While I was experiencing The Residence Maldives, I wondered about one thing. How can a property be so well kept and employees genuinely smiling and being caring. Be it the ambiance, food, service , everything was pleasing. I had many questions in my mind for the General Manager of the property- Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram. Good that I got an opportunity to interact with him.

Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram, The General Manager of The Residence Maldives

Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram, GM of The Residence Maldives

Interaction with Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram 

1. Which country’s people visit The Residence  Maldives

The Resort is most visited by Korea, Japan, China, UK, Germany, Spain and France. Generally the occupancy rate is 65-70% and during peak season it goes up till 80%

2. What are you doing for Indian guests to come

We didn’t have an Indian menu. Now we have trained staff and also Chefs from India. Our spa- clarins is our pride. Marine environment is unique. It is the largest and deepest in the the world.

3. I see all employees happy and motivated. They serve with passion. What is the secret behind happy employees

We deal with frontline staff and look after them well. A happy staff makes guest happy. We have ongoing training programs to up skill our employees. Also, the key to pleasing staff is that during interviews, whether a person has less skill but a good attitude and has a smiling face, we try and employ that person. A smiling face tries to bring in a lot of positivity and such people are easy to work with. They have better skills for guest service.

4. How do you motivate employees?

Its in the form of recognition. We recognise people and they get noticed during morning meetings. We also do several competition amongst employees, celebrate birthdays , do offsites.

5. What are the challenges you face ?

Due to global warming , the way weather is changing. 90% of things are to be imported. They have to be transferred the same day. A lot of money is spent in import and also we have to ensure the freshness of stuff.

6. What special treatment you do with guests to make them loyal or spread the word

We create unique experiences for every guest and cater to their needs. Take care of Birthday/ Anniversary. Decorate beds and  and photo shoots and many such things.

7. How does travel inspire you?

Travel is a very important aspect in this industry. Regarding food and beverage, you find new dishes and their presentations. Earlier coffee used to be only a beverage now it’s an experience. The more you travel, more you get to see all these things. When we have guests from the destinations we have travelled,  we will know their expectations already which gives us an upper edge.

Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram is an Indian. He has over 25 years of experience in Hotel Industry. He brings with him the treasure of knowledge after working with brands like Holiday Inn Male and Holiday Inn Kingston, Hulhule Island Hotel. Sundaram has done his MBA in Tourism and Hotel Management, Masters in Tourism Management and Masters in Hotel  Management. Apart from these qualifications, Mr. Sundaram is a humble human being and takes good care of his staff and guests.

Nidhi KM

© Viharin.com

While I was experiencing The Residence Maldives, I wondered about one thing. How can a property be so well kept and employees genuinely smiling and being caring. Be it the ambiance, food, service , everything was pleasing. I had many questions in my mind for the General Manager of the property- Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram. Good that I got an opportunity to interact with him.

Interaction with Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram 

1. Which country’s people visit The Residence  Maldives

The Resort is most visited by Korea, Japan, China, UK, Germany, Spain and France. Generally the occupancy rate is 65-70% and during peak season it goes up till 80%

2. What are you doing for Indian guests to come

We didn’t have an Indian menu. Now we have trained staff and also Chefs from India. Our spa- clarins is our pride. Marine environment is unique. It is the largest and deepest in the the world.

3. I see all employees happy and motivated. They serve with passion. What is the secret behind happy employees

We deal with frontline staff and look after them well. A happy staff makes guest happy. We have ongoing training programs to up skill our employees. Also, the key to pleasing staff is that during interviews, whether a person has less skill but a good attitude and has a smiling face, we try and employ that person. A smiling face tries to bring in a lot of positivity and such people are easy to work with. They have better skills for guest service.

4. How do you motivate employees?

Its in the form of recognition. We recognise people and they get noticed during morning meetings. We also do several competition amongst employees, celebrate birthdays , do offsites.

5. What are the challenges you face ?

Due to global warming , the way weather is changing. 90% of things are to be imported. They have to be transferred the same day. A lot of money is spent in import and also we have to ensure the freshness of stuff.

6. What special treatment you do with guests to make them loyal or spread the word

We create unique experiences for every guest and cater to their needs. Take care of Birthday/ Anniversary. Decorate beds and  and photo shoots and many such things.

7. How does travel inspire you?

Travel is a very important aspect in this industry. Regarding food and beverage, you find new dishes and their presentations. Earlier coffee used to be only a beverage now it’s an experience. The more you travel, more you get to see all these things. When we have guests from the destinations we have travelled,  we will know their expectations already which gives us an upper edge.

Mr. Meenakshi Sundaram is an Indian. He has over 25 years of experience in Hotel Industry. He brings with him the treasure of knowledge after working with brands like Holiday Inn Male and Holiday Inn Kingston, Hulhule Island Hotel. Sundaram has done his MBA in Tourism and Hotel Management, Masters in Tourism Management and Masters in Hotel  Management. Apart from these qualifications, Mr. Sundaram is a humble human being and takes good care of his staff and guests.

Nidhi KM

© Viharin.com