New opening : Raffles Europejski Warsaw - Interview with Thomas Guss, General Manager of Raffles Europejski Warsaw

I recently meet Thomas Guss, the GM of Raffles Europejski Warsaw and we've discussed about the latest emerging themes and challenges in the luxury hotel industry. Below you will find my interview on the subject with Thomas Guss,

What is your vision of digital technology in terms of guest experience?

One theme that has fascinated me over the years is the subject of digital technology. It is a controversial term in the luxury hotel universe, which has traditionally centered around human touch and would thus ostensibly resist the digitalization of the unique service that defines luxury hospitality.

It’s more about the back of the house to help us to move quickly to the guest’s expectations. Most of the guests have the possibility to call or Whatsapp. But our brand promise is about anticipating guests’ needs. Usually, you don’t receive too many calls because our job is to anticipate their needs. Digital for me has to be relevant for the guests. I remember in one of the properties I used to work for (not in Raffles), we invested so much money into the technology in the shower. There were so many buttons in the shower that the guest had to wear their glasses—but who takes a shower with glasses? The guests could not use it. They had to figure out how to somehow switch on the hot water. Digital technology has to be there to help the guest to make their stay more comfortable. Every minute counts for them. Technology has to have a purpose for the guest.

Guests have the option to check-in at the front office, but most of the check-in will be in the guestroom with iPad technology. Guests can be directly escorted from the airport to the room. The check-in process is gone.

What are the most challenging issues your company is facing today?

Hiring the right talent. That’s the key to success in any luxury hotel: to find the right people. We have received more than 2,300 CVs. The hotel will hire more than 235 colleagues for 106 rooms.

We went outside on an international level to look for people. More than 58 of the people who are already in board have international experience. They have physically worked in the U.K., Switzerland, and the U.S. When people work outside their home country, the cultural diversity they bring is very noticeable. That’s the strength of the pillar of the hotel a good mix of experienced people from around the world, not only Poland. That is our key to success.

What is your definition of an iconic hotel?

An iconic hotel is only a building. The key of delivering a service engagement or a brand promise—this is the most important. First of all, you need to understand your guest’s purpose, why they are coming to visit you, etc. You need to deliver what they’re expecting from you. At the end, however, true luxury is about lasting memories, and sometimes it’s not just about money. It’s about small touch points that the guest will remember and talk to their friends about. We are so overwhelmed in the crowd in today’s world that sometimes it’s the small things that make the guests feel special. It’s not just always about champagne or money. It’s really about lasting memories.

Can you describe the art in your hotel?

The art in the hotel is proudly Polish. All of the art is contemporary Polish. There will be over 400 pieces of art. Art is so central to our identity that we decided to hire an art gallery manager on property who will be there to explain the art to the guest if they like. It is a feature similar to the one offered at the Raffles Royal Monceau in Paris. We will also have our own city tour guide manager for the guests who want to discover the city and the art in the city, so we will physically have 2 art gallery managers on property. In addition, we will have a book and digital facilities to explain all the art in the hotel to the guest.

How do you manage your staff team to encourage them to deliver the best of themselves?

he key element to work service comes from emotional connection and emotional intelligence. For this, you can train people as much as you want, but the service has to come from the heart. If the service does not come from the heart, the customers will feel it because then it just becomes a process. In Raffles, we spend a lot of effort, energy, and training to make people understand what emotional connection and engagement mean.

About Laurent Delporte 

Inspired by the service experience of luxury hotels, Laurent Delporte, expert in luxury hotels and the French art of welcoming, unearths the latest trends and consults on hotel projects while delivering the best of what is done. His insatiable curiosity, transversal perspective, and keen eye for luxury hotels, as well as his network of experts, investors, hotel managers, and talents, remain his strongest assets. 

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