LosangisanativeofShangri-La.Elevenyearsago,hewenttostudyattheCommunicationUniversityofChina,majoringinmediamanagement.Hiscollegedaysbroughtgreatchangestohislife.“Ilearnedhowtoconductmyselfinsocietyandaboutattitudestowardslife,”heexplains.“Theatmosphereattheuniversitywascomparativelyfree,andIstudiedwithopen-endedteaching.IcouldtakeanysubjectIwasinterestedinandgotmanychancesforpractice.Asafreshman,IwenttoaTVstationasanaudiencemember.Later,Iworkedforthestudentunion,organizingpartiesandperformances,thusearningusefulexperiences.”
Aftergraduation,Losangbeganhiscareerwithanautomobileexhibition.Hesoonquithisjobandchosetoworkasafreelancer.Hetooktailor-madetravelinhishometownasabusinessopportunity:“Shangri-Laisbestowedwithadvantageoustourismresources,”heasserts,“butthemarketoperationisyettoberegulated.”
“Iestablishedmyowncompanyfiveyearsago,namingitRiyue(Sun&Moon)Linka.Ithasgonesmoothly,withagoodnumberofcustomers.However,wehavecomeacrossabottleneck.”Initially,hewantedtoofferexperientialtravelwithacombinationof“thebestvehicle+mostexperienceddriver+besthotel,”whichhelaterfoundfarfromenough.
Theplansoundedperfect,yetitdidn’tworkwellwhenputintopractice.Therewasstillroomforimprovementinhisdriver’sappearance,roomservice,andthewayhisemployeestalked.
Howdidheworkthingsoutasexpected?HetalkedtoBaima,withwhomhehadgotacquaintedduringhisbusinessdevelopmentphase.“Weoftenchattedbecausewehadbothhadtheexperienceof‘drift-ing’inBeijing,”Losangrecalls.“Atthattime,SongtsamHotelwasgoingsmoothly,withitsfranchisedoutletsopeningoneafteranother.Theonlythingstheyneededwerepersonneltrainingandmarketing.”
DiscoveringSongtsam’sweakness,whichwashisownstrength,Losangjoinedthehotel,alongwithhistwopartners,tomakeaperfectmatchattheendof2013.
“I’mcomingbacktoSongtsam”washowLosangdescribedhiscollaboration.Hewascommittedtomakingthehotel’stravelproductsmoreinnovative,transformingtheoriginal,traditionalboutiquehotelinto“awayoftravel.”Inearly2014,hestartedtooperateamembershipsystemandbrandSongtsam’smediaimage.“ThisisthechangeI’vebroughttoSongtsam,branding.”Heisinchargeofcombingtheproduct’sframework,planningvariouscampaigns,transport,andhousekeeping.
Thesplendorofaboutiquehotelliesinitsuniqueness.EverySongtsamhotelenjoystranquility:theonlysoundonecanhearisone’sbreath.Everyhotelhasemployeesfromlocalvillages,whoarealwayshappytosharetheirlifestyleifyouareinterested.Allthepathsaroundthehotelaffordviewsofthestunninglocalscenery.“I’vebeencooperatingwithBaimaforover10yearsinSongtsam,”heexplains.“Alltheemployeesarecommittedtoservingtheirguestsfromthebottomoftheirhearts.Theyaresoproudofandhappyabouttheirservice.”
AccordingtoLosang,alltheemployeesinthehotelarefullyawarethattheycandotheirjobswellaslongastheyworkhardenough,regardlessofhowmuchtheyknowabouthowtooperateahotelinaprofessionalway.