February 2017

32 APAC / February 2017 , NoeleneWilson, Manager of Drovers Motor Inn talks to us about TheWestern Downs region in Australia and how the ‘Award For Excellence In: Hospitality’ winners have maintained their success in a difficult region and competitive industry. Ultimate Prize in Customer Loyalty Drovers Motor Inn is a wonderful modern haven situated on the Darling Downs with all its inspiring attractions and mere minutes to the lovely country town of Dalby. Manager of the establishment, Noelene Wilson chats to us about how they provide such a high quality service to clients. “All of our decisions are made with a duty of care towards our guests so that they are uninterrupted as much as possible, and certainly, if that was not possible as in some instances informing the guest usually works very well, just don’t take it for-granted that they should be accepting of anything that is less than what they think they are going to receive. We go out of our way to ensure they receive more in those circumstances.” Drovers Motor Inn is situated in The Western Downs, part of a broader region that is on the cusp of a $180 billion energy industry emerging from the resource rich Surat Basin Energy province. The region has over 60 major projects either in operation or scheduled for commissioning by 2020, creating an estimated 12,500 jobs so their clientele is very varied. The region is well known for its production of cotton, sorghum, wheat to the yearly stock sales and horse sales which brings clients from all over Australia. Noelene tells us how the company gives clients the best possible service. “Our aim is always to give our guests the best possible experience at every stage from booking to checkout. We keep the motel updated and fresh and It really is all about the guest having a wonderful time with absolutely nothing to complain about, so when we read a review that says ‘I can’t wait to go back’ we are pretty chuffed. “We don’t like to waste a minute of our guests’ time, they are very busy corporates or workers, so our loyal clients spend as much time as it takes to advise us the date they wish to stay and the rest is history. We have all details required to mastermind their stay. “Something as simple as receiving ‘real milk’ to the bed they sleep on, a particular dish on the menu or a million other things that they keep coming back for. So I believe if you are providing the experience the guest is expecting you know you are doing something right and of course that gives us the ultimate prize of that loyal customer. We will go out of our way to give the guest the room they wish to sleep in, to meeting their request for a dinner that they may wish to have. We at times have international guests who work around the clock, so we do their washing for them, provide meals at odd times and anything we can possibly do to make their time with us as comfortable as possible.” Currently, the industry is competitive and Drovers Motor Inn aims to stand out from their competition. Noelene gives us an overview of the industry in the region at the moment and the challenges that they are attempting to overcome. “I am in my fourth year managing Drovers Motor Inn and when I first started the mining industry had just finished here and it was a flurry to investigate quite quickly where new business was going to come from. Government tenders seemed to be a reasonable choice in landing something significant and that was what we did and it certainly paid off for us. Now the government tender system has changed markedly and basically those opportunities are not there anymore. Sometimes, I think federal and state don’t realise how much they can affect business with the decisions that they make and without any consultation with the end users. State government inaction over mining camps once the mining industry finished here has been a huge challenge that is on-going today.” Ultimately, Drovers Motor Inn will continue to provide guests with a high quality service for years to come. Noelene informs us of what the future holds for the establishment. “Understanding the strategic management process is important to achieving performance and I believe that if we can hold firm and not respond harshly to short term fluctuations in the environment we have a bright future ahead. It is difficult sometimes to do this, as our natural inclination is to react. With the Western Downs facing a bright future in investing in solar technology, I believe the region will benefit greatly from this. We will look at how we can maximise the opportunities that lay ahead.” K Company: Drovers Motor Inn Name: Noelene Wilson Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.droversmotorinn.com.au Address: 87 Drayton Street, Dalby Queensland 4405 Australia Telephone: 07 4669 0444 1701AP02