Low res hi may13 cover by Hotelier India

Registered with Registrar of Newspapers under RNI No. MAHENG/2009/34648. Postal Registration No. MH/MR/N/98/MBI/12-14 Published on 7th of every month. Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai-400001. Posting date: 8th & 9th of every month Total pages 84 Volume 5|Issue 5|May 2013|`50

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SPOTLIGHT UPDATE ON INTERNATIONAL CHAINS ENTERING INDIA

DESIGN

INNOVATIONS IN SLEEP SOLUTIONS

PEOPLE

ERIC BRUN OF HYATT HOTELS

IT’S ALL IN

THE BRAND

PHIL MCAVEETY, CHIEF BRAND OFFICER, STARWOOD, ON WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE POSITIONING RIGHT

REVIEW HICSA 2013

Published by ITP Publication India

MARKET DATA RAIPUR: DEVELOPMENT PLANS | FOOD TOP CHEFS | GM’S DIARY VINEET MISHRA 01A_HI_May13_Cover.indd 1

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ExpEriEncE luxury and comfort with our ExquisitE rangE of bed linen & bath linen

1/f KaKad house, "b" wing, 10 barracK road, new Marine lines, MuMbai - 400 020. india tel: 91-22-66333849/50. eMail: flc@flc.co.in

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CONTENTS

66 22 COVER STORY

Chief Brand Officer, Starwood Hotels, Phil MacAveety reveals the passion points of all the brands within the group 18 MARKET DATA

62 TECHNOLOGY

Raipur is big on religious tourism; it also has an IT SEZ, a swanky sports-driven township and a jungle safari on the anvil.

We explore guest demands, hotel investments and new launches in meeting room technology.

36 FEATURE

News, views, snapshots and a general summary of people, happenings and signings at the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia 2013.

As Hyatt completes 30 years in India, Eric Brun reveals what generates brand loyalty; also, top-level flag-bearers from brands making a beeline for India reveal their opening moves.

50 DESIGN A round-up of the latest sleep solutions that hotels and manufacturers are putting out to ensure guest comfort.

56 FOOD Know the executive chefs from leading hotels as they share their success formula.

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66 EVENT

74 ROUNDTABLE Procurement takes top priority

78 PICKS OF THE MONTH Hotelier Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s round-up of the latest arrivals in the market and of the must-have products for your hotel.

81 10 THINGS YOU DIDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T KNOW ITC Grand Chola, Chennai.

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YOUR CORPORATE IDENTITY, DESIGNED, DEVELOPED AND MADE BY ...

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May 2013 | Volume 5 | Issue 5

What’s in a name?

ITP PUBLISHING INDIA PVT LTD 898 Turner Road, Notan Plaza, 3rd floor, Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400050 T +91 22 6154 6000

ONE THING COMMON TO ALL BRANDS IS THAT PEOPLE REMAIN AT THE CENTRE AND THEIR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT.

Like any English literature student, I, too, swore by Shakespeare, quoting him whenever I need the last word in a discussion. But, for once, I will have to disagree with his “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…” It just doesn’t work in the hospitality industry. The brand is what really matters to a guest and in many cases, even to the staff. What makes one brand different from the other, what does brand experience mean and what does it take to generate brand loyalty? We got together with hoteliers from different brands to get the answers and uncover some secrets to brand building. Strategies might vary, focus and brand inclinations may differ, and corporate philosophies could be unique, but the one thing common to all brands is that people remain at the centre. Brand heads shared insights on what forced them to rethink their brand positioning. This is what differentiates one from the other and attracts the customers to them. This issue is all about brands – their identity, positioning, developing loyalty and, of course, ‘new entrants on the block’. With passage of time, brands evolve, and that holds true for us as well. To share relevant information with you, we decided to engage the industry a little bit more. Starting from the next issue, we have a fresh bouquet of regulars: ‘HVS Uncensored’ – a column from the HVS team; ‘Promoters Unplugged’ – featuring a promoter and his core team; and ‘Purchasing Unravelled’ – focusing on issues related to purchase. Meanwhile, enjoy getting to know executive chefs from some leading brands; what sleeping solutions are on offer; and what’s new in conferencing technology. It is these and all other little things that make or mar a brand’s perception or what the name promises to deliver. So, what’s in a name? Everything, or so it would seem!

Babita Krishnan Editor

Deputy managing director S Saikumar Publishing director Bibhor Srivastava Group editor Shafquat Ali EDITORIAL Editor Babita Krishnan T +91 22 6154 6042 babita.krishnan@itp.com Managing editor Raynah Coutinho T +91 22 6154 6043 raynah.coutinho@itp.com ADVERTISING INDIA Business head Gurmeet Sachdev T +91 9987 208866 gurmeet.sachdev@itp.com Regional manager - South Sanjay Bhan T +91 9845 722377 sanjay.bhan@itp.com MIDDLE EAST Publishing director Diarmuid O’Malley T +971 4 444 3000 dom@itp.com Commercial director Sarah Worth T +971 4 444 3000 sarah.worth@itp.com STUDIO Head of design Milind Patil Designer Reshma Jhunjhunwala PRODUCTION Deputy production manager Ramesh Kumar ramesh.kumar@itp.com CIRCULATION Distribution manager James D’Souza T +91 22 6154 6032 james.dsouza@itp.com Cover image: Sameer Chawda Location courtesy: The Westin Mumbai Garden City, Mumbai

Disclaimer The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. Printed and Published by Sai Kumar Shanmugam, Flat no. 903, Building 47, NRI Colony, Phase – 2, Part -1, Sector 54, 56, 58, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400706, on behalf of ITP Publishing India Private Limited, printed at Repro India Limited, Marathe Udyog Bhavan, 2nd Floor, Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400 025, India and published at ITP Publishing India, Notan Plaza, 3rd floor, 898,Turner Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400050 Editor: Babita Krishnan

To subscribe please visit www.hotelierindia.com WRITE TO THE EDITOR Please address your letters to: The Editor, Hotelier India, 898 Notan Plaza, 3rd floor, Turner Road Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400050 or email babita.krishnan@itp.com. Please provide your full name and address, stating clearly if you do not wish us to print them. Alternatively, log on to www.hotelierindia.com and air your views. The opinions expressed in this section are of particular individuals and are in no way a reflection of the publisher’s views.

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News&people

Religious tourism...p18

• Reports • Appointments • Analysis • Profiles • Openings

Eric Brun ...p32

Recognising associations The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, honours outstanding travel partners at the first Leela Travel Trade Awards AWARDS The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, presented and hosted the first edition of “The Leela Travel Trade Awards 2013” aimed at recognising the invaluable contributions and support of its travel and trade partners. The five award categories were Charters, MICE, Inbound, Preferred Domestic Leisure Travel Partners and Corporate Support. The award winners included Creative Travels, Kuoni Destination Management (KDM), LPTI, Travel Corporation of India (TCI), Tamarind, Caper Travels, Cox & Kings (C&K), among others. Amongst the domestic partners were Classic Travels, Global Odyssey, Make My Trip, Windex Tours and Travel, Explorer and many more. The awards were presented by the top management of The Leela group, including, Vivek Nair, chairman and managing director; Rajiv Kaul, president;

What They Said. Hoteliers are passionate about the industry in which they work. Every month, Hotelier India presents the sound bites that could spark discussion among experts.

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Kiran Jyoti and Deepak Bhatnagar, Indian Routes LPTI - Le Passage to India getting the award.

Rajesh Jhingon, executive vicepresident operations and Deepak Khullar, vice-president sales and marketing, in the presence of Padma Bhushan Capt. CP Krishnan Nair, chairman emeritus and founder of the group. Speaking on the occasion, Kaul said, “The Leela Travel Trade Awards have been initiated to

“One way of showing responsibility towards the environment is to start green conferences as they are the first step towards energy conservation.” Niranjan Khatri, General manager, WelcomEnviron Initiatives

express our grateful appreciation for the unwavering support and enduring commitment of our Travel Trade partners, who have

helped making The Leela a preferred Indian luxury hospitality brand today, in national and international markets.”

Quick facts

: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the debut of its Four Points by Sheraton brand in Ahmedabad. Owned by SAMHI Hotels (Ahmedabad) Private Limited, this will be a conversion from an existing hotel and be Starwood’s first managed Four Points by Sheraton in India.

“Though a budget hotel, Formula 1 has a lot of adaptations to suit the Indian tastes. It is a low cost option with luxury amenities.” Jean-Michel Casse Senior vice-president operations India, Accor

“We are not star-studded, that is not something we aspire for, but if it comes to us, we don’t mind. If in some places it works for comparison, we are fine with it as well.” Doris Goh Global VP, sales and marketing, Alila Hotel & Resorts

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NEWS & PEOPLE

Widening the portfolio

Focus on design

Starwood Hotels and Resorts signs up with The Westin Bekal Resort and Spa to strengthen its India presence

A new design-driven upscale brand revealed by The Park LAUNCH

SIGNING

The Park Hotels announced the launch of their design-driven upscale brand ‘Zone by The Park’, as part of the brand’s expansion plans. The brand’s name and dynamic identity echoes the idea of new connections and constant activity, and as a place where people can refresh and recharge themselves. The concept envisions an interactive series of buzzing spaces using the best of contemporary design, with creative and playful interiors, multifunctional spaces, great restaurants, bars and vibrant nightlife. These hotels will be a starting point to enjoy the city, where people engage and socialize in a friendly and informal atmosphere. “Over the past few years, we saw a growing demand for a new kind of hotel — for a new kind of traveller, who is about people and passion. We saw an opportunity to create a mid-segment brand that reflected this upbeat mood. Though different from The Park, we wanted to create a brand that would channel its inimitable spirit.A new brand with a new vision for the global citizen,” said Priya Paul, chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd. “Zone will cater to the gap in the Indian hotel market for the burgeoning Indian middle class and international traveller looking for budget travel. The hotels will be priced around the 80-100 USD mark,” added Vijay Dewan, managing director, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited.‘Zone by The Park’ will primarily be managed properties and four hotels have already been signed under the brand. The first hotel will be operational by the year-end.

D Hotel Lucknow, designed by architect Sanjay Puri, won the best Leisure Building Award at the annual MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards 2013 held in Cannes, France in March.

What They Said. Hoteliers are passionate about the industry in which they work. Every month, Hotelier India presents the sound bites that could spark discussion among experts.

May 2013 | Hotelier India

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“Co-creation of briefs cannot work in a hotel because its design is – or should be – operations led. After all, the operators have to make money.” Ar. Siraj Hasan Principal, Siraj & Renu Architecture & Interiors

Westin Bekal Resort and Spa.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the signing of The Westin Bekal Resort & Spa. Owned by Green Gateway Leisure Limited, a company floated by the ATE Group with the aim of developing hospitality projects in key tourist desti-

nations, the beach resort and spa will be spread over 55 acres with rich landscaping complementing the natural streams of the Kerala backwater lagoons. The resort will be the first beach resort in South India under the Westin brand and is scheduled to open in 2014.

Quick facts

: Langham Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of Hong Kongbased Great Eagle Holdings Limited, announced rebranding of the former Delta Chelsea - Canada’s largest hotel, located in downtown Toronto – as Eaton Chelsea, Toronto and join other Eaton Hotels located in Hong Kong, Shanghai and New Delhi.

“There is an enormous change in the approach of the operators to the standards itself. Also from an owner’s perspective, the community is becoming more indulgent now.”

“We often fail to understand that the hotel might take three or more years to build, and by that time the market might have changed. Also, this must all be set against the backdrop of commercial viability.”

Naveen MC Raju Director, The Chancery Hotels

Animesh K Ghatak VP – hospitality, Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd

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Chauhan has recently joined Hotel India Awadh Lucknow as the executive assistant manager. He brings with him over 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry and possesses notable expertise in revenue, costing, management control and hotel operations. Prior to this, he was associated with Peppermint Hotel as F&B manager. He is a graduate in hotel management from IHM – Chandigarh.

Grand Hyatt Goa has appointed Kobanbay as the new executive assistant manager in charge of F&B. Tufan holds a B.Sc. in Tourism and Hotel Management from the Bilkent University in Turkey. Before taking on this position, Tufan held the same title at Grand Hyatt Muscat. He began his career in 1995 with Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski Istanbul.

Andreas Kraemer General Manager Shane Krige General Manager

Samrat Datta General Manager Vivanta by Taj-Connemara, Chennai has appointed Datta as the GM. Earlier he has lead teams at the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur and Taj Pamodzi Hotel, a business hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. Of his almost 21 years in the hospitality industry, Datta has been associated with Taj Hotels for 13 years and is looking forward to building strong relationships with the people of Chennai.

As the GM, apart from the day-to-day operations of Hilton’s first property in India, Kraemer will also be responsible for executing the launch of a unique concept at the property called the Hilton Shillim Retreat & Spa. He will also oversee the formulation and implementation of business strategies for this project. He brings over 10 years of hospitality experience to his new role.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC announced the appointment of Krige as the GM of The RitzCarlton, Bangalore, set to open in Summer 2013. He is responsible for all the pre-opening stages of the development and hotel operations of F&B, rooms and sales and marketing divisions once the hotel is launched. Krige joins from his role as GM of The Plaza New York.

Pankaj Mathur General Manager

Rakesh Chauhan Executive Assistant Manager

In her new role as VP marketing of JSM Corp Private Ltd, Banerji’s portfolio includes, spearheading marketing and strategy for all JSM brands, Digital, PR, CSR and music events. A graduate in arts from Delhi University, she comes with 16 years of diverse experience that has equipped her with crossdomain knowledge, which will enable penetration of global brands in Indian markets for JSM.

Hotel Radha Regent – A Sarovar Portico Hotel, Chennai has appointed Das as the GM. Prior to this, he lead the team at The Raintree Hotel, Chennai and earlier at the Hilton Warwick, United Kingdom, Taj Hotels and Resorts, The Park Hotel Kolkata and Park Plaza Ludhiana. After IHM- Kolkata and a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Das has spent almost 19 years in the hospitality industry.

Tufan Kobanbay Executive Assistant Manager

Anisha Banerji Head of Marketing

Alex has been appointed as the GM of the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa and brings with her close to two decades of experience in hotel management and operations. In her earlier stints, she has served as the GM of Oberoi Grand Hotel, Kolkata and more recently, at Courtyard by Marriott, Pune. Being an operations person, her prime credo has always been guest satisfaction. Alex is an alumnus of IHM Kolkata and is also a gold medalist from the OCLD.

Sanjoy Kumar Das General Manager

MOVERS & SHAKERS Ranju Alex General Manager

NEWS & PEOPLE

Mathur has been appointed GM of Le Royal Meridien, Chennai and will oversee operations and implementation of new business strategies and models. He has over two decades of experience in the industry. A certified F&B executive and trainer, Mathur has worked in various global companies like Marriot International, IHG and Hyatt as well as Indian chains like Oberoi, Taj and ITC groups.

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Nambiar is the new GM of JW Marriott Mumbai. After studying medicine from Sydney University, he switched to hospitality and started his career with high-end standalone restaurants and bars before joining Accor as F&B manager in 2001. With over 16 years of experience, he comes from Goa Marriott Resort where he was the GM for the past 2.5 years.

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) appointed Singh as director sales & marketing. A graduate from the University of Delhi, Singh holds a diploma in PR and advertising. In her current role, she will be responsible to lead and grow the convention, corporate, MICE and social business for the complex.

