Castaway Island, Fiji (FCI)
General Host Meeting
BY WASEROMA BALEINAMAKA — Castaway Island, Fiji held its monthly General Host Meeting on June 15 and as usual, it was a time to also recognize hosts who have gone the extra mile in delivering exceptional guest service in May. It is also a time when the Castaway vuvale are informed of the overall performance of the resort for the past month alongside other current and future key operational updates.
General Manager Steven Andrews congratulated the awardees for their continuous effort, commitment, dedication and support, while also emphasizing his appreciation for the hard work of all hosts across all departments. The program concluded with a celebration of June host birthdays.
The following hosts were recipients of our monthly accolades. Congratulations to:
The gallery was not found!OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger (OEH)
Father’s Day
Father’s Day was celebrated with sweets and gratitude for the fathers and father figures at OEH.
Host of the Month + Manager of the Quarter
Kiana Beimes, Janice Ng and Edwin Torres
Manager of the 1st Quarter | JANICE NG
In the first quarter of 2023, Janice was an unstoppable force. Faced with unprecedented trials and tribulations, she persevered through the uphill battles. With decreased staffing and minimal days off, Janice managed the housekeeping departments of both OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel and OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger. Not only did she ensure smooth operations, she also managed to maintain overtime and expense levels – contributing to our overall accomplishment of yielding $1.2 million ahead in EBITDA!
Despite not having an operable pool, as well as countless infrastructure challenges, Janice and her team consistently receive shout-outs on TripAdvisor and UniFocus. Since the beginning of 2023, the housekeeping team was recognized by name on all platforms, and as a result, our review scores are at a record high! Janice made it a point to be at every housekeeping briefing during Quarter 1, and her innovative coaching has inspired her team to activate The 4 Keys in new and proven ways. Now more than ever, the housekeeping team is motivated to keep the momentum going each day.
Beyond her exceptional leadership, Janice is an inspiring and sincere friend to all. She makes time for anyone who needs her attention and pours her heart into providing genuine solutions for them. Janice cares for her team and treats them like ‘ohana. In turn, their appreciation and admiration for her is evident in how they show up to work. Feeling her encouragement and seeing how she runs alongside her team truly drives them to strive for their best! We are so proud of Janice and endlessly grateful for all that she is! It is with great joy, we share her well-deserved achievement as Manager of the 1st Quarter, 2023!
– Nominated by Kiana Beimes, Hotel Manager II
Kiana Beimes, Keith Yamane and Edwin Torres
Manager of the 2nd Quarter | KEITH YAMANE
Keith is a rock star every day, but in the months of April through June 2023, he truly shined bright. In May, OEH was tasked with identifying and replacing all shut-off and re-circulation valves hidden within the building. This meant spending hours locating approximately 70 valves and with little to no backup, documents to expedite the process. This project took months of planning and the operation only allowed for 3 weeks to complete.
On the first day of the project, we experienced issues and soon realized we were unable to completely shut off the water. We then learned that a butterfly valve needed to be sourced and replaced by 8 a.m. the following morning, in order to maintain the designated schedule. This also meant that in order to replace the valve all water in the building needed to be shut down for 3-4 hours overnight. Keith jumped into action by calling his contact and locating a replacement valve. The emergency repair and water shutdown was conducted from 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. and successfully completed on time! Without being asked, Keith volunteered to work through the night to supervise the repair, even though he had already worked the entire day. Without his critical thinking and accountability, we surely would not have been able to resume this massive project.
In addition to his tireless attention to our continuous projects, Keith continues to lead by example. He truly “walks the talk.” When coaching his team to raise their performance standards, he always does the same. Keith’s care for them is extremely evident through all that he does. He takes the time to learn about their unique personalities and he celebrates them for it. Keith is also highly respected and regarded by his team. They value his knowledge and follow his diligence. Together, they are a unique and strong unit, just like a true family.
