Focus On Details Shows A Hotel's Concern For Its Guests In China

Philip Wei, the general manager of Sofitel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort, has more than 18 years working experience in the hotel industry, with a focus on sales and marketing and hotel operation.

Before this appointment he was the resident manager of the Interlaken OCT hotel Shenzhen and, at the same time, was in charge of the group marketing of OCT International hotel Management Company.

What are your thoughts about the location of Sofitel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort? What advantages will this location have for your guests?
Located on the south bank of Qiantang River, Sofitel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort is ideally positioned 16 minutes to the West Lake and railway station, and adjacent to Hangzhou Polar Ocean Park and Xiang Lake, and 20 minutes to the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport by car. Standing beside the Tiger Mountain, surrounding the Swan Lake, Sofitel Xanadu offers you a romantic and luxurious experience with its unique landscape and personalized service.

What do you expect the percentage composition of your guests to be?
With the extraordinary scenery and the location near to multiple corporate and companies, the composition of the patronage of Sofitel Xanadu is approximately 50% meetings and conferences, 15% tourist groups, 15% business tourists, and 20% walk-in tourists.

How does Sofitel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort ensure that the quality of service is the same as other Sofitel properties around the world?
With the full support of the Accor Group, Sofitel Xanadu adopts a standardized training program, "Key to Luxury Experience", to ensure our staff understand and deliver a luxurious experience to its guests. Meanwhile, its facilities are constantly upgraded and renovated to present a French note in line with its origins.

What experience will you wish to bring to your guests, in order to encourage them to come back again?
Standing beside the Tiger Mountain, surrounding the Swan Lake, Sofitel Xanadu offers a romantic and luxurious experience with its unique landscape and personalized service. Sofitel Xanadu features 301 guestrooms, it's portfolio of Taoyuan Chinese Restaurant, Zest Café, Muse Lobby Bar, 18 meeting rooms, 25 meter indoor heated swimming pool, gymnasium, KTV, beauty salon and chess and card rooms ensures that Sofitel has created an exquisite world for guests.Spacious, with an average of 38 square meters in size, each room is well appointed, with some featuring balconies looking out into magnificent views of legendary lakes and mountains.

The charming interiors are complimented with a selection of high-tech facilities such as LCD television set with over 100 channels, broadband Internet access, and direct dial telephone system. All guest rooms have been appointed with Sofitel's exclusive "MyBed" for a luxurious night's sleep.

What are your plans for Internet marketing and online promotion of your hotel?
Firstly, relying on the Accor Group brand, we have put forward some hotel image presentations and promotions on the group's website. Secondly, we have cultivated a long-term cooperation with travel portal websites, such as Ctrip and elong. Thirdly, we have maintained a strong presence on Chinese Internet portals, including Yahoo, Netease, Sohu, and Alibaba. As to the local market, we have cooperated with one of the most influential website — 19lou, which is an effective approach to the younger generation, which is a group with great potential.

At present, many large hotels are focusing on business development in the MICE sector; what special expansion plans does Sofitel Hangzhou Xanadu Resort have for targeting the MICE market?
We value the MICE market very highly, and there are multiple improvements and enhancements on both facilities and service. And the most significant one would be the new exhibition center that was put into use in December 2009. The new center boasts state-of-the-art meeting facilities, which is a big investment by the hotel to perfect its capability of meeting various meeting needs. It is an ideal place for corporate team-building, bonus trips, and other creative activities. Sofitel headquarters has also unveiled "Inspired Meetings" packages for a stronger presence in the MICE market, bringing more inspiration to corporate meetings by presenting professional meeting concierge and services.

The international financial crisis made 2009 a difficult year for the hospitality industry, how do you evaluate your performance for the year? What made the greatest impression on you in 2009?
2009 has been an extraordinary year for the hotel industry, but I would rather see it as an opportunity. The economic downturn has indeed had a significant impact on the major companies that are operating in Hangzhou and Shanghai, but with the effects of various stimulus measures, I am confident to continue our business expansion, and cope with more intensified competition and negative effects of the unfavorable economic outlook.

2009 has also been an important year for me, during which I joined Accor Group and came to the lovely Sofitel Xanadu. I feel more confident and dynamic than ever here, thanks to the support from my wife and son, and the fervent love and persistence of all the hotel people. They have driven me to see a bigger picture, and lower the risks before they cause any danger.

As a senior professional manager in the hospitality industry what qualities do you focus on for your employees? What training will you give your employees?
Personally, I prefer my staff to have agile, creative and ambitious minds. They must have clear goals, understand the nature of their jobs quickly; and they must be analytical and good at problem-solving. I help my staff with extension of their knowledge and thoughts.

There are also individualized training programs based on everyone's strength and weakness. Plus, we have a training course certified by the Group, "Key to Luxury Experience", to help the staff understand our corporate culture and the essence of luxurious experience. Through all the above, out staff are more competent and wholly devoted to deliver high-end luxury service to our guests.

When China Hospitality News talks with our readers who are professional bookers, they often complain that sales departments don't coordinate with other departments. This can cause problems when guests stay in a hotel or when MICE events are organized in a hotel. How will you avoid this occurring in your hotel?
This is actually a common difficulty for every hotel, as every guest and group has particular needs, and thus there are many variables. This is also an inevitable trend towards customized high-end services. I have two requirements for this team: understanding and communication. Always try to actively understand what guests need and constantly communicate with them, thinking not only as a service provider, but also a value creator. They have taken multiple measures, including check-lists, coordination meetings, contingency plans, and internal de-briefing meetings to efficiently solve problems and prevent unnecessary difficulties. As a general manager, I also attend to daily service details, through which guests can feel their importance for the hotel. That's an essential point.