Interview: Ita Wiyani, Guest Relations and Travel Consultant at Maliba Mountain Lodge (Lesotho)

Briefly introduce yourself, your age and educational background?
My name is Ita Wiyani and I am 23 yrs old. I am from Bali – Indonesia and have been living in South Africa for the past five years. I studied International Travel at Varsity College (Westville – Durban) and received my diploma in 2008.

How long have you been in your current position and what were you doing before that?
I have been working with Maliba Mountain Lodge for 11 months. I was a full time student at Varsity College prior to starting work at Maliba Mountain Lodge.

What attracted you to the hospitality industry?
I always love to learn about other cultures, to interact with people and provide friendly and efficient service to people.

Which languages can you speak?
I speak Balinese, Bahasa Indonesia and English.

How do you deal with angry guests?
I always listen to what they have to say without interrupting the conversation and I apologise on behalf of company. The best is to stay friendly, calm and helpful to the angry guests as you find a suitable solution.

How many hours a day is your shift and do you sometimes work overtime?
I work eight hours a day. I don’t work overtime.

Is there room for career growth within your department?
Yes there is room for growth.

What don’t you like about your work?
I am happy with all aspects of my job.

How has the use of technology impacted on your daily duties?
Technology has huge impact on my daily duties (Internet, e-mail, telephone, etc).

Given an opportunity to speak to the hotel CEO about your welfare at work, what would you like him/her to address?
I don’t really have anything to address at the moment.