A true story of simple beginnings , hard work and a passion for the hotel world that started with a Receptionist position in a 4-star hotel in Hanoi . Do Van Dan understands the importance of guest experience and places it at the core of their philosophy .
I BELIEVE THAT YOU STARTED WITH A 10-BEDROOM PROPERTY IN HANOI ’ S OLD QUARTER IN 2006 AND NOW HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL CHAIN IN VIETNAM . CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY ?
I guess you could say that my journey has been a classic tale of rags to riches . I was born into a poor farming family just outside Hanoi . Although my father worked very hard to support my mother and my siblings , there was not a lot of spare money around to fund our studies . As such , I had to work long hours in a series of part-time jobs to save money . I even gave up my dream of becoming an architect because I could not afford the university fees . As I was working in hotels , I could see the huge potential for growth of a quality product in Hanoi and that became my focus . Eventually , I managed to save enough money to invest in a small property in the Old Quarter and the business has blossomed from there . I am pleased to say that we are now one of the most successful hotel chains in Vietnam with seven boutique hotels in Hanoi and one luxury resort in Hoi An .
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE HAS BEEN THE SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS ?
I believe that every successful business has a fundamental core philosophy . And for EHG , it is the goal of attaining perfection in customer service . Happy visitors are vital to our growth and that ’ s something I ’ ve focused on from the very beginning . By getting to know our guests personally and listening to their feedback -- both positive and negative – I believe that we have attained a level of customer service that we can be justifiably proud of . The level of competition in the hotel sector in Hanoi is intense so we can ’ t ( and won ’ t ) let our standards slip even just slightly .
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