William mackay

Regional Vice president and gm, four seasons hotel, HONG KONG

INTRODUCTION

 

William Mackay graduated from the University of Surrey in 1975 with an Honors degree in Hotel & Catering Administration. He also holds a Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance from the Polytechnic of Central London.  He has more than 35 years of hotel experience.  William joined Four Seasons in 1982.  He opened the first Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong in 2005 and has been the Regional VP and General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong since its opening.  Prior to his current position, he was the GM and Regional VP of Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.  

William is a man with conviction and passion.  In fact, he is a perfectionist.  His emotion is intense, and one gets the impression that he strongly believes that there is no compromise in being the best.  He says: “To run a first-class hotel is to wage a never-ending battle against second best, mediocrity, short cuts and reasons why ‘it can’t be done.”  Like most successful hoteliers, William Mackay works long hours and invests not only his time and effort, but also himself in his business.  He loves his work so much that once he is in his zone, he forgets the time and actually does not mind the hard work and the pressure that come with the job.

William Mackay is a man who might be demanding and challenging to work for, but he is an inspiring leader with a crystal clear and determined message to say the least!

Four Seasons Hong Kong is located on Hong Kong Island, in the heart of the Central district, with spectacular views of Victoria Harbor.  It has 399 guest rooms – including 54 luxury suites in a 45-story building.  Four Seasons caters to both business and leisure guests.  It is the world’s only hotel to contain two Michelin three-star restaurants under one roof:

·        Cantonese eatery, Lung King Heen, led by the Executive Chef, Chan Yan Tak: In 2008 Chan became the first Chinese chef in history to be awarded three Michelin stars.

·        French restaurant, Caprice, led by Chef Vincent Thierry from France:  He has a team of 25 chefs working to create authentic French contemporary cuisine.

 

INTERVIEW

 

Did you always want to work in the hotel industry?

No.  I never had a blinding revelation that I wanted to be an hotelier.  I had an aunt who had a small country hotel in the U.K., where I used to spend school holidays helping out.  I came to an increasing realization that the hotel business was a better match to my strengths.  With the benefit of hindsight, I made the decision to study Hotel Management based on very limited information, but was very lucky to fall into a business that has suited me well. 

You received an honors degree in Hotel Management.  In your opinion, is it important that students should try to achieve good grades?

Yes; I do believe that hard work is one of the most important foundations for success. Grades indicate intellectual ability as well as one’s willingness to focus and to work hard. There are numerous competencies that a leader needs that go beyond hard work, such as people and network skills, but the ability to focus and work hard is an indispensable ingredient in the success of almost any senior business leader. 

You said that perfectionists are often volatile and difficult to manage.  Are you a perfectionist?

Yes.  I am.  Perfectionists invest themselves fully in their work, and their self-image becomes emotionally bound up in it. However, any strength, if overused, becomes a weakness, and this is particularly true of perfectionism. The intense desire to maintain high standards has to be balanced by a willingness to accept that the world is not going to fall apart because of a small imperfection that may not be visible to a guest.

On the other hand, the GM of a five-star hotel has to demand high standards, because this is what the guest is paying for. It’s also what the best employees sign up for. Today’s consumer is used to perfect performance.  Compared to 30 or 40 years ago, today’s standards are much higher in almost every industry. The quality of a cup of coffee served in any Starbucks, for example, is probably much better today than what was often served in five-star hotels 30 years ago. 

You joined Four Seasons in 1982.  Although you changed jobs many times but it was always with Four Seasons.  In this day and age, it’s rather unusual to stay with one company for 30 years.  What keeps you in Four Seasons?

Actually, my tenure with Four Seasons is not an unusual case.  The average tenure for a Four Seasons GM is over 15 years.  My own values are perfectly aligned with the values of the Company, and I was always given the opportunity to grow in a variety of challenging assignments in different parts of the World.  I have also always felt able to speak my mind candidly without fear of retribution, which is important to me. I truly believe that Four Seasons remains a benchmark in the industry.  So, I’ve never felt a pressing need to look elsewhere. 

Do you think young people should follow your example?

I would never dream of telling other people what they should do! The working world that I entered 35 years ago was in many ways different from that of today’s environment, and the world will again be very different 35 years from now.  Individuals have to decide for themselves what suits their own personalities and circumstances. But I will say this:  If you find a company that not only preaches but practices a high standard of ethical behavior, treats all its stakeholders with respect, provides continued opportunities for personal growth, is committed to excellence, is constantly innovating, and  is able to retain talented people, you should think hard before deciding to leave. Such companies are not commonplace! 

You opened Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.  What was the most valuable lesson you have learned from this experience?

I’ve worked in a variety of Four Seasons properties. This experience strengthened my beliefs on a number of issues:

We put together an “all-star” cast with a high level of teamwork and collaboration for the opening.  Attracting the most talented people is critical; good people want to be pushed to achieve excellence.

Four Seasons has changed from being a hotel ownership company to a hotel management services company. Hong Kong reinforced for me the great things that can be accomplished when ownership and management are aligned. Our owners have been remarkably supportive since the beginning.

