Guest Relations Executive Career Information
Can you handle fragile egos? Are you good at people skills? Is your command over written and spoken language good? Well then we have some good news for you. You could become a Guest Relations Executive.
Guest Relations as a career has been lately in the news as the hospitality industry is witnessing a boom. Professionals in this field are largely employed in the hospitality industry and media companies but one can find opportunities in the travel and tourism industry and even corporate houses as well.
What a Guest Relations Executive does
Guest Relations Executives (GREs) in hotels greet guests, provide information, and give directions, handle complaints, assists disabled guests and answers phones. They make sure that the guests are well looked after. In case of any displeasure or unhappiness GREs look in to the matter and make sure that the matter is solved as peacefully and as earliest as possible.
Guest Relations Executives at most times also function as the public relations executives of the company. They are the face of the company.
Guest Relations Executives are increasingly being employed by the television industry, which needs a lot of high profile guests for talk shows, interviews, debates, etc. Who brings all these celebrities to the show? Guest Relations Executives of course! They not only coordinate dates and bring these people on various shows they also make sure that the person who is likely to interview the guest knows the basic facts on the person.
Research is an integral part of this profession. Guest Relations Executives have to have their ears to the ground. If you are getting a particular person on the show you have to know everything there is to know about that person. The research has to be so thorough that the interviewer should be able to ask questions which brings about a "who told you that," reaction from the guest.
"When I got Pullela Gopichand on the show I met his mom and she told me that the reason she sent her son into badminton was because he used to play a lot of cricket and break most window panes in the colony. In fact his uncle would come home everyday and ask his mom, "so how many casualties today." So she was fed up of that and sent him into badminton. Of course Pullela Gopichand didn't expect us to know that and he was pleasantly surprised when we mentioned it to him," Says Malasri Roy, Guest Coordinator at Sony Television.
In the television industry a typical day could see you as the Guest Relations Executive relaxing, reading magazines and newspapers and generally making loads of telephone calls to find out who's in town, who can be roped into the show. Or it can be a day of frenetic activity. Production houses generally shoot five days a week and need at least 10 guests a week to appear on the show.
Sometimes as a Guest Relations Executive you might have all the 10 guests ready in the first few days of the week. In such cases you can relax and spend the rest of the week researching on the background of the guests and general information about them through magazines and the Internet.
But at times when you have guests dropping out of the show then you might have to start all over again - making calls, etc. So having a back up is very important, someone who always has the time to come on the show.
Guest Relations is a blend of coordination, customer relations, marketing and PR. It is where your people skills are put to use. Guest Coordinators just don't coordinate with guests. Guest Relations Executives also talk to music companies to find out who the latest talent is. They are also in constant touch with PR companies, event management companies, etc.
Job Opportunities:
As mentioned earlier Guest Relations Executives could be employed in the hotel industry, travel and tourism industry, television houses and even some corporate. Of course the scope is much larger in television with production houses mushrooming all over, as also the channels.
Even an IT company where there are visitors from abroad or for that matter companies that go for mergers, also require guest coordinators to coordinate between the officers, clients and the companies.
Career prospects:
The prospects for Guest Relations Executives are slated to increase in the coming years. People with good networking skills will have an edge over the others. The boom in the television industry has given this sector a new impetus.
Abilities & Traits Required
Essentially, a guest coordinator is a people's person. You have to be able to communicate to people from all levels. In the hotel industry for instance, you could be talking to a 60 year old who is upset about the music in the hotel lobby or to a 4 year old who thinks the hotel lobby is his playground!
Or as a Guest Relations Executive you could be talking to director, film star or a technician. The ability to communicate and get your point across is very important. In a nutshell as a Guest Relations Executive you have to be very assertive without being aggressive. Discipline is also very important. There is a lot of paper work involved in this line. There are many guests who stay out of town and this requires the Guest Relations Executive to send written communication to them. So you have to be good at writing as well.
Reading and keeping yourself aware of the events and happenings around you is very important. Most Guest Relations Executives read five newspapers everyday plus some more magazines. You will have to take down addresses, telephone numbers, do research, etc. The next task is to call up music companies and PR agencies. Plus, you have to send out loads invitations to out station guests.
