A super service dream team By Guo Shuhan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-22 07:11 
The Shanghai Corporate Pavilion of the World Expo is illuminated by an LED display accompanied by music. Provided to China Daily Glittering in the daylight or illuminated by the LED display accompanied by music at night, Shanghai Corporate Pavilion, located in the Shanghai Expo's corporate area, showcases energy-conservation and environmental-protection technology in a 4,000-sq-m structure. The visually arresting faade, also known as the "Dream Cube", is created using transparent tubes made from recycled CDs. In addition, the pavilion uses solar energy and rainwater to create comfort for guests. Recycled and treated rainwater is used to "mist" the pavilion to lower the temperatures. A grandfather and a granddaughter greet visitors and speak with them for 20 minutes about shared responsibilities to build a better city. Ariva Hospitality, a Singapore-based hotel and serviced-apartment management company that shares this goal, runs the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion. Ariva Hospitality's executive chairman Cameron Ong says the opportunity to participate in this event endorses the company's credentials. "The pavilion showcases a unique Shanghai experience for all visitors," Ong says. "Service delivery is key to making this experience memorable for guests. The analogy I often use when speaking to my team of service ambassadors is that they are part of a cast and they each have a role to play." Ariva Hospitality opened in October 2008 in Singapore. It was co-founded by Cameron Ong and Jean-Claude Erne, both of whom have more than 30 years of international experience in the hotel and serviced-apartment businesses. The first Ariva Hotel to arrive in China was Ariva Beijing West, which opened in Zhongguancun in 2009. During that period, Ariva added Ariva Qingdao. This year, it will open a new Ariva Serviced Apartment in Tianjin and then the Ariva Hot Spring Resort in Qingdao. Ong, 52, says there's good reason the company won the bid to manage the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion. "What tipped the scales in our favor is our holistic approach, solid credentials for managing projects in China and our understanding of the business culture here," Ong says. "Our emphasis on service quality weighs in significantly to differentiate us from the competition." The hospitality business is a people business, Ong says. He commits his time to ensuring his team internalizes the service mission. "To run a profitable business in the service industry, having the right people with the right passion are cornerstones to success," Ong says. Ong told the Shanghai Corporate Pavilion's 80-some service ambassadors, who are fresh graduates from the Shanghai Arts and Vocational College, that they would get the chance to master Ariva Hospitality's deep understanding of world-class service. "I learned service skills in Ariva that can't be taught by schools or textbooks," says Twinkle Liu, 22, a service ambassador of the pavilion. "There are many details one must consider to become a good service ambassador, such as interaction skills, body language, a sincere attitude and a ready smile. Only then can guests feel the sincerity in our service." And Ong has no doubt guests will notice the emphasis on service. "I'm confident that our dedication will ensure visitors to the Dream Cube truly enjoy the experience," he says. China Daily http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2010-05/22/content_9880491.htm
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