Interview with Voize

I was interviewed by Malaysiakini-owned Voize last week on Knowledge Management and Talent Management.

Article reproduced from http://voize.my/people/interview-eddie-tang-president-dorsett-international/

Q: What prompted you to come up with the Knowledge Management and Talent Management programme?

A: As a guest walks into a lobby, their first impression of the hotel would give them a sense of how the management operates, even if the general manager is hiding inside his office. The quality of service indicates what the receptionist or bell boy understands about his role.

After the General Manager of Dorsett Regency Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Christina Toh, reasoned that we needed to utilise the knowledge we have and threw some ideas on ways to share this information and knowledge with all our associates, it prompted me to develop a programme that would enable the direction and vision of Dorsett’s managers to flow down to all associates. This industry has faced tremendous changes over the years and will continue to face more. Whatever marketing methods in the past may not be applicable today. How well-equipped are we in terms of identifying and analysing these changes, it’s only thru Knowledge management that we will be able to tackle, plan and implement methods to further enhance the business and to be always seen in the market.

As for Talent Management, since 2009 the Dorsett group has been expanding its business and I desire to see our pool of talent grow, and facilitate in developing their skills and leadership qualities. We needed to find a way to move our best people within business units, divisions and geographies, as well as to recruit the best talent, hospitality or otherwise, externally. With a workforce of approximately 1,000 and growing, Dorsett International Sdn Bhd has access to a high volume of talented individuals across locations in Malaysia which currently includes Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Labuan Island and, in two years, Singapore.

Q: Why Knowledge Management and Talent Management?

A: Knowledge Management is crucial in the hospitality and service industry, where you communicate with guests 24 hours a day. Every action an associate makes, every dealings with a guest at the reception or restaurant, either showcases our excellent practices, or mediocrity.

My vision is to make Dorsett International the best hospitality group in Southeast Asia, and to do this my mission is to design and implement a hospitality technology for our group of hotels, resorts and residences to support all aspects of the business—from IT and Housekeeping to Food & Beverage and Sales—that reaches our guests.

Some candidates and associates are very compatible with Dorsett’s culture and it’s important to attract these talents, then retain them, ensure their growth, and develop their skills. You could say that Talent Management is a form of internal CSR as the company identifies ways to look after its associates and reignite employee satisfaction.
Q: Are there any other programmes that you would like to share with our reader?

A: Dorsett International Sdn Bhd has implemented a career portal to ensure a consistent and easy-to-use candidate experience. We are very keen in driving a more holistic approach in recruiting so that whichever route applicants take into the organisation, the experience is positive and rewarding. We will focus to invest substantially in transforming individuals and teams within the Group to be self-driven, pro-active, collaborative, and innovative, all of which will enable them to have higher level of operational excellence, customer responsiveness and originality intensity.

Q: Are these programmes open to all Dorsett International staff?

A: Yes, Dorsett International’s strength lies in our collective vision. I invest a lot into training our associates, whom I prefer to refer to as such rather than as staff.

Even before an associate is recruited into the Dorsett family, they know that their talent is recognised when we offer them a competitive package that is customised according to their needs. It’s far better to lose an employee to another department in the business than to a competitor. Dorsett’s latest Human Resources management system will enable us to build and draw from a pool of talent within our organisation.
Q: How many have benefited from this programme? Do you see any changes or improvements in them?

A: The best example I would like to share is how Dorsett International prides itself in excellent service, and our 3-star, 4-star and 5-star properties have that in common.


If you go to Dorsett Johor Hotel, it is only rated a 3-star hotel, but the associates provide 5-star service.

Last year, our group of hotels in Malaysia performed so well that it astounded our parent company, Far East Consortium International Ltd (FECIL), and its CEO Tan Sri David Chiu, were curious to know what had happened to the team!

Their hard work also earned them some awards, such as the Gems Award for Best Three-Star Hotel in Johor for Dorsett Johor Hotel in March, and most recently the Service Provider of the Year award for Grand Dorsett Subang Hotel by the 4th Business of the Year Award.

Q: How does the Knowledge Management and Talent Management sustain areas of the organisation?

A: Through identifying potential talents, Dorsett International is able to capitalise on their strengths. There’s sustainability as well as succession planning when this knowledge gathered is utilised. These two main areas will surely assist Dorsett as we focus on investing substantiality to transform individuals and teams within the group to be self-driven, pro-active, collaborative, and innovative, to enable them to rise to a higher level of operational excellence, customer responsiveness and original intensity, as the group’s main objective is to become the preferred hospitality employer in Malaysia.

Q: Any plans on business expansion besides this?

A: Dorsett International Sdn Bhd is projecting to add 10 more hotels, resorts and serviced residences in Malaysia to its existing chain of five in approximately five years. The Group’s parent company, Far East Consortium International Ltd (FECL) which is a Hong Kong listed company, has allocated a substantial sum for the said expansion. All matters pertaining to the expansion comes under the responsibility of Dorsett International Sdn Bhd, which is the Malaysian hospitality arm of FEC. I am very confident that this goal will be met – efficiently, effectively and lucratively.

We prefer, if possible, to move away from the current star rating and position all our hotels based on their respective characteristics, location and types of serviced residences, guest rooms, and suites available. Our positioning will also take into consideration both the hardware and software available within the hotels which are offered to our guests, clients (both corporate and leisure), suppliers, etc.

By end-2010, our associates, customer, clients, guests, vendors, and suppliers will be able to identify and relate to the Group’s various classes of hospitality services, ranging from international class to mid-range to serviced residences.

Q: What can our readers expect to see from Dorsett in the future?

A: A well developed properties and associates. The hotel industry has much space to grow, since we have some of the most competitive rates for hotels in the region. Hotels need to establish a credible presence and a strong identity early on, so as the market continues to develop it becomes easy to stay ahead.

Q: Any further thoughts to share with our readers?

A: At the same time the group is venturing deeply into another two major areas and they are Social Media and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). As for social media, we now have a lively online presence with our revamped blog at http://www.dorsettinternational.com/blog, Facebook and YouTube.

And as for CSR, the group has been actively taking part in the major Earth Hour event last year and this year. This event will be an annual practice and the hotels have actively implemented some initiatives at their level as a beginning such as:
* Started own gardens that grow herbs like screw pine, lemongrass and mint.
* Display of green cards in the guest rooms as a reminder on minimising laundry to curb waste.
* Channels funds raised through ongoing fund raising activities from the selling of recyclable items.
* Started to use green pepper in their cooking as it has a distinct and favourable taste.
* Usage of bio-enzymes to clean the hotel’s drainage systems, which helps to save the environment.
*Compost machines turning the waste into fertilisers for the gardens.