Since you will be all the while dealing with high profile people with fragile egos, as a Guest Relations Executive you need to be very diplomatic and tactful while handling these people. There may be situations, which could get difficult to handle. You have to know how to navigate your way through.
Qualifications
A mere graduation degree will do. However, people with prior experience in hotels, travel industry, PR or airlines will have a definite advantage over freshers.
Salary
Guest Relations Executives in the hotel industry could start off at Rs 20000-30000 a month. With a couple of years of training it could rise to Rs 40000-50000
Television and production houses start at a higher range of Rs 30000 and go up to Rs 60000 a month. Actually it all depends on your PR skills and networking - how well connected you are with the who's who of the entertainment industry.
Interview with a Guest Relations Executive
Malasri Roy, Guest Coordinator
Guest co-ordination sounds pretty rare. What is your job profile?
Essentially, a guest coordinator is a people's person. You have to be able to communicate to people from all levels. For instance you could be talking to a music director, film star or a technician. The ability to communicate and get your point across is very important. In a nutshell you have to be very assertive without being aggressive.
Secondly, research is an integral part of this profession. You have to have your ears to the ground. If you are getting a particular person on the show you have to know everything there is to know about that person. The research has to be so thorough that the interviewer should be able to ask questions which brings about a "who told you that," reaction from the guest.
In fact before getting Pullela Gopichand on the show I met his mom and she told me that the reason she sent her son into badminton was because he used to play a lot of cricket and break most window panes in the colony. In fact his uncle would come home everyday and ask his mom, "so how many casualties today." So she was fed up of that and sent him into badminton. Of course Pullela Gopichand didn't expect us to know that and he was pleasantly surprised when we mentioned it to him.
Discipline is also very important. There is a lot of paper work involved in this line. There are many guests who stay out of town and this requires you to send written communication to them. So you have to be good at writing as well.
How did you get your present job?
I was scheduled to do another show, which was on the lines of Good Morning India on Star TV. It was a very interesting concept with different capsules on health, careers, entertainment, spirituals matters, etc. But due to some reason the show did not take off. And as there was an opening for Mover and Shakers as a Guest Coordinator I moved here.
Run us through a typical day at work.
A typical day could see me relaxing, reading magazines and newspapers and generally making loads of telephone calls to find out who's in town, who can be roped into the show. Or it can be a day of frenetic activity. We generally shoot five days a week and need at least 10 guests a week to appear on the show. Sometimes we have all the 10 guests ready in the first few days of the week. In such cases we relax and spend the rest of the week researching on the background of the guests and general information about them through magazines and the Internet. But at times when we have guests dropping out of the show then we have to start all over again - making calls, etc. So having a back up is very important, someone who always has the time to come on the show.
The first half of the day is spent reading the newspapers. We read five newspapers everyday plus all the magazines that come in. We have to make lots of notes, take down addresses, telephone numbers, research, etc. The second half is spent calling up music companies, and PR agencies. Plus, you have to send out loads of invitations to out station guests.
What is the scope in this profession?
Guest coordination I would say, will not be limited only to television. Guest relation is a blend of coordination, customer relations, marketing and PR. It is where your people skills are put to use. We just don't coordinate with guests. We also talk to music companies to find out who the latest talent is. We are also in constant touch with PR companies, event management companies, etc. Of course the scope is much larger in television with production houses mushrooming all over, as also the channels. Even for an IT company where there are visitors from abroad or for that matter companies that go for mergers, you do require guest coordinators to coordinate between the officers, clients and the companies.
What is the best thing about this job?
I love this job as it has helped me know so many people from all walks of life. It is nice when you receive emails and telephone calls from people who you have helped put on the show. And the fact they take the time off to keep in touch is a great feeling. They are all celebrities.
Is there a flip side to it?
Yes of course. You are all the while dealing with high profile people with fragile egos. You have to be very diplomatic and tactful while handling these people. There may be situations, which you may not be able to handle alone. What I personally do is try and keep my superiors in the know. Sometimes there are guests who are not really straight. So in such cases I take my boss along. You have to know how to navigate your way through.
Have you thought about the future?
Yes, I would definitely love to put a show together maybe a lifestyle or a travel show. I love watching serials like Ally Mac Beal. I wish we had that kind of an audience where you could blend law with humour.
-Nivedita Jayaram Pawar