In this exclusive interview with Jumia Travel, Mr Tajudeen Mohammed, the Managing Director of Diplomat Hotels, GRA Ikeja, shares some predictions on possible trends to expect in 2018, major challenges faced by hotels in the hospitality industry as well as some advice for those looking to work in the hospitality sector, amongst other things.



Tell us about yourself sir, as it relates to your function as the MD of Diplomat Hotels?



My name is Mr Tajudeen Mohammed. As the MD of Diplomat Hotels my major function is to ensure that all operations in every department of the hotel runs smoothly to the pleasure of and at the utmost convenience of guests. Simply put, I ensure everyone has what they need, when they need it.



What hotel amenities are considered important to guests and what are some of the amenities your hotel has to meet the needs of these guests?



Well, the hotel amenities that are generally considered important to lodgers are: a comfortable bed to sleep in, internet, air conditioning, a restaurant with mouth-watering and delicious meals, a bar offering the best alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and beverages, a clean swimming pool and parking space. The Diplomat hotel offers all these and more, additionally offering guests free Wi-Fi or internet services, complimentary breakfast, a smoke free room and a 24/7 ever responsive front desk services.



What are the top 3 challenges faced by hotels in the Nigerian hospitality industry?



One of the major challenges faced by the Nigerian hospitality industry is inadequate power supply. We end up having to spend a lot of money to ensure that power supply is uninterrupted for guests through secondary means of power supply like running generators etc. It will definitely make things easier if the national power supply was more stable. Other challenges include poor customer service and little or no standardization of operations.



What are your predictions on the trends to expect this 2018 for the hospitality business?



I believe a trend that we’ll see in the hospitality business is more competition in the Nigerian hospitality industry. This is largely because I believe there is going to be a resurgence of hotels and general improvements of service delivery which will inevitably lead to this competition.



From your own personal experience, how would you describe the ideal customer service experience in the Nigerian hospitality industry?



I believe customer service is about helping customers efficiently in a friendly and positive manner to make the customers happy and satisfied.



For those looking to work in the hospitality sector in Nigeria, what will be your advice to them?



As a service-oriented industry with endless opportunities, a prospective applicant must strive at all times to satisfy the customers by rendering effective and prompt service delivery. The applicant should always keep in mind that the customer is the cornerstone and hallmark in the industry and he/she must put in their possible best to ensure that customer satisfaction is highly guaranteed and achieved.