Keith is the foundation of the OEH maintenance department and just recently celebrated one year at the property. We are so appreciative of Keith and his resilient spirit! For all these reasons and countless more, we are eager to announce our Manager of the 2nd Quarter, 2023, Keith Yamane!
– Nominated by Kiana Beimes, Hotel Manager II
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort (FOR)
May Hosts of the Month
The gallery was not found!Sneak Peek at FOR’s Vuvale Get Together
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru Resort (MAM)
BY AYAASHA ISHAAQ — We held our All-Host Meeting on June 12 where we announced and celebrated our Host of the First Quarter of 2023 and May Host of the Month for both Heart of the House and Front of the House. The meeting was followed by a special tea party celebrating June birthdays.
May Host of the Month | Heart of the House | YASAR ARAFATH
Yasar, our multi-technician, is very experienced in his current position and plays an important role in the entire engineering operations. His exceptional performance, dedication and outstanding contribution to the engineering team have truly set him apart as a remarkable team member. He never misses any timeline or target given to him. He always has a wonderful attitude and that seems to put everyone he works with in a good mood. Yasar has very good job knowledge and troubleshooting skills, especially in air conditioning, refrigeration, HVAC, electrical, electronic and mechanical.
– Comments by Azim, Chief Engineer
May Host of the Month | Front of the House | DHARMESH RATHOD
The reason why we have selected Dharmesh, assistant housekeeper, as Host of the Month is because of the many host comments from different departments and his commitment to his duties. The way he communicates with hosts is very professional and he also takes part in training hosts within the department. Dharmesh keeps a close relationship between the departments like engineering and front office for a smooth operation. These are the two major departments related to housekeeping on a day-to-day basis. I am so happy to have him in the department; whenever I request him to do additional tasks, he never disappoints. Instead, he shows willingness and positivity always.
He also won the inter-department Supervisor of the Month certificate a day before he won this Host of the Month award.
– Comments by Riyaz | Executive Housekeeper
Host of the First Quarter | SHAHAAU MOHAMED
Shahaau has many great qualities. He consistently goes above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service. As a result, he receives positive feedback from guests. He demonstrates the ability to meet and exceed guest expectations. He has leadership qualities and takes initiative in his role to inspire and motivate his team members, contributing to a positive and productive work environment. Shahaau works well with his colleagues, shows respect and support for the team and actively participates in team projects or initiatives. Shahaau effectively communicates with both guests and colleagues. He excels in clear and concise verbal and written communication and ensures information is conveyed accurately and efficiently. He demonstrates overall exemplary behavior and professionalism and consistently upholds high standards of professionalism, integrity and ethics, serving as a role model for others.
– Comments by Ibrahim, Director of Rooms
The gallery was not found!
Group Thanks
BY ALI RASHEED — Sharing wonderful feedback from a Chinese group who stayed with us June 22-26.
Dear Esteemed Management Team of Outrigger Maafushivaru,
I am writing this letter to express our heartfelt gratitude to your esteemed hotel. Our team stayed at your hotel from June 22nd until June 26th, with a total of 23 individuals.
First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to each and every one of you and the entire team for providing us with an unforgettable stay. From the moment we stepped into the hotel, you showered us with meticulous care and displayed exemplary professionalism, offering us a holistic service experience.
I would like to express special appreciation to our butler, Mr. Moosa, for his exceptional service during our stay. With his warm smile and professional skills, Mr. Moosa became our guide and supporter throughout our time at the hotel. He consistently provided us with valuable advice and arrangements for dinner reservations and water activities. He diligently fulfilled every special request we made for our rooms, always treating us with kindness and friendliness. We greatly admire Mr. Moosa’s attentiveness and dedication, which made us feel truly at home and earned our utmost appreciation for his service.
Every member of our team unanimously praised the service provided by your hotel and Mr. Moosa. You have demonstrated a high level of professionalism and a genuine caring spirit, making us feel welcomed and creating wonderful memories for our trip.
Once again, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you and the entire team for delivering outstanding service. We will cherish the unforgettable experience we had at your esteemed hotel and highly recommend it to other travelers.
