Running a hotel is a complex business. The biggest key player to your property’s success is the General Manager. Unfortunately, because many hotels follow the principle of promoting within, many are led by former departmental managers with insufficient experience.
A hotel general manager must be adaptable and dexterous. This enigmatic role requires the ability to manage all departments, from food and beverage to the front desk. While it does require a lot of experience, even the most experienced general managers can sometimes fall short. Here are some signs that you should consider hiring a new general manager for your hotel:
Low Guest Satisfaction Scores
Nobody has a better perspective on what can be improved than your guests. Everybody else, including your staff, has a limited and possibly tainted view. Your guests will help you identify areas of weakness. If your General Manager uses complaints to fix issues, you’ll see consistent improvement in operations. However, if your General Manager brushes guest feedback under the rug, the problems will continue to add up.
One of the most important metrics for any hotel is guest satisfaction. If your hotel’s scores are declining, it’s time to take a closer look at the person in charge. A general manager who is not meeting the expectations of guests will ultimately damage the reputation of your hotel and lead to a decrease in revenue.
High Turnover
A high turnover rate among hotel staff is a clear sign that something is wrong. If your general manager is not able to retain qualified and skilled employees, it can be a sign of poor leadership or lack of communication. A new general manager can bring fresh ideas and strategies to improve employee morale and retention.
Communication Blunders
Does your General Manager have communication skills? A good GM will keep their staff up to date on what’s going on throughout the hotel. If your staff isn’t updated on policy changes, events, maintenance issues or new processes, mistakes will inevitably happen.
Make sure your GM is meeting with the staff on a regular basis. Staff meetings can help everybody get on the same page, even when it comes to small changes.
Effective communication is key to the success of any business, and hotels are no exception. If your general manager is not able to communicate effectively with guests, staff, and other stakeholders, it can lead to misunderstandings and a breakdown in trust. A new general manager with strong communication skills can help build stronger relationships with guests and staff, leading to improved performance and greater success.
Lack of Self-Awareness
This broad role requires someone capable of seamlessly bouncing from various departments and assisting as needed. However, many managers insert themselves in areas beyond their expertise. While there is the requirement of being capable of overseeing various departments, your GM should still be aware of their personal strengths AND weaknesses.
You don’t just want to hire a manager; you want to hire a leader. Leading is often found through delegation, even if it requires the manager to provide the initial training.
No Flexibility
Working in a hotel means that problems often arise at the most inopportune times. Flexibility and adaptability are necessary skills that help managers make decisive and well-informed decisions. This goes beyond having a backup plan. Successful hotel managers do not cave under pressure when it gets rough. This is the time when management must step up and adjust based on the current situation.
Successful hotels are constantly innovating to keep up with changing trends and guest preferences. If your hotel is stuck in a rut and not keeping up, it may be a warning sign. A new manager can bring in fresh ideas and new perspectives that can drive innovation and keep your hotel ahead of the competition. Joseph David International is consistently one of the top-ranked hospitality recruiters because we work hard to find the ideal fit for both the managerial candidate and the client. For more information about hotel recruiting services, please click here.