Karen Stephens: Hi everybody and welcome to the Lodge Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Leader Earnings Officer of Revinate, and lately I’m overjoyed to be joined by way of Amanda Du, who’s the Head of Ecommerce at Penta Inns. Welcome, Amanda.
Amanda Du Jing: Hello Karen. Thanks such a lot for having me lately.
Karen Stephens: Oh, it’s a excitement.
, we’ve finished a large number of those podcasts during the last, name it 8 or 9 months, and also you’re simplest the second one lady that I’ve had at the display. So I’m very excited. I like the entire dudes. I’m glad in regards to the dudes, however it certain is good to have a powerhouse like your self sign up for us lately. So that you’ve were given a large number of cool enjoy and I will be able to’t wait to dive into that.
However sooner than we do this, I sought after to begin with some questions that we ask all of our visitors simply to get us warmed up.
Amanda Du Jing: Cool.
Karen Stephens: So in the event you’ll indulge me. Yeah, I’ll move with query number one. So first query, when did you first get started operating within the trade and do you keep in mind your first day at the process?
Amanda Du Jing: I got to work within the trade I believe 10 years in the past, and it used to be by no means my plan. As a result of now not like different accommodations, I by no means began in tourism control or hospitality. I began English and accounting as a bachelor’s stage. So all of my uni classmates, they went both to the banks or large companies, and I used to be more or less the one one that ended up within the lodge and more than pleased about my determination till lately. And my first process used to be the social media govt all through that point when social media simply get started rising and no person in point of fact knew the way it works and no person holds a grasp’s stage on virtual advertising and marketing, as an example.
And I nonetheless keep in mind my first day at the process, I used to be so amazed by way of how large the again finish of the lodge is as a result of as a visitor I at all times noticed how large, how it’s entrance, entrance space of the lodge.
However at the first day I used to be like, I nearly were given misplaced. I used to be like, “oh, wow. There’s such a lot happening at the back of the scenes.”
Karen Stephens: Yeah, that’s nice. Can I ask you, the place’d you move to college?
Amanda Du Jing: I used to be in, I used to be in China.
Karen Stephens: Oh wow. Ok, cool. Yeah, this is very cool. So that you discovered English as a 2nd language in China. Wow, that’s nice.
And now, wow, that’s large. Superb. Ok, so 2nd query. What’s the maximum uplifting second to this point on your profession?
Amanda Du Jing: Neatly, it’s a, it’s a tricky one. And I believe there have been such a lot of however I’d, if I’ve to select one, I’d say that after I first had my very own crew when I used to be operating in Malaysia for, for IHG Crew. So I constructed the entire crew from the scratch and in addition presented the virtual advertising and marketing experience idea to the, to the area, to Southeast Asia area, and employed all the non-hotel layer virtual gigs at the moment within the crew.
And I believe I understand that after we had our first assembly in combination, that used to be a second I think, “Oh wow. I’ve already accomplished one thing and I, and I imagine with the crew and there can be extra to return.” And it in fact became out to be an overly a hit tale. So I nonetheless keep in mind the day when I’ve everyone sitting there and we had, after we had the primary crew assembly.
Karen Stephens: Oh, isn’t that cool?
That’s a super, that’s a super second to seem again on. Ok, this 1, quantity 3 is a bit more private. So what’s the maximum hanging enjoy you’ve had to this point in relation to a non-public vacation or keep or meals enjoy, some travel or go back and forth that has been essentially the most hanging to this point?
Amanda Du Jing: I’ve to mention it’s my travel to India, New Delhi.
It used to be this sort of hanging enjoy that I, I nonetheless can see the ones colours vividly when, after I consider it and all the ones spices, proper? I love highly spiced meals. However all the ones various kinds of spices, the Indian meals compose, it’s, it’s in point of fact wonderful. However I believe crucial factor, or maximum factor that I keep in mind, is that the individuals who operating there, who paintings within the hospitality trade there. You need to really feel that they’re so proud and so captivated with their process and about what they do, and naturally if it’s coming from their middle.
