With more than 20 years of experience in the hotel industry, Ricky Yeung, director of front office at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, knows how to deliver five-star service to guests from around the world.

After graduating with a degree in hotel management from Switzerland, Yeung worked at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and the Mandarin Oriental Macau before joining the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in his current position.

Yeung oversees the operations of the front desk and the concierge, as well as guest relations. He starts his day at around 8.15am as he prepares for a 9am meeting with the hotel’s general manager and other department heads. This is followed by his own front office department meeting at 10.30am. “These are the two fixed routines I have daily. Besides meetings, I spend most of my time in the lobby trying to greet as many VIP guests if as possible,” he says.

As a manager, Yeung’s main duty is to look at operational efficiency and service quality, and to think of ways to refine them. To do this, he consistently refers to two important sources of information. “I closely monitor the results of guest-satisfaction surveys. I follow up on guests’ comments and reply to guests directly. I also review the annual Brand Standard Audit. I will come up with an action plan according to the auditors’ comments,” he says.

Yeung’s latest challenge is to monitor renovation work at the hotel. “I am heavily involved in the renovation projects, which include the executive club level, the business centre, the gift shop, and a new health club. My challenge is to manage the renovations and maintain the best guest experience at the same time,” he says.

Yeung thinks a willingness to serve and being a team player are the most important traits for people working in the hotel industry. “The hotel industry is a service industry. We must be prepared with a positive attitude to serve guests. Communication and teamwork are also very important. It takes collaboration among staff and different departments to create an excellent guest experience,” he says.