Deepak Sarin Chief Operating Officer Manish Tolani Hotel Manager

Jatinder Pal Singh Executive Chef Le Meridien Kochi appointed Singh as the executive chef overseeing F&B production for the venues. Prior to this, he worked at the Westin Gurgaon as executive sous chef. With more than 10 years of experience, his expertise is set to feature authentic yet innovative delicacies in the city of Kochi. He has worked with different organizations like Leela and Taj before joining Starwood.

Deepak Sarin brings rich and varied experience of over 40 years as the Chief Operating Officer at JHM Interstate Hotels & Resorts. He has worked with reputed groups like Oberoi Hotels, Taj, ITC, DLF, Fortis, AerenR, Mayar and DJ Group in India and also has an experience of working in countries like Japan, Zambia, Nepal, UK, Morocco and Thailand.

Tolani will lead Courtyard by Marriott, Pune Hinjewadi and will be responsible for all aspects of day to day management and operations. With over a decade of experience, he has been with the Marriott group of hotels since the year 2003; prior to which he worked with The Oberoi hotels & resorts. His most recent role was at the JW Marriott Pune as the director of operations.

Krishna Unni General Manager

Pavithran Nambiar General Manager

Mohankumar takes on the role of MD and CEO for Roots Corporation Limited (RCL), a subsidiary of The Taj Group. In his new role, Mohankumar will consolidate current operations of Ginger Hotels pan India and spearhead fast-track growth and development in the domestic market. Prior to taking on his current role, Mohankumar served as COO of The Gateway Hotels & Resorts.

With over 15 years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience, O’Neill is considered a gastronomic mastermind. Beginning with Hilton hotels, his career graph spans properties all over the world including UK, West Africa, the Middle-East, the Far East , etc. before becoming Grand Hyatt Goa’s executive chef and leading the guests on a culinary cruise.

Rasika Singh Director Sales & Marketing

PK Mohankumar MD & CEO

Mishra joins as the GM of Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre. In his new role he will be heading various specialised functions and be responsible for steering the management team. Mishra carries with him an experience of more than two decades. Prior to this appointment, he was the director of operations at JW Marriott Mumbai and was also associated with The Oberoi, New Delhi.

Shane O’Neill Executive Chef

MOVERS & SHAKERS Vineet Mishra General Manager

NEWS & PEOPLE

With over 10 years of experience, Krishna Unni’s career path involves leading international hotel brands that has enabled him to develop into a craftsman of experiential luxury. As GM of Alila Bangalore Hotel and Residences, he aspires to grow within highly energised markets through commitment. He has a passion for sports and enjoys golf, tennis and cricket.

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GM’S DIARY

Water idea! Being a good hotelier is also about disaster management - like covering up leakage before a VIP delegation VINEET MISHRA General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre

BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

ineet Mishra’s hospitality experience has spanned several years at Marriott’s iconic JW Marriott Hotel in Mumbai before moving to the Pune property as GM. He talks about heartwarming events, building relationships, a milestone F&B decision in his new role and his career’s hallmark.

Tell us about the most important guest you have ever hosted. In one of my past hotels, I had a terminally-ill guest residing with his family, undergoing a treatment at a medical centre nearby. For me, he was undoubtedly the most important guest. Keeping the spirits of the patient and his family high and ensuring that they had “wow” moments was something that was invaluable. Interestingly, he started responding well to his last leg of treatment and went back home perfectly cured. The most anxious moment you experienced with this guest. It has to be the day when he did not return to the hotel for almost two days from the hospital. The family had not checked-out and their luggage was still in their room! I was extremely anxious and worried, wondering if all was fine with the guest and his family as we were not even able to get in touch with them. Luckily, the family returned with him safe. What has been the biggest disaster you have averted as a professional? One always has to be on the toes in an operational hotel — alertness as well as presence of mind is the key. There have been innumerable instances of crisis management during my assignments. However, I would like to share this particular one that happened some years ago. A VIP delegation was on its way and precisely five minutes before their scheduled arrival, the waterbody in the lobby developed a leakage. We had no option but to act smartly and swiftly. We quickly gathered six or seven front office associates and made them stand around the waterbody to cover up the space. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned vis-à-vis a supplier? I would say it’s all about relationship building. What really counts and matters the most is the rapport and the comfort level that you build with your internal and external stakeholders. A supplier is very important and adds immense value to the business. On the other side, you, as an hotelier, are required to add immense value while attending to the guest. But this cannot be achieved without the support of suppliers.

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What is the best thing about being a hotelier? Being a people’s person, I am glad to be surrounded by ‘people’. Whether an associate or a guest at the hotel, people interaction is maximum. My job keeps me busy and involved, rarely allowing any room for ‘dull moments’. The least likeable thing about your job? There is nothing that I dislike about my job. In fact, I would encourage young prospects to join the hospitality industry as there is immense opportunity for growth. Which city do you find most exciting, other than your present location? It has to be the capital of our country for its infrastructure. Delhi is known for exciting F&B trends. In fact, in a lot of ways, the city has been a trendsetter itself. Additionally, the city also attracts and caters to almost all segments – be it leisure, corporate, meetings and conventions, heads of states or foreign delegations. If not an hotelier, what would you be? I used to enjoy performing on stage and was quite good in dramatics during my school days. If not an hotelier, I might have been an actor. What’s the best way for a hotelier to unwind? The perfect way to unwind is to engage oneself in some form of exercise. Outdoor activities like trekking, cycling, etc., work best for me. I feel taking up a sport or an outdoor activity is more about mental fitness. Hence, would recommend an outdoor activity which gives the right focus and would also help to break the monotony. A hallmark in your career. It has to be the opening of Evviva-Sky Lounge, the rooftop restaurant that we have recently launched at the hotel. I can very well call it a milestone, as most business hotels, typically, have a coffee shop with a specialty restaurant attached to it. We, on the other hand, adopted the unconventional route and based on the local market conditions and the ever-increasing demand for open-to-sky restaurants in Pune opened the lounge. The journey towards launching Evviva was challenging but stimulating. On the whole, I am very excited and happy to give the city of Pune a new nightlife destination. HI

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MARKET DATA

Of temples and townships Raipur is big on religious tourism; it also has an IT SEZ, a swanky sports-driven township and a jungle safari on the anvil CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

hhattisgarh state was formed in the year 2001 and Raipur was made its capital city. Raipur district is surrounded by Bilaspur in the North, Bastar and part of Orissa state in the South, Raigarh and part of Orissa in the East and Durg in the West. Raipur is the biggest city in Chhattisgarh and a fast developing industrial centre. The state’s capital has been shifted to Naya Raipur from November 2012. Naya Raipur is spread over an area of 80.13 sq.km and is estimated to house 560,000 inhabitants by 2031. It includes an average of 41 villages of which about 21 villages forms the core of the new city. It is located 17 kms south-east from the existing Raipur city. This youngest state capital is the first Greenfield

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city planned and executed in the 21st century. Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) is the nodal agency overseeing the city development. As per the development plan drawn in three phases till 2031, a total cost of INR6,000 crore has been estimated, including land procurement and the city level infrastructure. Naya Raipur being the administrative nerve centre, Tourist Destination in Raipur District Arang Balaji Temple Budha para Lake Champaran Dudhadari Temple Mahant Ghasi Das Memorial Museum Nagar Ghadi Nandanvan Garden Rajim

is planned to have super-specialty hospitals, commercial office spaces, a museum, art galleries, entertainment parks, a botanical garden, a law university, an education hub, a cultural centre, malls and a sports complex through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model. The city is also planned to have an Information Technology SEZ, a gems and jewellery SEZ, convention centre and integrated residential town-

ships. The city also has a man-made jungle safari project coming up over 200 acres with INR250 crore expenditure. Also, an investment of over INR1,000 crore in two upmarket townships — Sports City and Theme Township is expected in Naya Raipur with developers showing interest in the project.

aipur, is developing as an industrial city. The city itself draws

Description Referred to as “ The city of temples” Shrines dedicated to Balaji, Lord Vishnu and Lord Rama Picnic spot Birth place of the Saint Vallabhacharya, the reformer and founder of the Vallabh Sect Ancient temple dedicate to Lord Rama Oldest and largest museum of old Madhya Pradesh Singing clock made by Raipur Devlopment Authority which sings tunes of Chhattisgarhi folk music every hour Garden with a mini zoo (lions, tigers and panthers) Confluence of three rivers, Mahanadi, Pairy and Sondhu

* Source Interim Report phase 11-Chhattigarth by IL&PS Infrastructure to Ministry of Tourism

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19 MARKET DATA

Hotels’ Performance in Raipur 3,500

45% 44% 43% 42% 41% 40% 39% 38% 37% 36% 35%

3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 2011

2010 ARR (INR)

2012 AOR (%)

Rev PRA (INR)

Source: Cushman& Wakefield Hospitality

Air Arrivals in Raipur 900000

60%

800000

50%

700000

40%

600000 500000

30%

400000

20%

300000

10%

200000

100000 0

-10% 2008

2009 Raipur

2010

2011

2012

% Growth Rate

Source: AAI

business tourists but has a lot of leisure tourist attractions in its vicinity. Some of them are Arang — The city of Temples, Balaji temple, Budha para Lake, Champaran, Dudhadari temple, Mahant Ghasi Das memorial museum, Nagar Ghadi, Nandanvan Garden, Rajim, etc. Raipur has witnessed growth in the last three years. The air arrivals have grown at a significant rate and the construction activity among developers and under PPP has gained noticeable momentum. ARRs have increased by 13 per cent and AOR by 4 per cent over 2011-12. This is a combined result of induced hotel rooms as well as demand in the city. The AOR for the city in 2012 was 44 per cent.

he closest airport to Raipur is the Mana Airport that has been rechristened to Swami Vive-

18-19_HI_MAY2013_Market Data.indd 19

kanand Airport in 2012. A new terminal has been added to increase the capacity of the airport. Raipur received over 8 lakh domestic tourists in 2012. There has been an increase of 51 per cent over the previous year in domestic air arrivals at this airport. However, the growth rate was 22 per cent in 2010-11. The airport is also proposed to upgrade to an International airport in the years to come. As per ministry of tourism, Raipur received 26 per cent of the domestic and foreign tourist visits against that by the state in 2005. Raipur received more than 6.6 lakh tourist visits in 2005. Out of this, only 1,500 were foreign tourists (0.23 per cent). State-wide, with respect to the domestic tourists, the main purpose of the visit indicated by 41 per cent of the tourists was ‘business and professional’. However, 82 per

cent of the foreign tourists visited for cultural activities. The average night stay by domestic tourists ware 2.6 and foreign tourists were 3.5. However, the average expenditure per day per domestic tourist was INR763 and per foreign tourist was INR1,300. Naya Raipur is being developed for a population of 5.6 lakh by 2031 year end. It is located on the Mumbai-Howrah railway line and is in close proximity to the existing airport of Raipur city. Also, the new capital city is well accessible from NH 6 and NH 43.

aipur has about 6 hotels in the organised segment as per FHRAI with about 245 keys. However, the city has close to 1,300 keys with about 30 hotels in the organised and unorganised segment. There are no international branded hotels

in the city. In the last year, the city witnessed opening of two hotels, namely VW Canyon and Club Marina with room capacity of 106 and 20 respectively. VW Canyon is located on the VIP road closer to Naya Raipur and the existing airport. Some other prominent hotels are Hotel Piccadily, two hotels by Babylon Hotel Group, hotel GT Star which was previously known as the Golden Tulip hotel, etc. Some upcoming hotels that are planned belong to the Hyatt Hotels, Lemontree, Kamat Hotels, etc. Naya Raipur is the 4th planned city of the country, having vast development in the pipeline. It is likely to have all the modern infrastructure in the years to come with wide-spread construction designed over three phases till 2031. The hospitality dynamics is expected to change in due course of time. HI

29-04-2013 18:58:18

Consumer connect initiative

Kitchen Hygiene Importance of hygiene in kitchen back areas For most healthy human adults, most

food

poisoning

incidents

“merely” causes diarrhoea and/or vomiting. A single food poisoning outbreak can result in the closure of a business through fines and loss of customers, who are now demanding higher standards of food hygiene. It is extremely difficult, if not impossiRegional Sales Manager, Diversey India Pvt. Ltd.

“bad press” associated with a food

Chlorine

Iodine

Minimum Concentration

Quartenary Ammonium

50 ppm

12.5 - 25 ppm

200 ppm

Temperature of Cold ( 240 C ) the solution

Cold ( 240 C )

Contact Time

7 sec

30 sec

Must be below 8

Must be below 5

Corrosiveness

Corrosive to some Noncorrosive substances

poisoning outbreak, particularly if the consequences prove fatal.

Sanitizer Type

Cold ( 240 C ), work over wide range of temp 30 sec , some of the products take longer time Most effective at 7, works over wide range of pH

ble, for a food provider to overcome

Mousum Roy

General Guideline of Sanitizer

achieve

appropriate

Sources of contamination

Noncorrosive

Reaction to Effects if hardness Not affected Not affected hard water more than 500 ppm Reaction to organic contami- Quickly inactivated Made less effective Not easily affected nants in water

levels of hygiene within

When contaminated food is con-

the food preparation ar-

sumed, the contamination can be

eas,

practices,

from a number of sources including:

equipment cleaning and

contaminated “in the field”, activ-

sanitation programme and training

ity of pests, inappropriate food han-

harmful to health, food/surface is

Daily cleaning is required to upkeep

needs should be considered as an

dling or the food handler.

considered to be safe. It is important

the kitchen, to visually look clean and

to use products effective in killing

to control the microbes. However,

cleaning

integrated process for an establishment. Very often we visit different

Hygiene control by cleaning

them, without being hazardous to

monthly deep cleaning is needed

restaurants with the mindset that the

and sanitation

the materials used to construct the

to control pest infestation and food

place is clean and safe. It is important

Not all pathogenic micro-organisms

kitchen and its fixtures and fittings or

poisoning.

to understand that good decorative

need to be destroyed to make food

the cleaning operator.

establishment does not signify “safe

safe, as ‘small’ amounts of these are

There are two basic methods of

food” – that depends on the back-

dealt with by the body’s immune

sanitising the surfaces: High Tem-

programme

end activities.

system. That is why there is no re-

perature, and Chemical Sanitizers.

A clean and sanitary environment is

Food prepared in restaurants and

quirement for sterilisation in food

Most of the common sanitizers are

a prerequisite to an effective HAC-

catering environments can easily get

handling/preparation; there is only a

Halogens & Quaternary Ammonium

CP-based food safety programme.

contaminated if handled improperly,

requirement for disinfection/sanitisa-

Compounds (‘quats’ or QAC’s).