So the provider stage, it’s in point of fact other, and you’re feeling very warmly welcome there.
Karen Stephens: Oh, that’s in point of fact cool. I’ve by no means been to India and I would like to move. I undoubtedly have a large number of colleagues who’re Indian and it’s this sort of stunning, colourful tradition. Such as you mentioned, it’s, it’s nice. Ok, fourth one. Have you ever met any celebrities when you’ve been within the trenches?
Amanda Du Jing: Strangely none.
Karen Stephens: None?
Amanda Du Jing: Sure!
Karen Stephens: All proper!
Amanda Du Jing: Typically more than likely the primary one!
Karen Stephens: Yeah! Typically anyone’s were given some tale. All proper. Neatly, and I do know you’ve been operating more than likely, it’s been some time because you’ve been within the lodge itself. You…
Amanda Du Jing: Yeah. And I suppose as a result of I used to be as a rule within the place of job, now not like colleagues operating within the operations, so I’m extra behind the lodge.
Yeah. However I, I met a large number of standard other people I believe, who impressed me. Yeah. And I, I at all times very shocked to listen to the ones tales. I’d by no means wager after I, after I first met them. So yeah, now not in point of fact celebrities, however many unbelievable people I’d say.
Karen Stephens: Ok. Neatly that, that could be a nice dovetail into the 5th query, which is, who’re the ladies at paintings you’ve gotten been maximum impressed by way of?
Amanda Du Jing: Neatly, there I used to be very fortunate. Neatly, after I first moved to Singapore from China and I had a bunch of ladies when I used to be operating with the Radisson Lodge Crew. And in our business crew, we had an overly global crew, with nationalities like me from China, Canada, Turkey, and Finland, and naturally Singaporeans, native other people there.
So for all of the ones global crew individuals inside the business crew, we arrived in Singapore, kind of an identical time, and we supported every different drastically and, and evolved a super friendship till lately. So I believe we’re function fashions to ourselves, to one another, and we encourage every different so much.
So we nonetheless be in contact, stay every different up to date on our profession advances and, and simply lifestyles normally.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. This is so cool. , we now have an place of job in Singapore and I, I simply love Singapore such a lot cuz it’s this sort of melting pot. It’s so various in relation to other people coming from in every single place the sector, and all other backgrounds and, and I believe you’re proper that, that makes, that makes for in point of fact superior learnings. And you realize, you’ll be able to simply be told such a lot from the folks coming from all the ones other puts. So, very cool. All proper, neatly thanks for that. That is superior. See, I’ve already discovered one thing. So, why don’t we commence by way of, would you inform me just a little bit about who Penta Inns are? What does the portfolio seem like?
What do you specialise in? All of that excellent stuff.
Amanda Du Jing: Yeah. Penta, Penta, we now have in throughout Europe, 20 plus accommodations and Penta as a logo, it’s all about social interactions, normal provider, and chilled vibes. So we worth the communique, neighborhood, and luxury. We provide the energetic group accommodations in the ones interesting places in Europe, and at middle of every Panta lodge is our Penta front room, which is an idea we pioneered years in the past the place we provide a candy spot for our consumers between our colourful and laid-back way of life. So for, for the purchasers to loosen up play, and recharge.
Karen Stephens: Oh, that’s in point of fact cool. So, you realize, you discussed just a little bit about, you realize, the visitor enjoy at Penta Inns, and I’ve a quote from you in truth that reads, “with the supportive expertise, we nonetheless want to use the client information in emotionally clever tactics. Having a customer-centric mindset is vital and luck.” So it sounds such as you create the ones chilled vibes, that’s what’s taking place at the floor, however what’s happening at the back of the scenes and are you able to gimme just a little extra colour on that quote,?
