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An exclusive look into how Far East Hospitality caters to families and creates unforgettable experiences in their serviced residences.
Singapore is renowned for its world-class hospitality, and Far East Hospitality has been a key player in shaping the industry. Their commitment to providing exceptional guest experiences is evident in their family-centric initiatives.
I had the opportunity to speak with Tan Chia Hui, the Head of Sales Operations at Far East Hospitality, who shared insights on how her experiences as a mother influence her role and how the company creates memorable stays for families.
Enhancing operations with parenthood insights
As the Head of Sales Operations and a mother of two preschool-age daughters, Tan Chia Hui draws upon her experiences as a mother to enhance her role in spearheading operations for the serviced residences portfolio. Parenthood has taught her valuable lessons about empathy and adaptability, which directly impact her professional role.
“Interacting with my daughters, understanding their emotions, and addressing their needs has developed a deep sense of empathy within me,” Tan Chia Hui explains. “This empathy directly translates into my role as the Head of Sales Operations, where I interact with a diverse range of guests, colleagues, and stakeholders. Understanding their perspectives, anticipating their needs, and providing warm hospitality services are all elements of my job that draw parallels with motherhood too.”
Adaptability is another skill Tan Chia Hui has honed through parenthood. “Children’s growth and learning occur at a remarkable pace, and as a parent, I need to adapt my parenting approach to better nurture them,” she says. “This skill is also vital in the dynamic hospitality industry, where trends, customer preferences, and market conditions can shift rapidly. The ability to adapt quickly and make informed decisions helps our serviced residences stay ahead of the curve and meet the ever-changing needs of our guests.”
By drawing upon her experiences as a mother, Tan Chia Hui strives to create an environment where both guests and hospitality team members feel understood, supported, and valued, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and operational efficiency within Far East Hospitality’s serviced residences portfolio.
Family-centric experiences at Far East Hospitality’s properties
Tan Chia Hui’s personal insights have played a significant role in shaping the development of family-oriented initiatives at Far East Hospitality. Understanding the challenges faced by working parents during family vacations, the company introduced the “Your Family Moments” package, for which I can personally vouch having experienced it first-hand with my family that includes my husband and my two-year-old daughter. This campaign is designed to offer fuss-free and engaging experiences for the whole family.
“With the Your Family Moments package, we aim to alleviate the burden of packing bulky items by offering pre-arranged baby cots and highchairs,” Tan Chia Hui explains. “In addition to the convenience of kids’ clubs and children’s playrooms, we understand the importance of meaningful activities in the apartment that the family can immerse in and enjoy together. For example, we provide an over-a-rainbow stacking game, a Playdoh mixer set for pretend play, and the opportunity to bake a family favourite cake recipe in the kitchen with matching aprons and mittens.”
By considering the needs and preferences of families, Far East Hospitality ensures that its properties offer family-centric experiences that create lasting memories. Tan Chia Hui’s insights as a working parent have been invaluable in designing initiatives that cater to the challenges and desires of families, providing them with memorable stays that are hassle-free and enjoyable.
Adapting to emerging trends and changes
In the ever-evolving hospitality industry, staying competitive requires adaptation to emerging trends and changes. Tan Chia Hui discusses some of the trends impacting sales strategies and operations: “Guests today seek personalized experiences tailored to their preferences. This trend has led us to focus on offering customizable packages, room configurations, and personalized amenities. Our sales strategies incorporate a deep understanding of our guests’ needs, allowing us to provide personalized recommendations and create unique experiences that truly resonate with them.”
Tan Chia Hui’s leadership position as the President of the Serviced Apartments Association (SAA) further influences her approach to sales operations and the overall direction of Far East Hospitality’s properties. “At SAA, we strive to advocate the benefits of serviced apartments, ensure consistent and quality service, and curate a place in Singapore that our guests can call home,” she says. “Similarly, at Far East Hospitality, we strive to provide Singapore-inspired hospitality with our service approach centred around comfort, genuine attention, aesthetic appeal, and staying relevant to our guests’ evolving needs.”
