Exclusive Interview | Ajay Kanojia, General Manager Sayaji Pune

Being positive in tough situations is something that every budding hospitality professional must imbibe themselves.

-Ajay Kanojia

Tell us about your Journey. How did it all Start?

My base is F&B when I started working with previous organizations and worked in Front Office, Business development is also experienced. The job is not monotonous & gets a chance to explore oneself. The sales & guest handling experience & know about guest behaviors. Worked with different locations, including Leisure & corporate hotel, South, Kerala, Jaipur, Central part and; working with business Locations, Like Delhi and; Pune. Being F&B background not only restricted me in supervising production & services but my own interest drives me to learn other elements of hospitality and better experiences for guests. Every guest is new and every day is about learning in-depth and the remaining guests focus on true spirits. attention to minute details, Work for the betterment of the guests and Learn out of passion. Focusing on all the aspects of hospitality is what inspires me every day. Hospitality suffered during the pandemic but anything which goes down also bounces back strongly as its nature's rule. So being positive in tough situations is something that every budding hospitality professional must imbibe themselves.

What do you think it takes to succeed in this Industry? 

Working in hospitality always keeps you on your toes and there is no time limit when it comes to serving the guests. The shifting of the departs which is FnB, Front office & sales within the operations is a very dynamic part of working in the industry.

The knowledge of different cities, sectors, different property categories like, business hotels, Leisure hotels & mix of both makes more learnings and better understanding towards guest’s requirements from different departments.

What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do? 

The Positive attitude is the key that I look at in every candidate irrespective of entry-level, mid-level & senior with a smile.  

What advice would you give to a young, aspiring hotelier for their internship?

The Patient is required to work in hospitality. The career initially is slow in terms of Monetary but later stage it becomes very glamourous & great place to work. The learning & public dealing.

What is the single factor that got you your promotion?

Defined Target: Keep employees happy, Business focused, and a Better understanding of terms of revenue management with guest satisfaction.

What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality Industry?

Shifting of the workforce to different sectors. Less Student enrollment in Hospitality institutions. Post-Covid the fear in mind to see hospitality going down again.

What tech would you like to see in operations? What operational problems need tech solutions?

Adding new devices to different stages makes work less challenging. Adding better software which help to understand guests more & memorized the visits & experience. Security checks for the rooms which can smartly check the guest before checking out majorly require guest solutions.

What is the one tech/app/software feature you would like to see? This could be for guests, operations, etc.

Security Applications for guests & Employees

Two things you would like to change in the industry. 

Good reforms on labor laws on giving Balance between work life & personal life by law for example 5 days working for all industries.

What is your favorite question for a candidate interview and why?

I give departmental situation-based questions for candidates’ reactions & through the process. It helps to analyze the thinking level of a person & gives actual insights.

Exclusive Interview | Rahul Panwar, General Manager, GRAND MERCURE Gandhinagar

Your focus paired with a positive attitude will have you rising quickly through the industry

Mr.Rahul Panwar

Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?

With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality business, I’m currently the General Manager of Grand Mercure GIFT City - an Accor Hotel in Gujarat, where I’m responsible to lead a team of very passionate and hard-working individuals.

This journey started in 2006 as a Bartender and then a Receptionist at a 5-star International Hotel in Delhi after completing my bachelor's in Hotel Management. It seemed a bit challenging when I started, but engaging with new people every day and learning to value them, taught me a lot about the industry. Since then, it’s been an amazing ride with some of the renowned hotel brands across few countries including the USA, China, Vietnam, and of course, India.

What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?

The hospitality industry is a people-driven business; by understanding human behavior, you’ll not only understand what the market needs but will stand against competitors by creating unique experiences while developing customer loyalty. It is important to understand the culture of your team, accept differences and individuality and know what motivates people to create a healthy working environment. A positive attitude, good listening skills, and desire to innovate can help you go places.

Embrace challenges, they make you better at your job.

What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring?  If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?

For me, the below 5 characteristics matter the most during any hiring:

• Confidence

• Emotional Intelligence

• Willingness to learn & adapt

• Creativity

• Communication

What advice would you give to a young, aspiring hotelier for their internship?

I would like to share 3 lessons or “P”s that I have learned in the last 16 years.

#1 Patience - It’s all about timing. Your focus paired with a positive attitude will have you rising quickly through the industry ranks. Great opportunities rarely present themselves, and when they do-you must be ready.

#2 Passion – It’s about commitment and determination to succeed. Passion is the root of success in our industry and hoteliers thrive on achieving more, be it customer & employee satisfaction or profits. The real push always needs to come from within.

#3 Problems – Lastly, it’s about making mistakes and learning from them. Hospitality is a testing industry and no textbook can cover the learnings from your real experiences.

What is the one tech/app/software feature you would like to see?  This could be for guests, operations, etc. 

An app that can educate a traveler on energy saving and climate change by calculating carbon emissions from the moment they’re en route to their destination (flight & road transport), energy consumed in rooms during their stay with all lighting/air conditioning/electrical equipment switched on, average single-use plastic items used in the stay and much more.

What is your favorite interview question and why?

My favorite interview question is quite short & simple: “Why did you apply for this role?”; but if rightly answered, it can help me understand the sole motivation and cover multiple questions like Why she/he want this job? Why is the candidate leaving his current job? Why are you the best person for this job? And, Why do you want to work for this company?

Exclusive Interview | Sanjay Nischal, General Manager, Lohagarh Fort Resort and Spa Jaipur

“The hotel industry is an industry that requires one’s complete focus on a goal along with dedication and commitment to achieve it.”

— Sanjay Nischal

Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?

Since childhood, I was inspired and fascinated by one of my elder family members who were a part of the hospitality industry. I began my career with a humble position at the Mann Singh Group of Hotels. Thereafter, worked with great determination and skills and honed my abilities over the decade to ensure working with some of the renowned hotels such as the HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur, Gorbandh Palace, Jaisalmer. Before joining the Lohagarh Fort and Resort, I was working with the imminently famed Jaibagh Palace.

Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry? 

The hotel industry is an industry that requires one’s complete focus on a goal along with dedication and commitment to achieve it. Further, it’s important to have a sound knowledge of the industry and build upon your skillset to be able to mold yourself in any kind of situation. 

Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring?  If someone wants to work with you, what should they do? 

For me, a key attribute that I look for while selecting the perfect candidate for the position is his/her track record, stability, work Experience, and Knowledge of the industry. We are in a service industry that requires an amalgamation of passion and patience to serve others. Hence, his/her behavior and need towards another human also play a key role. 

Editor: What advice would you give to a young, aspiring hotelier for their internship?

My advice to young hoteliers would be to give their whole dedication, commitment, and loyalty to achieve the best results for their future. 

Editor: What would you say to young professionals who want to become General Managers in 5 or 10 years?

My suggestion to the young hoteliers would be to work hard towards their goal while keeping patience for the right opportunity. It is extremely important to focus on improving their skill set and build a good connection and network with the professionals. It is essential to showcase their commitment towards work while keeping delivering the best possible results expected from them with every opportunity. 

Editor: What is your favorite interview question and why?

My favorite interview question is ‘Why should we select you’. It reflects the confidence that a candidate has in him/her.  

Editor: What can we expect from Lohagarh Fort & Resort in the coming months?

We are coming up with expansions in the property especially with respect to more rooms and banquets. We are working towards making the resort among the best resort in destination weddings in the coming months.