My Interview with Pullman Suzhou Zhonghui Hotel General Manager -

Growing up on the south side of Berlin in Germany Stephan went through an apprenticeship to become a Chef. At 19 years old he began his career working abroad.

A highflyer he moved into management when he was 24. Promotion followed swiftly to Assistant Director of Food and Beverage working with Princess Cruiseline P&O. His MBA (Master of Business Administration) qualification was achieved aged 29.

Stephan became a General Manager at 39, first in Shenyang at the Pullman for two years after which he transferred to the Sofitel Hyland Shanghai.

Currently, Stephan is General Manager of the Accor Group’s Pullman Suzhou Zhonghui Hotel.

Tell us about your journey, how did it all start?

As of now I have over 30 years experience in hospitality. I started as a chef.

At the age of 14, I had the opportunity to work at the German Chamber of Commerce.

At the age of 16, I began working at the Hilton Berlin. While working at the Hilton Berlin I met many global travelers, celebrities and various events such as MTV Shows and Red Carpet events.

Thereafter I studied at university to pursue Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Tourism Management. After graduation, I worked in multiple countries and regions including the Americas, The Caribbean, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.

I returned to campus to pursue a Master’s degree in Hotel and Tourism Management, with focus on finance. That provided me with much more relevant knowledge and laid a solid foundation for my career to date.

What made you decide to pursue a career in the hospitality industry?

I always have great curiosity about different languages, cultures, and countries. Hotel industry answers my curiosities.

What have and what will you try to accomplish in this hotel?

Pullman has actively established an ESG system for hotels to ensure sustainability in business development. I am going to follow through this in our hotel.

In addition, the hotel has participated in the China Green Hotel Certification programme and we practise a comprehensive cost reduction and efficiency improvement system.

What category of guests do you receive? Leisure, business, domestic?

Leisure, business, MICE.

What attractions would you recommend to hotel guests?

The famous Suzhou gardens like the Humble Administrator’s Garden; the Suzhou Museum; the Suzhou Center; the very popular spots like Pingjiang Road, Shantang Street, etc; and explore historical relics and Suzhou waterway culture.

What is the unique selling proposition of the hotel? How has the hotel positioned itself in this competitive market?

Our state of the art MICE technology. We have the 360-degree 4D Holographic Projection system.

Also，the Outdoor Garden on 5/F to enjoy yoga, weddings, barbecues, and family activities in the open air.

Our modern interior design combined with Suzhou style.

The Executive Lounge view on 24/F that offers the urban landscape of Xiangcheng District

Last but not least, the environmentally friendly guest amenities such as wooden room key with a unique pattern symbolizing Suzhou culture; Co-bigelow Dispenser; and recyclable bamboo toothbrush.

What are the sustainable practices that the hotel follows?

We have achieved zero plasticization throughout the hotel, and all guest amenities in the rooms do not contain plastic materials.

Plastic products will no longer be provided in all restaurants and public areas.

We advocate providing customers with free packaging services and using recyclable and environmentally friendly packaging boxes and paper bags.

In terms of hotel energy consumption, we use a series of intelligent devices such as intelligent building control systems, rainwater collectors, and lighting time controllers to enhance the hotel’s efficiency in energy consumption.

In terms of reducing waste, the hotel measures the amount of food waste and other garbage on a daily basis and strictly classifies garbage. Digitalized tracking and measures to control waste are implemented.

In your opinion, what factors contribute to excellent customer service?

Putting oneself in others’ shoes is the most important. Imagine that the customer may have been stuck on the road for a whole day, experiencing frustrating meetings and work pressure from superiors. When they finally arrive at the hotel, they have to wait for 20 minutes before checking in. At this point, we need to be ready, to empathize and anticipate the customer’s needs, and help them solve practical problems.

I always maintain a positive attitude towards customer feedback. I see it as a ‘learning curve’ to identify areas for improvement and further enhance our service.

What are your greatest strengths?

The communication skill.

Also multi-tasking. I am likely to receive requests from customers, associates, and other stakeholders simultaneously always.

How would you motivate the staff of this hotel to try their very best each day in work?

By establishing a relationship of trust and respect.

I listen to the opinions of our associates and I strive to understand their expectations, and plan for their future career development by providing relevant training, promotion and support.

11. On that note, what advice do you have on staff retention, staff training and staff motivation?

Every year, Pullman welcomes about sixty students from other parts of the country to intern with us. We would spend a considerable amount of time together and I would be able to provide guidance and answer their questions.

In the process I would want the interns to understand that progress does not happen instantly but ongoing, that if they want to start the career in the industry, all difficulties and challenges encountered and solved will reward them with their goals in the end.