A Sales and Accommodation Manager with the eye for everything

Originally from Bordeaux, the very heart of a renowned French wine region, considered the world capital of wine, Romain arrived in New Caledonia in 2009, after a year spent in London and a pressing need for sunshine.

Although the field of trade and sales was not the primary objective of his career, it was the desire to change his professional path that led him to resume his studies in a business college.

"Following my Master’s degree at ESSEC, I was hoping to find a job with the action. At the Hôtel du Centre, I can say that I’m served!"

He was not specifically aiming at the hotel segment at the time, but a recruitment interview with the management of the establishment was enough to convince him: he immediately wanted the position.

As a good instrumentalist, his role at the hotel is of course to direct his choirs with a master hand, in order to make a conquered audience want to come back to attend other performances… But more concretely, a Sales Manager in the hotel industry, what is it? With multiple and varied day-to-day assignments, broad competencies and responsibilities.

"I supervise the Accommodation department, the housekeeping team, the Business Center, as well as the commercial prospecting and development of the hotel’s products and services. I have to make sure that the sales increase and that each business component is performing optimally, of course with the support of my teams."

In this suit of Sales Manager which seems cut out for him, Romain, always on the breach, does not know the expression "typical day". The "last minute" effect, on the other hand, is a concept he masters! It is in fact his daily life and to every day, its new challenges. But this is precisely what motivates him: that the routine never has time to settle down.

While customer contact is one of the aspects he particularly appreciates in his job, working with his teams is just as pleasant. Employees he also points out are all "at the top", with a lot of gratitude in the eyes.

• If you were a room of the hotel? A PRMs room, which is, in my opinion, more comfortable than a standard room. The bathroom is more spacious and the kitchen counter lower, giving the impression of a larger room volume!
• If you were a type of customer? Professionals for the speed of exchanges and decision-making.
• If you were a place in the world? Japan, in this case Tokyo: modern, futuristic, functional.
• 3 things you have always with you at the Hôtel du Centre? My pass, my phone and my mask (Covid’s requirement).
• The person, famous or not, who inspires you? My mother –– the courage incarnated!
• If you were not a Hotel Accommodation Manager? I would probably work in the import and distribution of wine; this is initially my job.
• Your best quality and your main imperfection? Joyful and optimistic by nature, I’m also anxious. It can be painful, but that is what allows me to anticipate greatly, and anticipation is very important for what I do.

"The front desk? Good evening, this is for an emergency please…" That evening, on a Sunday, the Manager was called in to reinforce a "slight" unexpected event… We were talking about a space at the Business Center the next morning, with specific constraints and inevitable customised requests…

But Romain needs more to forfeit! It is with a smile at the corner of his lips that he also remembers having to organise the accommodation and the meals in the quarantine area for a group of customers not like the others: a whole squad (110) of Police rangers!