Thursday 7 February 2013
Marina Mandarin"s mobile solution to labour crunch
WHO
Marina Mandarin Singapore recently took the radical step of adopting an integrated mobile technology system to improve customer service levels, a move said to be the first by a hotel in Singapore, where there is currently a manpower crunch.
The solution, dubbed OneGuest Mobile Solutions, took six months to develop and implement. A pilot programme was launched on November 7, 2012 at the hotel’s Atrium Lounge, which consistently suffers an acute staff shortage.
WHAT
According to Quek Choon Yang, a partner at Zimerick, which was contracted to devise the tailor made solution, the suite integrates with the two most popular point of sale systems used in the hospitality industry – Micros and Infrasys.
OneGuest Menu, the suite’s digital menu component, enables customers to browse and order items, call for service and offer live feedback on one of 16 iPads. By eliminating order taking, errors are diminished and staff can be redeployed elsewhere.
If the digital menu is not used, a customer service management module OneGuest Manage allows staff to key in orders manually and alerts them to customer requests via iPhones. They can also view the status of tables and orders on their assigned iPhone.
The final component, OneGuest Admin, is a cloud-based content management system that allows managers to monitor product availability, pricing and demand in real time, enabling them to design more effective marketing and sales promotions. The digital menus can also be updated via this module, saving both time and money.
All iPhones and iPads have been fitted with security devices to prevent theft.
WHY
The trial project was developed in partnership with Spring Singapore as part of the hotel’s consumer-centric strategy, supported by the Singapore Hotel Association and initiated under the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore Mobility Solutions Call-for-Collaboration. It was jointly administered with the Singapore Tourism Board and the Employment and Employability Institute.
Marina Mandarin’s general manager, Kurt O Wehinger, said: “When the Marina Mandarin first opened 25 years ago, the industry standard was two staff to one guestroom. This ratio has since dropped to a paltry 0.6-0.7. Hence, we were compelled to look for alternatives, especially since the government has clamped down on foreign worker quotas.”
With the authorities injecting funds into technology-driven projects to improve productivity, Wehinger said that the hotel heeded the government’s call and “developed a customised mobile solution”.
TARGET
Marina Mandarin’s executive assistant manager, Ng Yu Lik, stated that the trial run at the Atrium Lounge would continue until the project generated sufficient data to warrant a full review. If successful, the hotel would consider introducing the suite to its other FB outlets and even in-room dining.
“It’s still early days, but we are optimistic that this will revolutionise the way we run our FB operations, and aid us immensely in our quest to do more with fewer hands on deck,” he said. – Linda Haden
This article was first published in TTG Asia, February 8 – 21, 2013 issue, on page 6. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
Marina Mandarin"s mobile solution to labour crunch
Singapore Airlines Profit Rises
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Singapore Airlines Profit Rises
MPs share views on keeping Singapore competitive in the global market
MPs share views on keeping Singapore competitive in the global market
Posted: 07 February 2013 2206 hrs
SINGAPORE: Several members of the House who spoke on Thursday shared the view that it was necessary to keep Singapore competitive in the global market.
Making calls to ensure Singapore remains an attractive place to invest in, they said this would create job opportunities for Singaporeans as well.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Mr Wong Kan Seng said: “The White Paper before this House today is the effort made by the government to prevent a repeat of history. The point is not whether the population size should be 5.9 or 6.9 (million). It is about how we keep our economy growing at a sustainable rate, create better jobs for Singaporeans and provide care and support for elders who have contributed much to our country. These objectives are the key responsibilities of the government. But it must have the people’s support. They must build consensus on these objectives in order of the government to act for the benefit of Singaporeans.”
Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Mr Heng Chee How said: “I remember the story of Cinderella. For her, a magical moment was granted her at the royal ball, but she had to leave before the clock strikes twelve. Because at that point in time, the carriage will change back into being the pumpkin, the horsemen revert to mice, and her glittering gown to rags.
