel

1.  Improve Salary scales and fair payment

2.  Salary increases (annual) should be based on current salary and annually (not minimum scale / hiring rate and every two years)

3.  Decentralization is recommended in our business

4.  Benefits enhancement

5.  Improve Food quality – department Restructure

6.  Training and development program

7.  Communications and cooperation are not in place we need to have teams' energy

8.  The right man in the right place application at all levels including the Corporate offices...

9.  Responsibility and Accountability

·  He said "I am not happy here…..least pay among my colleagues in the company

·  Staff in short in all departments ….compensation package needs evaluation and enhancement

·  Sales and marketing is very weak and need more manpower

·  Management and staff are not taken care off. No one cares about our satisfaction

·  We are not the only property in our market; however SHARCO Company thinks and acts as if we are!! We used to be...... long ago...and now we are losing business to competition due to product quality and service.. / cut backs

·  Desertion and poor upkeep with the manpower need

·  Food quality is the poorest in town

·  Salary scales are poor compared to competition

·  Meeting rooms could be better if they have taken our opinion before decision were made

-  Brand name (Interaction Name) for image

-  Yield management – application

-  Change all staff and start with a new team

-  Daily rental vs. yearly

-  Upgrade all services

-  Promotion activities will be applied

-  Bring back the old team (I.E Osama !)

-  Central reservation system at SHARCO

-  Cross selling system

-  Communication enhancement / awareness

·  Change the current policy of red tape!