Wishing each and every one of you and the entire team continued success in all your endeavors. Thank you once again for your warm hospitality.
Best regards,
Gina – From Bal Tours
OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel (OBC)
Joy Ravina, Kimiko Theus and Edwin Torres
May Host of the Month | KIMIKO THEUS
Kimiko has been doing an excellent job as our main auditor and has been working for OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel for 10 years. She is vigilant in her work, which is seen by her auditing and appropriate emails to managers. While she is primarily an auditor, she functionally acts as the manager on duty at night, expertly handling important responsibilities such as guest concerns and complaints.
While Kimiko is great at fulfilling her responsibilities, she is also just a great person to be around. She has a very pleasant and friendly attitude. She is a very warm and genuine person, which explains why her fellow coworkers enjoy working with her.
Besides being an auditor, Kimiko is a Japanese-speaking front desk agent. Recently, Kimiko went above and beyond for one of our Japanese guests displaying her genuineness as a person. One night, one of our Japanese guests lost their passport. They approached Kimiko, who extended her night shift for the sake of helping them. She called the Walmart where the Japanese guest was believed to have lost their passport. Unfortunately, Kimiko was unable to connect with anyone, but she made sure to relay the situation to the next shift who would eventually be able to secure the passport for our guest.
Kimiko, keep up the great work; our team is so proud of you!
– Nominated by Daniel Guittu, Guest Services Manager
Manager of the First Quarter | JANICE NG
Edwin Torres, Janice Ng and Keri Brown
Janice Ng is, by definition, a perfectionist. She demands flawless execution and exceptional service levels from her team AND herself – but does so with humility, good humor and the heart of a true servant. She is a hands-on leader – training her team one-on-one if necessary – with proactivity and positivity constantly top of mind.
OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber’s Unifocus scores (some of the top in the company) are a testament to Janice’s effective, empathetic leadership.
- Staff greeted me warmly: 96%
- Housekeeping staff was aware of my needs and responded accordingly: 96%
- My room was clean upon arrival: 97%
- Room was clean and organized during my stay: 95%
Janice’s care, consideration and respect for her hosts are contagious – and are reflected in the manner in which her team cares for our valued, loyal guests. Congratulations, Janice – and thank you for all that you do for our hosts, our guests and our place.
– Nominated by Edwin Torres, Complex General Manager
Manager of the Second Quarter | LAUREN YAMAMOTO
Edwin Torres, Lauren Yamamoto and Cassie Simpson
Leadership comes in many forms – and we are thrilled to celebrate the multitude of contributions from our Leader of the Quarter, Lauren Yamamoto.
Lauren’s top-line room revenue performance for the property speaks for itself:
- She has secured $1.48 million dollars in crew business year-to-date in 2023 that did not exist for the property in 2019 (yes, that means ZERO dollars in 2019).
- Utilizing her strengths in managing partner and vendor relationships, Lauren has elevated the OUTRIGGER Business Connection and corporate consortia platforms, exponentially growing the negotiated business of the hotel – exceeding full year 2019 actuals (with 6 months left to book in 2023) by 717%.
- And, if the volume of business she is securing were not enough, she’s grown the negotiated segment average daily rate by $22 compared to last year.
The only gift that outshines Lauren’s professional performance is the genuine care she pours into every aspect of the team. She’s the first to remember and celebrate special occasions and milestones for our many hosts. She is never afraid to roll up her sleeves and play in the dirt (quite literally) to further OUTRIGGER’s commitment to sustainability and conservation. And after a long day of site inspections, contract negotiating and in-person visits to each of our operations team to ensure the seamless execution of the many programs and crews she brings to the property, Lauren can be found at 7 p.m. folding pool towels with our housekeeping team so they can focus on our valued, loyal guests.
Congratulations, Lauren – and thank you for all that you do for our OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber ‘ohana. You are valued and very much appreciated.
– Nominated by Edwin Torres, Complex General Manager