Agility is key in the ever-evolving world of hospitality
Staying agile can ensure organisations survive and thrive during a period of rapid change. Marc Sandfort discusses how The Ascott Limited has utilised an agile model in order to succeed and grow.
- having flexible business models
- making it easy and convenient for customers to do business with you
- having agile team members
Expansion through flexible business models
As one of the leading international serviced residence owner-operators in the world, The Ascott Limited with 74,000 serviced residence units in over 130 global cities has evolved from an owner-operator to a company also developing opportunities with franchises, strategic alliances, leases and management agreements, helping to grow into new geographies, such as the USA, Turkey and Africa.By investing in strategic partnerships and more flexible business models, we have seen international growth and a presence in regions we haven’t been in before, doubling our property portfolio from 40,000 units to 80,000 in just five years! Part of this expansion has seen us welcome a property on New York’s Fifth Avenue. After rebranding before the end of 2018, it will mark the debut of Ascott’s first Citadines serviced residence in the US.Pushing towards innovation
To remain an agile leader, business innovation and "permission-to-fail" are critical to achieve breakthrough results.Using the example of our team in Europe, we have dedicated ‘Innovation’ champions in France, UK and Germany who engage with incubator programmes and start-ups to identify new technologies that are worth trialling.We are currently trialling a mobile check-in system, mobile content streaming facilities in the apartments, as well as streamlining communication channels for our guests.Maintaining an agile workforce
Aside to managing properties globally and our entire customer base, our staff are fundamental to the success of Ascott across our regions.With communication spanning across global teams, to operate efficiently we have full trust in our employees and empower them to make decisions.We recognise the hard work by our employees and through acknowledging their brand dedication, we offer a TAGEX programme allowing them the chance to move abroad and experience another culture for up to six months with job security and a life experience in a safe environment.Looking ahead, Ascott is continuing its drive to stay agile around these cornerstones and to further double its portfolio to 160,000 units in the next five years.For related news and features, visit our Serviced Apartments section. Find out more about our upcoming Relocate Awards. Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory©2024 Re:locate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.