Frankfurt/Main, Germany – 7 December 2016
Mr Bellaby and Mr Lambert – these are names you should keep in mind. If these guests appear at your reception, there will be trouble, at least once a year. One of them is supposedly missing his very expensive Rolex, the other one is loudly demanding his luggage. Such guests are rarely fair or forgiving to unsuspecting receptionists.
Fortunately, this unpleasant scene is only simulated – at the annual elite young talents competition “Receptionist of the year” organized by the international association AICR. Dedicated candidates worldwide must master this role-play. Problem-solving strategies include creativity (hint: Get a cab for Mr Lambert in time for his meeting and send the required luggage separately by taxi), empathic, high-quality service (hint: Experienced security staff might be able to find Mr Bellaby´s luxury watch in his room at last, potentially in the bathroom cabinet) and keeping calm. Losing confidence in this situation can be disastrous.
This simulated scene that could happen any day in any hotel is the central task for dozens of front office agents worldwide every year. The AICR – the leading association of FO professionals – thereby selects the best amongst the elite young talents. The winners of all national competitions will then compete against each other in the international finals, which take place in Spring 2017 in Paris.
Germany will be represented by Ellena Brückner as “receptionist of the year 2016”, a glamorous 24 year-old receptionist who works at the Mandarin Oriental Munich. She presented her work extraordinarily well and skilfully answered all technical questions – in English – which convinced the critical jury and put her in the lead.
Candidates who want to succeed in this tough competition need a sound training (which many have), empathetic intelligence (which just a few have) and unlimited creativity (which is very rare). Candidates need to be willing to push boundaries and serve every guest with dedication, no matter how indignant, and limitless anthroposophy (“You have to like people”).
The increased performance of participants at “Roty 2016” illustrates the elite young talents’ capacity in one of the central fields in the industry. Besides the “trainee contest” organized by the Selection of German Luxury Hotels and the national Dehoga competitions, the “Roty”, which is organized by the AICR, is an important indicator for expertise and quality of training in the industry.
It became clear that there is also a backlog with regards to security training in the hotel industry as well as profound expertise in crucial KPIs like ARR, Occupancy and Revpar.
The winners of the competition “Receptionist of the year 2016” presented by the AICR Germany:
1st: Ellena Brückner, Mandarin Oriental Munich
2nd: Rebecca Daum, Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof
3rd: Lisa Bauer, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich
Jury:
Miriam Ziemer, President of the AICR Germany
Lily Julieth Vargas, Receptionist of the year 2015
Monika Kesting
Peter Hochstein
Thilo Riemann
Carsten Hennig
Further information: www.aicr-gemany.de