The General Manager of Peppers, Seminyak, Jan Kroeckel, discusses how he leads Pepper Resort to its success as one of the top resorts in Bali.

Q: What was your pathway into your leadership role as General Manager?

JK: Like most General Managers I worked my way up from various internships in different departments to moving around every 2 years in the beginning of my career until I reached my first General Manager positions. Along the way, I was lucky to work together with many great mentors that helped me to become the General Manager that I am today. Also, much credit goes to Accor, who I have been with since my last year at university, for always believing in me and giving me opportunities to grow along the way.

Q: What is your favourite part about your role as General Manager?

JK: Chatting with guests during breakfast, seeing them smile, and telling me how wonderful the team has looked after them during their stay is always one of my highlights of the day.

Q: What special touches do you implement to guarantee an exceptional experience for your guests?

JK: As a boutique resort with 52 villas, we pride ourself in a very tailor-made approach. We spend time with our guests to find out what they really want out of their holiday and then curate activities for them to match this. This can be a group of girlfriends wanting to organise a cocktail master class in their villa, a family wanting to celebrate a birthday with a steak & lobster barbeque in their villa with their private chef, a yoga class on our rooftop garden, or a private workout class with a renowned personal instructor—the possibilities are endless.

Q: How do you encourage creativity in your team?

JK: I always tell my team to not be afraid to fail. Think outside the box, try new things, try crazy things, and dare to be different.

Q: What are some of the unique things you do to ensure the ultimate experience for your guests?

JK: For me, it is all about creating tailor-made experiences for our guests. For the staff to take the time to really get to know our guests and spend time talking to them throughout their stay, to make them feel part of the Peppers Seminyak family. I am incredibly blessed to have a fantastic team working here that is fully engaged with our guests at all touchpoints.

Q: How do you empower your team to deliver outstanding service?

JK: Part of the answer would be the same as in the questions about encouraging creativity. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Listen to our guests. Find out what the little things are that can make their stay special. Mostly those little touches do not cost much, and staff at all levels are empowered to take charge of this.

Q: As a seasoned traveller I know that the guest experience starts well before they checkin- what do you believe contributes to the best overall end to end experience for the guest?

JK: To have an exceptional internal communication between all the different departments—that is the key for me.

Q: How do you keep up with the latest and greatest trends in hospitality?

JK: Through our own internal communication, reading up about the latest hospitality trends, visiting other hotels and restaurants, and attending industry events are just a few examples of how to keep up with what’s happening in hospitality.