Comfortably accommodating progress
The Gulf region has gone through major changes in recent years. The Dubai skyline has changed beyond recognition, and now the Sultanate of Oman is following suit by actively encouraging business and tourism. One of the resort hotels at the forefront of this campaign is the Grand Hyatt Muscat, as Andrew Pelis finds out.
Christoph Franzen, the Grand Hyatt MuscatÔÇÖs general manager, has over four yearsÔÇÖ experience with the hotel and is currently overseeing the complexÔÇÖs gradual transformation, as the Omani government seeks to further broaden the regionÔÇÖs appeal to the business community and beyond.
ÔÇ£Our main attraction is our consistent good service and the location; we are in the heart of the business district, close to many of the embassies,ÔÇØ says Franzen, who originally hails from Zermatt, Switzerland. ÔÇ£We offer a good product mix; in addition to our business facilities, we offer a beach, a swimming pool and a relaxed atmosphere. We address our customerÔÇÖs every need.ÔÇØ
The resortÔÇÖs business center offers state-of-the-art Wi-Fi access, flat-screen televisions and teleconference and video conference facilitiesÔÇöthe hotelÔÇÖs guest background being roughly 80 per cent business and 20 per cent leisure at present. ÔÇ£We also recently upgraded our laser printing and scanning network and Internet access, and our Club Rooms now provide Internet access free of charge,ÔÇØ Franzen says.
The Grand Hyatt Muscat is situated in the north-east of Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula, and regularly plays host to ministers, heads of state, movie stars and Bollywood celebrities. The hotelÔÇÖs six Crown Suites and Royal Suite are part of a complex offering 280 plush rooms capable of accommodating 600 guests at full capacity. Additionally, it boasts a large ballroom, business meeting rooms, a nightclub, bar, dining restaurant, steakhouse, Italian restaurant and beach restaurant.
Part of the Chicago-headquartered global Hyatt Corporation, the hotel has a peak season running between October and the end of April. From May onwards, temperatures soar and FranzenÔÇÖs team concentrates on the ongoing demand for improvements. ÔÇ£Much of our maintenance takes place during the quieter season, so we are able to employ 500 staff throughout the whole year,ÔÇØ Franzen explains.
The hotel first opened its doors for business 11 years ago, and much of its growth has taken place in the past four years. ÔÇ£Muscat was never previously engaged to the same business levels as Dubai and Abu DhabiÔÇöit has a much closer community, and this has shielded it somewhat from the global economic downturn,ÔÇØ Franzen continues. ÔÇ£In recent years the government here has wanted to invest in Oman as a tourist and business destination, and it aims to attract the more upmarket type of tourist.ÔÇØ
A prime example of how the country is developing has been the re-launch of Oman Air, the new national carrier which operates direct flights from major European cities to the Gulf of Oman.
As the countryÔÇÖs reputation as a tourist and business destination grows, so too does the demand on hotels like the Grand Hyatt Muscat, and those demands fall at the feet of Franzen and his team. ÔÇ£I am responsible for the operational side of what we do, and my job involves monitoring performance each day and ensuring our supply chain operates efficiently,ÔÇØ he acknowledges.
Indeed, Franzen cites supplies as the biggest challenge the hotel faces. ÔÇ£Everything is imported, and most of our supplies come through Dubai, where they are stored. We have to be aware of customs requirements and ensure that items are delivered when we need them, on a just-in-time basis; otherwise, there can be dire consequences for the hotel.
ÔÇ£We know how our customers operate and follow procedures,ÔÇØ Franzen continues. ÔÇ£It is always a question of planning ahead, and we have to judge where our customers are coming from and what supplies and services they will therefore expect. An example of this is our meat, which is supplied from Australia. We try to minimise our inventory, but there is a balance to maintain, and we have to look at seasonal fluctuations in the number of guests we host.ÔÇØ
In recent years there have been increases in transportation costs, but each year the hotel tenders its supplier needs, and today much of the linen, soaps and shampoosÔÇöthe guest amenity suppliesÔÇöcome from as far afield as India and China.
Franzen believes that attracting the right staff is one of the key reasons for the Grand Hyatt MuscatÔÇÖs success and explains that OmanÔÇÖs culture is not really geared towards the hotel industry. ÔÇ£One of our biggest challenges is to hire the best staff available. Sixty per cent of our staff are localÔÇösupplemented by staff from India, Pakistan and the Philippines; we hire very few EuropeansÔÇöand the hospitality industry does not really fit into the local culture. Additionally, many families are uncomfortable with the idea of their children working in a hotel where alcohol may be served.ÔÇØ
To counter these challenges, the hotel is now in the process of launching its own School of Hospitality, which will analyse every single protocol in hotel etiquette. The school is expected to open in August 2009, following ten months of detailed preparation.
This initiative is typical of an organisation that is constantly forward-thinking. Another new development is the introduction of new software aimed at improving customer interaction. ÔÇ£We are now in the process of launching a software system called Triton, supplied by the Indian company Knowcross,ÔÇØ confirms Franzen. ÔÇ£This will become an integral part of our customer order service, as it will allow guests to directly contact suppliers via a messaging system when they require something like a new towel. If the supplier has not confirmed that the job has been completed within 10 minutes, an alarm is raised to ask why. This is really a kind of quality assurance tool that will help us further improve standards.ÔÇØ
The company has also invested in a SCALA software package that links all aspects of operations from accounts and bookings through to billing.
While fuel costs remain low in Oman, Franzen feels that green initiatives like solar power have less appeal. However, the Grand Hyatt operates a ÔÇ£Green TeamÔÇØ constantly looking at energy efficiency ideas and has already eliminated plastic from all rooms. Additionally, employees are educated to be more aware of green issues, and each is provided with two recycled linen bags to discourage further use of plastic.
After 11 years, the Grand Hyatt Muscat, like Oman, continues its development; the next phase at the hotel is to upgrade the food and beverage side. ÔÇ£We have a number of new ideas to work on over the next three to five years,ÔÇØ states Franzen. ÔÇ£But ultimately the feedback we gather from guests suggests that it is the personal service they receive that makes the biggest difference. Our employees really show that they care.ÔÇØ
