Impressive! Steffie can "articulate the true essence of great service."
Diploma in Hospitality & Resort Management graduate Steffie Loh Shi Ting received a pleasant surprise recently. Not only did she receive the offer of her dream job as a Sales Executive at Royal Plaza on Scotts, her employer sent an unsolicited email to NYP to praise her.
Ms Odette A. Huang, Director of Marketing & Brand Development, wrote this in an email, which is reproduced here with her kind permission:
“When I was reviewing the CV of Steffie, the one thing which caught my eye was her training in Disney World. I assumed that her six-month stint with Disney would have provided her a different mindset about customer service. We immediately scheduled her for an interview and during the first two minutes of the conversation, I had a strong inkling that we finally found the right candidate for the opening we had for a Sales Executive.
Hiring according to brand fit is something we take to heart here at Royal Plaza on Scotts. Although we interviewed various experienced candidates for the opening, Steffie stood out among the lot because of her genuine personality, oozing with warmth, charm and spontaneity. Her experience in Disney gave her insights about how outstanding service can truly create a memorable guest experience. More importantly, she was able to articulate the true essence of great service and how she can make it come alive in simple day-to-day interactions with customers.”
myNYP Portal catches up with Steffie to ask her some questions about her career choices, her studies in NYP and her current job….
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Why did you decide to take up the job at Royal Plaza on Scotts? |
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Initially, I had never expected to be in the hotel industry, as I had heard some negative comments about it. However, my views changed after my training in Walt Disney World. There, I found my passion in the hospitality line and was determine to pursue my career in it. Well, I would say hospitality is an industry which you would need to be very passionate about. It is not just a job; it is a calling.
I took up the job at Royal Plaza on Scotts because I enjoy interacting with people and I know I would have countless opportunities here to make people smile. To me, Royal Plaza on Scotts is just like Walt Disney World. It is a place which I am empowered; a place where I could go – not just the extra mile – but the extra,extra, extra mile in making my guests smile. |
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Steffie feels that being at Royal Plaza at Scotts is like being in Disney World, as it is a place where she has countless opportunities to make guests smile.
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What is your job scope? How has your NYP training helped you with your job? |
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My job is to support the hotel’s marketing, sales and business development, and I am in charge of administration, communications and all related activities related to sales. Though I am still absorbing all my product knowledge just like Spongebob Squarepants, I’m sure I am in good hands with all my NYP training.
NYP has groomed me to who I am now, and I’m very grateful to my School and the lecturers who had taught me. Modules like Marketing for Hospitality, Hospitality and Hotel Management, as well as various other modules, prepared me well for the hospitality industry. Thanks to NYP, graduates like me have got the ‘full package.’ In fact, it’s a ‘bao gao liao’ (Hokkien for ‘complete’) package which you will not find anywhere else except in NYP.
When I started work, I also discovered that the way we studied in NYP resembles the working world. For example, my School would set the submission dates of projects all very closely together. This is how the corporate world works, especially in sales whereby room nights are perishable. We need to expect last minute changes from groups. We need to react quickly to proposals within 24 hours.
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How did you feel when you received the compliment from Ms Odette Huang, Director of Marketing & Brand Development? |
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This is the first time I felt really treasured in an interview. My four interviewers were: the Director of Marketing & Brand Development, Director of Sales, Associate Director of Sales and Sales Administrative Manager. I felt awed that busy people like them were willing to take time off their busy schedules to interview me.
Now that I am hired, I am determined to do a great job.
Furthermore, with the compliment by Ms Odette Huang, I now feel that I really need to perform and shine, in order not to disappoint them. Odette has told me, “There may be lousy moments but as long as I am clear about my goals, I’ll be able to overcome all obstacles and work towards my goals eventually.” What she said has helped me overcome the times when I faced difficulties. Actually, this is useful knowledge for students to know, not just working adults. |
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Now that she is hired, Steffie is determined to do a great job. |
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Throughout your journey in NYP and in your job search, how have your lecturers helped you? |
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“Be nice to everyone, as you will not know if your classmates or even your lecturers might be your colleagues some day.” I remembered vividly that this was one of the first words of advice my lecturers gave me when I first entered NYP.
My lecturers were my pillars during my entire NYP stay. Since Year 1, my goal was to get into a local university. Knowing what my goal was, they worked toward it together with me.
But when it dawned upon me that I was not admitted to a local university, I was very dejected. But Course Manager Ms Elinda Gan and an ex-lecturer Ms Tay Sock Pheng guided me through my job search. They told me that I was not a failure, just because I didn’t not get into a local university. They said it could even be good for me, as I could start gaining precious work experience, find out about the industry I want to be in, and then pursue a degree. They knew my passion and my personality, and suggested jobs which suited me.
During a class outing at a chalet, Ms Tay told me that with my outgoing personality and chatty nature, hotel sales was the perfect job for me. What she said struck a chord in me, because I was actually looking for a job in hotel sales, yet no hotel was hiring.
Then Ms Tay, currently working under the Preferred Hotel Group, offered me this opportunity: Royal Plaza on Scotts wanted to hire an experienced Sales Executive. Although I had no experience, Ms Tay recommended me to my current Associate Director of Sales, Sathia Moorthy. I sent in my resume and was interviewed the next day. I knew I was hired and signed letter of appointment after my interview. I really need to thank Ms Tay and Mr Sathia. If not for them, I would not have had the opportunity to get my desired job.
I really enjoy my work now, though it was challenging in the beginning. So despite not getting into a university, I’ve gained more now. I am giving myself time to learn and gain more experience in the hotel line before pursuing my degree in hotel management. I wouldn’t be here if not for Ms Gan, Ms Tay and all the other NYP lecturers who have taught me. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to them. They have done good jobs as educators! But there are more stones out there for you to polish!
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