“Singapore’s movement from being an underdeveloped country to a developed one happened much quicker than most other countries. But like Japan, we also have a rapidly aging population, and our citizen population is expected to start shrinking from 2025, mere 12 years away. This is a time bomb and it is ticking. Will we experience our Cinderella moment when our achievements unravel? I certainly don’t want to see that happen.”
There were also several calls for more time to solve Singapore’s infrastructure problems before moving forward with the population plan.
MP for Hougang Mr Png Eng Huat said: “What are our priorities? In the pursuit of growth, this government has acknowledged it has neglected to pay close attention to the comfort level of the Singaporean core in areas like transport, housing, and other environmental and cultural issues. While the people should give the government some time to fix its 2020 foresight, the government should also give the people more time to experience what it’s really like to live in a country with 5.3 million people with all the shortcomings fixed. Because when yesterday’s problems are not fixed, the vision for a better tomorrow is a hard sell. It’s a no sell.”
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Dr Chia Shi Lu said: “My residents have expressed their concerns to me about overcrowding, the perception that Singaporean wage increases and opportunities are compromised by foreign labour, and a cost of living that appears to be climbing ever upwards. One resident remarked that notwithstanding everything else, ‘the bread and butter issues of today must be resolved first’. This is a sentiment I sympathise with, and echoes many of the views expressed in this House over the past few days.”
- CNA/ck
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MPs share views on keeping Singapore competitive in the global market
GMR Infrastructure Said to Consider Singapore IPO of Road Assets
GMR Infrastructure Ltd., operator of
India’s biggest airport in New Delhi, is considering selling
some of its toll road assets in an initial public offering in
Singapore, five people with knowledge of the matter said.
GMR may raise as much as $500 million by listing the assets
as a business trust, three of the people said, asking not to be
identified as the information is private. GMR has held talks
with banks including JPMorgan Chase Co., Nomura Holdings Inc.
and Standard Chartered Plc about the possible listing, the
people said.
The company hasn’t decided which of the road assets would
be included in the business trust, and no time frame for a sale
has been set, the people said. GMR is also considering seeking a
buyer for some of the assets, and would only decide on whether
to pursue a business trust once the sale is completed, according
to two of the people.
Selling toll roads could help GMR reduce debt that swelled
47 percent to 387 billion rupees ($7 billion) in the year
through September. GMR has 10 road assets, eight of which are
operational, according to a December press release. The company
also operates airports and power plants.
Arun Bhagat, a Bangalore-based spokesman for GMR, declined
to comment on any potential asset sales. GMR shares fell 1.8
percent to 19.45 rupees at 2 p.m. local time.
Hospitals Trust
At least five Indian companies are considering raising
money by listing assets in business trusts in Singapore, said
the people. They declined to identify the firms. Religare Health
Trust, backed by the assets of India’s second-biggest hospital
company, Fortis Healthcare Ltd., raised S$511 million ($413
million) in October. Shares of the trust are little changed from
the offer price.
GMR last month terminated an agreement with the National
Highways Authority of India to add lanes to a 555-kilometer
(345-mile) highway. After the Maldives took control of Male
international airport from GMR in December, following the
cancellation of a contract, the company and its lenders are owed
more than $700 million in compensation, GMR said.
Some Indian companies have turned to Singapore for
fundraising amid a stagnant IPO market at home. Infrastructure
Leasing Financial Services Ltd., whose shareholders include
Japan’s Orix Corp. and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, is
planning a $250 million sale of its wind power unit in
Singapore, people with knowledge of the matter said in
September.
To contact the reporters on this story:
George Smith Alexander in Mumbai at
galexander11@bloomberg.net;
Joyce Koh in Singapore at
jkoh38@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Philip Lagerkranser at
lagerkranser@bloomberg.net
GMR Infrastructure Said to Consider Singapore IPO of Road Assets