Lotte Hotel advocates 'people-first' management

By Lee Hyo-sik

Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon

It is no secret that the hotel business is all about people. Hiring the right people and training them to be talented hoteliers is the key to a successful hotel business. Lotte Hotel CEO Song Yong-dok could not agree more, stressing that Korea’s largest hotel franchise has been doing everything to nurture skilled employees.

``It all comes down to people. Employees determine whether hotels are good or not. Lotte tries to hire people with a positive mindset and who do not lose their tempers easily,’’ Song said. ``We then train them to be considerate of others and maintain a friendly attitude toward customers at all times. Hotels have to have nice facilities and good food. But what matters most is the people working there.’’

Hotels, Song said, must make guests feel comfortable, like they are at home, adding that Lotte employees put customer satisfaction above everything else.

``We always tell new recruits that they should be considerate of others. Consideration is the most important personal trait hoteliers possess. It has to come from the bottom of their hearts,’’ he said.

To achieve Lotte’s goal of becoming one of Asia’s top three brands by 2018 and operate 15 hotels overseas, the CEO said the company will establish its own academy to produce next-generation hoteliers.

``We must secure an ample pool of talented personnel to operate more than a dozen hotels abroad. To do so, we will set up an internal education center to provide a wide range of training courses for new recruits, senior managers, chefs and other staff members,’’ Song said. ``At the same time, we will try to recruit more experienced hoteliers who are currently working at multinational franchises. The good news is that there are many talented Korean employees overseas who want to work with us.’’

According to the CEO, the success of Lotte Hotel Moscow can be largely attributed to the hard work of dozens of well-trained staff members. ``We had a pool of 25 hoteliers with over 10 years of experience in food and beverage, sales and other areas. We dispatched them to the Moscow hotel in rotation ahead of its opening. They did all the work and trained local employees, ensuring that they would offer Lotte-style hospitality.’’

Song personally learned how important it is to have a global mindset and to boost one’s capability through education and on-the-job training. ``While I was in Moscow, I realized that having the right people holds the key to Lotte’s emergence as a global chain. Among other things, I would like to encourage Lotte employees to become fluent in English. Only then, will they be able to adequately serve and interact with foreign guests.’’

Song said Lotte often organizes internal contests for sommeliers, chefs and other employees to give them an incentive to brush up on their skills. ``We encourage workers to take part in contests to compete with those working at rival firms. We also send employees to larger hotels overseas to allow them to learn about the latest trends in interior decoration, food and beverage and other fields.’’

Lotte has been inviting famous foreign chefs to its hotels here. It has sent several senior hoteliers each year to Cornell University, which is famous for its hotel management courses, for two-week training sessions.

``We will continue to urge our employees to hone their talents and work harder to become the best in their respective fields. We will extend all possible support to them,’’ Song said.