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A portrait by Susanne Pohlmann, freelance journalist

 

Behind "hotel operation Assistance" stands as initiator Carsten Huth, an expert in the hotel trade.
Grown up in the traditional health resort "Bad Pyrmont" as the son of a medium-sized businessman whose talents he interited dealing with health spa clients and customers alike. Very early it was certain for Carsten that there could be only one occupation for him. "I absolutely wanted to deal with other people and found it simply fascinating how the employees at the beautiful spa hotel managed that each guest was treated with respect and the feeling to be someone special was brought across. Even as a small laddie enjoying a hot chocolate on the terrace of that hotel, I was treated like an important person. That really inspired me to begin my working career in hotels business." So it was only logical that he completed his 3 year hotel merchant training in "his dream hotel " of the childhood. During this time he recognized that a well-thought-out and taut organization was necessary backstage, in order to create that special relaxing feeling and pampering of the guests.
Another thing he also realised already early: This occupation gave him the chance to overcome the borders of the health resort and discover the world outside.

First he left the idyllic health resort in lower saxony for the then secret german capital Munich, this was a buzzing and trendy place. "I really wasn’t sure if big city life was something for me ", remembers Carsten with a grin , "however very soon I made my place in that city and knew that I would be able to make it in other cities too.” A good indication of new residents of Munich was, if one did not follow the main roads but use “secret” alternate streets in order to avoid traffic jams. Doing so was highly regarded by the genuine residents of Munich. "Now I was ready to finally move on and widen my horizon and improve my foreign languages.”
His first station was England, where he perfected his school English fast. Carsten: "until then it wasn’t all that clear to me that I had an affinity for languages." Even more important was his start with  InterContinental Hotels, one of the renowned hotel chains world wide.To guarantee highest standards in all hotels world wide seemed to an unattainable goal that is why he observed his supervisors as well as the organization closely "at this ‘Grand Hotel’ with spoiled guests from simply everywhere in this world everything worked so relaxed and easily", remembers the 42 year old. "the guests felt extremely well and did not suspect what kind of organisational system and thought was behind it. “Here I got the idea of how to succsessfully manage a hotel ." and this awareness developed step by step on his further stations in Luxembourg and Paris, where he perfected also his knowledge of French, in addition he developed a feeling for different mentalities and cultures, which still today is a large asset in his daily work. Quickly Carsten adjusts to new situations and reacts accordingly, while discovering flaws in the system. Abilities, which helped him within the Steigenberger organization in Frankfurt to move from the Front-Office of the Frankfurter Hof to head office. At the organization department at head quarters, his charming, friendly, but assertive personality made him a tough, but highly regarded counterpart with the suppliers and enterprises. "although I worked in this position successfully and was given more and more responsibilities, something was missing", so Carsten, "the direct guest contact. I simply had ‘withdrawal symptoms’ and so I was from time to time almost magically drawn to the Lobby of the Frankfurter Hof."
 

Initiated by his personal interest in technical innovations he saw a big potential to improve guest related tasks in Front Office department. The skillful usage of technology, which always has to bear the guest oriented aspects in mind, can by all means help to reduce the overhead and make the workflow much more efficient. Extensive trainings and seminars helped Carsten to become a specialist in this area. Resulting in a promotion to Project-Manager, responsible for Front-Office operations. Carsten became the contact for all hotels also dealing with openings and trainings for the hotels employees. Among other tasks he was asked to update the hotel software and conduct necessary training sessions in all german and austrian Steigenberger Hotels. "that was exactly my thing", Carsten immediately recognized, "and at about that time the idea to someday make a little more from it came up."

But the vague idea had to wait, because a new extraordinary challenge approached, which meant that he would be able to prove to himself that implementing his ideas and experiences in the operations of a hotel would show to be successful in the end.  He accepted the management of a rather unsuccessful 3* city hotel, which he wanted to revive in the rather crowded Frankfurt hotel market. Carsten detected pretty fast the true potential of that hotel. He consequently took the responsibility and implemented drastic changes starting with the guest services and procedures to furniture and fixture enhancements to administration and a marketing plan. Within only three years the 75 room hotel was blossoming and enjoyed a 12% higher occupancy and a much better average room rate. "That gave me the confirmation, which I was looking for, to prove that the consistent conversion and changes guarantee the success of a hotel", so the self made man.

Today this profound knowledge is the base for the successful consulting of "Hotel Operations Assistance", who assisted quite a number of renowned hotels since establishment in 2000 in solving big and small problems fast and efficiently. The simple fact that Carsten knows the hotel trade and different categories like the back of his hand he always considers the point of view of the guests and the human components of the hotel staff thus resulting into the  successful consulting of hotels. With his passion for the cause and his communication abilities he always striked the right note with the effect that his word is often accounted for with both management and co-workers alike. "this simply is my nature", states Carsten modestly", ”that’s the way I am but to be honest I am very content that this gives me the ability to help as a consultant to solve difficulties. I just enjoy my work!"