Reflections: Giovanni Angelini

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 8/1/2006

Giovanni Angelini, CEO, managing director, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

In the 40-something years I’ve been in the industry, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a “fever” as we are currently experiencing in the hospitality business. Everyone is developing as the industry is awash with capital. Some hotel companies are merging to form bigger companies. The quest for growth is relentless.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has 41 hotels in development and opening over the next three years. As we grow, along with the rest of the industry, what concerns me are three words—talent, quality, customer care.

Talent. Will we be able to grow talent fast enough to “man” all the hotels being built? Shangri-La is investing millions in training—a non-stop process that takes time, money and commitment. It secures our future.

Quality. It goes without saying that it is always a challenge to strike the right balance between quality and quantity. At what point does quality give in to quantity?

Increased competition, greater pressure on bottom lines, higher labor costs and the increasing cost of technology investments in distribution and operational efficiency will all put a squeeze on quality.

Customer care. Could the squeeze on talent and pressure to keep quality standards affect customer care? I guess the answer is yes, if we allow it to. That is why it is important that we as hoteliers keep reminding ourselves of why we came into the business, and why we stay in the business despite the pressures on ourselves, including pressure on our personal life and health.

We all do it because we love the idea of hospitality, providing memorable stays for our customers who, in turn, boost our hotels’ bottom lines and help strengthen our brands.

Even as there will always be business worries to keep us awake at night, we should always keep this core philosophy close to our hearts. After all, what’s the point of doing something you don’t love or believe in?