Allied Industry

Crystallising on hospitality design

Oscar Fernandes CEO (India operations) Bohemian Crystal Company

With design elements and ambience dominating the hospitality landscape, it is imperative for hotel supplies to exude of craftsmanship and elegance, without compromising their utility value. Oscar Fernandes CEO (India operations), Bohemian Crystal Company elaborates how Bohemian Crystal balances both sides of the functionality with style

In the hospitality segment, attention is paid to quality and design. Of late, high standards are threatening to obliterate those whose standards slip. Explains Oscar Fernandes, CEO (India operations), Bohemian Crystal Company, "Based on the change in the government's policy towards imports of products, coupled with competition from foreign hotel chains into India, the hospitality industry has begun to revolutionise concepts and improvising on customer services. " In simple terms, he believes that globe-trotting guests impose an intangible yet pertinent need to raise the quality bar vis-à-vis supplies and room amenities in F&B and house-keeping, an area where Bohemian Crystal Company steps in.

The game plan

"Guests nowadays want to see value for their money spent and prefer to wine, dine and stay in hotels that provide them services in terms of brands and quality products," he says. This translates to a buoyant market for branded products, substituting a market rife with sub-standard imitations, a gap which BCC has been filling . "The industry is now choosy and selective. They set up their standards for quality and procure products that are of good quality either locally produced or imported," describes Fernandes.

Aiding their business operations is technology. Fernandes explains, "Most of the computer systems are connected by internet, enabling real-time control on various offers to customers. Accordingly, we are able to provide immediate offers, accurate pricing and prompt service to our customers with a minimal conflict of interest."

On the horizon

Holding the vaunted position of being the exclusive representatives of leading manufacturers covering a wide spectrum of items - including supplies for rooms, table accessories and kitchen equipment, he feels that technological advances are necessary to stay ahead. "Most of our technological initiatives that improvise on quality products and logistics are done by our principals. We try to co-ordinate and link their technological changes in line with our company initiative to ensure the benefits reach the end customer," declares Fernandes.

He explains that the facility to provide information on items available ex stock, delivery periods, instant replies to offer request, are some of the initiatives planned and are being executed by the company. "A minimum turnaround time for a document is another planned initiative by the company, towards improving the quality of service and after sales service provided, " he adds.

Fernandes believes…

He is upbeat about the Indian economy, and expects it to grow from the current 8 per cent, and believes with the attention by the government on the hospitality sector, it would surely benefit and grow simultaneously with the economy. Currently, he feels, India and China are the two most important countries that are expected to generate a substantial business in comparison to the hospitality business word wide, a trend he expects will continue.

"With events such as the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, coupled with foreign investors and local business houses investing into hospitality business in India, the sector has a very good growth," states Fernandes. He believes that in the last few years business in the Indian hospitality sector has been growing in leap and bounds, due to the positive multiplier effect, guided by the open economy. " It is already being felt both by the existing chains of hotels as well as the new International hotel chains that are investing in the country,' he feels.

Commenting on future trends, he says, "It is quite expected in the years to come the grading of the hotels would be controlled and audited. Such measures would imply a definite need within different sections in the hospitality sector to procure and provide quality products, hence enabling the property to be graded in the star category in accordance to defined specifications by the hospitality Industry."

Destination marketing will give an additional boost to tourism and hospitality, he ascribes, a reason why the country is lagging behind in terms of arrivals. "However India should simultaneously gear up with an improved infrastructure and network of roads, airports, ports etc in different cities of India that would facilitate the easy movement of the tourists," concludes Fernandes.