Hotel Operations Manager
Who Is A Hotel Operations Manager?
OK, imagine this! You are on a holiday and have booked yourself into a luxurious hotel. You have spent the whole day exploring the place and are now headed to the hotel. You are so hungry and tired, you just want to retire to your room for the day.
A refreshing aroma welcomes you as you enter your room. Your bed is made, clothes have been laundered and toiletries have been refilled, courtesy housekeeping. Steaming fresh food arrives courtesy room service. In no time, you are fast asleep on a super-comfortable bed.
Now, think about it. Who is responsible for this experience? For ensuring that every hotel guest has an equally comfortable and enjoyable stay? A hotel operations manager, that’s who! They mainly ensure that all guests have a great stay at the hotel.
Of course, the different teams and team members contribute to this. However, it is the hotel operations manager who keeps it all together. They oversee and ensure all the departments’ smooth functioning.
As a hotel operations manager, you try to provide guests with the best service possible. From the security at the gate to the chef in the kitchen – you keep an eye on everyone. You can choose to be a hotel operations manager if you like interacting with people and keeping them happy. A hotel without an operations manager is like a ship without its captain.
Roles & Responsibilities
Overseeing the functioning of all departments like the kitchen, security, housekeeping and others. You have to make sure that they all function smoothly.
Solving logistical problems. For example, there is a shortage of some kitchen utility. You have to make sure that the appropriate person in charge sources it immediately.
Ensuring that the security of the hotel is perfect and the guests are received and served as per the guidelines. You might also be a part of the team that makes the guidelines
Conducting regular meetings with the heads of all departments. This is once again to make sure their issues are being solved. For example, the housekeeping head could update you with some issue that needs attention.
Conducting quality checks on the food stock in the kitchen. You must ensure that they are not using low-quality oil or stale vegetables while preparing a dish.
Offering proper training programs to all departments like firefighting drills to the security team.
Being available 24/7 to resolve any urgent queries or situations. For example, arranging medical help for a guest who might have an urgent health issue.
Ensuring that the members of other departments are well groomed and presentable. This may include the front desk staff, the security team and others.
Assigning specific duties to each staff member in case there is an event in the hotel. For instance, conferences that require the name tags of all attendees are checked at the entrance.
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What Skills Will I Need To Have To Do This Job Well?
As exciting as this sounds, there are some things you’ll need to learn to do the job right:
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Having excellent communication skills is crucial. You will be interacting with the hotel staff and also the guests. Communication is at the core of your job. You have to understand your guests’ needs. You also have to ensure perfect coordination with staff members.
ACCOUNTING SKILLS
You have to prepare budgets for different verticals like events and consumables. For this, you have to work in tandem with the head of each department. You need to have excellent accounting skills for various calculations.
COMPUTER SKILLS
You need to oversee the use of different softwares and programs for different purposes. Maintaining a database of the guests, stock-taking of items and other such tasks require computer skills. These go a long way in helping you stay organized and efficient.
TRAINING SKILLS
You have the head of a whole lot of departments. In this industry, different training programs are important to hone your people skills. You need to be able to help train your staff so they can be the best at their jobs.
MANAGERIAL SKILLS
As a hotel operations manager, you have to work on the ground all the time. Your managerial skills are very important to help you lead and guide your subordinates well. For example, imagine that one of your employees has irked a guest. In such a scenario, you have to calm the guest and make him/her happy. However, you also have to make sure that the employee’s side of the story is heard.
PRESENTATION SKILLS
You have to look presentable at all times. You also have to help other members keep themselves well-groomed. Good mannerisms and a well-groomed appearance are very important. You also have to be courteous to everyone all the time, irrespective of your state of mind.
What Will My Workplace Look Like?
You will work in the hospitality industry. You will have to ensure that the guests are comfortable and you need to be available at all times. You will have regular meetings with all the departments to make sure that they are functioning smoothly.
At times, you may have to attend to customer complaints and grievances. In such a scenario, diplomacy is the way to go. You should handle the situation with courtesy and patience.
As a hotel operations manager, you will spend most of your time at the hotel. You just have to be quick-footed because you may be needed in any part of the property any time. Apart from being present at the property, you might have to travel for vendor meetings or hotel conferences.
While interacting with people outside the hotel, you represent the brand. To them, you are the face of the hotel. So model your words and actions accordingly.
What Is My Scope For Career Growth As A Hotel Operations Manager?
The demand for a hotel operation manager will always remain. The general path is:
- Junior Duty Manager
- Senior Duty Manager
- Hotel Operations Manager
At the entry level, you will start as a junior duty manager. You will be assigned different tasks in various departments. For example, you will have to take stock of the provisions in the kitchen or toiletries in the bathroom. You will report to the senior duty manager.
As senior duty manager, you will be assigned a particular department to look after. You will also manage the office functions. Your assigned department changes depending on the decision of the hotel operations manager. You will report to the hotel operations manager.
You will then eventually be promoted to the hotel operations manager level. Here you will be supervising the senior duty manager. You will do this along with the other responsibilities as discussed earlier.
Thinking of a career as a Hotel Operations Manager? Take the Mentoria assessment & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.
How Much Will I Get Paid?
The exact number will depend on where you’re working, your education, skill set and internship experience. But we can give you a general idea.
A hotel operations manager usually earns anywhere between Rs. 3,00,000 and Rs. 14,90,000 annually! The bigger the hotel you work for, the higher your pay will be.
Okay, I'm sold. This is amazing
STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College
Go to high school and junior college before entering the hospitality industry. The minimum qualification is passing the 12th grade with a minimum of 50%. You could belong to any stream.
STEP 2: Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM)
You can pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from any renowned hotel management institute. It’s a four-year course and comprises of subjects like hospitality communication, hotel financial accounting and more. Alternatively, you can also opt for a Diploma in Hotel Management from any recognized institute. It is a three-year course. It consists of subjects like food production and patisserie, accommodation service and more.
STEP 3: Internship
There’s nothing better than an internship to introduce you to the world of hospitality. You can work as an intern while you are studying for your hotel management course. You can also work as an intern during your vacations. An internship, if done well can occasionally lead to a job offer too!
STEP 4: Get a Job
You can join a hotel as a junior duty manager. This will be your first step up the ladder. Ensure you gain practical knowledge of the industry and the job. You can then go on to explore options for a promotion or moving to a bigger hotel. Congratulations, you are now officially a Hotel Operations Manager!
STEP 5: Master of Hotel Management (MHM)
Just as with other education options, even with hotel management, you can pursue a postgraduate course. It is a two-year course and consists of subjects like advanced front office management, advanced kitchen operation, administration, etc.
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