In focus: Al Dyafa Hotel

Q: In your opinion, what sets Al Dyafa Hotel apart from other hotels in Oman ?

Mohammed Al Kilany: Hotels offer approximately the same services and amenities to their guests – the real difference is in how personalized the customer service is.  At Al Dyafa hotel, we ensure that every guest is satisfied with the services we provide and that they are getting good value for money.

Q: Tell us about the customer journey at your hotel: from the moment guests enter till they check-out. How do you ensure they have a great experience?

Mohammed Al Kilany: We believe that the customer journey starts from the moment a customer decides to book their stay with us. We try to provide them with everything they need to choose Al Dyafa Hotel for their upcoming stay. The first impression makes all the difference, so our  staff welcomes all guests with a smile and a refreshing complimentary drink in the lobby. The aim is to make them feel comfortable immediately upon arrival. We try to ensure that all their pre-reservation requests are fulfilled and they are completely satisfied, before they even enter the room.

Q: What does excellent Customer Service mean to you at Al Dyafa Hotel ?

Mohammed Al Kilany: At Al Dyafa Hotel, excellent customer service is all about empathy. We believe in demonstrating that we care about our guests, and their needs by paying attention to every request.

Q: In your opinion, what is the best way to gather feedback from guests?

Mohammed Al Kilany: For us, nothing compares to face-to-face interactions with our guests. We take great pride in conducting a courtesy call soon after the guest has checked-in.  This is one of the ways we gain valuable feedback and measure customer satisfaction at Al Dyafa Hotel. Questionnaires are another way in which we  gather feedback and continually improve our services.

Q: How does Al Dyafa Hotel deal with unsatisfied customers?

Mohammed Al Kilany: At Al Dyafa Hotel, we  deal with dissatisfied customers by taking the time out to listen to their side of the story. Once that is done, we take immediate action to resolve the complaint and to secure the customer’s approval.

Q: How do you, as General Manager, ensure that your hotel staff is happily engaged in work?

Mohammed Al Kilany: We ensure that there is clear and open communication among all the staff members by doing the following:

-Al Dyafa’s management carries out training programs as well as team-building activities in order to maintain a healthy relationship between managers and their teams.

– There is a monthly evaluation to measure employee engagement and overall job satisfaction.

Q: What kind of customer service training programs do you provide to your hotel staff and how frequently?

Mohammed Al Kilany: Every new hire must demonstrate a strong understanding of core hospitality principles, effective communication skills, as well as an ability to properly handle guests’ complaints. On-the-job training and team-building activities take place on a bi-monthly basis in our hotel.

Q: What are the key skills you focus on during these staff trainings?

Mohammed Al Kilany: During our staff trainings, we focus on written and spoken communication skills, personal hygiene, as well as good listening skills.

Q: What steps do you take to make sure your guests keep coming back to your hotel?

Mohammed Al Kilany: We try to ensure that each and every guest at the Al Dyafa Hotel leaves fully-satisfied with our services. To further engage our customers and to let them know how much we value them, we roll out special discounts,  benefits and giveaways on a time-to-time basis.

Q: How have you seen guests’ expectations change during your time at Al Dyafa Hotel? How do you keep up with these changing expectations?

Mohammed Al Kilany: In addition to a comfortable accommodation, today’s travellers desire 24/7 internet connectivity and hotels with a close proximity to city centres. While guests used to look for luxury and comfort during their hotel stay, now they also expect  good value-for-money.

Q: How does your hotel plan to offer an even better customer experience in the future?

Mohammed Al Kilany: We pay close attention to customer feedback, which includes online reviews, questionnaires, and verbal feedback. Since we believe that there is always room for improvement, we take the time out to review and apply constructive feedback whenever possible.

About Mohammed Al Kilany

With over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Mohammed Al Kilany has been repeatedly recognized for a can-do attitude and attention-to-detail. In his professional capacity he has received an excellence award three times over the span of his dynamic career.