A cleaning programme will give a

putting customers at serious risk of

tion. When the level of bacteria is not

Implementing a cleaning

system to organise all cleaning and

food poisoning. Not only is food

Cleaning Systems

sanitizing jobs of a kitchen. There are

hygiene important in ensuring safe

Essentially, there are four

some basic steps to designing and

food, personal hygiene also plays

frequencies of cleaning

implementing it:

an important role in limiting the risk

within a kitchen – after

• Identify cleaning needs, by walking

of contamination of food with harm-

each use, daily, weekly

through each area of the facility.

ful bacteria.

or monthly. Frequencies

• Create a master cleaning sched-

Cross contamination of harmful

are determined on the

ule by defining what should be

bacteria can develop as a result of in-

base-type of soil and ac-

cleaned, who should clean, when

appropriate cleaning of food prepa-

ceptance of controlling

it should be cleaned and how it

ration areas, or from using the same

the soil level and micro-

chopping board or knife for raw and

organism to acceptable

ready-to-eat

limits.

should be cleaned. • Choosing

cleaning

materials

surfaces

would be as per the need and

cleaning or disinfecting

need to be cleaned at

schedule. It is important to choose

in between. Important-

all four frequencies and/

the correct cleaning chemicals, ap-

ly, failure to adequately

or utilising different prod-

food

without

• Training the employees on the

example, dishwasher machine

programme, different applications

needs to be cleaned after use

and consequences, and motivat-

raw food or visiting the washfood contamination.

May 2013 | Hotelier India

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propriate tools and PPE.

ucts at each frequency. For

wash hands after touching room plays a very important role in

Some

and

de-scaled

weekly/monthly.

ing them to get high quality job.

www.hotelierindia.com

03-05-2013 14:52:41

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COVER STORY

May 2013 | Hotelier India

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23 COVER STORY

It’s all in the brand Chief Brand Officer, Starwood Hotels, Phil MacAveety reveals the passion points of all the brands within the group BY BABITA KRISHNAN

don’t want to fly from New York to Mumbai in an overnight flight and feel like I never left New York,” says Phil MacAveety as he sits in his seat as the chief brand officer of Starwood Hotels quite comfortably. “I would like to feel the city. I think I surprised the guy who drove me in last night, when asked me whether I would like Indian music or Western and my reaction was that I don’t want music, I’d like to hear the city.” There is little doubt that this is a subject that MacAveety is passionate about. And, why not, this is also a subject that earns the Starwood brand its passion point? Going on to elaborate on the Starwood philosophy, he is quick to add that another thing which gives Starwood brand distinction is the SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) programme which is not a “points but a loyalty” programme that extends across all brands. “Each brand has a spirit which is unique to it.” With an extensive experience in brands and marketing, 10 years of which in advertising, it is no wonder MacAveety is an authority of sorts on branding. But tracking nine luxury brands in 100 countries is surely not an easy task — more so when one is tasked with differentiating between them! “There are a number of ways to differentiate and the most obvi-

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ous way is through their segments. We work only in the upscale or mid market — the definition varies around the world. We have our upscale brands, the classic highend business hotels and then we have brands within the luxury space,” explains MacAveety. The classification is based more on a mindset than anything else. “I am the same person when I am with my mother, my wife or my friends, but the mindset is different,” he adds, “That is how we work through our luxury space. Everything has to be smooth and perfect, delivered beyond expectation. And to underline that, we build a profile of what the physical product should look like: the kind of materials, colour schemes, etc., how the service should be and what are our passion points.”

The brand owns less than 5% of all the 1,100 Starwood hotels across the world. Citing the example of W, which is an interesting brand that has grown from one property in New York to 42 around the world, MacAveety explains how mindsets classify Starwood brands. “W talks with a very different attitude, which is: I need to work hard but in the evening I want to let loose,”

PASSION POINTS ALOFT HOTELS With 63 hotels open worldwide since the brand first arrived on the scene in 2008, Aloft offers ‘style at a steal’. The brand reinvented the ho-hum select-service category with bold design and a buzzing social atmosphere at an affordable price point. The guest first experiences boisterous energy at Aloft. An open, flowing design erases conventional boundaries — and encourages mixing and mingling. Aloft’s urban-industrial feel radiates wit, with eye-catching shapes, pops of colour, mod furnishings and crafty touches. 32 Aloft hotels will debut in 2013-14. ELEMENT HOTELS Inspired by Westin Hotels, Elements, Starwood’s latest brand innovation, was the only major hotel brand to mandate at its launch in 2008 that all its properties pursue the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification for high-performance buildings. From spacious guest rooms featuring fully-equipped kitchens, spainspired bathrooms and the Heavenly Bed, to sustainable design and eco-friendly practices, Elements has a special appeal for travellers visiting for a few days. he points out. And, hence, the passion points here are music, fashion, design. It was the brand that introduced the concept of turning the lobby from a place where you arrived to the place where you hung out. It is the kind of thing that we call ‘bleisure’ — a blend of business and leisure.”

According to MacAveety, the luxury collection has hard brand deliverables since it is more of a celebration and a collection of indigenous experiences. Moving on to the Le Meridien brand that Starwood acquired only around six years ago, he reveals, “We repositioned it with the spirit

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COVER STORY

PASSION POINTS FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON Founded in 1995, Four Points is currently the third largest brand within the Starwood portfolio. There are more than 160 Four Points by Sheraton in nearly 30 countries and is expected to open 22 new locations in 2013. Four Points features classic yet modern style and the design creates sophisticated spaces that are stylish and relaxed in character, providing travellers with all the essentials they need for comfort and productivity on the road.

The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

of art and culture at the centre since it is a French brand, hence must be very traditional. Paris has wonderful history and architecture but it is also a living city. We decided to bring that city into the design and worked with local artists to give that touch. So you will find work of local artists and art institutions at each property including in India.” But what are the challenges one faces in creating a brand identity in the Indian market? Having spent a lot of money on awarenessbuilding in the decade he was with Nike, MacAveety realises the futility of that in this business. “The awareness business is tricky and you have to be creative and clever. The membership programme in India has tripled in the last three years and continues to grow. We get the message out to these people who have a relationship with us and the reason it works is because we represent the passion points of a lot of people. We need to be humble and go with the belief that nobody knows us,” he explains. And, he adds, that’s just what Starwood is doing in Mumbai and Delhi: “celebrating the local people”. MacAveety believes that Indian consumers like to try new things and prefers involving people from the loyalty programme because they know and trust Starwood and want to try the new expe-

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rience. “We have already seen a lot of attraction for the W brand, even before it has come in India, which is good for us,” he informs. MacAveety feels fortunate that the SPG programme is not a points but loyalty programme and regales us with an incident. “We spoke to a woman who is a platinum league member and she said that the most loyal relationship she has is with her husband and they don’t reset to ‘0’ on every first of January to earn the loyalty back again! We learnt from that. And, likewise, our loy-

Starwood’s existing footprint in India is 36 hotels with another 25 in the pipeline. alty programme is also ongoing. In the last five years, we have had a 51 percent increase in our room nights being used by members.” He is happy that they put pressure on the brand to perform, improve and deliver. With such a vast portfolio, one of the key questions is this: how does one decide what brand will have its presence where? “It is a mixture of art and science, or opportunity and practicality. We work with

LE MERIDIEN This is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand with origins in Paris. Acquired by Starwood in 2005, Le Meridien was envisioned to transform into providing a new perspective for the curious, creative minds through a range of innovative, curated cultural experiences. A cultural curator as well as a group of cultural innovators called LM100 have been engaged to create and enrich the guest experience in an authentic way. Based on proprietary Starwood research that showed that the first 10 minutes sets a guest’s mind for the rest of the stay, Le Meridien identified four signature initiatives: artworks on the doors, a unique atmosphere (including signature scent, soundtrack, lighting ceremony), UNLOCK ART and soundscape in the elevator. THE LUXURY COLLECTION HOTELS & RESORTS This brand offers the promise of unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories, being a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location – noteworthy for its history, architecture, art, furnishings and amenities.

partners to open hotels and, of our 1,100 hotels, we own less than 5 per cent. And this is deliberate,” MacAveety reveals. To be successful, one needs to stick to his area of expertise and Starwood’s is in building brands, managing hotels and distribution systems; owning real estate is a local business, best understood by the local owners. “We are lucky to have some great partners in India,

who understand our brand and also the real estate market. You want to open luxury brands in cities which are influencing the country like Mumbai and Delhi, though we do have people wanting to open them in tertiary cities,” he says, going on to add that it is scale of the brand that drives the location. And, because of this, Starwood refuses partners more often than saying yes!

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COVER STORY

The proposed W Hotel in Mumbai.

Having indulged in two of the three “passions” in his life – sports (Nike) and travel (Starwood) – MacAveety has a hint of regret on having missed his third i.e. music. “I think I am too old to get into the music business now,” he rues. No matter. We suppose MacAveety can take consolation from something else that will be music to his ears. You guessed it — the evergrowing list of SPG members and their diehard loyalty to the Starwood brand. HI

PASSION POINTS SHERATON For over 75 years Sheraton has become one of the most recognised hotel brands amongst travellers. A Sheraton guest mixes business with pleasure in a seamless flow. By integrating classical ideals with modern contexts, Sheraton designs spaces that connect the brand’s iconic heritage to the emerging lifestyle needs of the modern traveller and link generational spans and lifestyles together. The guests enjoy a restful night’s sleep in the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper comprised of an all-white jacquard pillow and duvet ensemble with luxurious sheets. They also enjoy the signature bath amenity line, Shine for Sheraton. ST. REGIS Combining timeless sophistication with modern luxury, this brand is uncompromising in its commitment to excellence. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts deliver unrivaled luxury, bespoke service and refined elegance at the best addresses in the world. The brand has built its reputation on the pillars of style, innovation and comfort, creating unparalled experiences in some of the world’s most celebrated destinations. W HOTELS W Hotels is a design-led, brand and the hotel category innovator with 41 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exclusive resort destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels represent the word “wow” with each property offering a unique mix of innovative design and passions around design, fashion and music. W Hotels are unique and individual expressions of modern living, contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experiences, signature spas and fashionable W The Stores.

WESTIN: ‘HEAVENLY’ EXPERIENCE The invitation card The Westin Chennai Velachery stands solidly on the six for the opening cerbrand pillars of wellness. emony of The Westin Chennai Velachery last month — the sixth and newest addition to the fast-growing Westin brand portfolio in India — was neatly tucked inside a small cardboard box. A box that opened up to showcase a miniature bed – complete with pillows, mattress and bed cover! And nope, this was no ordinary bed. It was the Heavenly Bed! Ask anyone who knows anything about Westin, and he/ she will promptly tell you its significance. More than a decade after one of the most innovative hotel brands in the industry introduced the first-ever signature bed, the Heavenly Bed has gone on to acquire iconic status. And, more importantly, become one of the signature services of the brand. Acquired by Starwood in 1998, Westin Hotels & Resorts owes much of its success to the Heavenly Bed, delicious SuperFoods and WestinWORKOUT studio as the brand has gone to great lengths to create a comfortable, health-promoting environment. Among others, it was the first to introduce a smoke-free policy and offer in-room spa treatments at all hotels worldwide. Designed for the modern business traveller, The Westin Chennai Velachery, in keeping with the brand’s philosophy, offers a suite of signature programmes and experiences that “promise to leave guests feeling better than when they arrived”. Brian Povinelli, global brand leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts, said the new hotel stands solidly on the six brand pillars of wellness: sleep well, eat well, work well, stay well, move well and play well. “The prime location and the draw of the signature Westin experience, designed to provide our guests a bit of well-being in the centre of the vibrant city of Chennai, make us confident that this new landmark hotel will soon become a preferred destination for both business and leisure travellers,” he added. By all accounts, Westin has a lot going for it — Heavenly Beds, et al. But what sets the brand apart is that Povinelli and his team is not sleeping on their laurels. With more than 190 hotels and resorts across 40 countries and territories, they often spend sleepless nights to see that every single Westin guest around the world gets a goodnight’s sleep.

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COVER STORY

BRAND POSITIONING We cannot ignore issues of branding and brand positioning. Brands ultimately are closely linked with their environments and this is where communication becomes so integral to the growth and positioning of the brand. In India, there is confusion as star ratings seem to be inconsequential, when even a mid-scale hotel, by international standards, could qualify as a five-star deluxe! Brand positioning is nothing but establishing a space in the minds of an audience, say most experts. The point of branding is to enhance your customer’s perception of your value. With varied brand choices and minimal differentiation of product functionality and offerings, it is critical for a brand to be well positioned and uniquely differentiated. We look at some brand positionings.

HERITAGE HOTELS

MID-SCALE HOTELS

Branding and brand positioning are really the identity of a hotel group feels Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur (‘Shriji’), the 76th Custodian of the House of Mewar, who is at the helm of HRH Group. “In a globalised world, its importance can neither be downplayed nor underscored. For us, Eternal Mewar is our heritage brand and the HRH Group of Hotels benefits from this branding which makes it stand apart,” he says. One is constantly cooperating and working with so many stakeholders, “As an unique luxury heritage brand, we are networked with so many people and our brand has to deliver to each of these stakeholders and make them an equal part of our ongoing success,” says his daughter Padmaja Kumari Parmar. The HRH Brand is positioned for the luxury heritage traveller who wishes to absorb and soak in the living heritage of Mewar and Rajasthan. “Today’s tourism is ‘experiential’; the luxury travellers, from overseas and India, want to ‘experience’ the authentic heritage of our land. One is selling the Regal Experience and not a bed. Our properties attract higher ARR in the country amongst equals and we have positioned our brand for such a Arvind Singh Mewar guest profile. Eternal Mewar is workin-progress. It will continue unfolding and developing different facets of its heritage,” says Shriji explaining the brand positioning. The future is a challenge for the global hospitality industry; and HRH Group is looking to working closer with its associates and partners to ensure long-term Padmaja Kumari Parmar sustainability.

Brand positioning for hotels is similar to any other product or service, feels Rattan Keswani, co-promoter and managing director, Carnation Hotels. “One first needs to define the expectations from various segments — midmarket, budget, economy, business, Rattan Keswani upscale, luxury, etc. from the customers themselves. We have to understand that in India, people understand only brands and “star categories”. There is confusion on the difference between each segment — the touch and feel of each segment is not clearly defined, as it is internationally,” he elaborates. But the international chains having different standards in the Indian market for the same brand, adds to the confusion. Keswani feels that the industry needs to understand the level of understanding of the customers and then articulate it into the segments. “Culturally, we are so used to help at home, that it extends to our travel as well. Therefore, service multiplied by number of people and value-for-money are equated in our minds. The customer is looking at service levels one or two notches above the ‘star’ level,” he says. So according to Keswani, adding value chains to the brand value does not make business sense; instead, “Find your value chain and service modulation, and put that in a revenue model.” Lemon Tree is a mid-scale “three-star brand with four-star services.” The service, design and efficiency module doesn’t change. “You market and position your property not as a brand but by individual needs of the market segment,” he says, adding that the value proposition and vision statement should be locked in, “otherwise the articulations go wrong”. Revealing the future plans of Carnation Hotels, Keswani is very clear that they will take on the management of properties under the Lemon Tree brand only if the value chain fits their profile. “If they are variant from our brand standards, we might just manage them sans the branding,” he says.

Jagmandir Island Palace, Udaipur.

