Yasmin Keen, Sofitel London Gatwick’s new General Manager, is fully aware that she and her team have just five to six hours to make an impression on their guests. With many travellers checking in late at night and leaving to catch early flights, those few hours in between are crucial in ensuring guests will return, she says.
With that in mind, within the few short weeks of her appointment as GM, Yasmin has introduced Welcome Ambassadors – members of staff to meet and greet people in the hotel reception area, armed with iPads so they can quickly find out and meet guests’ needs for the next few hours.
“So many guests phone up on the day to make a booking for that night, which means we must get to know them quickly, so we can make a good impression. My vision is to take the hotel to the next level of customer service so that guests have a memorable stay rather than simply a hotel stay.”
Yasmin wanted a career that was evolving, with `no two days ever the same’, and lots of opportunity to meet people and travel. With more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, she says her job continues to meet those expectations.
She began working as a breakfast buffet runner back in her home country of Australia while she was studying for a hospitality degree and has worked in all areas of food and beverage before moving into the conference and sales arm of the industry.
A highlight of her early career in Sydney was opening a hotel as an assistant F&B manager just before the Olympic games started in 2000.
“We hosted the American basketball team which went on to win gold for the 12th time in 14 Olympics, and I got to hold those medals,” she says.
Yasmin arrived in London 12 years ago on a travel visa with the aim of doing a gap year in Europe – and has been here ever since. Her previous roles include the position of Operations Manager and Director of Sales and Marketing at Pullman London St Pancras, where she helped drive the repositioning of the former Novotel hotel into the first Pullman hotel in the UK. She has also held senior sales and marketing roles at the Holiday Inn London-Camden Lock and The Principal London.
Yasmin was the general manager of a boutique 180-year-old hotel in Cheltenham before joining the Sofitel London Gatwick, based at the North Terminal.
“This is my first airport hotel and I am amazed how calm it feels in the hotel lobby with the atrium, natural light and water feature, yet there is the buzz of the airport just on the doorstep.”
Yasmin has made it her personal mission to meet every single person who comes for a job interview at the Sofitel so she can “see beyond the CV and get to know the personalities”.
Aside from the hotel, Yasmin’s favourite pastime is to go to live music festivals, and she hasn’t lost the travel bug.
“My aim is to visit at least five countries every year. In the last 18 months, I have been to New York, Toronto, Prague, Egypt, Peru, Mexico and Hawaii. I like to try local delicacies and get a feel for the history of the country. I use these visits for inspiration when I am a work – after all we are a multi-national business.”
On her bucket list for next year is Norway and the Sorrisniva Ice hotel – Sofitel guests should expect some `cool’ ideas from Yasmin after this trip.