Birth of a pragmatic hospitality culture in Assam & NE: Prospects and nuances

Anmona Handique

(The writer can be reached at anmona.handique@gmail.com)

"People will forget what you said, what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel".

Co-quoting the lines of Maya Angelou, today this article is all about the long-lost secret ingredient of happiness that is somewhere lost and yet not experienced by the people of our own land. Genuineness followed by the warmest smile, befitted with the purest charisma, reflecting welcoming gestures and the innermost satisfactory feeling is what that composes this secret ingredient. Presence of this ingredient stands out to be the natural seasoning to garnish a flourishing tourism industry across the world. Yes, I am talking about the concept of a holistic hospitality culture that needs to be re-polished, and re-furnished in the State of Assam and in some parts of the Northeast, that calls for an overall renovation to make it stand at par with rest of the States of India and one among the world.

Today in this era of a competitive economy, Assam contributes to only 5.5 % gross domestic product (GDP) in the tourism industry. Nevertheless, in the wake of the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests in Assam, the State has already lost to a tune of 1000 cr. INR in this sector. So before coming to the crux of bridging the big fat holes in this sector, I would like to especially lay emphasis on harnessing the hospitality culture that forms the base for any booming tourism sector. Although tourism in Assam and rest of the Northeast is acclaimed for its sea of ethnic diversity in food, culture, and variation with language and climate diversity, the region is yet seemed to lag in maintaining the uniqueness through a realistic hospitality approach. This article is penned down with certain thoughts with special reference giving to the city of Guwahati, is the hub of the north-eastern region of India and the upcoming future gateway of the South East Asian countries in sync with the Centre's Act East Policy. Thanks to the Department of Tourism, Government of Assam, for outlaying the number of multi-layered projects with joint ventures with the Government of India that is witnessed notably enough on their website and on paper. Today, the city is a host of 3 to 4 five-star hotels, mega malls, a few giant resorts, and very soon to get along the luxury cruises on the River Brahmaputra and other such mega investments to be on the roll by the Government of Assam.

But despite such infrastructural development, I would like to pose with a thought: is the city being the largest in the Northeast ready for grooming itself up in line with this commercialized world? Have you experienced the utmost hospitality culture with its sheer professionalism when it comes to our people in delivering customer services to its customers? I wonder? Say, from the small retail shopkeepers to the staff of any mega mall or the luxurious hotels somewhere the state of exuberance being the customer is missed and at times fumes to sour retreat. I guess you can recall well, how in the XYZ mall while going for a random shopping you weren't greeted properly or found the staff sticky enough stealing away your comfort space? I bet you confronted at times those familiar grumpy faces of the staff when you had to literally push them to come out with other good options? Can you relate how long you had to wait that day while placing your order or at times settling your bill when you visited for the first time with your family or alone or with your favourite person to the restaurant you heard to be rated good enough to visit? Or have you experienced the frosty smile of the staff of a well-known dental clinic or ignorant gestures by the staff as you walked up to any random store stalled at the heart of the city? And the list goes on and sadly I suppose, we as customers have faced it all. I am pointing out to all these nuances having realized most of our service sectors are daunted with such poor, unenthusiastic, inconsistent and blunt hospitality skills and absence of true professionalism in their work. Co-quoting an age-old Chinese proverb 'A man without a smiling face must not open a shop'. This is very true which stands out to be the most important factor in honing the hospitality skills and nurture its culture. Warm hospitality is cherished by all and making it flawless and uniform is the need of the hour that would not only represent a glorious face to the Guwahati city but would also add a positive flavour of abundance to the ailing tourism industry of the State.

