FoH Interview: Lukas Tremmel

Checking into the hospitality industry at the age of 14, Lukas Tremmel has moved along swiftly to head front office operations at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel

How did hospitality as a career come about for you?

Ever since I can remember, maybe since I was three years old, I wanted to be a space cowboy. But as I progressed into high school my dreams diminished and so my enthusiasm went in the direction of hospitality. Starting school at the age of 14, I fell in love with the industry from the minute I started my first internship. From there I moved on to work and study in Greece, France, Spain, USA, Mexico and other parts of Europe and I never looked back; hospitality for me was love at first sight.

What are some of your responsibilities at the hotel?

I believe that in a hotel first impressions are everything and they can really make or break the guest experience. Front office is the second biggest department at Jumeirah Creekside and by ensuring that all colleagues are aligned and trained we want to ensure that the guest has an impeccable experience and leaves the hotel feeling better than when he or she arrived. My day-to-day tasks at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel include overseeing concierge, bell desk, valet, doormen, transportation, club lounge, business centre and of course reception and reservations.

Tell us about the hotel’s CSR activities that you are heading up at the Jumeirah Creekside hotel?

In May, Jumeirah Creekside Hotel hosted the annual concert and graduation for Manzil. Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Manzil have been collaborating on a number of projects since the hotel opened, much of which is centred on vocational learning and support. We were delighted to celebrate the graduation of nine students who are moving into mainstream employment, and have all held jobs at the hotel to learn all of the necessary job skills.

What are some of the challenges you encounter, and how do you overcome them?

At Jumeirah, our goal is not to meet expectations but to actually exceed them and of course to never say no to a guest (which is one of our hallmarks). Guest expectations and standards are constantly on the rise, which is making our job more challenging. How do we overcome it? It’s about being innovative and paying close attention to detail and guests’ feedback. The team and I are incredibly close when it comes to feedback and we have a lot of exercises at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel whereby other teams can constantly make changes in order to improve the guest satisfaction.

Would you say that guests always right, even when they complain?

With very few exceptions, I genuinely believe that guests do not complain unless they have a valid reason to do so, and are looking for a solution.

How do you motivate your team?

It’s all about empowerment. I like to lead by example and steer my colleagues in the right direction. I have a transparent relationship with them, all the while reminding them of the end goal (i.e. happy guests). It’s important to remind colleagues that there are always opportunities to grow whether it’s at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and in Jumeirah itself. It’s important to remember that you need to be the change you want to inspire.

How would you like your career to pan out in the future?

I believe most people that chose a career in hotel operations aim to become a hotel general manager and in my case, that is certainly the long-term goal. In the near future, my aim is to become executive assistant manager of rooms or director of operations.