I’ve learned that our guests recognize exceptional quality and will pay for it, when it can be consistently delivered.

Finally, a great hotel has to be the result of a clear vision.  There comes a point where you need to collectively decide where you are going, communicate the vision and stick firmly to your guns! 

What is the difference between Four Seasons Hong Kong and Four Seasons Beverly Hills?

Asians tend to be more communitarian in their attitude, whereas Americans are much more individualistic. Asians value personal humility more than assertiveness. Asia is also a much more ascriptive society, in which status is attributed by birth and education, sometimes as much as by the kinds of earned achievement by which Americans judge each other. As the movie capital of the World, Los Angeles is probably its least formal major city! Hong Kong is predominantly a financial center, and most of our guests are more formal. In particular, older guests still sometimes expect a level of deference that would not now come naturally to many young people in the West.  In L.A., guests would often ask the hotel staff to call them by their first name; many of our Asian guests in Hong Kong would find it unthinkable.

Our employees in Los Angeles were perhaps more willing to speak up than the staff in Hong Kong. Management in Asia has been traditionally hierarchical, and it took a while for our team in Hong Kong to adjust to our more collaborative and egalitarian approach, but now I find that they are also much more willing to be vocal. It’s ultimately about trust, which can only be earned by trustworthy behavior over a period of time. 

What happens when a guest talks down to the hotel personnel?

The vast majorities of our guests are entirely respectful in their dealings with our staff.  Many of them lead stressful, fast-paced lives and travel a long way to come here. We will typically “turn the other cheek” if a guest is occasionally unpleasant, especially if something goes wrong. It is very rare that a guest is persistently offensive in how he or she deals with the staff, and in such rare cases, I will address it personally. The self-respect and confidence of the staff is important in offering a high quality of service.  Our staff has to be protected from any foreseeable abusive treatment. 

In parts of Asia, work ethics is quite different.  For example, Japanese workers make no clear distinction between their working life and their personal life.  How do you balance the two?

One of the reasons why service in Asia is so good is because people are not only highly emotionally invested in their jobs, but are sometimes willing to give up a disproportional part of their own time to their work.  It is not just in Hong Kong but also in other Asian countries as well.  We have not yet managed to reconcile the dilemma between needing to provide a better balance of life for people working at the sharp end of the business, and the increasing demand of multiple stakeholders for 24/7 access to key contacts and senior people. 

Did you have to make a lot of adjustments when you first moved to Hong Kong?

In Hong Kong, as in many parts of Asia, it is critical to understand the importance of giving and saving face.  Owners in Asia still expect a certain level of deference from people they employ, whereas in the West such a relationship is likely to be viewed as purely contractual. In Hong Kong, if we know a senior Chinese executive is arriving, at least three or four employees and a senior manager must be on hand to greet the guest.  Many Western guests would hate what they would perceive as a wholly unnecessary and embarrassing level of “fussing”. Also, in Hong Kong employees feel uncomfortable being singled out, and have a strong sense of collective responsibility. Saving face is also important. For example, if you ask someone in the hotel to apply for a promotion to a vacant position, it could be demeaning to the individual because he thinks the boss should know all about the relative qualities of both himself and his colleagues, and promotion should be given to the most deserving candidate! To apply for a promotion and not get it could be seen as losing face. 

Should your employees adjust to your cultural nuances, or should you adjust to theirs?

Four Seasons is a lot more pragmatic than it is doctrinaire. The Golden Rule makes it inevitable that we listen respectfully to each other, and ultimately do what is most comfortable for the guest.   

As the GM of a first-rate hotel, what is the most difficult issue you must face?

As much as the “hotelier” in me enjoys providing hospitality and personal attention to individual guests, and an open door to the staff, managing my time and maintaining control of enough of it to focus on what adds most value to the business is a real challenge. Leading the business means also finding the time to think about the future and what we need to do differently to move the business forward.  As a Regional V.P. who has to travel a fair amount, I am lucky that time away from the hotel on a plane or in a train enable me to spend time thinking in a more creative state of mind than is usually possible when I am in the hotel. 

Quality assurance in services is a notoriously difficult management issue. How do you ensure consistent service quality day in, day out at the Four Seasons?

Both employees and managers must know what’s expected, have the tools to do the job, and feel committed to do their very best.  Although an ounce of motivation is worth a pound of control, we also monitor service levels in a variety of ways.  Most importantly, managers and supervisors must maintain an eagle eye to detect things that go wrong.  We also strive to limit the amount of administrative work for the managers and supervisors, so that they can spend more time on the floor.  When you have direct contact with the guests, you get firsthand feedback about how your guests feel about your hotel and the service you provide. We also have an extensive program of peer-review, and use a variety of mystery shoppers. 

Can you explain, what is the “Four Seasons culture”? 

It starts with a “Golden Rule” philosophy of mutual respect, but Four Seasons also combines a strong family feeling that is almost tribal, with a relentless focus on performance, innovation and improvement.  We are highly egalitarian in how we deal with each other; Four Seasons’ people carry their own bags when they check into a Four Seasons Hotel!  We are also almost devoid of the negative politics that bedevil many organizations, but everyone understands that continued membership is conditional on sustained performance excellence. In other words, we work hard at both the relationship and task sides of the business. 

