New Marriott Hotel City Centre GM keeps momentum going
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Editor’s Note
Welcome to the Hotelier column which profiles the industry skills and personalities of the highly regarded professionals running major hotels in the Yangtze River Delta.
Having come on board just one month ago as general manager at Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre, Dutch-born hotelier Frank Sanders is happy to be back to the city.
Now on his third assignment in Shanghai within the same group, the 16-year Marriott veteran is still taking his time to get familiar with the property, which is the group’s largest hotel in Shanghai in terms of room number. Of course, he’s also still getting to know his new professional team of over 300 associates.
“2015 has been a very good year and my job, for now, is really to keep the momentum going,” said the new GM of the 720-room property located in the heart of downtown Shanghai.
“Shanghai is a great place with huge opportunities, and being at the center of it you feel the energy of the city,” he explained.
A superb location, excellent meeting facilities and outstanding service levels are what Sanders considers key advantages that make the hotel an ideal option for both corporate and leisure travelers.
Located within a commercial complex which also consists of office and retail spaces, and situated just a stone’s throw from People’s Square, Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre provides cultural, entertainment and shopping options for guests as well as a convenient base from which to explore the city.
Featuring a dedicated event space with a total floor area of 2,000 square-meters, including two pillarless ballrooms — 870 square-meters and 375 square-meters, respectively — and seven meeting and breakout rooms, the hotel is a hit with MICE guests, just as it was designed to be. Opened four years ago, the hotel also boasts a relatively low staff turnover rate, creating a stable environment which helps keep service levels high.
Sanders himself is a good example of how stability can foster top-notch service. Joining the group in 1999 as a front desk manager at Marriott Chongqing, he has acquired extensive experience with various brands under the Marriott International banner, notching professional stints in China, Spain, the Middle East and Vietnam.
“At Marriott, one great motivator for the staff is that nine out of ten times, a vacant position can be filled internally,” he said. “In Shanghai alone, there are a lot of opportunities as we have some 20 Marriott International properties here.”
While opportunities to climb the corporate ladder help foster loyalty, passion for the hospitality industry is the critical factor when it comes to finding career success.
For Sanders, his interest in the hospitality industry goes back to his teenage years, when he took a part-time job at a small fast-food restaurant in Holland. Doing everything from cooking French fries to working the cash register, he was attracted to the job because it enabled him to interact with people. Upon graduation from high school, he naturally went to a university with a hospitality program.
“For me, the best part of the hotelier’s job is that it doesn’t confine me to the office,” said the GM, who spends much of his time walking around the property, talking to staff and greeting visitors. “It is great to connect with my associates and guests... inspiration doesn’t come from the office.”
Indeed, experimenting with new ways to impress guests is another attractive aspect of working in hotel management.
“Whenever you have a new idea you can try it relatively fast and make it happen very quickly, which is very nice,” he said. “This can take years at a car company.”
Being at the helm of a hotel since 2011, Sanders has in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry. But, he says, the secret to success in simple — work hard and be nice to people.
“It’s all about taking care of the staff and guests. The hotelier’s job is a time-consuming one and you have to learn to keep a work-life balance,” he said, admitting that the most challenging part of the job is getting home on time.
Living in Shanghai on-and-off for five years, Sanders, in his spare time, enjoys wandering around the city, which he thinks has done a great job preserving its old neighborhoods. Getting lost is part of the fun, too. He also enjoys travelling and photography.
A family man, Sanders cherishes every single moment with his Shanghainese wife and two kids, whether they are making a pizza, having an ice cream or going shopping — as long as it allows them to spend time together.
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