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STANDALONE HOTELS It is critical for a brand to be well positioned and uniquely differentiated — this is true of small, independently owned hotels as well as larger chains. “Your brand, through its positioning, must be able to tell a story. A welldefined positioning statement brings Rahul Bajaj together the brands value, culture, its functional and emotional offerings and helps create a strong perception in the minds of its audience,” says Rahul Bajaj, who represents Mumbai’s Le Sutra hotel, “Le Sutra is the world’s first Indian art hotel wherein every corner narrates a unique tale to its guest.” This hotel interacts with its guests and makes them explore different beliefs of Indian philosophy. This luxury boutique hotel is based on the concept of Indian philosophy translated through art, sculptures and installations and caters to an audience with a creative background and an appetite for adventure. “We claim to cater not only to the physical needs that others do, but also delve in the dimensions of mind and spirit. We try to bring home the concept that you can look at art with two eyes, but if you want to ‘see’, you have to see with all three,” says Bajaj, elaborating the fact that appreciating and understanding art happens more on the subconscious level. All initiatives and communications position Le Sutra as a hotel in the mindspace. “We have ensured that Le Sutra does more for its guest in terms of memorabilia than any other hotel in the world. Every room and floor has its own set of gifts which the guests carry home. This ensures that their spouses or partners look forward to them staying with us,” he adds. For standalone hotels, brand positioning is more about their USP and value for money more than anything else in the mind of the customer. Ravana room on the Tamas floor.

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BOUTIQUE HOTELS Alila Bengaluru Hotel and Residence, Bengaluru.

Dubbed as ‘the coolest brand on the planet by Sunday Times UK, this Singapore-based brand takes pride in the fact that Alila is about doing things differently. “We are not star-studded, that is not something Doris Goh that we aspire for, but if it comes to us, we don’t mind. If in some places it works for comparison, we are fine with it as well,” says Doris Goh, global VP, sales and marketing of Alila Hotel & Resorts. Though trying to do their best as the tag line says — surprisingly different, they believe that it lessens stress on the staff and gives them room for creativity. “People come to us because they love and understand the brand and want to be associated with us. We look for alignment in thought process and in principles, as that is most important. We are a very principle-driven company and proud of it,” says Goh. The most challenging thing for Alila is to find good partners and Goh always tells the partners that “You want an Alila in India and not an Indianised Alila” and that is where the brand positioning comes in. The brand wants to be local on arrival, so one finds destination presence in each property. A fact very well reflected in the Alila Bengaluru, which is positioned as a business-resort hotel — reflected stunningly in its open lobby. Catering to the curious and discerning traveller who wants to discover, Alila believes in giving them something that they can take away — “giving them the destination and a sense of place and luxury to explore”. Not believing in a signature, the only thing that carries to all Alila properties globally is the ethos and the spa – “that is the only constant”, says Goh.

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FEATURE

Hyatt Place Hampi.

Maintaining brand loyalty Eric Brun, vice-president, brands, Hyatt, spells out the group’s success formula as the brand completes 30 years in India BY BABITA KRISHNAN

s the hospitality world changes, so do customer expectations. With so many brands to choose from, it is all about who the customer builds a relationship with and why. “One should learn from the Japanese, you have to develop a strong relationship before you attempt to move ahead in anything with them,” says Eric Brun, vice-president brands for Hyatt International, who has experienced Hyatt from both sides — as a customer and a marketer. “Once you have an experience as a customer, it is always easier to sell the product better,” he believes. When creating or developing a brand, it is most important to base it on customer research. The world has changed as have the expectations of the customer, “You don’t own a brand. Ultimately the cus-

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tomer will own that brand and pitality it is ultimately about the will define the brand by itself,” guest experience. says Brun as he underlines the So the brand image of Hyatt is difficulties of marketing in the that of a ‘different experience’? hospitality industry, which is all Brun feels proud of the fact that the about experience and the way peo- customer feedback tells them that ple handle it. As Hyatt completes the brand experience at all Hyatt 30 years of being in India, Brun properties — both local and intertraces the journey and recalls that national, is different. “We always the first brand identity was cre- say that we are not in the business ated through the ‘atrium’, which of hotels, we are in the business of became a talk hospitality. In point. “And that Hyatt has upcoming properties all our hotels the was when we physical experiin Gurgaon, Pune and Raipur decided to make ence is different. along with 5 Ista brands. a difference in We even go furthe material of ther and bring a building. You build a physical the neighbourhood inside the hotel. product but what is important is This is the level of the true hospithe experience – so you recreate a tality of Hyatt,” he explains. But product very close to creating an a brand needs to maintain its relaexperience,” he decodes the brand tionship with the customers and design philosophy. Comparing it that Hyatt achieves through trainto an FMCG product, where the ing and by constantly innovating consumer relies on advertising to on the design and concept — a contell him which one is better, in hos- stant energy in the environment

that keeps the customer enlightened, says Brun and adds that to be successful as a hotel you need two components, “You need people to stay at the hotel; and you need the local community to completely accept the hotel and make it a part of their lifestyle. This means that it becomes a destination for them to dine, go to the bar, have a wedding, etc. And Hyatt is absolutely committed to becoming that.” One of the most important reasons for Hyatt managing to maintain loyalty amongst its guests is that they give credence to the customer and his opinions. “The alarm bell rings when the customer points out to what he feels is wrong, we react and look into it,” he says. The other reason is constant innovation, “In fact, we have a person in charge of innovation within the company. It can be innovation in service or product or both. Anything that will enhance the guest

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FEATURE

The select-service brand does not compromise on experience.

experience is welcome,” he adds. One way of getting a brand recall is to make the main brand a part of the sub-brands — something that this brand follows as well. “We have different brands for different segments of the market. One of them is Hyatt Place, which is a select-service brand. We do not compromise on the quality of the product and give you the upscale feel but it is more select service,” explains Brun. The most important thing for the industry is to find

of developing teams, Brun reveals how headhunters complain that it is most difficult to attract people away from Hyatt, “This is because there is an emotional attachment with the brand. When you join Hyatt, we always say welcome to the Hyatt family — whatever country or department you are, this is the way you will be welcomed into the fold,” he smiles. As a commitment, Hyatt wants to be the preferred and not the biggest brand in all its segments, says this

WHEN WE LAUNCHED HYATT PLACE A FEW YEARS AGO, THE DEVELOPMENT WAS ABSOLUTELY CUSTOMER-FOCUSED AND WE MADE SURE THAT THE INNOVATION WAS SUITED TO THE CUSTOMER. the right mix of people to deliver the kind of service that is expected by the customers. “I like the fact that for Indians, being hospitable is part of their DNA. So with the right training, creating a good team is not a problem at all. The challenge is to find the right people,” Brun says about the dearth of talent coming out of hospitality schools. Emphasizing on the importance

May 2013 | Hotelier India

32-34_HI_MAY13_Feature_Brand loyalty.indd 34

brand head as he reveals the strategy behind successfully retaining a dedicated team. (47 staff members are celebrating 10 years with the same hotel, which is an achievement in this industry). Brand loyalty within the team extends to the customers and that is what keeps a brand going, feel brand leaders — a theory proved right by brand Hyatt! HI

www.hotelierindia.com

29-04-2013 19:06:22

FEATURE

New on the block

Top-level flag-bearers from brands making a beeline for India reveal their opening moves BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

otana’s Arjaan, Centro and Rotana Hotels & Resorts brands; Banyan Tree’s and its Angsana brand and Kempinski hotels (sans the Leela prefix) all plan to have hotels up and running in India within the next three to five years. In fact, Kempinski’s first is already welcoming guests and Banyan Tree has signed its first hotel, an all-villa Angsana property in Kerala.

nterestingly, this newlyannounced supply-pipeline is headed in a variety of directions. “We see maximum promise for our mid-range Centro brand. A large segment of the domestic market has never seen a good product that retains its promised price point, resulting in tremendous opportunity for us — we will get the formula right,” Aman Sachdev, the Middle Eastern brand’s senior vice-president for India, explains. Banyan Tree will — in characteristic style — target and cater to the experiential travel segment. “The experience-focussed traveller that we as a brand attract, would fit well into India’s tourism product,” says

Aman Sachdev

May 2013 | Hotelier India

36-38_MAY13_HI_Feature-future brands.indd 36

Abid Butt, Global CEO, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts. Kempinski, too, is focussed on the traveller who “seeks authentic experiences of new destinations,” according to the company president and CEO, Reto Wittwer. Butt adds that one could perhaps expect a convention hotel, but only if a metro-located business hotel signing emerges. “That said, we’ve started to integrate bigger meeting facilities into our hotels,” he reveals. Kempinski will, of course, operate in the luxury segment.

one of the three plan to put any skin in the game, despite their upbeat outlook on the market, and will prefer to go the management contract way. “Our preference would be asset light. Investments would be opportunistic and in the past, where we’ve done any, we’ve done them through funds, like China and Vietnam, for instance,” says Butt. Kempinski, too, has a history of purely operating hotels, with the exception of the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski in Munich, which belongs to the group, and two hotels with leasing contracts. Sachdev also says, “Rotana’s expertise lies in hotel-keeping.”

Abid Butt

Banyan Tree entered India with an Angsana in Kerala.

Rotana will tailor its scale and style to India. Seen in this image is the Grand Rotana Resort & Spa Sharm El Sheikh.

Rotana’s experience in the Middle East makes its Indian team certain it will be able to compress project timelines.

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FEATURE

The Angsana in Kerala is an all-villa property.

The Kempinski Ambience Delhi opened in December 2012.

The hotel’s Indian restaurant Delhi-32.

Banquet hall at the Kempinski Ambience Delhi.

May 2013 | Hotelier India

36-38_MAY13_HI_Feature-future brands.indd 38

While they might not want to put down the dirhams, baht and pounds, they compensate with big promises lined up for potential owners. “Centro is differentiated to stand out from its peers. The brand has an interesting design edge, but we spent tremendous amounts of time developing the product such that it would be able to stay within an appropriate project cost for the rates we would like to do, which will be mid-market. We tried and tested the formula and are happy with the end result — Centro yields 15 to 20 per cent more than other hotels in its price bracket across all the markets that we operate in,” Sachdev reveals. Rotana is planning for 20 hotels over the next decade. The brand prides itself in quicklycompleted projects, making way for the obvious question — how do they plan to achieve this in India? “We compress design timelines. I’ve seen hotel chains take six to nine months or even longer to finalise a design. We will limit it to six for a non-standardised design and two to three months for a standardised design. Also, in the construction phase, we are in a position to advise developers on better methodologies and technology from our experience elsewhere,” he adds. Butt says that owners will delight in the fact that their hotels are tailor-made to a location. “However, this means that we’ll really need owners who believe in our brand promise across Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts and Angsana,” he says, adding that the sense of place will be strong in how every hotel here will pan out. Waterbodies with steps going into them, reminiscent of ancient Indian temple rituals, will be an element of Banyan Tree’s properties in India according to Butt. Banyan Tree hotels will have 150-room inventories and Angsana will have inventories of 150 to 250 rooms. To woo owners, Kempinski will rely on its 115-year-old legacy of European hospitality. The brand plans for two more hotels (adding up to about 600 keys between them) over the next 12 to 15 months. It partnered with the Ambience group for the 480-room Delhi hotel.

That’s not to say that they are not going to be demanding of owners as well. Banyan Tree is going to be super critical of the owner’s adherence to service style and brand promise, which Butt says is all about the “romance of travelling.” Rotana wants individual owners — with land banks that have commercial zoning and of course — who will also sustain the development. “I’ve seen owners who want to exit even before the development is on its feet,” he recounts. Institutional owners are critical he believes, explaining that they are looking for a medium term of at least15 years for any fund-based contracts.

espite just having made an entry into the market, those at the helm of brands are well aware of the talent crunch plaguing India’s growing hospitality industry. “We will hire people driven for excellence; a hotel background would be nice,” says Butt. Thus far, it has been almost unthinkable for hiring to take place outside of the safety of the “IHM-trained” stamp. But apparently, attrition and a lack of thorough preparedness in the IHMbred is pushing brands to adopt new strategies. Sachdev, too, affirms, “We recruit for attitude and emotional involvement. Then we will train for skills. That is because we like to trust our people and want them to grow with us. People have been with Rotana for terms as long as 18 years.” The brand currently operates out of its corporate office in Gurgaon. Banyan Tree, Butt tells us, has moved a lot of Indian employees from all over the world back to India already, particularly those who wanted to relocate home. “We will start hiring for the next hotel from the third quarter onwards. This recruitment will be done domestically,” he adds. Competition is set to get stiffer — and healthier — indeed, as these international brands bring new people policies; firmed-up, tried and tested development modus operandi and targeted products along with research-driven marketing strategies into the increasingly discerning market with an increasingly mature owner’s community. HI

www.hotelierindia.com

29-04-2013 19:09:26

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INTERVIEW

Appetite for growth

Gaurav Goenka, managing director Citrus Hotels and Resorts, on the Mirah Groups recent hotel purchase and the opportunity to become a management company BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

he Mirah Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality ventures include F&B brands Cafe Mangii, Falafels, Mad Over Doughnuts, Manchester United Cafe and Rajdhani besides hotel chain Citrus Hotels. Within about four years since its inception, the brand has accumulated seven hotels and continues to be open to any sustainable form of expansion. The Mirah Group is over 25-years old with founder Om Prakash Goenka in the role of chairman and Gaurav Goenka as managing director of the group. How big are Citrus hotels in your scheme of things at the Mirah group? Hospitality is the major division and Citrus hotels play a vital role. We have about 11 hotels on the anvil. Development is in progress. Apart from this, we are also adding inventory to our existing properties. The future will see Citrus opening hotels in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Nagpur and Pench. What are the plans for the brand in terms of expansion: asset-light or heavy; owner-operated through management contracts? Citrus is an asset-heavy company as we own most of our hotels. However, we are evaluating the assetlight model. As of now, we want to continue the ownership model and have our presence in all key locations. This will help us strengthen brand Citrus. Later we will look for management contracts, as by then we will be able to command better fees. Even now, there are many hotel owners who are approaching us to take over their hotels. As someone who dabbles with both

May 2013 | Hotelier India

44_HI_MAY13_Interview-Gaurav Goenka.indd 44

Biso Restaurant at Citrus Gurgaon.

hotels as well as standalone restaurants, do you think dynamic pricing for restaurants both within hotels and standalone is possible? Is India ready for it? Also, do you think hotels are losing F&B business to standalone restaurants and why? Restaurant pricing is different than room pricing and hence dynamic pricing may not work here. However, pricing can vary based on seasons, festivals and other city events. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think hotels are losing F&B revenue to standalone restaurants. The F&B outlets in our hotels are mainly built as an additional facility for in-house guests and the revenue projection is not based on non-resident guests. How do you suggest the hospitality fraternity change its criteria for hiring? What attributes does your company look for in its front-of-house and back-of-house staff? In general, payscales across the industry need to improve for employees to become more loyal. I think the promise of growth and inter-departmental exposure will also help in retention. Our hiring criteria include good spoken English and we hire MBAs and management trainees. For back-of-house, the main criterion is hard work and dedica-

Citrus Goa.

