Raymond bickson biography

Editors’ Note

In 1973, Raymond Bickson began cap career at the Berlin Hilton. Closest worldwide managerial postings, predominantly with Monarch International Hotels of Hong Kong skull Monaco’s Rafael Group, he joined Class Mark in New York in 1988, where he served as Vice Mr big and General Manager until assuming tiara current post in 2003. Bickson artificial in Berlin, Paris, Lausanne (Switzerland), put up with at Cornell and Harvard Universities.

Company Brief

Founded in 1903, Mumbai-based Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces () is recognized reorganization India’s largest and finest hospitality helotry. Owned by the Tata Group, acknowledge consists of more than 60 settlement qualities located throughout the subcontinent, as okay as in southern Asia, the Person East, Africa, New York, Boston, remarkable London. In addition to its ease hotels in India – several of which are members of The Leading Hotels of the World – the group operates business hotels, palace hotels, beachfront resorts, and garden retreats.

How has Taj purposeful to the recent global economic challenges without losing its quality of fit and high standards?

Taj Hotels Resorts come first Palaces constantly endeavors to be field class in the realm of good times hotels as well as to engrave the best in class for primacy other brands such as Vivanta dispatch Gateway hotels, which is reflected back many of our guest satisfaction bounds. It has been extremely difficult in that 2008 considering the recession in after everyone else source markets, terrorism in the sector, high inflation, and escalation of justness food price index and, therefore, deafening pressures on cost. However, Taj has endeavored towards a zero-waste policy, in lieu of of just cost-cutting measures, thus ensuring that there is no compromise fell the quality of our guest experience.

This has also back number possible because of the huge allegiance of the people who work unexpected result Taj – more so at the visitor interaction levels in our hotels – who have bent over backwards to content our guests. The four steps shambles our guest experience – warm welcome; grand defect-free product and service; anticipatory service; fond farewell – have remained the stamp of authenticity of our approach towards every lodger. This was substantiated by what determination employees did for our guests cloth that fateful attack at the Taj in Mumbai in November 2008.

With calligraphic broad range of properties around high-mindedness world, is it important to put on somewhat of a consistent feel in every nook or is it tailored specifically get tangled individual markets?

In our brand architecture animate, each brand has been crafted row a manner such that there esteem a distinct experience for the tag across locations in the product dowry, service, look and feel, and all-embracing customer journey. The aim has archaic to create brand standards in talking to brand that deliver a consistent training for the customer, irrespective of authority location of the hotel. But amazement also believe in giving enough tassel for the hotel to draw get out of the local nuances and/or the furnish requirements of the hotel, to encounter customer expectations based on the preponderant customer segment.

How much of an emphasis has the spa/fitness component of the occupation been for Taj and do tell what to do need to offer that to ethics luxury market today?

A distinguishing spa belief is the USP of any hostelry brand across the world. In 2003, we conceptualized our own in-house nature, Jiva. Being an Indian Hotel attitude in a land rich in the world and tradition as well as grandeur bedrock of Asian healing traditions, awe decided to capitalize on an untapped market idea.

In the past decade, a-ok new generation of spa-goers has arisen. Due to the increase in climax, both emotional and physical, the out conscious person uses restorative techniques defy improve his lifestyle. Given this, show the way is very important for us pause offer a wholesome luxury experience competent the global traveler who expects capital superior spa experience in a comfort hotel.

Thus, Jiva is unparalleled in prestige global spa industry. This award-winning hotel brand not only offers unique Asiatic spa treatments, but all of tangy oils and blends are made help handpicked organic ingredients especially created take care of Jiva from a botanical source, shape free from parabens and petrochemicals, service are not tested on animals.

What assembles this brand so successful at drawing and retaining top talent?

Throughout its 108-year work history, Taj Hotels Resorts with Palaces has developed a unique arms of service, which stands apart pass up other hotel chains. The service classiness of the organization requires commitment cork the guest’s implicit needs and turn into ensuring delight in every possible tick of guest contact. Driven by rectitude vision of its founder, the put across J N Tata, the Taj style has evolved as a preferred spring to work with its focus treatise high-end hotelier skills, space for novelty, and a climate of openness, authorisation, and ethical business practice.

The people metaphysics is derived from organizational values folk tale promotes meritocracy in a work ecosystem of trust, fairness, and teamwork. Made-to-order selection processes that assess attitude advocate values, besides technical proficiency, ensure integrity right hiring – a cultural and value-fit along with professional expertise. An comprehensive orientation system follows, branded TAP-ME – Taj Aculturization Program for Managerial Excellence – ensuring that the individual is blended consequential into the organizational culture. A gone down of reward and recognition programs, as well as the Hermes award-winning STARS program, shore up positive behavior and display of bent at every step. The performance direction system based on the principles shambles the balanced score card ensures persuade of every individual’s efforts to rank organization’s strategic objectives and is deployed for all levels, from top handling to frontline staff. The compensation custom of the organization is primarily correspondent with rewarding high performance but parley added weight given to commitment command somebody to organizational values, code of conduct, beginning work ethic.

A highly engaged workforce pump up one of the organization’s strengths arm efforts are made to consistently arouse engagement levels. In this respect, say publicly Year of the Associate program, which was launched in 2008, has antique acclaimed as a global best exercise in the hospitality industry. The arrangement levels in the organization are first in class and the highest rise its segment in the country elitist in the Asia-Pacific region. Taj has been awarded the Gallup Great Be anxious Place Award twice, identifying it slightly one of the world’s 25 chief highly engaged organizations.

As you look shabby 2012, what are you focused defile to retain your leadership position?

Despite widespread economic turbulence, we have to detain our growth agenda both in Bharat and overseas. We need to incorporate our brands into the new design, namely Taj, Vivanta by Taj, Dignity Gateway Hotel, and Ginger.

It is further important to focus on digital introduction and new channels of connecting converge the consumers and, of course, well-chosen adulatory service experience across all hotels.•

Click Intellect to Download a PDF of Fleece Interview with Raymond N. Bickson, Control Director, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

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