I am sure you are aware of the serious economic problems faced by the EU countries.  The forecast for 2012 is not optimistic and if the Greeks default, and some experts believe it is a matter of time, Europe will face serious consequences.  In your opinion, will the economic problems in Europe affect Hong Kong’s hotel industry?

Things happening in other parts of the world are bound to have a ripple effect in Hong Kong.  Greece is not the only risk to the Euro; a failure to pool sovereignty among the Euro members and jointly control each other’s fiscal policy may leave them at the mercy of their vulnerable sovereign borrowers. But Hong Kong is on the doorstep of China, whose outbound travel is projected to double over the next five years. In addition, other Asian economies are all expected to grow by between 4 and 6% in 2012, so the degree of the negative economic impact on Hong Kong will be less. 

What is your forecast in 2012?

I am cautiously optimistic about our prospects in Hong Kong; we still expect to grow our revenues by at least 6 % over 2011.  The knock-on effects of a sovereign default in Greece would have a negative impact on both leisure and business travelers.  Fortunately, only 20% of our guests in Hong Kong come from Europe, and only 15% from North America. When the Four Seasons first opened, guests from mainland China accounted for 5% of the total number, and today almost 25% of our guests are from mainland China. 

Some of the European and American chain hotels are facing difficulties with powerful OTAs in maintaining rate parity.  What is your thought on this issue?

At Four Seasons we maintain rate parity across all booking channels and are very careful to retain control over our pricing. OTAs are a very small part of our business, because consumers get no better a deal by buying through an OTA than by calling us or a travel partner directly.  However, most of the business that we get from the OTAs is new business, which we obviously appreciate. Ultimately, it is the consumer who will decide which booking channel offers the most value and convenience. 

Let’s talk about the two Michelin three-star restaurants.  What is your secret?

There is no one secret.  It’s about outstanding talent and using ingredients of absolutely the best quality; then it’s about passion, technical skill, a high level of team work, and commitment. Our restaurant chefs and managers are absolute perfectionists who pay relentless attention to detail, and I revere them for it.  I love enthusiasts, and I detest mediocrity. My job is simply to give these people all the support they need when they need it, and then get out of the way.

In Hong Kong there are 60 Michelin restaurants.  How do you keep the competition from taking over?

We are competing mainly with ourselves, although we do check out the competitors from time to time! Our strategy is rather simple: we focus our attention on every single plate and every single guest.  We eat in other world class restaurants to be inspired.  We keep pushing to improve every aspect of the guest’s experience; I have travelled with our Caprice Chef to France on a number of occasions to visit other celebrated restaurants looking to see what is happening “on the plate”. Ultimately though, it’s all about their vision. 

What are the most important qualifications for a GM?

It is a multi-dimensional job demanding combination of knowledge, skills and aptitude:

Knowledge:

• Financial knowledge, with good business “savvy”
• Technical knowledge

Skills & Aptitude:

• Hard work and stamina
• A positive mindset
• Good social skills; an ability to motivate and engage with people at all levels and of all cultures and an ability to build strong relationships
• Extroversion;  a successful GM of a five-star hotel has to infuse a hotel with personality and energy as well as efficiency
• An ability to put yourself in the shoes of others.
• A Marketing mindset, seeing the business ‘from the outside in’.
• Keen interest in the outside world and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances
• An ability to think analytically as well as to recognize patterns.
• Ability to think at both the conceptual level and at the detailed level.
• Good judgment
• Refined taste and a genuine interest in food, wine and design
• An ability to communicate well
• A good sense of humor

 Do you have any advice for those who are inspired to become a GM in a first-rate hotel?

Those who are inspired to become a GM must be realistic about the trade off in time and effort that is required for the job.  Commitment translates into active involvement, and involvement takes time. You also have to have a thick skin, particularly in situations where we stand to lose the goodwill of a customer. It is never easy for principled people to learn to accept that a search for truth may give way to an apology for having done nothing wrong! The job of the GM, in this case, is having the perspective to understand what is important and what’s not! Nonetheless, it’s a great job, and I feel like the movie director, David Lean, who once said “I hope the money men don’t find out that I’d pay them to let me do this!” 

What were the proudest or the most satisfying moments in your career life?

There have been many! My greatest sources of pride are the teams I have helped to assemble, and the people who I have helped mentor and coach over the years, especially when they achieve career success themselves. I have been proud of every hotel I have managed, but the Four Seasons Hong Kong has been a source of particular pride; the first time we got three Michelin stars for our Chinese restaurant, I was very proud; we all were. The next year, when we got a three-star designation for our French restaurant, Caprice, and we became the world’s only hotel with two three-star Michelin restaurants, it was a crowning moment for all of us!  I still think I am going to wake up one day and find that it was all a dream after all!

 What’s next?

I have no idea!  I am a fatalist! My to-do list today is longer than it was five years ago.  The day I no longer feel that I can’t wait to get to work will be the day to call it quits.