Gaurav Goenka

tion, rather than catering college or IHM certifications. What new locations do you see as presenting potential for the Citrus flag? The coming years will see Citrus opening business hotels in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Nagpur, resorts in the tiger reserves of Tadoba and Pench and in Thekkady, Alibaug, Jodhpur and Munnar. You recently entered Gurgaon (when you took over the Peppermint there)...What are your thoughts on the market? What do you think of its

burgeoning supply and rather stagnant room rates? The NCR region has a total inventory of 22,900 keys of which 75 per cent is accounted for by the organised sector, which also has 17,550 keys in the pipeline over the next five years. According to the Airport Authority of India, the highest number of air arrivals was recorded in NCR (18.2 million) with the domestic arrivals accounting for 12.7 million and foreign arrivals of 5.5 million. We are, therefore, quite confident that Citrus will do well from the first year of operation. Our small inventory also allows us the advantage of choosing business at the highest rates. There are tremendous transactions taking place in the market and hospitality consultants say that consolidation will intensify in 2013... How will you capitalise on this? Our existing land banks will help us develop a sizeable footprint. As mentioned earlier, we are definitely looking at options like management contracts, which will only help us expand our existing inventory. While working on management contracts, our focus will be to ensure that Citrus brand has its presence across the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prominent locations. HI

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Summer teas from Basilur

Sleepzone launches Goldline

Sri Lankan manufacturer adds flavours

New collection focuses on aesthetics LAUNCH

LAUNCH This Ceylon tea brand, which came to India in 2011, has over 150 products, 70 different tea blends, all of which it supplies to 30 countries with additional products, packaging and blends developed every year. The teas come from a selection of world-famous tea growing regions such as Uva, Dimbulla and Nuwara Eliya, renowned worldwide for producing the finest Ceylon Black Tea. The brand has also recently tied up with the Mumbai and Delhi Airports that have served 24 variants of their teas as part of a tea festival that began on March 15. Some of the new flavours are Moroccon Mint, Wild Strawberry, Mojito and Cream Fantasy.

Moroccan Mint

Hot accolades for A O Smith Water Heaters are products of the year AWARD A O Smith bagged the award for its models HSE-SBS-15 and HSESBS-25. This is said to be one of the highest recognitions for a consumer brand as it seeks to celebrate, champion and reward the best innovations in retail products and is undertaken through an independent survey across the country touching 18,000 consumers in 23 cities. The award-winning water heaters constitute A O Smith’s special range of heaters that are energyefficient with BEE 5-star rating

May 2013 | Hotelier India

46_HI_May13_Supplier News.indd 46

and their feature tanks are lined with the company’s exclusive Blue Diamond glass that helps extended product life span. This technology offers protection against hard water and corrosion. The wired remote controller displays the temperature and the total energy consumed by the water heater. The product allows for customisation with changeable front panels. “It also has the wired remote controller which makes it easy to operate when placed above the ceiling,” says Tamal Chaudhuri, MD, A. O. Smith India Water Heating.

Archit Gupta, director of Sleepzone Mattresses says, “The Indian hospitality industry is filled with common looking grey line hotel fabric mattresses that usually do not look appealing or matches with the decor of the room.” The Goldline series of mattresses launched by the company is aimed at offering aesthetic appeal and also A Goldline mattress. displays some technological strides. “They are spring mattresses that employ technologies like EFE, RSCT and ABS to ensure superior comfort, quality and durability,” Gupta says, adding that the Goldline fabric is also fire retardant. The product comes with a 10-year warranty.

Illuminating meet Chennai to host the Lii 2013 Chennai has been chosen for the second time as the venue for India’s largest lighting fair Lii 2013, Lighting India International, organised by Indian Society of Lighting Engineers in Chennai Trade Centre, from 13-16 September. The fair is being organised in the backdrop of Indian lighting industry witnessing remarkable growth owing to increased investment in the infrastructural sectors, reduced import duty and growing living standards. Lii 2013 is expected to be participated by more than 250 manufacturers including 100 from overseas mainly from China, Taiwan, Korea, Italy, Germany, USA etc.

www.hotelierindia.com

29-04-2013 19:18:00

INTERVIEW

Tech a notch higher

Tech-service provider WiFonic’s country head Rukman Naik on solutions that provide new-age facilities to guests

t a recent gathering of top hospitality honchos, an old hand reminded listeners of the time when running hot water in a hotel room, literally meant a man running in with hot water, a situation turned into a creative commercial more recently. But like hot water — now emerging out of fancy faucets driven by automated controls — has become a given, technologies like secured WiFi HotSpots, managed networking, leased line connectivity, hotel automation and digital menus are heading towards becoming rules rather than exceptions. HI Tell us a little about WiFonic WiFonic is a fast-growing networking, consulting and automation MNC with bases in the US and in India. We have a track record for providing value-added services to hospitality industry for six years. Our focus has always been in building strong relationships through our commitment to service excellence, precise delivery and cost containment. WiFonic has uniquely integrated 802.11n wireless LANs, cloud-based network controller and remote access into one costeffective, high-performance mobility solution for campus and remote environments. WiFonic’s mobility solution is being used by 400 plus of organisations countrywide to reduce networking costs and dramatically improve user productivity with initiatives.

Now that guests expect WiFi, how are you making it convenient and cost-effective for hotels to offer it? When we say secured WiFi HotSpot, we mean that we offer cloud-managed wireless, which eliminates the cost and complexity HI

May 2013 | Hotelier India

48_HI_MAY13_Supplier Interview.indd 48

to ensure high reliability whilst also offering highly competitive pricing. HI How are you catering to needs for high bandwidth? Given that single ISPs are always a risk, WiFonic has a multipleISP configuration. WiFonic is ready to deliver with high volume of bandwidth as per the requirement of hoteliers for their video conference and bandwidth-ondemand challenges.

What automation-linked products do you offer? We have systems that control everything from lighting, TV, music, DnD/Clean my Room/Laundry, AC/HVAC, blinds and internet to room access, security and alarms. With a home automation system, one can control the lights, thermostats, security and audio/video system from a single keypad. WiFonic hotel room automation system reduces HVAC operation when a room is unoccupied. These are the two biggest users of energy in limited service models. Based on available studies, automation can produce a 25 to 45 per cent energy saving per room and can be used in virtually any hotel to varying degrees. It also allows for overview and parameter setting, alarm and data monitoring or historical trend recording via its central supervisory system. HI

Hotel automation is the need of the hour.

of traditional on-site wireless controllers. Another concern is security — we offer guest-secured WiFi Access. WiFonic follows all DoT/ TRAI norms and manages all log reports. Radius-based authentication and single username and passwords are provided after verification through Credit Card, SMS or any specific proof of ID. Besides this, the secured WiFi HotSpot allows integration with the hotel’s PMS along with the radius server, so as to authenticate users automatically from an SQL database as per the PMS data WiFonic’s cloud networking architecture enables plug and play branch deployments and provides centralised visibility and control across any number of distributed locations. HI What gives your managed networking solutions an edge? WiFonic managed networks bring relief to your operations — and your guests. We have built an enterprisegrade network management platform that allows us to monitor all of a hotel’s systems, devices and processes 24x7. Having complete visibility of a hotel’s IP network, we can proactively identify events,

Rukman Naik

qualify them and eliminate potential issues before the team or guests even become aware of them. We are the only party offering enterprise-grade network services to the hospitality industry. This puts us in a pole position to work with hotel operators towards the continuous improvement of their network. We offer tailor-made global, secure managed networks incorporating firewall, dedicated email server, content filtering, anti spam, antivirus, IP VPN, ethernet WAN and Internet solutions. Using best of breed carriers in each region, WiFonic can build a global network

HI What should procurement managers know about you as a company? WiFonic provides round the clock support with Toll Free number. Policies and programmes are feedback-driven, demographics-based, designed inclusively and revisited regularly to ensure that they keep abreast of the customers’ changing expectations. HI

www.hotelierindia.com

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DESIGN

The sleep-packaging revolution began with Westin branding its beds.

Soft beds hard at work The foremost demand driver for rooms is the need for a good night’s rest before meetings or leisure. We explore the sleep solutions that hotels and manufacturers are putting out BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

erhaps pioneered by Starwood, way back in 1999, with Westin’s Heavenly Bed, the sleep experience has become integral to much of hotel branding, besides of course being at the centre of the guest experience. According to experts that Westin engaged to create its sleep experience, “Too often consumers believe that ultra-firm mattresses are good for them, but research on patients with back pain found this was not true, rather a supple comforting mattress may lead to better sleep. Consumer Reports recently also found that consumers spent 15 minutes or more testing each mattress at the store.” The very fact that hotels — across the board and across categories — are seeing beds as one of their biggest investments is a movement in itself. “Investments have evolved. Hotels look to buy quality products from trusted

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global brands rather than procuring products from China or local brands. For instance, the trend of offering pillow menus, which in turn demands investment in and an offering of an array of pillows, has gained ground. The average is five to seven varieties of pillows on a menu” says Sudarshan Rai, marketing manager, Emirates Sleep

Hotels are wiiling to invest even up to

2,00,000 for a single mattress.

Systems (ESPL). The company offers synthetic pillows, down and feather products, visco gel pillows and latex pillows. At least at the luxury end of the spectrum, pillow menus are going from seldom to staple very rapidly. “New facilities like the pillow menu which

is again a part of Crowne Plaza sleep experience, are providing guests with a wide choice of old and proven ways to improve the sleep experience. Guests are demanding these options. Our menu includes options such as the grandmother’s wheat pillow, an anti-stress millet pillow, an anti-snoring contour pillow, and our range of anti-allergic pillows,” says Sharda Sharma, executive housekeeper at the Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon. Like everything that hotels procure, aesthetics come into play too, say those who deal directly with purchase managers. “The common grey line fabric mattresses are un-appealing and all categories of hotels are moving away from them,” says Archit Gupta, director Sleepzone mattresses. In response to shifting preferences, the company has recently unveiled what they are calling the GoldLine Series spring mattresses, which has good looks as its key product differentiator. Higher investment and an eye on aesthetics point to a greater focus on

Sudarshan Rai

standards, say suppliers to hotels. Deepak Prabhakar, director, Pro Linen says, “We’re innovating the most in this area as hotels continue to firm up their standards. Of course, our focus is linen but when a project allows for Rs25,000 to Rs2,00,000 per mattress, then there is obviously investment potential for the whole beddings package and that too, a high quality one. At one point of time, vendors would

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DESIGN

Sharda Sharma

Today, sleep packaging extends to the entire environment of the guestroom.

Serta focuses on using foam that is eco-friendly.

just quote a high thread-count for the linen, but with international chains coming in, now even lowerend hotels are able to tell the separate quality linen from the rest.” Pro Linen has seen a growth of about 30 to 40 per cent over the last few years, emerging from both the organised and fragmented segments of the industry. The green revolution has eased its

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way into sleep solutions too, albeit at a slower rate. “A few hotels have started to demand organic cotton,” says Prabhakar, however explaining that there are limitations for the product because of hospitality’s very nature: “Organic cotton tends to lack that pristine whiteness that hotels demand because of the lack of chemicals in the process. This doesn’t bode well for the indus-

try because it interferes with their image of cleanliness.” Serta says it uses, what is known as green foam. “It is manufactured from premium quality raw materials, that are environment friendly. Green foam uses mega foam technology which does not use chemicals that are hazardous to the nature like methylene chloride that depletes the ozone layer. It has an open cell structure

and thus minimises the heat built up on the surface. Serta is the only brand in India which manufactures such revolutionary foam and it is used in all Sleep products,” Rai says. Consumer retail is rapidly becoming a part of the hotel bed business. It is seen favourably by the manufacturer, who could potentially increase sales volume, even if by a small margin and for the hotel chain, which reaps brand building benefits. Westin’s Heavenly Beds retail already — did you know there is one in the White House? A few years ago, the brand held a promotion across malls and airports in India alongside a radio contest, where winners could win a Heavenly Bed for their homes. Overall, the company has already sold in excess of 30,000 Heavenly Beds, 100,000 pillows, 32,000 sheets, and 13,000 shower heads through a partnership with Nordstrom and on a micro-site on their own website. Here in India, Pro Linen is also working with some hotels to put cobranded beddings on the market. “If nothing, it gives both the benefit of brand leverage,” Prabhakar says. Retail is only one possible extension. For example, Westin very successfully extended the Heavenly tag to its shower and spa experiences and also offers Heavenly Cribs and the works, basically. IHG’s idea of an extension remains within the sleep domain, but strives to perfect it. Called the Sleep Advantage, it looks at everything else concerning sleep other than the bed. “Controlling the early morning noise in guest corridor is an important part in providing a good sleep experience

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DESIGN

BREAKING DOWN THE BED  A 13” Westin Heavenly mattress with its unique pillow-top design with a 8 3/4” box spring  Two 50/50 mixes of European goose feathers and down for optimal loft. The pillows also have undergone microbial treatment for fresh and hygienic slumber.  Premium down alternative fiber-fill replicates luxurious goose down, and the loft increases with each washing.  A Heavenly Boudoir pillow and over – just for a touch of luxury.  Pillow-cases in 250 count cotton blend, 230 count cotton, 300 count Egyptian cotton and NEW 600 Count 100% Egyptian Cotton Sateen.

 A duvet cover.  A down blanket that is filled with European premium white down. An anti-microbial treatment keeps it fresh, clean and comfortable after repeated washes. 12” square baffle boxes prevent shifting.  A top sheet in classic white.  A decorative middle sheet goes in between the fitted sheet and the down blanket.  The bottom layer in 200 count cotton blend, 230 count 100 per cent Egyptian cotton and 300 count 100 per cent, also has extra deep pockets to fit mattresses up to 15”.  A bed skirt.

to our customer, which is often neglected by hotel managers. We have regular trainings for staff on guest corridor etiquette. Business travellers who book what we call a Quiet Zone, will sleep easy knowing as there is a ban on noise from 9 PM to 10 AM. The rooms are located away from the lifts and service doors. Besides that, there areThis Works aromatherapy kits – exclusive to Crowne Plaza – aromatherapy, bath, body and Skincare Company. “This Works has created a sleep kit to help guests unwind after a busy day. With 100 per cent pure essential oils, Breathe In helps clear the head and Deep Calm encourages relaxation and sleep,” says Sharma. The brand also tied up with sleep expert Dr Chris Idzikowski to create a series of five podcasts which offer advice on how to get the best

layers go into the making of a Heavenly Bed.

