Vikas Bhatnagar GM – Kenilworth Hotel & Resorts

Mr.Vikas Bhatnagar who is very well qualified, has a vast experience of 36 long years in the hospitality industry. He completed his Diploma in Hotel Management from Ecole Les Roches, Switzerland. Thereafter, completed his management training in ITC, where he served for nearly 6 years. He then moved to The Leela’s, Mumbai before moving to Australia where he acquired a huge experience of 22 years. Subsequently, he returned to India, worked with the former owner and now presently he is the General Manager of Kenilworth, Goa. He reveals that his success mantra is passion for the hospitality industry, dedication and the mindset to achieve goals.

His key skills include recruiting, business analysis, team management, change management, customer engagement, performance management, operations management, facility management, budgets, employee training, sales and many more to mention. At the same time he is an articulate communicator, skilled at collaborating with the key decision makers of the organisation.

His advice to youngsters and readers who wish to join the hospitality industry is –
One should assess his career and have a deep study and analysis of any industry .Likewise for the hospitality industry a person with great commitment, passion for serving guests and patience can definitely make a career in this fruitful industry .Youngsters are fascinated by the glamorous world of hospitality but the truth is you have to go an extra mile as hospitality runs on the principal “Atithi Devo Bhava”.i.e. Guest is equivalent to God.

Mr.Bhatnagar is apt for resolving guest’s problems, handling disciplinary issues and maintaining a clean work environment. So according to him personal touch, recognition of anniversaries, birthdays of the guests, noting the guest’s preferences go a long way in enhancing the customers experience .In addition to this, recognition to regular customers ,identification of their needs and maintaining database software facilitate to enhance the guests’ experience. Identifying and resolving the issues of the guests with empathy assists in making their property more preferable to the guests.

Every employee is important to any organisation .So the management should look into their defined career path, continuous training, and provide clarity to the employees. He mentions about the Oberoi training school which can be looked upon as a role model by any organisation. There should be progression in career or else it demotivates the employees. So basically in order to build a rewarding employee experience, you need to understand what matters to your people.

Goa is one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the country because of its beauty and culture. To uphold this fact, the authorities basically need to focus on the infrastructure at the airports, the transportation and also maintain cleanliness of the beautiful beaches of Goa.

He has a rich understanding of domestic and international business culture and has lead large, diverse global teams .In his opinion, currently the hotel industry is facing a huge competition from resorts coming up at different locations like Sri Lanka and Philippines, who are providing accommodation at lower rates to attract customers. Mr. Bhatnagar is of the opinion that today this is a big challenge for the hotel industry and so all tend to lose. This challenge can be overcome if the hoteliers, the local authorities and the government work hand in hand and march towards monetary excellence as revenue is the oil of any business lamp.

Speaking on the problems of hoteliers in operations, Mr.Bhatnagar feels that meeting and exceeding the guest’s expectations is a real challenge today. Customer wants satisfaction and value for his money which is multi faceted.

Today the economy has changed where people have more disposable income and don’t mind spending. Every customer, whether he is a domestic or foreign customer has value. So competition is a key challenge for all the hoteliers across the globe. So as an expert, his advice to the hoteliers is to identify and meet the customer needs and change their mindset of treating the domestic and foreign guests.

Message to the guests-s

We being a boutique hotel, set ourselves differently, interact with the society and strive hard for excellence.