A new electronic butler service is being tested at Le Méridien Al-Aqah Beach Resort, prior to being rolled out across Le Méridien hotels worldwide. The east coast resort has also employed graduates from the local technical college to assist with Arabic language telephone services, as part of its service initiative to provide facilities for all nationalities.
According to hotel manager, Patrick Antaki, since opening in December, Le Méridien Al-Aqah Beach Resort has catered for both overseas tourists and large numbers of United Arab Emirates (UAE) local and expatriate visitors.
In the three months since opening, Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort has enjoyed 100 percent occupancies during weekends and holiday periods, and is also making inroads in to the corporate sector for meetings and events, according to a company press release.
The new Dial One for Service initiative means guests need only dial one number, and their call will be redirected by the telephone operator to the relevant department and then followed up to ensure that the request has been processed.
“Instead of remembering different numbers for laundry, housekeeping and so on, guest need only dial the one number and then they will always speak to the same telephone operator who has the responsibility of ensuring their requirements are met speedily and with courtesy,” said Antaki.
“By introducing nationals from the college in these positions, we can assist our Arabic guests and also provide an opportunity for these girls to gain practical experience in the hospitality sector as part of their training.”
A joint venture between Emirates airline and the Hotel & Resort Investment Company, the hotel is located on a two kilometre sand beach on the UAE east coast facing the Indian Ocean. Le Méridien is a global hotel group with a portfolio of more than 140 luxury and upscale hotels (38,000 rooms) in 55 countries worldwide. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