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night’s sleep. Indeed, the biggest differentiation and movement is being seen in the science of providing guests with the best sleep a bed can bring. Westin made tall claims: the brand said its beds would relieve their guests from jetlag and insomnia. So yes, the method behind their bed-madness had to be completely airtight: the brand’s beds have a 10-layerstrong logic to them. Gupta says that the industry has majorly is moving towards pocketed spring mattresses, versus its earlier preference for bonnell springs and other types foam combination mattresses. There are heaps of hotel-centric initiatives doing the rounds too. Pro Linen focuses on less shrinkage for its hotel products because, as Prabhakar explains, “Even five per cent shrinkage, when you are buying sheets for 300 rooms is a huge amount. Also, for hotels we have a minimum of 148 when they are tested for whiteness. Additionally, we give a 00 finish to the fabric.” The brand also provides duvet covers with flaps to help housekeepers make beds faster. “For those hotels whose standards demand mattress protectors, we create them in a fashion that makes replacing them easier,” he adds. Serta undertakes training programmes for the housekeeping staff on regular basis. “We educate them on how to maintain a mattress,” says Rai. Sharma shares some interesting stats: “I read a very interesting article which stated that as per American Hotel & Lodging Association’s annual survey, 57 per cent of four and five-star hotels upgraded their bedding during the last year alone. Interestingly, that percentage actually denotes a decline! But only because the industry leapt into luxury beds with abandon starting in 2005, when the AH&LA reported well over 70 per cent of hotels updated their beds, spending an astounding US$1.4 billion on mattresses, more than double the total of the previous five years combined, according to an analysis at that time by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.” Looks like we cannot call it a night on this component of the in-room experience just yet. HI

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FOOD

Gourmet gurus serve a wishlist We get to know the executive chefs from leading hotels - strategising even as they serve up a piece of art in a jiffy

BY BABITA KRISHNAN Do you face any challenges in the supply chain? If yes, what and how do you tackle them? Chef Ajay Chopra: We have challenges in getting the produce in its best shape and form to a chef, which makes the execution slower and sometimes very hard. We have to continuously push vendors to be critical/ quality conscious and get us the best in the market. I have two people deployed only to receive vegetables, meat, fish, fruit and other produce. HI

Chef Soumya Goswami: The infrastructure for getting good produce to the table is a decade behind other agricultural countries. The Oberoi group prides itself in producing home-grown lettuce fruits and vegetables to overcome this challenge. It is increasingly difficult to get good meat and cheese produce in the country; hence we rely on imports from Europe and South East Asia. Chef Dharmen Makawana: There are challenges in the supply chain and one has to be constantly on the lookout for new suppliers and work even more closely with the ones who are currently supplying and ensure that

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everything they provide meets our food quality and safety standards. Chef Vijay Malhotra: There are a lot of challenges faced in the supply chain – whether ingredients or equipment spares which hamper the production process. Shop floor management time is spent in these follow ups, which takes the focus away from creativity and innovation. Process improvement is yet to step in. Chef Shireesh Saxena: Even though the food industry in India has progressed a great deal, it is still way behind the advanced countries in almost all aspects – hygiene levels, consistency of supply, following food safety standards by the vendors, packaging, transport of food, etc. However, being in ‘safe food’ business, we set high pre-qualification conditions and only select the vendors who meet the technical criteria even if we need to pay higher prices. Chef Geoff Simmons: The cold chain is a constant issue with both domestic and/or imported produce. I believe if the issue with the cold chain was addressed and better regulations and infrastructure were provided, we would definitely see greater quality of products being purchased.

www.hotelierindia.com

29-04-2013 19:28:10

57 FOOD

CHEF AJAY CHOPRA

CHEF SOUMYA GOSWAMI

Executive chef, The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Chef de cuisine, The Oberoi Group and executive chef, The Oberoi, New Delhi

Chef Chopra is responsible for the F&B operations of the hotel and has crafted a rich and diverse menu incorporating signature SuperFood elements (foods rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients). He began his career with the Cecil Oberoi in Shimla and later went on to win a gold medal in the management training programme at OCLD. After a 10-year stint with brands like The Oberoi and JW Marriott in India, he decided to venture abroad. In London, he was the executive head chef of Mint Leaf chain of restaurants, which is a benchmark in modern and sophisticated Indian dining. During his culinary trail in UK, Chef Chopra was voted one of the eight best Indian chefs of London. Though he does not believe that working in the kitchen can ever be comfortable, he feels comfortable if he has a great produce to work with, dedicated and aligned chefs and customers who challenge him to create something new every day. This has been possible, he says, as the customer has become more decisive, educated to world cuisine and exposed to varied kind of palate, “Which makes the job of a chef even more difficult as today’s customer knows exactly what he wants in his plate and this pushes chefs to create something new on a daily basis.” The biggest challenge facing the industry today is to first get and then retain a committed and creative team. Believing that a chef is as good as his last creation, he feels it is imperative to be innovative, “while being business centric and getting a price to the innovation. Every new thought has to result in revenue and a simple formula of understanding of how good you are is to ask your customer as if it is good, he will keep coming back for it!” says Chef Chopra.

Starting out as a kitchen executive with The Krishna Oberoi in Hyderabad after OCLD, Chef Goswami is now responsible for overseeing cuisine at the 32 hotels and cruisers operated by The Oberoi Group in India, Mauritius, Indonesia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. After being a part of the strategic team providing inputs and support for the launch of different Oberoi properties, he believes in a well-planned kitchen that facilitates easy workflow. “A comfortable kitchen should have functional equipment; adequate refrigeration and air conditioning and noise-free exhaust. Easy access to ingredient stores and in-house hygiene lab is essential. Latest equipments in the Unhappy with the qual- market increase and enhance productivity of sun-dried toma- ity,” he says. With customers travelling extensively, they expect global standards toes in the market, to be met and the chefs have bridged the he decided to sun-dry gap between global and trends in India. He handpicked tomatoes believes that in view of the fierce competihimself! tion, innovation is the key to survive and succeed – to keep the loyal customer base intact and interested enough to visit the restaurant frequently. “Innovations and inventions generate a buzz and help attract new customers,” he says. Chef Goswami’s belief in authenticity and his quest to base recipes on fresh produce have led to innovations and experimentations, and his zest for using authentic produce sourced from the most unlikely vendors is also a trademark habit.

His wish list for a smooth operating F&B space includes great data base management system, constant supply of great produce, hands-on chefs, more international brands of produce to always keep your business at a cutting edge, a passionate F&B service team, and finally training!

His wish list for a profit-making F&B outlet would include great produce in pristine condition, hygienic vendor premises, a dedicated and enthusiastic team, and a knowledgeable and competent front-of-the-house F&B team to market and sell the culinary fare.

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Hotelier India | May 2013

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FOOD

CHEF VIJAY MALHOTRA

CHEF DHARMEN MAKAWANA

Executive chef, ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru

Executive chef, The Leela Palace, Chennai

Chef Malhotra prefers kitchen layout to be planned as per the work flow, with futuristic equipment planning. “As far as possible the main and the satellite kitchens should be planned on the same levels with clearly demarcated areas for raw food processing and cooked food processing. This will assist in: propagating GHP (Good Hygiene Practices) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) thus ensuring safe food; effective control on operations; and maintenance of cleaning schedules,” he says. Chef Malhotra Requests for “Allergen believes that innovation is directly related Free” meals such “Gluto setting up a bench mark in the industry, ten Free”, “Lactose which in turn sets the tone for higher revFree”, “Nuts free”, enues. “It is the nucleus of the way forward etc. are adding to the and how the market perceives you. Innovarepertoire. tion not only brings forth newer products but also paves the way for doing things differently which could result in process improvement or cost effectiveness.” Challenges arise when something new gets introduced and due to lack of any available substitute, the continuity of the product or service gets affected. For a hotel of repute, it is imperative to have international ingredients available at all times. Also, India is still heavily reliant on imported food cooking equipments supplied by consolidators and a weak service and spares back-up often leaves us stranded.

Chef Makawana has close to 32 years of hospitality experience in Australia, Bali, Indonesia, Egypt and India. Before taking on his present role he was the executive chef of Dusit Thani. Starting his career with the Goodwood Park Hotel in Singapore, he looks for a “good layout of the kitchen with equipment that works” in terms of work comfort. With his experience of working with top luxury hotels, he feels that in recent times, there has been a paradigm shift in the palates of customers and they are more open than ever before to trying new cuisines and concoctions. “Customers are also better informed of the nutritional value of food, what goes into a dish and have become more health conscious and discerning of what they eat,” he says. One of the major challenges faced by chefs today is that customer has choices and, “Not only do you have to cook tasty food, but also be able to bring awareness and pay attention to promotional and marketing strategies,” he says. The chefs have to remain creative and innovative at all times with an eye on the cost, as the kitchen also has to be profitable. The great challenge is to find a balance which may not be as easy because one has to ensure that creativity is not compromised at the table of profits. He believes that a chef’s vision does not end with the creation of a dish, but encompasses the entire logistical process from making sure supplies are always ready and fresh to getting the food on the table that meet expectations. “There are challenges in the supply chain and one has to be constantly on the lookout for new suppliers and work even more closely with the ones who are currently supplying to ensure that everything they provide meets our food quality and safety standards,” he explains.

For smooth operations in an F&B outlet, he would want quality manpower, which would keep the staff morale high; availability of ingredients to enable innovation; upgradation of both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house facility, so that the product doesn’t look run down and jaded.

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Chef Makawana has won several awards including the Food Excellence Award from EOI in Australia, Chef of The Year in 1994 and in 1995 and his believes in expanding the concept that works and open more branches.

www.hotelierindia.com

29-04-2013 19:28:16

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FOOD

CHEF SHIREESH SAXENA Corporate executive chef, ITDC

CHEF GEOFF SIMMONS Executive chef, Shangri-La Hotel, Mumbai

With over 37 years in the hospitality industry, Chef Saxena has distinctive achievements to his credit and earned appreciation from the industry. Having catered to state guests hosted by the Prime Minister of India at various official functions, he feels that in terms of physical aspects, the most critical point for efficient working is the temperature which is maintained in the kitchen along with availability of all necessary equipment in working condition which makes work easier and efficient. “In fact, the ‘3 Ms’ that you need – Men, Machine and Material – are an absolute must for your mental comfort as a chef,” he says. He feels that the benchmark has to be He has won the Best constantly raised. “You need to constantly Chef Award at the evolve and create in order to retain customNational Tourism ers. They are well travelled and therefore, Awards, instituted by expectations are also much higher,” he says. the ministry of tourism Looking at the dynamism of the industry, for 2011-12. and newer materials and machinery getting introduced at a rapid pace, one needs to keep abreast of the environment, he says. Getting the right skilled manpower who is equally motivated and being able to retain them is becoming increasingly difficult feels Chef Saxena, “In this skilled profession, there are many opportunities available and attrition is very high.” A chef is an artist and like any other artist, he needs appreciation, and this would happen only when the F&B outlet is popular and profitable. “

Born and raised in Australia, Chef Simmons grew up in Sydney and reminisces over the inspiration of his cooking career, his grandmother, with whom he would bake pastries, scones and pie. Early in school, he joined a local bakery, where he worked as a cleaning boy and then studied culinary arts at the Hunter Institute of Technology, Sydney. He has spent nine years with the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and for him size of a kitchen and quantity of equipment rate high on the comfort scale. He believes that creating engaging experiences is not only about sourcing quality ingredients, preparing and cooking well; chefs also need to understand the F&B concept, the target market and continuously keep evolving in the cuisine of their choice. “Innovation and adaptation are paramount to any business. Culinary trends are constantly evolving and innovation should be allowed to enhance the experience but not affect the character of a dish.,” he says, “Guest feedback, menu planning, smart produce sourcing and consistency are key aspects crucial to success.” F&B can be a key driver for revenue depending on the popularity, outlet and banqueting capacities, location and reputation. “The real question is how to convert revenue into profit-generation during the lifespan of an outlet. This can be done by always ensuring you are giving the target market what they are looking for, always serve quality be it in any form of food service, never compromise and always be seen as value for money regardless of your selling price point,” says Chef Simmons who enjoys an occasional game of rugby and the thrills of jet-setting to new destinations.

He feels that for smooth operations, you need to get the ‘3Ms’ at a good price backed by ‘happy customers’. Recognition by the industry always motivates even though it is incidental to the good quality work done by the chefs.

You build a strong customer base by creating unique dining concepts, serving dishes high in quality and taste with value for money. Hence, it is important to plan a cost-effective menu, and ensure that the staff is engaging and helpful when attending to guests.

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TECHNOLOGY

MICE and easy

The conveniences offered by technology that is part of your meetings and conference facilities will determine your popularity in the segment. We explore guest demands, hotel investments and new launches BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

ortunately for hotels, conference and meeting tools aren’t evolving as fast as smartphones and there’s no last-version-toppling newbie making a grand entrance every couple of months. However, the smartphone + tablet + notebook-wielding business person who is at the centre of Monday to Thursday business will demand the latest technology should he decide to make use of your meeting rooms or book a conference.

eeting room technology sees frequent upgrade. The Zuri Whitefield Bengaluru at precisely this stage. “We are putting in wise projection systems which allow for presentation apparatus to be connected through a wireless network,” says Ashish Bakshi, director of F&B at the hotel. Obviously, getting cables out of the way eliminates concerns related to notebook adaptors and faulty cables. How has he justified these small conveniences to those signing the cheques? “A guest who powers up and finds his presentation on the screen with speed, will be pleased at the lack of need to call for a technician’s help,” says Bakshi. Then there are tele-presence and real presence video-conferencing solutions. Harish Chandra, general manager for IT at Sarovar

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Hotels, explains that as the name suggests, these options enable faceto-face discussions and remove the barriers of distance and time. He indicates that such spends haven’t really seen the light of approval. “Only a handful of hotels have invested in these high-end solutions to satisfy the needs of business traveller. Due to the high capital requirement, this technology is not able to gain ground in the hospitality industry,” he explains. That’s not to say it isn’t on the wishlist, or even in the pipeline. Bakshi’s team is focusing on working towards incorporating HD streaming of all videos. The Park Hyatt Chennai wants its The Apartment to be the city’s premier meetings destination. General manager Yann Gillet tells us that some of the tools that they have invested in to attract business folk include the Vocia: WR-1 – Voice Control System and the Crestron TPS – 6X – Touchscreen operating system. “Both have transcended traditional means of conferencing,” he says. Provider to the world’s best known hospitality names such as Bellagio Las Vegas, Four Seasons, Sofitel, Shangri-La and JW Marriott, AMX in India is putting out some solutions within the universe of high-end conference technology. “The new AMX Touch Panel, called Modero-X is an all-in-one interface,” says country manager Mayank Gupta.

The Modero-X by AMX

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29-04-2013 19:29:23

TECHNOLOGY

NUMBER-GAME WITH GUPTA

According to research that AMX has used to create its solutions:  89% of professionals believe that technology will make meetings more effective  One in five meetings runs late due to a technology problem  88% of users complain about the equipment  Each incident wastes about 31 minutes of a presenter’s time

The product allows users to scroll within the surface and between surfaces, thereby enabling them to move activities around — it also allows the user to work the screen with both hands, should their task require it. “The MXT-2000XLPAN comes with a 20.3 inch control surface, IPS glass (which is made specifically for us), offers 2.4:1 panorama, offers HD h.264 video-streaming, light and motion sensors, three USB ports and is only nine inches high — which means it will not obstruct the user’s view across a meeting room table,” says Gupta. It has a 720P camera. There are smaller and less costintensive moves doing the rounds as well. Bakshi refers to a convenient app: “Recently developed applications that allow technicians to adjust sound and lighting from their smartphones, remotely, for the meeting rooms. A technician can toggle to a control screen from his smartphone and adjust sound and lighting in the requestor’s meeting room while on the phone with him,” he elaborates.

nce selected, budgets and payment plans make or break a product’s implementation. And it appears that a lack of suitable options emerges from a lack Gupta says technology in meeting rooms must be intuitive so end-users find it convenient.