Amanda Du Jing: Yeah, in fact. We communicate so much about virtual visitor adventure expertise, how shall we revolutionize the best way we perform accommodations, however I believe how it’s, it’s in point of fact now not the core. It’s, it’s now not how we revolutionize the best way we perform the lodge, however it’s in point of fact how we’re the usage of expertise in a extra emotionally clever tactics to grasp the client perfect. So for us, I believe to, to get the client information proper and higher serve, serve our visitors is the important thing.
The research of customer-related information, which is captured thru the entire virtual, thru the entire adventure sooner than they even engage with the lodge.
Karen Stephens: Proper.
Amanda Du Jing: So proper. On the identical time, we additionally wanna perceive to how we optimize the ones customer-related processes and to each from the client facet and from the worker facet.
More often than not we overlook how the worker, how the entrance table operates, and we now have this nice large concept on how we wish to ship that visitor luck. However I believe it’s essential for us to in point of fact additionally take a look at, from the worker facet, how, if it is possible, how we make it occur. And naturally, along with our personal information, we, we additionally take a look at what are the client tendencies and, and analysis information within the visitor conduct to be sure that we make the customer-centric selections, particularly after Covid, proper?
The, the entire want is, is other. So providing a unbroken go back and forth enjoy isn’t an “add-on” provider anymore. It’s, it’s, it’s must-have. So from this, I believe, you realize, to, to in point of fact perceive what visitor desires, what they want is very important for us to, to prevail.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. It’s more or less the place imaginative and prescient meets operations, proper?
Amanda Du Jing: I love that.
Karen Stephens: It’s like, yeah, that’s a super concept. How will we make that in truth paintings? ? So, you realize, it used to be superior working out just a little bit extra about your background and the way you began within the virtual area, and also you’ve had such a lot affect in that area. I wanna dive into your ABCD framework. So, I’ve heard you discuss this, however our listeners would possibly now not learn about it.
Are you able to let us know what this is and, and the way you utilize that during personalizing the visitor adventure?
Amanda Du Jing: So the ABCD framework is extra on how we did the entire virtual transformation within the Penta Inns. So ok. ABCD. The a is extra at the research phase. Analytics measurement, which contains what I simply provide an explanation for previous the research of customer-related information captured, captured thru the entire adventure.
And the b is a trade phase. To be able to perceive what’s vital for, for the, for the accommodations itself and. The entire trade, the adjustments of the trade prerequisites to fortify the client enjoy. So the interior trade prerequisites are associated with adjustments in control selections. As an example group’s, missions, as an example.
And c is crucial phase, and which I, I at all times put it as a core is our consumers. Yeah. So the core and all the visitor interplay adventure.
And the d is the virtual, one of the vital enablers, I’d say, the expertise phase to make all of the ones transformations occur.
Karen Stephens: Wow. That’s so cool. That’s so cool. So now we’re gonna shift gears just a little bit as a result of I, I discussed, you realize, that I believe you had been in point of fact at the leading edge, neatly, you, you more or less mentioned it your self as neatly, while you first were given into the virtual area, that used to be in point of fact very new. It used to be more or less the, it used to be simply beginning, which used to be now not that way back, however it’s simply beginning to evolve. So I realized that you just’re additionally in point of fact all in favour of Web3 and the metaverse and these kinds of issues. So, are you able to simply, there’s so much, more than likely a large number of listeners in the market like me, I’ve heard just a little bit about this, possibly don’t know up to we must. Are you able to simply more or less give us an summary of what the, what your passion is there and the way you suppose it applies to hospitality or how it would one day?
Amanda Du Jing: Yeah, so I believe neatly let, let’s get some ideas directly possibly. And after we, yeah, after we soar into that, Web3 is, is, is the identify this is given to what some other people name the following section of the, of the web. Proper? Ok. Which runs at the blockchain expertise and is decentralized. So if we are saying Web1 used to be all about studying data and we are actually in more or less a Web2 and Web3 transition.
