With just over a year under his belt as general manager of the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, Ramon Reyes said he has focused on hiring the right people, training them well and providing them with the tools that will make them successful.
"Although we still have plenty of work to do, we have achieved some of the property's best associate engagement scores over the past year," he said in an email interview.
Reyes has also made a commitment to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives at the hotel.
"The truth is, we need help in this area," he said. "We are experts at running hotels and not necessarily DE&I."
In a Q&A with Hotel News Now, Reyes shared more about managing the hotel as the industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 demand and labor crisis.
What inspired you to enter the hotel industry?
I was fortunate to be exposed to this great industry during my senior year of high school. I took part in a Travel & Tourism Academy offered by the National Academy Foundation. What drew me to the program was the wonder of travel and the service elements of the industry. I have always felt that my purpose was to serve others. This is something that my mother instilled in my siblings and I. The more I learned about the industry, the more I felt I could fulfill my purpose by working in it.
What needs to be done to reverse feelings that the hospitality industry is becoming less desirable to work in?
I believe we have not done a good job of telling the story of what a career in hospitality looks like. This is a great industry that affords many opportunities. My journey is a perfect example. The story of someone starting as a doorman and ultimately becoming a general manager is not unique to me; however, it is unique to our industry. We need to spend more time speaking with students at the high school and college level. We need to bring them into our hotels and restaurants. I am confident that if we do this well, we will cultivate talent for the future and change the perception of our industry.
What values and perspectives have you brought to your role as general manager?
This hotel has such rich history and happens to be the very first Omni. It is also the largest property in our brand. Where I have tried to add value is in the area of culture and service. I believe that our biggest assets are our associates. Hiring the right people, training them well, ensuring they have all they need to be successful and treating them like family will ensure success. ... I also bring a desire to win. I believe in achieving first place and that we run a race to win it. We have built a great team over the past year and will achieve our goal.
How would you describe Atlanta's hospitality recovery since the onset of the pandemic?
We have had a great year. Our property has historically been heavy in group business. Denton, our location, [has] fared better than others in this segment. Transient [demand] has also performed well at our property due to our offerings and proximity to the fantastic venues in the area. Business transient is showing positive signs of recovery but lags other segments. That said, our outlook on next year is extremely positive.
How has your team strengthened over the past year?
On a very positive note, COVID forced us to engage with available technology. We continue to use it today. As an example, housekeeping and the front office are communicating throughout the day using Microsoft Teams. This has aided in effectiveness and reduced frustrations. Other tools have also allowed us to streamline processes. Soon, we will be launching an application for guests to complete mobile food orders. We have launched and continue to use texting services in order to facilitate efficient communication with our guests.
What do diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental, social and corporate governance mean to you and your employees?
I have engaged in conversations with subject matter experts that can guide us along this very important journey. The AHLA foundation has done great work in this area. I attended a conference in New Orleans alongside other hotel leaders. Our cohort continues to engage in conversations and is doing the work. Our property has since formed a DE&I council with the assistance of those subject matter experts. We don't yet know what success looks like. However, we are committed to this important initiative.
What’s one piece of advice you have for other general managers?
Remain engaged with your team. More often, we get bogged down with all the administrative work in our positions. It is important to not forget what led to your personal growth. At the heart of our success has always been our people. I start my day off every single day by engaging in conversations with my staff. It is important for me to understand how their experience as an employee has been. I also engage with them in conversations related to how we can improve our guest experience. More often, they have all of the solutions. Although we may have been a subject matter expert in history, the challenges that they face today may be different that our own past experience. Their solutions should be heard and considered.