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The Modero-X has a 720 P camera

of focus on hospitality as a buyer. “The major challenge is that IT and Telecom Original Equipment Manufacturers, or OEMs as they are called, don’t have focus on hospitality industry. They develop technologies and solutions for industries like banking, finance, service and insurance, manufacturing, IT and ITES, healthcare and pharma and the government. They try to push the same products into hospitality. Customised solutions that take into consideration our operational distinctions and also our cost-considerations would help,” explains Chandra. Existing hotels sometimes get better deals than those in the project stage. Bakshi says, “A flexible payment solution is best, where you pay in instalments or as the progression is made or after the particular facility is installed and is ready to use. It is often applicable to an existing hotel but might not be extended to a brand new convention centre, meaning that new payment plans may need to be worked out. In our present negotiations, since the amount of investment is huge, they have offered us flexible payment options with freebies thrown in as discounts.” These are followed by fear of redundancy. “Besides cost-implications, replacing outdated technology also presents us with logistical hassles,” Bakshi adds. Suppliers are attempting to take logistical concerns out of the way. “If there is LAN networking available, or if a wireless network is made available, we can look at a limited form of control and automation,”

says Gupta. He acknowledges, however, that for best result consisting of maximum, varied and futureproof guest services, AMX solution is best served at the project stage. A new concern, across front-ofhouse hotel operations is aesthetics. Hotels are asking for customisation to technology so as to match their brand DNA and design style. “At the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, for the Armani Hotel, we not only branded the touch panel but also painted it gold,” says Gupta. Hotels also demand technlogy that ensures a glitch-free meeting and therefore high guest satisfaction. “Meeting room technology fails because of usability issues, connectivity problems, audio/ video quality and A/V equipment interoperability issues,” Gupta adds. He explains that these occur because the technology cannot be monitored or because the help desk cannot help. The solution, he says, is for hotels to AV-IT convergence and implement a network based control system that is scalable. “For an end-user it must be intuitive and consistent and from the hotel’s perspective it must offer hassle-free trouble-shooting, be energy-efficient and cost effective, and also reliable so that the IThead does not have to baby-sit it. “

Ashish Bakshi

Harish Chandra

Mayank Gupta

he bottom line, when it comes to conference and meeting tools, is that hotels will need to stay on the ball to keep guests satisfied and booking. As Gupta says, technological upgrades are best carried out while there is development going on at the hotel — as there are logistical implications. In terms of zeroing in on an investment that deliver the best returns, a rule of thumb is to ensure that it enjoys long run and for that, experts say that it is best to future-proof and think three years ahead. HI

Yann Gillet

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Property-level

range of products

insar Infosoft Pvt. Ltd.

www.winsarinfo.com

EVENT

Cheque in, cheque out It was all money talk at the Hotel Investment Conference (HICSA 2013) BY BABITA KRISHNAN & RAYNAH COUTINHO

hen like-minded people get together, an event becomes a platform for ideas exchange and engagement. As always HICSA 2013 brought all the veterans of the business under one roof to discuss the current status and future of the industry. Organised by team HVS, the event comprised a series of panel discussions on a variety of topics, giving everyone something to go back and ponder over. Following the format that people have come to expect at HICSA, Manav Thadani, chairman, HVS, delivered the opening address in his inimitable style. What followed was two days of idea and information exchange. We bring you some highlights.

Manav Thadani set the tone for the conference with his opening address.

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EVENT

Mansi Bhatnagar, MD-India, HVS, moderated the panel on Creating a New Brand.

MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS As one of HICSA’s most engaging breakout sessions in its recent editions, the discussion on management contracts saw owners and operators attempt to hammer out differences old and new. An apparent grouse is the lead time that should be given for a performance clause to kick in. “Immediately,” insisted Naveen Jain, president, Duet Hotels India questioning why should the owner wait for two years when “the management company charges its fee from day one.” Moderator Jaiwant Daulat Singh, director, Daulat Singh Consulting, raised the question of what the panel and audience saw as a

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CREATING A NEW BRAND One of the foremost questions as moderator Mansi Bhatnagar, MD – India, HVS marketing communications saw it was the relation between brand positioning and price. “We position not on price, but on lifestyle – we have three luxury brands, operating at similar price points, which offer three distinct lenses on luxury. One is the traditional understanding of luxury, one is nouveau-luxury, which appeals to the jeans and t-shirt type spender and the third focuses on indigenous experiences,” said Anjali Mehra, assistant director of marketing and communication, South Asia Starwood

Asia Pacific Hotels and Resorts. The discussion moved on to ROI in advertising and marketing brands, to which the panel agreed that defining a goal was all important. While the panel of branding experts saw social media as integral, Rattan Keswani, co-promotor and MD, Carnation hotels, drew attention to the need to manage this engagement and choose a social media engagement manager carefully. Mehra called for focus on interesting content that will drive traffic and Shalini Rao, head-marketing, Taj Resorts & Palaces shared an example: “Since art is such an integral part of the

Taj Resorts & Palaces brand, we focus a large chunk of posts on its page on art. Loyalists and others respond with trivia and photographs pertaining to the artist,” she said. As for those hotel chains looking to build a brand in India, David Keen, founder and CEO of branding firm Keen said, “The opportunity is tremendous but it is horizontal, not vertical. The right hand corner of the graph is full but there are all types of segments to look into... tourism for the elderly, religious and cricket-enthusiasts. There’s also great opportunity in the budget and mid-market spaces.

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69 EVENT

3.5 %

growth in global economy in the last three to five years

the number of weeks China took to grow to match Greece’s development

100

the number of Starwood hotels in China

CHINESE

pamphlets are available at the Louvre

Chairman and Founder HVS, Steve Rushmore with the CEO panel.

good indicator of whether a hotel is doing well. Vimal Singh, MD South Asia, Golden Tulip Hotels & Resorts and Louvre Hotels said, “If the owner is making money, so is the brand. We need to put that into perspective. But I would say that one needn’t rely completely on

GOP. RevPAR is also a good way of measuring revenue.” Hyatt Hotels Corporation director of development for South Asia Tejas Shah agreed saying that RevPAR was indeed a more transparent indicator. Taj’s VP development Suma Venkatesh, how-

ever, felt GOP, was a better litmus test, one that the Taj group prefers. Host Manav Thadani, chairman, HVS, pointed out that owners in India today are also upset with the differences between contracts management companies sign in India and abroad. HI

WHO’S THE DAVID AND WHO’S THE GOLIATH? This panel discussion, steered by Manav Thadani saw leaders put India as a market and a location into perspective. On loyalty programmes the experts differed severely, with a large faction of the panel saying that they must be international and Lemon Tree Hotels founder and CEO Patu Keswani taking an opposing view. “They need to be customised for Indians to travel within India,” he said, putting forward domestic and

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international numbers to support his stand. Taj CEO Raymond Bickson said loyalty programmes were significant to them too. “About 15% of ours generates 40% of revenue but we’ve seen the need to target the inbound guest and deliver value to him,” he said. On their investment-heavy moves in India, Hyatt group president EAME and SW Asia Peter Fulton said, “It was a great partnership which has generated

opportunities all over India”. Accor chairman and COO Micheal Issenberg said that in future too, “Accor will own 20 per cent of its hotels in India and will recycle this capital.” Education, debt, land reform and ease of process are some of the impending changes that they saw as integral to hospitality reaching its potential in India. The mid-scale segment emerged as the most popular area for investment in the future.

the percentage of Asians, who travel Online bookings are growing at

the rate of overall bookings

78%

The percentage of managers India produces. Ideally, we need 34% managers and 66% skilled workers Moral of the story: Hotel concepts were built for western tourists but the BRIC and Asian countries are emerging markets with a lot of potential. So, the managers will need to come from there too

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EVENT

ARE YOU GETTING ANY OF THE LGBT BUSINESS TO YOUR HOTEL? Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, chairman and managing director, HRH group of hotels This is already the first step: the first address on LGBT on a public forum. The second step in tapping this market is to look at it as a business opportunity, cultural ethos notwithstanding. Considering that it has been decriminalised by the government, it should be seen in a modern light. Smart hoteliers are already using this lucrative market as to make up for rapidly falling demand from traditional geographical markets such as the US and the UK which are showing lower arrivals and spends, prompted by economic uncertainty. Also, financially, the market scores over others because it spends more, supports cultural causes and has a characteristically longer duration of stay. Gay-friendly hotels are seen as progressive and also benefit from goodwill and loyalty. But there’s a long way to go in terms of catering to this market effectively, in India’s true spirit of hospitality. The third step is staff-training: they need to respect the guest’s privacy and exclusivity.

HOTELS OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS HICSA 2013 BEST LUXURY / UPPER UPSCALE HOTEL

Park Hyatt Chennai

BEST UPSCALE HOTEL

Double Tree by Hilton Gurgaon, Gurgaon

BEST MID MARKET HOTEL

Lemon Tree Hotel, Chandigarh

BEST BUDGET HOTEL

Holiday Inn Express Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad

BEST SMALL HOTEL

Svenska Design Hotel Bangalore, Bengaluru

Hot Seat - General Managers, moderated by Kapil Chopra, president The Oberoi Group, evoked plenty of laughs all around.

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71 EVENT

PRESENTED BY

MAGAZINE PARTNER

With a focus on technology, the event revealed new thoughts on operational efficiency, evolution of hotel architecture and how to make technology a viable investment oped. Vivek Menzel, principal architect, VMD Architecture & Interior Design, said, “What you do with design is a very critical part of creating a property’s technology. Today it is about integrating the two.” Animesh Ghatak, VP-hospitality, Mantri Developers, said that hotels need to think ahead when it comes to choosing technology at the project stage: “The hotel might take three or more years to build, and by that time the market might change. Three-years-hence and onwards is normally what I plan for when integrating technology into a hotel and also its general offering and services in terms of facilities and amenities.” He said

BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

he third edition of the Trinity of Success series of roundtables, following Mumbai and Delhi last year, was held in Bangalore on April 5th, 2013. Characteristically, it delved into the roles, rules, objectives and obstacles pertaining to a given project’s three key decision-makers: the architect, the developer and the operator.

oderator Niranjan Mudholkar, executive editor, ITP Publishing Group set the ball rolling by evaluating the significance of technology when the project is being conceptualised and devel-

this must all be set against the backdrop of commercial viability. He also came up with an interesting point: “It might be a good idea to begin to differentiate between technologically steeped rooms and those that are devoid of it.”

THOUGHT POINTS

Could these become future norms?  Technology and non-technology rooms  Brand standards to focus on the experience rather than design  From architecture-led services to service-led architecture  Owner-operator-architect cocreate briefs

Nitin Saolapurkar, president IIID, added, “There has to be a consideration on what level of technology is required. To start with, it must be user-friendly (how often do you run into switches where you don’t know what they are and how they operate?). Secondly, it must not overpower the aesthetics and is best invisible – design should take the upper hand and it has to be there to help the guest.” Guest-recognition technology, for instance, is accepted as a fruitful investment – interestingly, even at smaller hotels. Mandar Zaware, senior design manager, Marriott International, gave the example of this with a small property called the Captains Hotel in Chandigarh, where the staff knew

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EVENT

about his choices from the second day of his stay onwards. Another facet that came up was energy-efficiency in technology. Thus far, the debate on energy efficiency has been related to the incremental cost to the owner or developer. However, Nirupa Shankar, director, Brigade Hospitality Services, shared her Group’s thoughtprocess on the subject: “What we do when we plan our hotels is that we choose energy efficient options, but not at the cost of customer comfort. We ensure LED lighting in the 24/7 areas like hallways and other public areas, but in-room lighting are halogens, so that it doesn’t affect the guest experience.”

ut when it comes to technology – or anything investment-

MOVING MINDSETS

intensive – in a hotel, the discussion always returns full circle to cost and spend. The panel went into the fact that innovative architecture and interior design could go a long way in reducing energy costs. “This is how you get building layouts that are as efficient as possible because you and your designer can figure out how to use more sunlight, or – like we do in Bangalore – how to use the ambient temperature to your benefit. Operational efficiency can be ensured by integrating design and technology,” Shankar added. Mudholkar then steered the discussion towards the role and significance of lighting consultants. “We need the consultants as they provide assistance on the implementation of Six Sigma processes. Like for example, at the Sheraton Ban-

There’s lots of resistance to new technology. Sandeep Singh of Schnieder Electric tackles each. Complicated: It could be quite disconcerting when guests say “When I enter the room I see a plethora of switches in front of me I don’t know even know which one to press for a given need.” This is happening alongside the huge shift where technology is occupying an increasingly significant role and guests want everything integrated to their i-pads. Yet there remains a segment of the market that wants pure mechanical switches. Redundancy: I hear this a lot, but it’s a more of a mind set. The price of every technology we use gets lowered. Over time. As we know, three to four years ago we had to pay for wifi but now it is becoming a norm to provide it. Expensive: In the long term, technology brings down your operational cost.

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galore hotel we wanted to reduce energy cost. One of the things we looked at was the dimming schedule. Our lighting consultants came and suggested that we reduce the luminescence of each of the light by anything between 10 and 15 per cent,” Shankar recounted. Chandrashekar Hariharan, executive chairman, Biodiversity Conservation India added lease prices have gone up because of the established cost of ownership, and we as a community are paying no attention to it. He also drew attention to costs that can be taken care of by building green and operating sustainably: “It may take 10 to 12 years to recognise that indeed the genuine challenges will be energy, water and waste. If we do not address these now, and at the project development stage, we will face problems in the long term,” he said.

ne look at newly-launched projects such as the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, or those in the pipeline such as Starwood’s W hotel in Mumbai and it’s fair to say that hotel design on the home turf is going truly global. “Earlier there was a mentality that ‘this is the best you can achieve in India’ but now there are great expectations and whatever the earlier constraints are, the demand is that we benchmark the best globally. It is an indica-

tor of greater changes to come,” he added. He said that one of the greatest changes to the hotel product is emerging as guests are available to access hotels – online – that suit their tastes, both aesthetic and experiential, versus earlier where it was a rate-driven, take-what-you-get situation. “The shift has to be from brand standards to guest-experience standards,” he summed it up. Hariharan agreed: “In the last say 5-6 years there has been a significant change from architecture-led services to services-led architecture.” Shyam Damodaran, head of strategy, Mfar Holdings said that Indian projects today deserve a pat for their design and architecture. “These components are certainly better in India. But the evolution needs to occur in MEP,” he said.

ariharan also suggested a new process – co-creation of briefs. Siraj Hassan, principal, Siraj & Renu differed almost immediately, explaining, “It cannot work in a hotel because its design is – or should be – operations led. Other entities can get into the aesthetics and say that you don’t need a glass building but on co creating a brief I beg to differ it won’t be a design that will work for a particular operator – they have to make money.” The general response was that, operators today are also more open to owner involvement. Naveen Raju, director, Chancery Hotels gave an example: “Around four years ago I started interaction with an international brand, the word used was brand police. But the same operator, about a year ago – after not having picked up any contract in India – used the term brand guidelines indicating an enormous change in the approach to the standards itself.” He underlined that letting the architect have a say is imperative. Prem Chandavarkar, managing partner, CnT Architects suggested that a crowded marketplace is the reason why everyone is becoming more accommodating. “Standard templates won’t work anymore – using the expertise of three, a differentiated product can be created,” he says. HI

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ROUNDTABLE

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS AMIT MITRA Director of business development Le Meridien Coimbatore, he has served here since 2011. His 12 years of experience includes The Ascott, GRT, Carlson and Sarovar.

ASHOK BHAT As director of purchase Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel New Delhi, he has spent nine-and-a-half years with Shangri-La. Prior to this, he was at Carlson’s Radisson New Delhi.

BERNAD FERNANDES Materials manager Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai, he has a 28-year-long career in hospitality. He has also served at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre & Hotel, The Oberoi Mumbai and Saudi Airlines.

PRAMOD GUPTA As senior VP, purchase Jaypee Hotels, he handles Jaypee Vasant Continental and Jaypee Siddharth in Delhi, Jaypee Residency Manor, Mussoorie, Jaypee Palace Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra and Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida.

PARVEZ MALDAR Senior manager procurement Pallazzio Hotels & Leisure, he has worked at the erstwhile Taj President in Mumbai and on a project at the Mumbai international airport covering designer liaison and sourcing for KFC, Pizza Hut, IIFA Bar, Bombay Blue and Coffee Club.