Web2 used to be about co-creation, particularly the ones user-generated content material. We will be able to put up all the ones on social media. After which Web3 is in regards to the possession and all of the ones is, is in line with the blockchain and metaverse. And Metaverse is extra of the, the web the place it creates a brand new method we enjoy the virtual global.
I’d say consider the entire web page and also you simply raise it up as a 3-D and also you discover it round you. So, I, I, say it’s, it’s an interconnected virtual truth the place we turn into marketed to be in contact enjoy, paintings, play, and do issues we by no means, which can by no means imaginable sooner than. And what, what does it relate to, to the lodge, to the go back and forth?
And, and I believe we, we communicate so much, you realize what, what occurs sooner than they even come to the lodge? Sooner than they even get started touring? Proper? I believe that Web3 space, or the metaverse phase would improve, or its extension of this entire go back and forth enjoy. So the place the purchasers can in point of fact like move into your lodge, enjoy, the lodge, and to select the room, they wish to ensure that they, they know what they, they’re purchasing for I’d say, and to, to, to in point of fact have a excellent, excellent first affect and a, and be expecting, expectancies sooner than they, they arrive to enjoy the lodge.
However, and I, I, I do know a large number of other people additionally say like, would, would other people then simply keep at house with their goggles and now not touring? No.
Karen Stephens: Yeah, I believe you.
Amanda Du Jing: After Covid, we additionally say, “ok, must, would house place of job substitute human interplay, in-person interplay?” No, it’s going to now not. However, it, it simply provides any other measurement to the entire go back and forth enjoy and to our personal enjoy. I believe will, will upload unquestionably extra advantages to, to accommodations one day. To consumers needless to say.
Karen Stephens: Completely, and I believe you 100%. To start with, it’s in point of fact thrilling to consider that more or less expertise the place you must in truth stroll right into a lodge and know the way the whole thing is laid out and get an concept of items sooner than you move. However I believe you 100% that folks shouldn’t be frightened that abruptly other people will do this as an alternative of touring as a result of all of us want to get, get shifting once more. In order that, that’s, that’s in point of fact attention-grabbing. And I do know, so we’re recording this proper sooner than ITB, it’ll more than likely pop out after ITB, however you’re based totally in Munich, in Germany, and we’ve were given ITB arising in Berlin subsequent week, I imagine.
Is it subsequent week?
Amanda Du Jing: Yeah. Sure, subsequent week.
Karen Stephens: Thrilling as it has like, it’s been, you realize, long gone for three years. So are you able to give us some highlights of what you’re taking a look ahead to? We’ll take a look at again in with you in a while, however I do know you’ve were given some, a talking panel, and a few different issues, however what are you taking a look to ahead to most commonly about ITB and coming again this 12 months?
Amanda Du Jing: I believe unquestionably is the interplay with the, with, with other other people. To look, “ok, what are the, what are the brand new issues in the market?” And I’m, I’m additionally talking at 1 panel about loyalty in go back and forth trade and a keynote on how accommodations input Web3 technology.
Karen Stephens: Oh!
Amanda Du Jing: So by way of taking a look on the content material and in addition different other tracks, I’m very excited to look there are a large number of technology-focused long run center of attention subjects are going to be mentioned there, and I believe that’s essentially the most thrilling phase for me.
Karen Stephens: Neatly, that’s nice. Neatly, once more, this may occasionally more than likely pop out after ITB however in the event you’re listening and also you wanna be told extra about Web3 and the metaverse, then to find, to find them out from ITB to get additional info.
Yeah. So one final thing I sought after to speak to you about used to be just a little bit extra, and this is more or less all tied in combination, however about AI and lodge tech. So synthetic intelligence, and do you suppose that hoteliers are doing a excellent process of leveraging that expertise lately? How do you notice it? How do you notice it evolving?
