'Planning Hospitality Career amidst the Fourth Revolution’, a session by Dr. Sudhir Andrews

Servo Hospitality School organised a significant & remarkable session titled, ‘Planning Hospitality Career amidst the Fourth Revolution’, by the versatile & dynamic personality of the hospitality industry, ‘Dr. Sudhir Andrews – The Living Legend’.

Dr Andrews is an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and was the first MBA from IIMs to join the hospitality industry in 1971. He had set up the Oberoi School (OCLD) as the Director and later set up the Ecole Hoteliere, Lavasa as Dean Academics. The guest speaker holds a gigantic status in the hospitality industry and has written several hospitality books of all core departments, for which he has bagged several noteworthy awards including the Rashtriya Gaurav Award (2010) & Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence (2010).

In the Servo Hospitality School’s sixth online talk of the web series, Dr Sudhir Andrews expressed the brilliant standards of centring and imbibing the fundamental hospitality traits, so as to lead a successful career. He emphasised on the significance and need of going Digital in this COVID era since the people are the drivers of the change. As indicated by him, digitalization implies going from screen to screen and its two important components are disruption and innovation, which in today’s scenario shall change the entire World’s perspective of observing the things. He said this is an ideal opportunity to give our clients the astounding touch less guest service and create a wow experience.

The speaker termed different types of generation i.e, Z & Y as Millennial, out of which generation Z (the current one) is driven by technology, text savvy, not looking up for positions and is unquestionably more digitalized than generation Y. Dr Andrews boosted the morale and confidence of the budding and aspiring hospitality professionals and advised them to manage their own work and not to be dependent on anyone for their daily chaos, as in their younger age, someone readies the tea for them, puts on the geyser, make up the bed and room, prepares the breakfast for them and so on. Referring to the student’s mindset, he quoted that working in a different way or finding an alternate way out to complete a task, converts the idea into an innovation.

Thinking out of the box is what is required in the present time. College life is brimming with fun consequently should be utilized productively. Post completion of the hospitality course the student can opt for higher studies, pursue a specialization in a particular department, join academics, decide do a job or become an entrepreneur. He gave the mantra for success i.e, Fun + Mastery + Network, wherein, fun alludes to passion required in the field, mastery indicates the excellence required over the competencies and skills and network refers to have a good connection which the concerned people, so as to excel in career. He stressed on the importance of learning good English, which has consistently been the most significant resource. The speaker educated the students that their playground is not the colony, district or country they live in, but the entire world and that they have to work in such a way that makes them recognized globally.

Dr Andrews was pleased to hear and appreciated the efforts of Servo Hospitality School while promoting students for internships and jobs, globally. His professional advice to students was, to get certification in their respective field, subscribe to journals, spend time in crafts, download subject related talks from youtube and make good networks. He said that it’s very necessary to make and keep companions of school and college, as to cherish joy and sorrow. Adulating the youth, the session expert stated that they are very anxious to showcase their talents, are full of energies and charisma, works beyond the constraint of temperature and time and have higher dreams. In today’s world, the things are changing so fast that the old ones get obsolete very soon; hence learning is a continuous process. Projecting an image of a buffet, he correlated various dishes with the subjects being taught to the students and how one finds a specific or numerous dishes appealing or vice versa.

Speaking on the industry, Dr Andrews emphasised on quality and said how the organizations are now looking for unique specialists. The interview of the candidates will be conducted online; by first viewing the student’s skills, in created a video clip format. He advised the students to work towards Point casting which means centring to just one particular area and excelling in it. Quoting some examples of his successful students, he overwhelmed the audience by their point casting techniques in different fields such as ice sculptures, cake models, linen supplying and carpet shampooing etc.

On the contrary to the current hierarchy chart that is followed in the hospitality industry, the speaker stated that the inverted chart has to be followed up, wherein the staff who are in contact with the clients directly, will come first and needs to be perceived and paid well since they are the ones who deliver delightful experiences and get businesses, followed by the support staff such as the I.T. team. Furthermore, the speaker enlightened the audience with his thoughts on prospective future hospitality avenues and as to why the hospitality is still renowned and shall remain one of the demanded industry, globally.

Speaking on the sub-theme i.e, Job scenario after COVID -19, the distinguished professor inquired with students whether or not they have learnt new skills or art during the lockdown period and if not, then they have burnt through the time since it was a golden opportunity for them to upgrade themselves. He mentioned that post-COVID the skills that would be required from the candidates are unique skills, soft skills and entrepreneurial skills. The future hospitality jobs would be data analysts, front office associate, revenue managers, owners of outsourced, estate managers, banquet coordinators, concierge, IT specialists, Chef.

He briefly explained how several countries have outsourced almost all their operations and are performing well; hence, for this reason, he focused the student’s mind towards point casting. Outsourcing can be of rooms, spa, food, travel, cars, linen, banquets etc.

Edited by Mr Vipul Bhandari HoD – F&B Services Servo Hospitality School

The event was held on Monday 15th June 2020