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Today’s biggest procurement deals are related to exotic ingredients, high-tech kitchen equipment and electrical supplies.

Buzz in buying Procurement takes top priority when profits are under pressure and competitors offer more. Purchase managers share best practices and map the future of this behind-the-scenes pillar of a hotel. With wishlists for things that would make a day in the life of a procurement manager easier, the purchase department is abuzz with change BY RAYNAH COUTINHO

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ROUNDTABLE

Q: Which areas of hotel operations have traditionally been a challenge for procurement managers and which ones are becoming so now? Amit Mitra: The kitchen, being the biggest consumption area for any hotel, has traditionally been a challenge considering the need to maintain freshness, to order required quantity to avoid wastage, to conserve energy in storing areas, management of perishables and daily consumption dry items, etc. For large banquet parties and outdoor events, we use different suppliers with quantity-based single-time price. Maintenance and electrical supplies are becoming a big challenge with frequent load shedding leading to increased electrical overheads and diesel procurement. Ashok Bhat: F&B is one of the departments where the world is

Q: Can you tell us about interesting/persuasive payment plans that suppliers are putting out, if any? Exotic food hog a purchase head’s focus.

changing beyond imagination, from interiors to production and service equipment and ingredients. Everything has been revolutionised. The biggest challenge for the procurement team is the after-sales service for imported equipment, locating spare parts and sometimes the very availability of products. Bernad Fernandes: Specialty restaurants and engineering civil works have been a challenge. For specialty restaurants in the past, it was a task to procure imported exotic food products but these ingredients are now readily available in the market. Pramod Gupta: The new food safety and standard regulations 2011 is the biggest challenge at hand, as it has already come in force but the basics are still to be clarified by the authorities.

Q: Any software/technology that you’d like to see made available to make your day-today functions a breeze?

There is a call for online distribution.

Mitra: Would love to see websites being developed that compares products and prices for hotels to place orders. This will avoid the traditional “three quote generation” system. Also, it would be great if products and services can be ordered on mobile and tablets. Bhat: Every step that can either cut costs or add extra value through the

addition of automation and communication systems is valuable. In India, where there is a multiple tax structure in use, the current software does not incorporate customs duty, freight charges and clearing charges, etc. The need of the hour is software that can help us incorporate the entire tax structure. Fernandes: We are already using Micros Fidelio which is one of the best in the market. Maldar: Oracle-based software like Orion. Gupta: I would prefer to work online for all types of purchases, whether it is perishable good or big engineering equipments.

Mitra: One of them is bulk purchase with staggered payments. In turn, we stick to a very effective cycle of fortnightly and ontime payments. Like salaries, suppliers’ payments are a priority. This betters working relations with suppliers, which helps in times of crisis. Bhat: On the contrary, credit limits have drastically reduced with Staggered payment schemes are popular. the world economic crisis. It is mandatory to give full advance payment for imported supplies and partial payments for local vendor supplies. Fernandes: If a payment is processed within a week, the discount is higher (over and above the negotiated rate). Parvez Maldar: SBLC (standby letter of credit) for payment which I can accord by end of this project.

Q: Any streamlining with other departments that would make your job easier/more effective/or that would ensure better deals? Any moves towards this that you/your property/ your management have initiated?

The trend is cross-meetings that allow purchase heads lead time to bring in supplies.

Mitra: Better planning from user departments with proper lead time for purchase and proper indenting will avoid wastage. Maintenance of close-to-accurate par level stock in stores helps to avoid distress purchase. Bhat: More interaction with department heads will help to understand their needs

and is a continuous process. Interdepartmental cross training of the procurement staff is carried out from time to time. A weekly/ monthly meeting with different departments has two-way benefits. Fernandes: Our hotel has broken up the purchase of products for different departments to simplify the process and follow a cost-effective path.

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77 ROUNDTABLE

Q: What software do you use? Any new, interesting ones coming in, especially anything that runs on mobile technology?

BUYING BRILLIANCE

Mitra: Sunshine Purchase and Procurement System is the software that we use, that enables all operational departments to indent/log purchase requisitions and stores requisitions on the system, minimising the multiple process flow and paperwork. Bhat: We use Check EAM- (Morten Bay Technologies – from Australia), which is among the latest and most advanced software. We are the first hotel to use it. It has an online approval system from the point of raising the product request in the system up to the approval level. We are not using mobile technology for any material management. Fernandes: Micros Fidelio, and our upcoming plan is to use Birds Street. Maldar: MMS is basic software which is used across the hospitality industry. Gupta: We have recently switched over to Win HM, which is efficient in generating reports.

Maldar saved a lot on LEDs.

Q: The future of procurement – best practices that should be implemented.

Purchase managers want better processes.

Mitra: Strict compliance to standard operating procedures will reduce inefficiencies and volatile spends. Safety, reliability, quality and ontime delivery from suppliers will contribute to saving time and energy. Online purchase of goods and materials from large and branded retailers with fixed prices or discounted rates for institutions. Fernandes: Now the focus is on improved quality, at a lower cost and with less impact on the environment. Maldar: HPMF (Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum) is a best practices forum which helps us in communicating and interacting with our peers on new product and also sharing vital knowledge on suppliers. Gupta: A well-organised perfectly competitive manufacturing market in India, which is lacking so far.

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Q: A few areas where suppliers should make efforts to simplify/improve things for hotels Mitra: Dynamic websites that feature the details of products with hotel-specific prices, quality assurance and goods return policy and the option to order online. Bhat: Indian vendors should HACCP certification is imperative. use digital marketing to reach their clients. The more information available on the web page will simplify the vendor’s problems and improve the business. Fernandes: Suppliers could make the billing system simpler to avoid duplication and error. Maldar: HACCP certification for perishables. Gupta: I would like if suppliers maintained sufficient stocks of contractual items and kept to agreed-upon deliveries. A movement towards appropriate transport systems for the delivery of perishable products is imperative.

Q: Is turnover within procurement as as high as in other departments like F&B, housekeeping and sales & marketing. How do you train, motivate and retain? Mitra: Attrition rate averages between zero and one per cent in procurement versus five and eight per cent in operations. Bhat: The department is very small with a maximum of five people in each hotel; if one person leaves, it adds up to a total turnover of 20-25 per cent in the department. Apart from on-the-job training, visits to exhibitions, vendor premises and production units, etc., are scheduled to enable the staff to increase their product knowledge and keep them motivated towards the job.

Q: Tell us about the best deal you’ve made for your property in the last year and how much it saved the hotel.

Fernandes: Despite increases in seafood rates over last year, the hotel has still managed to maintain same percentage discount (6 per cent). Maldar: I have negotiated the best possible rate for mattresses, which was lower than the corporate rate contract extended to the Shangri-la Group. Also, as far as engineering is concerned, our designer had listed a requirement for T5 tubelights and LEDs, which was converted into 230 direct plug-in LEDs , resulting in a saving of Rs18,00,000. Gupta: As suggested by our architects, we were asked to carry out a façade cladding at Jaypee Residency Manor’s extension New Valley View Tower in Mussorie. We explored an alternate material, which was approximately Rs500 cheaper per sq.ft. This resulted in a saving of approximately Rs50 lakhs.

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PRODUCTS

Picks of the month DELTA FAUCET’S VERO™ BATH COLLECTION Delta Faucet Company India (Delta India) has introduced its new Vero™ bath collection that features water-efficient showerheads and faucets in an elegant ribbon design. The clean lines in a ribbon and modern styling of the contemporary look, lend contemporary elegance to the bathroom. Showerheads in the Vero™ collection feature H2O kinetic technology that offers a unique shower experience. Each showerhead contains an internal system that sculpts the water into a unique wave pattern, creating a consumer-proven feeling of more water, without using more water. The Vero™ bath collection is a full suite of products to provide a coordinated look throughout the bath and is available in Chrome. Delta India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Faucet Company USA (Delta), the faucet innovation leader headquartered at Indianapolis.

DELTA INDIA Website: www.deltafaucet.in

LG’S ULTRA-EFFICIENT AC SOLUTIONS The Multi V Water IV, a new product showcased by LG Electronics India at ACREX India 2013, is the brand’s latest watercooled air conditioning solution, and is particularly well suited for highrise HVAC applications. LG’s fourth generation inverter compressor enables the Multi V Water IV to offer customers the widest operational range in the industry. It functions effectively and efficiently, boasting a LG ELECTRONICS INDIA 5.5 COP when cooling or Website: www.lg.com/in heating. Additionally, the Multi V Water IV is 26 per cent more efficient in partial load conditions than any chiller on the market; it registers an integrated part load value (IPLV) of 6.73. LG’s original shell and coil-type heat exchanger, tailored to perform in India, can be removed and washed separately for greater convenience. The water-cooled Multi V Water IV’s heat exchanger is also able to offer consistent performance, regardless of local water quality. Operational efficiency has also been improved via a range of intelligent functions, and installation is now easier thanks to reduced dimensions and overall weight.

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CABERNET SAUVIGNON WINE Myra Vineyards, a new entrant in the domestic wine market, launched Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a dry, medium to full-bodied with aromas of dark fruit that combine with a hint of green bell pepper and earthy notes. Myra Cabernet Sauvignon can be enjoyed on its own and can also be relished when paired with creamy pastas or Indian gravy dishes and goes extremely well with hard cheese when had at 16-18 Deg. Cel. Myra Vineyards was founded by an ex banker, Ajay Shetty and is headquartered in Bangalore. Myra Vineyards has its presence in Maharashtra and Karnataka and will soon expand across the country. Recently, Myra’s Shiraz won the gold medal at the Indian Wine Consumer’s Choice Awards 2012 for being the favourite premium wine in the non reserve Shiraz category which was held in November 2012. They have also recently conducted the Myra Open Golf Championship at Coorg.

MYRA VINEYARDS Website: www.myravineyards.com

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PRODUCTS

LAUNCH OF SHIRAZ ROSÉ

OYSTER’S LAGOON MULTISYSTEM

Fratelli Wines, one of India’s leading wines, has launched their latest product, Shiraz Rosé. A bright gold pink coloured wine, this wine has fruity tones of cherries, plums and strawberries both on the palate and the nose. Priced at Rs 530 for 750 ml bottle, it can be enjoyed on its own or with light pasta dishes or a cheese platter. This Rosé has a clean finish with balanced acidity and pairs well with diverse of foods, chicken and cheese. This wine goes well with fruits and roasted nuts too and is an ideal choice given the turn in the weather. ‘Fratelli’ which translates to ‘Brothers’ in Italian is an Indo-Italian venture intended to bring the best of wines to the country. Collaboration between three familiesthe Secci brothers from Italy - Alessio and Andrea, the Sekhri brothers from Delhi – Gaurav and Kapil, and the Mohite-Patil brothers from Akluj – Ranjit Singh and Arjun Singh, the partnership intends to bring in Italian wine brewing tradition coupled with the favourable Indian cultivation terrains to the wine market.

Oyster Bath, a leading manufacturer of luxury and wellness bathing products, launches Lagoon Multi Systems. Embodying the changing trends in bathrooms, Lagoon, a concept by leading designers, creates a relaxation zone that is modern in style and promises all round wellness. Lagoon is a wellness oasis that comes with feather-touch digital control panel, eight anti-scaling hydro massage jets, rain-type 12” square overhead shower with dome tubelights, multi-flow hand shower fitted on an adjustable rail, thermostatic lever mixer with diverter, waterfall, exhaust fan, speaker, built-in shampoo rack, artificial stone drain waste, electronic control 3KW steam generator and toughened glass revolution door. Priced at Rs3,02,700, it also has smart health care functions like electronic control steam function with timer, electronics temperature control, provision for using aroma therapy; and leisure functions like FM radio, safety function like earth leakage circuit breaker and an optional artificial stone shower stool. OYSTER BATH CONCEPTS Website: www.oysterbath.com

FRATELLI WINES Website: www.fratelliwines.in

ROCKFORD RESERVE LAUNCHED Post the launch of Arctic vodka in the premium range of spirits, Modi Illva has introduced The Rockford Reserve, the most premium IMFL whisky for the Indian audience. Launched in a phased manner, The Rockford Reserve in available across the country in 18 states in three SKUs of 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml and is priced at Rs720 in Delhi for 750 ml. This is the second offering from the joint venture between India’s leading industrial conglomerate Umesh Modi Group and Italy’s Illva Saronno, one of world’s finest liqueur manufacturers. Made from the finest oak aged Scottish malt whiskies blended with charcoal filtered Indian grain spirits, The Rockford Reserve is a rich, smooth and smoky whisky. With deep, rich golden colour and an outstanding warm and well-rounded nose, its deep undertones are offset by lighter, fresh top-notes. The Rockford Reserve has a clean finish with good length and further hints of oak. MODI ILLVA INDIA PVT. LTD. Website: www.modiillva.com

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81 CHECKING OUT

Hotel Trivia

10 things you didn’t know about… ITC Grand Chola, Chennai

1 63 6 27 38 49 510 432

There are columns across the property.

The hotel has 22 guest elevators, 10 service elevators and 10 escalators. If all 10 escalators were operating in one direction, they could move

600 guests per minute.

The total built-up area of the hotel is more than

types of marble, covering 10 lakh sq. ft. were imported from Italy for the hotel.

BRIHADESHWARA

There are gateways to the hotel from the cardinal directions - north, south, east and west — just like traditional temple entrances.

The height of ITC Grand Chola, till the top of its dome, is

50 METRES

81_Hi_May_2013_checking out.indd 81

SQ.

The area of the bio-wall (planter area) is

The decorative ceilings are replicas of the original carved granite roofs of the temple at Tanjore and Dharasuram temple near Kumbakonam.

15,00,000

390

sq. m.

ITC Grand Chola is the first hotel in India to use

IPADS as in-room controllers.

ITC Grand Chola uses RFID technology that enables

guest-recognition

from a distance by reading the unique code encrypted in his key card.

Hotelier India | May 2013

29-04-2013 19:43:27

Mitsubishi Electric India Pvt. Ltd.

Head Office: Address 2nd Floor , Tower A & B, DLF Cyber Greens, DLF Cyber City , DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon - 122002. (Haryana) Tel. No:0124 4630300 Mobile: 9810304235 / 9818203205 Website: www.mitsubishielectric.in Email : customersupport@asia.meap.com Customer Care/Toll Free No: 1800 1022 626 Branch Office / Sales Contact - Chandigarh: Tel: 0172-4601645 Mobile: 9872656466. Jaipur Tel: 0141-4011109 / 9828037525 / 9928912555 Mumbai Mobile: 9322164448 / 9619966613. Pune Tel: 020 27102000 Ext: 343 Mobile: 9545130895 / 9890614499. Ahmedabad Mobile: 9824112118 / 9978997660. Bangalore Tel: 080-40201600, Mobile: 9663375611 / 9036015699. Chennai Mobile: 9962518526 / 9840827180. Hyderabad Mobile: 9949900399 / 8897967897. Kochi Mobile: 9846013451 / 8129445670. Kolkata: 9903037097. Lucknow: 9336311110. Coimbatore: 9500998856 / 9840827180. Indore: 9755026264. Nagpur: 9921442323. Surat: 9327240082. Vijaywada: 8498894567

www.mitsubishielectric.in Mitsubishi.indd 80

5/3/2013 11:35:44 AM