Amanda Du Jing: I believe from the selling viewpoint, we, we began the usage of it rather, rather early area already, or rather early level already. Like after we, after we are taking a look in any respect the ones visitor information, how we personalize their, their, their, their be offering, and in addition like how we do the ones centered commercials. It used to be all powered by way of AI.
Didn’t in point of fact discuss it prior to now and, and more than likely everyone come around the ChatGPT now and it’s unexpectedly an enormous subject once more, this 12 months and, and. and I, and I believe for the lodge facet, there’s some misconceptions from our facet that’s pronouncing, “neatly, that’s the most important concern, proper?” Each and every time after we see a brand new expertise, we at all times more or less were given scared. Like, “would that substitute the lodge group of workers? Like, would, would that substitute the entire other people operating within the lodge with all the ones robots turning in the room?” Or whether or not the ones AI gear can simplest be run by way of the ones extremely specialised information scientists, as an example, scientists. Which I believe shouldn’t be, see it that method.
And, and I believe AI is, is, is like expertise isn’t the whole thing, proper? It’s simply an enabler. And we must be higher using it and now not suppose that we need to have an enormous sum of money to take a position to, to it. And as I discussed, it will possibly get started very small to raised perceive your visitor first, and, and the entire adventure, the client adventure.
Make certain that’s clean and to assist their gear permit you to optimize your, your, like income forecast, call for, and higher plan your, your manpower and your hard work pressure within the lodge. And, and we also are, we had been additionally piloting some gear that might expect meals wastage, as an example. So there are lots of tactics to make use of this expertise,
and I believe accommodations now get started taking a look at it from a, a extra holistic perspective, like other angles. And now not simplest from the selling facet, however, but additionally from income facet, and advertising and marketing and income, how we paintings in combination to raised make the most of AI, proper? They have got nice gear to do forecasting. We have now useful tool to focus on consumers and the way we mix the ones to provide, to supply consumers the, the, the be offering that they’re searching for.
And in addition from operational facet, I believe there’s an enormous possible the place they are able to in point of fact employ the expertise and on the identical time to be extra environment friendly. So now not simplest spice up the visitor pleasure, but additionally the workers at paintings.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. Yeah. More or less do away with one of the most monotony or one of the most, the roles that, the, the a part of the roles that aren’t as, as attractive as, as others.
I’s an effective way to consider it. Yeah. So what, what recommendation would you give to possibly a lodge in the market who doesn’t have, isn’t part of a bunch that’s complicated pondering like this, and the place would you recommend that someone move simply to begin to teach themselves on a majority of these issues?
I don’t know if there’s the rest that involves thoughts?
Amanda Du Jing: I believe ITB is a brilliant alternative.
Karen Stephens: Yeah, that’s proper. With a bit of luck, you had been there. Yeah. Sure. Move to presentations. Move to business presentations.
Amanda Du Jing: Precisely. Move to these meetings. There are such a lot of meetings after Covid and such a lot of that 12 months that I, I couldn’t even attend maximum of them. And, I believe in point of fact, to search for that data on-line to look what different subjects you have an interest in. There are the ones meetings, simply that specialize in visitor adventure. There’s meetings simply that specialize in lodge expertise. I believe, to, to get your self in the market. Be open. Yeah, I believe that’s crucial angle.
Simply, you realize, to, to get to grasp what you don’t know sooner than. In order that can be my recommendation.
Karen Stephens: Yeah. This is unbelievable recommendation. Neatly, thanks such a lot, Amanda. This has been an ideal dialog. So in order that our listeners know, the place can they to find additional info on Penta Inns?
Amanda Du Jing: So our URL is at pentahotels.com. Additionally LinkedIn and Instagram.
Karen Stephens: Sure, and Instagram. Ok. Superior. Thank you such a lot for the dialog lately, Amanda. I in point of fact recognize it. Thanks.
Amanda Du Jing: Thanks such a lot.
Karen Stephens: Take care.
