Career Focus

Being a hospITality professional

The hospitality industry can offer a promising future for IT professionals wanting to make an exciting career. Vikram Kharvi delves into the prospects of this rewarding career option

In recent years, the scope of IT professionals in this industry has been on the upswing. International brands are coming to India bringing along state-of-the-art technologies, which other local brands will need to match up to. This has begun to open up new avenues for the IT professional to implement, learn and to develop.

The accelerated infusion of computerised systems and sub-system transactions sweeping the hospitality industry has spurred IT professionals to look at the industry as a potential workplace. The challenge to integrate computer interface and the need to accelerate upgradation of technology usage so as to lower costs has added allure to this industry.

Just six years ago, all the IT professionals wanted to do was set base within the IT industry. But today the non-IT companies, including hotels, are proving to be equally lucrative. Jobs that are being targeted are in the areas of database management and administration, security and technical support. In fact, the hospitality industry holds sway over other industries as well. It is one sector which cannot choose to outsource simply because of the security aspect and a dedicated in-house team is considered to be better equipped to solve problems.

Shailesh Bhagwat, EDP manager at The Orchid - An Ecotel Hotel, says, "The worth of IT professionals is well recognised by the industry and an IT job is as important in hotels as in any other industry. No hotel can run without IT support these days. Moreover, the hotel industry offers unique challenges that make it more attractive to the IT professionals."

EDP domain

The basic responsibility of the EDP or IT department in a hotel is to maintain all the computer systems, cater to troubleshooting of all hotel management software such as Fidelio, Point of Sale (POS) management system, Materials Management System (MMS), BOSS, etc, over and above managing the hotel's website. From the guests' point of view, IT should solve any frustrating computer-related problems.

Ajay Kumar, senior manager (projects & development) at Kohinoor-IMI contends, "Information management plays a very important role in hotels on a daily basis for successful management requirements of internal and external customers. With automation coming to the fore, there are packages used to support the needs of a unit or a group. This package may either be customised or taken off the shelf. "To oversee the smooth functioning of the software package being used, most hotels have an EDP department where the manager is required to enhance the usability of the package. But this can be a remote requirement since in most cases the package bought by the unit comes with an after-sales service option. Indeed, the management laps up any form of automation, which may support the hotel's cause to generate customer satisfaction and retention," he says.

IT requires constant upgradation and bringing in new advancements which involves the finance department at every step. Moreover, IT being in the know-how of valuable and confidential information related to finance, it is the finance department in many hotels that oversees the IT department.

The right man

The industry considers certain qualities as necessary for becoming a successful head of the hotel industry. These include job knowledge in becoming a successful IT head, knowledge in setting up networks, experience with various software packages (Micros, Fidelio), familiarity with different types of servers, switches, routers, etc. One should be in a position to work under pressure and meet timelines. The IT professional must be up-to-date and aware of new technologies introduced in the market. Other than this, he must be an effective listener, a team player and a quick learner.

An IT professional can grow in the hotel industry starting as an executive and moving up to become head of the department. There are various growth positions, but it calls for total dedication and continual improvement. When selecting candidates, hotels generally look for persons with good personality traits - the ability to communicate, educational qualification to match the post and experience. Sunil Somarajan, HR manager at Le Royal Meridien, Mumbai opines, "Other than the candidates' qualifications and personality traits, we also look for resourcefulness, his ability to keep abreast with new developments with in-depth knowledge of the technicalities and the ability to solve problems not just over the phone but attend to the needs personally. The aspirant should have good management skills and be a team player."

Growth potential

According to Sachin Madhkar, systems manager at Hotel Marine Plaza, this is one industry that makes an effort to constantly utilise its funds for upgradation and introduction of new technologies. "Every IT professional wants to be associated with and learn about new technologies. The hotel industry gives such IT professionals a chance to broaden their horizons thus making it an attractive option," he says.

Meanwhile, Reuben Barros, systems manager at Le Royal Meridien, Mumbai, feels that one's growth is determined by one's capability and willingness to work. "The pay is very rewarding. One's remuneration does not stop at the monthly pay package - there are hosts of incentives given while on the job. Over and above this, performance-based benefits and schemes provided make working for the hospitality industry that much more rewarding," he adds.