Interview: Mzukisi Mpetha, Front Office Duty Manager at The Grace in Rosebank
25. Nov, 2009
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Briefly introduce yourself, your age and educational background?
My name is Mzukisi Mpetha. I am 33years old. I grew up in the Eastern Cape, in a small town called Sterkspruit. I passed my matric in 1995 and went to the Eastern Cape Technikon, where I studied travel and tourism for 3years. I completed my national diploma in tourism in 1998 and graduated in June 1999.
How long have you been in your current position and what were you doing before that?
I have been the Front office duty Manager for the past 2years. I was a waiter, switchboard operator (guest services) then became Guest Liaison before my current position.
What attracted you to the hospitality industry?
I loved working with people from an early age. I was also advised by my teachers to consider a career in hospitality. I am passionate about customer service and have potential to succeed.
Which languages can you speak?
I speak the following languages: English. Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho and a little bit of Afrikaans.
How do you deal with angry guests?
I always remain calm and collected and try to understand why the guest is angry or being difficult. I do my best to find a suitable solution to the challenge that will both please and satisfy the guest.
How many hours a day is your shift and do you sometimes work overtime?
My normal shift is 9hours; however, I could easily work longer hours because the quantity and dedication towards my work.
Is there room for career growth within your department?
Yes there is. My next goal is to become the front office manager and who knows, I could take over from Bill Frohlich and be the next general manager of The Grace in the next couple of years. LOL
What don’t you like about your work?
I do not really enjoy dealing with difficult and rude individuals.
How has the use of technology impacted on your daily duties?
It has made life a whole lot easier and has somehow minimized the work load.
Given an opportunity to speak to the hotel CEO about your welfare at work, what would you like him/her to address?
I honestly feel that the staff in general needs to be empowered. I think that it is important for the Company to invest more to its staff as they are the biggest and most important asset.
My name is Muzi Mohale a full-time travel blogger, your host at Travelwires.com responsible for all editorial on this blog. I blog about the travel and tourism industry in Africa. Apart from blogging about tourism, I also run 
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