Mars Ng, guest services manager at the front office at the OZO Wesley hotel in Wan Chai, was attracted by the prospect of a career in the hospitality industry because she enjoys working with people.
“It is an exciting and people-oriented industry. Millions travel all over the world every day, and most stay in hotels. I think the job broadens my horizon through encountering people from different cultural backgrounds,” she says.
Ng is stationed at The Spot, the one –stop counter offering front desk service, information, and local insights. “My major duty is to ensure guests are having a good time. I love to interact with guests from different cultural backgrounds and help them solve the problems they encounter. I share my local knowledge when guests are interested to learn more about the city. At OZO Wesley, we pride ourselves on being ‘vocal locals’, offering advice on the music scene, hot shops and cool spots to explore,” Ng says.
Handling guest inquiries and requests is one of Ng’s duties and, as with all service industries, demanding guests are unavoidable. But Ng believes that patience and a willingness to serve can turn complaints into compliments.
“One guest refused to pay a deposit on arrival, requested items the hotel doesn’t provide, shouted at my team members and complained unreasonably. But my team members were very patient and tried to cater for his needs. On his departure, he apologised and told us that he was very stressed at work. He appreciated our professionalism and gave each of us a red packet. It gave us a lot of satisfaction,” she says.
Ng says the hospitality industry needs people who are cheerful, hardworking and able to work under pressure.
“You must always have a smile for guests. That’s quite hard if you’re not a cheerful person. Working hard is a must, no matter which industry you are in. Flexibility and an ability to multitask are required. We must make it easy for guests to come and go. If you achieve this, you will enjoy working in this industry, as I do.”