In The Face Of A Pandemic: Keeping True To Our Values Of Care And Empathy

Despite having two opportunities to leave on evacuation flights back to Singapore, John Png, General Manager of Modena by Fraser Zhuankou Wuhan, chose to remain behind in the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, even as his family journeyed back home. His reason? He had a goal in mind – he needed to ensure that his staff and guests would be well taken care of at a time of uncertainty.

Dedicated to delivering exacting hospitality standards and best-in-class customer experiences, John worked very quickly with his staff to implement new safety protocols and ramp up hygiene standards so that both staff and guests at the property felt safe and secure. At the height of the crisis, there were close to 80 employees and 90 over residents in the property, half of whom eventually evacuated the city. John and his team knew that the most important thing was to provide their residents with a strong sense of security and to go above and beyond to serve, including managing grocery and medicine deliveries. 

This heart-warming story is a true embodiment of our core values at Frasers Hospitality – we take pride in taking care of our guests and staff, and we show empathy through our service. It is these values as well that have shaped the different measures and initiatives we implemented across our properties in response to evolving expectations due to COVID-19.

Delivering our #FraserCares commitment

Anchored in those core values, our #FraserCares commitment was launched in February 2020 – a time when concerns and questions about the global pandemic were at a high. The priority with this commitment was to build upon our existing values of care and empathy and allow our guests and staff to feel that their safety and wellbeing are still protected in spite of the ongoing crisis.  

It was – and still is – important to us that we made sure our guests felt comfortable and that we were able to anticipate their needs throughout their stay, particularly for those who were staying with us on a long-term basis and unable to reunite with their families.

As part of the #FraserCares commitment, we first ensured that our staff is well-prepared to tackle challenges across three vastly different phases – precautionary, suspected and confirmed cases. We prepared operational protocols including contact tracing procedures and communications guidelines for our properties tailored to each stage.

We also introduced reservations flexibility, new cleaning regimes, safe distancing protocols and redefined operational standards to ensure they were in accordance with that of local relevant authorities. Beyond that, we took the opportunity to provide our guests and staff with greater peace of mind by elevating our hygiene standards through global certifications.

Engaging guests throughout global lockdowns

When several of our properties faced temporary closures at the height of international borders closing and nationwide lockdowns, we remained steadfast in our promise to provide the best care for our guests and to support them throughout the crisis.

The “Stay Inspired with Fraser” series was launched, allowing us to remain connected with guests and with those at home during this difficult time. Through a series of virtual fitness and cooking-related content, we showcased our intuitive customer service and warm hospitality while also keeping our guests entertained.

With so much change happening in today’s world, gaining a good understanding of what guests are expecting to see in our offerings when borders reopen is important to us. We conducted a global survey with our Fraser World members, which has allowed us to further explore new plans and initiatives that we can potentially introduce to meet changing expectations and demands for when the world enters the next normal.

Welcoming back guests in the new normal

Today, as more countries are reopening their borders following the easing of lockdown measures, we continue to enforce our enhanced hygiene standards. At the same time, we have rolled out a globally recognised cleaning and disinfection verification programme across our properties, as part of our latest partnership with SGS.

It is undeniable that the landscape of hospitality could possibly change forever and as we swiftly adapt our operations and offerings to cater to new consumer needs and demands, we are certain guests will be able to find their perfect home away from home during their stay with Frasers Hospitality.

Whether you are travelling for business or leisure, with the little ones or alone, our collection of serviced apartments and hotel residences offer up luxurious spaces and are fully equipped with amenities to allow you to work, relax and live comfortably. Not forgetting our passionate staff who will provide personalised services and tailored experiences to make your stay memorable.

Our team at Frasers Hospitality is excited to welcome our guests back as we embark on a new journey alongside the rest of the world; and we look forward to building on our existing values of care and empathy that have driven Frasers Hospitality’s leadership as a provider of serviced apartments and hotel residences in the last 22 years.