Maintaining consistent sales performance and overcoming challenges
Maintaining consistent sales performance across multiple properties poses challenges in a competitive market. Tan Chia Hui shares insights into the challenges faced and how Far East Hospitality overcomes them: “In a wide selection of stay accommodations, it is important for our team to listen, understand, and anticipate the needs of our guests while adapting our strategies to address evolving market sentiments. Differentiating ourselves from the competition, we have curated different brand and stay experiences in our properties to deliver an exceptional guest experience based on their preferences.”
This strategy ensures that Far East Hospitality’s properties prioritize guests’ preferences, resulting in exceptional stays and consistent sales performance across their portfolio.
Aligning sales strategies with memorable stays
Creating memorable and satisfying stays for guests is at the heart of Far East Hospitality’s sales strategies. Tan Chia Hui sheds light on how this alignment is achieved: “At Far East Hospitality, we prioritize creating memorable and comforting stays for our guests based on their preferences. We have properties like Oasia that advocate wellness, providing health-conscious guests with wellness-focused experiences. For guests who love to immerse themselves in the local culture, our Village properties provide insider recommendations to live like a local.”
One of the initiatives specifically designed for families is the Your Family Moments stay experience. Tan Chia Hui explains, “Guest touchpoints are curated to elevate family experiences and create bonding moments, all within the comfort of their home away from home.”
Staying ahead of trends and anticipating evolving needs
To ensure that family-centric experiences remain innovative and relevant in an ever-changing market, Tan Chia Hui shares the steps Far East Hospitality takes to stay ahead of trends and anticipate the evolving needs of families and guests: “We conduct regular market research to gather insights into emerging trends, preferences, and demands within the family travel segment. We also actively seek feedback from our guests, particularly families, to understand their experiences and expectations. Through post-stay surveys and direct feedback channels, we collect valuable insights that help us identify areas for improvement and potential opportunities to enhance our family-centric experiences.”
By proactively engaging with guests and keeping a pulse on market trends, Far East Hospitality ensures that its family-centric experiences remain innovative, relevant, and tailored to the evolving needs of families and guests.
Designing immersive and family-friendly experiences
The Your Family Moments campaign offers a range of immersive and family-friendly experiences. Tan Chia Hui provides a glimpse into the planning and creative processes involved in designing such experiences: “Our team has put themselves in the shoes of our guests to address what they expect throughout the guest journey at all touchpoints. From pre-arrival to their experience during the stay and the moment they depart, every touchpoint has been meticulously planned and designed.”
The welcome experience sets the tone for a memorable stay: “Families are greeted by our warm hospitality team and offered an exclusive activity bag consisting of an activity and colouring book, colour pencils, stickers, and snacks. This allows children to find entertainment while their parents are checking in.”
During the stay, a wide range of engaging activities and amenities cater to the entire family: “From matching parent and children apron sets for family cooking sessions in the spacious kitchen to Play-Doh pretend mixers inspiring creativity and endless fun for children, we ensure there’s something for everyone. Families can enjoy a rainbow stacking game while sipping hot chocolate in the living room.”
Far East Hospitality goes the extra mile to make children feel at home: “We provide adorable fruit-themed plushies, custom-made duvets, and fun-sized furniture to ensure that the little ones feel right at home during their stay. Even little babies are not forgotten, as they receive a mini plushie just the right size for their little hands.”
As a fond farewell, each family receives a family photo keepsake and a handwritten message from the Residence Manager, commemorating the meaningful memories created during their stay.
The Your Family Moments campaign is a testament to the dedication and passion of the Far East Hospitality team. Tan Chia Hui emphasizes, “This campaign is inspired by what we would anticipate experiencing with our families during an extended stay away from home. We hope every family that comes through our doors has a memorable stay filled with happy moments curated by our hospitality team.”
To experience Your Family Moments, guests can book a stay at any Far East Hospitality serviced residences in Singapore here.
Book Period: 20 May – 15 December 2023
Stay Period: 1 June – 31 December 2023
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