Before narrating out with do's and don'ts, in this context, I would like to jot down my first-hand experience in the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan, the country known for its superior customer service that adds to the global standard across the world. Japan usually is known to us for its culture, traditions and as a land of punctuality also stands out to be as the world's best customer service provider with its most genuine hospitality, profound etiquettes and pleasing aura. Known by the Japanese word "Omotenashi" meaning 'Japanese hospitality culture' where 'Omote' means the public face and 'Nashi' means nothing that together defines service that comes from the bottom of the heart served with empathy and honesty. To their long greetings with the warmest smile ever uttering Irasshaimase (meaning– welcome/greeting to a customer entering any shop), no matter wherever you travel in this country as a customer you feel to be a most important person in the place you visit. Embarked with the cleanest surroundings, the country stands out with all perfection in its spotless remarkable spirit of professionalism and scrupulous punctuality right from the taxi drivers, train conductors, bus drivers, restaurant staff, electricians or no matter any person in profession is always seen equipped with their clean neatly pressed uniforms always ready at your door for your service. In any shop you enter, you do not feel pushy rather you can take your own time and space enjoying the most relaxed hours admiring the displayed products, whether you purchase or not. The staff aren't to stare you till the last moment and would rather leave you with your time to decide as per your choice. Another strikingly attractive hospitality is witnessed with their much appreciating bows followed by the Japanese phrase 'Arigatou Gozaimashita' gestured with a pleasing smile meaning 'thank you'. This conveys as a token of gratitude for visiting their store. Hence, Japan adores their concept of hospitality with all mindfulness where customers need not express their desires verbally as everything is served with their sincerest efforts and empathy. Due to such heart-winning welcoming vibes, even a non-Japanese feels the same pride of honour visiting their land as a guest or as a customer to their shops. Today, I may not be able to give this experience through this example as the real experience can be felt only when one can experience himself/herself in this beautiful land.

Relating to this spellbound experience on this land, through my column I would just like you to retrospect on the same line of thought where inculcating these excerpt could help us set an exemplary example among us to bring the tourism industry of Assam and the Northeast on track. Outlining some probable suggestive measures which we can bring in to restructure this fragile hospitality culture of our land.

n Genuine willingness to please the customer- We have a host of skill development schemes and tourism policies where although hospitality is regarded as the prime concept yet is not yet fully cultivated. Today, importance is laid on the development of soft skills for the employees either during their training or while undergoing their respective courses. But less of it is witnessed when it comes to their performance on the field. So what keeps missing? The uniformity and righteousness attitude to serve with harmony and honesty. Despite the rigorous on-job training or off-job training services, unless the genuine instinct of hospitality is not born within, no matter it is the most elite mall or a small privately-owned boutique you are serving for, the connection with your customer will never be built. As such, the genuine willingness of customer-pleasing should be reflected naturally from within with a positive aura.

n Taking the pride in your job: Co-quoting Tom Ford, 'dressing well is a form of good manners'. An employee with a neatly dressed uniform during the service in the hospitality sector is always appreciated with an adored personality. The uniform should be worn with pride that gives the feeling to serve with the mandate of the dignity of labour. In the Japanese art of hospitality, any service without properly neat attire is considered as a failure in its service towards its customer. Our hospitality sector should consider the minute detailing of its employees by keeping a check and regular counterchecks towards their customer servicing attributes. Hence, taking pride in one's job is the true nature of being into this sector to serve its customer with harmony, politeness and humbleness.

n Availability of immediate feedback criteria in any shop- No matter it is a small shop or a big famous mall, there should be a mandatory feedback criteria option then and there in front at the Human Resource desks of the respective places. This is usually not adopted by all shops and can be seen only in a few big malls. Immediate feedback should be availed and shall be amended timely in knowing the customers' perception and expectation.

Therefore, it is indeed worth a treat to our eyes that the Government, on one hand, investing crores of public money flooding the city landscapes with tall buildings and giant malls. But are we, the people of Assam and the Northeast, ready for the current atmosphere of commercialization, to be the main hotspot for the rest of the world, especially being the gateway to the South-East Asian nations? To stand at par with the South Asian market, can we not plant the same thought of sincerity, grace and respect in our work culture reshaping the shabby hospitality outlook of our society and inculcating the Japanese art of hospitality into our work atmosphere. Today, we are fighting for retaining our culture, but is a language only a factor to retain one's culture? Can we not preserve our culture by polishing our etiquettes and use it in our everyday life? Is it, therefore, possible to create a holistic hospitality environment in the city that would eventually invade the region, the place that still lacks uniform hospitality etiquettes towards its customers or any person who visits as a tourist?

Therefore, tourism being the face and key factor as a major investment prospect in the state of Assam, and the rest of Northeastern states of India it is high time the tourism authority and all the citizens of the Northeastern region took a holistic approach to retain its culture, glory and pride. Caressing such hospitality attitude can be one of the crucial steps to preserve the uniqueness of this region that can define us indispensable from the rest of the states of India. Let us seriously think about it and work on it thereby summing up with the ageless Sanskrit saying "Atithi Devo Bhava"(Guests are God).