Corporate sector companies are increasingly appointing Hospitality Management graduates to senior positions outside their traditional roles, mainly due to their skills in interacting with the public and working under pressure, says Africa’s largest private education provider, ADvTECH.
“Customer-centricity has evolved, building a whole new perception of what it means to live and work in the ‘hospitality industry’,” says Candice Adams, Academic Development Manager at The IIE School of Hospitality and Service Management, a brand of ADvTECH.
Due to an increase in expectations regarding what constitutes good customer service on the part of the general public, a wide range of companies look for those leaders who have a track record of being able to fulfil the needs and demands of their customers, and a hospitality management background is emerging as the qualification that encapsulates the diverse range of skills required to do so.
Service management is the new buzzword on the business scene, likely to become one of the most sought-after skillsets across business sectors, according to Adams.
New job titles and roles are being created in businesses – focusing on guiding, supervising, curating or managing the customer journey – such as customer success consultants/managers, customer experience consultants, customer relationship managers, client services representatives, service managers, customer value representatives, and client innovations representatives/managers.
“Based on research focusing on new trends, hotel designs will be a lot less ‘big box’ and a lot more ‘out of the box’,” Adams theorises on the future of modern hotels and hospitality.
“These automations aren’t going to automate themselves. Ensuring that the hospitality experience – whether in restaurants, for functions, or hotel stays – continue to deliver and delight, will always require a human with the right skills and leadership qualities.
“So, for those students interested in studying Hospitality and Service Management, the message is clear – your options are good and growing not just in the traditional environment, but are also expanding into other career paths with great prospects.”
