Vinny Narang, Corporate Communications Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi
In today’s environment where you need to deliver at every step you have to be skilled and equipped with a reasonable amount of knowledge about the company and the business. At the end of the day, it is the grit and mettle that speaks about you, not your looks.
Hotel Regency Delhi has been in the business for two decades. The brand is well established but the business is witness to intense competition. In this backdrop, the role of a communications manager could be truly challenging. Ashish Singh of exchange4media.com in a one-on-one with Vinny Narang, Corporate Communications Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi, captures the indomitable spirit that powers the hotel’s communications flow and brand management. Narang, a graduate in literature with a post-graduate diploma in business administration and work experience in the finance sector, speaks about her daily challenges in the hospitality industry as a corporate communication manager. Excerpts of the interview: Q. Share a day of a corporate communications manager at Hyatt Regency.
All through the day I am at tenterhooks. My staff is entrusted with the official chores to be duly performed at the office plus…we play an integral part in the day-to-day activities that can be anything from getting a feedback at short notice to meeting the information needs for the annual reports or even for managing special guests.
Q. Who are indeed the ‘special guests?
They are our coveted clients or global customers—they may, at times, get finicky about food, beverages or the room location but we are in hopitality industry. You wont believe it that I get calls past midnight to manage a situation like that. I have to step in. We can’t afford to lose our customers for after all we are working in an intensely competitive environment. It is not easy to summon a chef in wee hours or late at night, but we do it not out of compulsion but to retain our international image.
Q. Tell me, to what extent do looks matter for a PR or corporate communications manager in the hotel industry?
Not any more. In today’s environment where you need to deliver at every step you have to be skilled and equipped with a reasonable amount of knowledge about the company and the business. At the end of the day, it is the grit and mettle that speaks about you, not your looks.
Q. How involved are you in the hotel’s brand building activities?
Hyatt hotels are part of an international chain. We have to see that the image of Hyatt Regency Delhi is correctly presented to the market. We also work towards associating with big events, such as Hyatt’s association with the AIFA Awards event to be held in Singapore. This is an attempt to build an interface with the public. We are a contemporary hotel and the team is responsible for the look and the feel of the brand. It is only through our time-tested and proven track record in hospitality service that we have the largest airlines clientele that includes KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and China Eastern.
Q. What is really the role of a corporate communications manager at Hyatt Regency Delhi?
The role of a communications manager is not limited to ‘handling’ the press but is essentially about delving into the various factors that influence the brand image of Hyatt Regency Delhi. The job responsibilities also include managing a series of lifestyle events to position Hyatt as a lifestyle brand. Through these events we try and enhance Hyatt’s image projection at the domestic level with special attention on our global customers who keep coming back to us.
Q. Elaborate on the role of a corporate communications manager with respective to in-house duties.
Well. There are spurts of demands. A hotel is now a place to unwind and relax your nerves. We have state-of-the-art Spa and massage centers to rejuvenate our clients/customers and a gym where they relax or workout. We get the best masseurs and gym-instructors to give the clients the best of what he wants. We conduct an empirical study about what will be best for our clientele. To give you an example, Hyatt Regency Delhi was the first to introduce the ‘Teppanyaki’ style of food in India in 1996. We in India were not aware but a global traveler asked for it. We have to anticipate and meet the demands of our clients. Also, innovation in F&B is very important for Hyatt. Hyatt has a critical team to cater to the food enthusiasts; they keep coming out with novel and tempting recipes.
Q. What are some of the challenges for a corporate communication manager in the hotel industry?
Crisis management would be one big challenge. See, we serve and interact with people coming from diverse backgrounds and regions and hence we have to be versatile and smart in our approach. There are times when a high degree of sensitivity is required in handling even a minor matter. We have to be extra suave and cautious when customers become demanding.
