Leading with the Heart

Acting GM & Director of Operations, Doreen Hotel speaks to ICE Today about the challenges of the hospitality industry in Bangladesh.

Please tell us about your hospitality journey so far. How has the hospitality industry in Bangladesh changed since you first started?

I started my hotel journey in 2005 with Hotel Sarina. At the time, there were only two five-star hotels in Bangladesh, Sheraton (now InterContinental) and Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka. After more than a year in Sarina, I started working at Radisson Hotel in 2007 as a senior executive in sales. Radisson was the third official five-star hotel in the country. I spent more than seven years there, and it was there that I learned about the industry and got to understand our customers, who were primarily international travellers, as well as their needs and wants, and what factors would lead to them choosing a particular hotel over others in the industry. When I left Radisson in 2015, my designation was Assistant Director of Sales. I joined Four Points by Sheraton (currently Doreen Hotel) in 2016 as the Director of Sales and Marketing. We had to inaugurate the property. Commencing all hotel operations is a big challenge in and of itself, and it was incredibly challenging in the aftermath of the Holey Artisan incident. Our efforts paid off, as we received an overwhelmingly positive response when we inaugurated the hotel in February 2017. In January 2019, I was promoted to Director of Operations. I started looking after all the vital operational departments such as Loss and Prevention, Front Office, Engineering, and Food and Beverage (F&B) service. 

In terms of how the hospitality industry changed, at one time most hotel guests were related to the RMG industry as that was the country’s most booming industry that attracted foreigners. As infrastructure and development projects started taking place across the country as well, the hospitality industry grew as demand grew.  

What are the most essential qualities a GM in the hospitality sector must possess?

A GM must be a leader, not a boss. A GM needs to look after customers as well as employees. If the GM is not leading the employees properly, customer satisfaction will be hampered. A hotel has different departments, department heads, and team members, and a hotel such as ours has around 250 to 300 team members who all work under the GM. The GM needs to understand the needs of each department at all times. A GM needs to have leadership qualities. I know my customers will be happy only if my team is happy, and customers only return to a hotel if they are satisfied with their experience. It is why it is imperative to have an open-door policy, and I encourage all team members to speak up and share their ideas. I have monthly town hall sessions with the whole team and lunches with teams without their department heads so that they don’t see me as a boss but as one of the team. There are times when the team on the ground is overwhelmed, for example, when the banquet hall or the restaurant is swamped. In times like this, I try to be with them until they reach a comfort zone, which motivates employees to go the extra mile. As a leader, you must stand by your team during times of crisis. 

A GM must be a leader, not a boss. A GM needs to look after customers as well as employees. If the GM is not leading the employees properly, customer satisfaction will be hampered.

What features of Doreen Hotel set it apart from the other names in the hospitality sector?

Doreen Hotel provides comfort, competitive prices, and a convenient location. We are situated in a very lucrative location on Gulshan 2 circle. Customers need comfortable rooms, good breakfast service as that is the first meal of the day, quality amenities, and a brand that assures them of safety and security, and we provide all of these. What sets us apart from others in the industry is a ‘RevPar’, a hospitality term that means Revenue per available room. It is calculated by dividing the month’s revenue by the available rooms. In 2019, Doreen Hotel was number one in ranking in terms of RevPar in Dhaka’s hospitality industry. 

Doreen Hotel provides comfort, competitive prices, and a convenient location. We are situated in a very lucrative location on Gulshan 2 circle. Customers need comfortable rooms, good breakfast service as that is the first meal of the day, quality amenities, and a brand that assures them of safety and security, and we provide all of these.

Another aspect that sets us apart is our suites with kitchenette facilities. When foreigners come to Dhaka to work on short-term projects, whether for three months or six months, finding accommodation and all that comes with it, such as cleaning, can be a challenge; however, Dooren offers a fantastic solution. We have more than 30 suites with kitchenettes and laundry, housekeeping and breakfast services. We have had quite a large number of long-term hotel guests. 

In addition, our gym is open 24 hours a day, our infinity swimming pool has fantastic views, and our restaurant, The Beast, on the 26th floor, has an open terrace that provides a much-needed breathing space and views of the city. The food quality is unparalleled, as we have always had a dedicated and experienced international chef. We don’t serve any alcohol on the hotel premises, and we cater to the family market. A special attraction is that we have many different food festivals and innovative theme nights in our restaurants; for instance, we currently have a European food festival.

How do you foresee the current global economic crisis affecting the hospitality sector in Bangladesh?

At present, the hospitality sector is in a state of recovery after the pandemic. However, with the possibility of a global recession, 2023 will be a very challenging year for the hotel industry. The exchange rate is of great concern to us as it has forced us to increase prices. Customers are now thinking twice before making any travel plans, and are negotiating with us on the rates. Our challenge is ensuring quality service, and to do that, we need to import amenities as well as food products from abroad, so our costs are also increasing. As the cost of staying in hotels increases, many people will choose to have business meetings and conferences online instead of in person, and therefore the demand for hotels in our country will decrease. Thus, I believe that the government needs to assist the hospitality sector. Hotels bring in a lot of foreign remittances, both directly and indirectly. Not only do foreigners spend money in the hotel, but also when they eat at restaurants, shop, or use other services. Without government assistance, the industry will be in trouble.