Deepika Udyan: Renowned For Facilitating Strategic Growth & Success
Deepika Udyan
Chief Revenue Officer
In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights, she shares more about her leadership strategies applied for the growth of SHMS.
What different roles have you been undertaking at Shanti Hospitality Management Services? Also, brief us on the team you a gathered at SHMS.
Broadly, I am responsible for managing and synchronizing Marketing (digital & Offline), Revenue Management & Direct Active Sales, both at the corporate level and execution at unit levels. We have a team of 60 players working with me to achieve a common goal of extracting the highest market share in all circumstances.
As a founding core member of Shanti Hospitality Management Services, I have played a pivotal role in creating a robust sales base. The most critical part of a key team member is the hiring of the right candidate. For us, an attitude of being self-propelled, result-oriented, collaborative team member comes first, comes second the selling skills and exposure in a particular market. Through the constant inputs and training we could build a team in the top 6 cities in India (Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh). We plan to expand our team in Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Indore.
What is making SHMS have an edge in the market?
SHMS is one of the pioneers in India to successfully manage and operate third-party hotel management for the last 6 Years. A trend that is majorly followed in mature markets across the globe, where the alignment of ownership, brands, and 3rd party operators is well established. In India, this concept is still at a nascent stage but shall rapidly grow as the market matures. SHMS is the first to break the glass ceiling and has been the market leader ever since.
Today, we have earned our reputation through the outstanding results we have been delivering for our hotels managed by us in all aspects - business performance, maintaining brand standards, achieving high guest and employee satisfaction scores. Apart from these, long-term sustainable CSR initiatives remain at the core of our business under Shanti Seva.
Describe a successful strategy deployed to meet the company’s revenue objectives. What factors do you consider while developing a successful revenue plan?
Through my experience, I have learned that significant real estate investment, high interest in the capital, and uncertain government regulations can pose relatively high entry barriers. Thus, finishing the project in stipulated time impacts costs and leads to reduced cash burns while setting the tone for ROI. This is seconded by a quick ramp-up (less than 2 years) achieved by endless pre-work, fast-forward planning, and a having team with a common vision.
As verticals headed by me are instrumental in generating revenue for our managed portfolio on one hand, while keeping the costs at their minimal on the other, we have deployed measures to charge a nominal amount over and above the management fee. Since we run an asset-light business model, 95% of the team is deployed on a cost-sharing basis, making it a unique proposition where the value offered is a minimum of six times higher than the cost invested.
How do you ensure to update yourself with the latest industry trends to steer SHMS towards the zenith?
In our current portfolio, 55% of our
Today, we have earned our reputation through the outstanding results we have been delivering for our hotels managed by us in all aspects - business performance, maintaining brand standards, achieving high guest and employee satisfaction scores. Apart from these, long-term sustainable CSR initiatives remain at the core of our business under Shanti Seva.
The quintessence of Deepika’s leadership is her ability to take calculated risks and foresee trends to formulate strategies that enhance the top-line
Describe a successful strategy deployed to meet the company’s revenue objectives. What factors do you consider while developing a successful revenue plan?
Through my experience, I have learned that significant real estate investment, high interest in the capital, and uncertain government regulations can pose relatively high entry barriers. Thus, finishing the project in stipulated time impacts costs and leads to reduced cash burns while setting the tone for ROI. This is seconded by a quick ramp-up (less than 2 years) achieved by endless pre-work, fast-forward planning, and a having team with a common vision.
As verticals headed by me are instrumental in generating revenue for our managed portfolio on one hand, while keeping the costs at their minimal on the other, we have deployed measures to charge a nominal amount over and above the management fee. Since we run an asset-light business model, 95% of the team is deployed on a cost-sharing basis, making it a unique proposition where the value offered is a minimum of six times higher than the cost invested.
How do you ensure to update yourself with the latest industry trends to steer SHMS towards the zenith?
In our current portfolio, 55% of our
business is generated through direct digital avenues like website & OTA’s and roughly 10% more where digital presence (social media) plays a huge role but unfortunately cannot be quantified or say is notional. Going by these stats, not being updated with the latest industry trends and technology is not an option for us. The real deal is in finding ways to increase this ratio through automation to make work hours more productive where maximum time is spent on creative ideas and finding fresh avenues of revenue generation which will keep us ahead in the game.
A good example is 100% of our sales force works through a CRM tool that allows seamless data recording and analysis available on your mobile screen through the app.
The ease of data access, add new or update existing account information help our team invest quality time in either nurturing existing accounts or create new ones. Any new development that makes our work more efficient is always looked at with immense priority and adapting to new technology solutions happens to be one of them.
Looking at the current pandemic and its long-lasting impact, how are you preparing to deal with it?
The pandemic has been the biggest casuality for Indian Hospitality, the crisis still carries deep uncertainties. We saw demand declining to its lowest owing to Global travel advisories, suspension of Visas, prohibition against mass gatherings, sporting events, etc. The silver lining for Indian hospitality to my mind will be the revival of domestic travel demand which is enough to sustain followed by curtailed operating costs.
Upskilling and reskilling of our team shall remain on top of our priority, keeping in mind the perception and expectation change of guests. At the corporate level, SHMS has embraced remote working and 90% of our workforce operates through digital tools. While we hope to return to the way things were, the change is inevitable and will shape the future of the hospitality industry. We are absolutely geared up to adapt to the new normal.
Deepika Udyan, Chief Revenue Officer, Shanti Hospitality Management Services
Alumni of University of Delhi, worked as a duty manager at InterContinental Hotels Group, Revenue manager at Bharat hotels, Head of Revenue management & Channel Distribution at Nidra hotels, VP- Revenue Management, Sales Strategy & Digital Marketing at Shanti Hospitality Management Services.
A good example is 100% of our sales force works through a CRM tool that allows seamless data recording and analysis available on your mobile screen through the app.
The ease of data access, add new or update existing account information help our team invest quality time in either nurturing existing accounts or create new ones. Any new development that makes our work more efficient is always looked at with immense priority and adapting to new technology solutions happens to be one of them.
Looking at the current pandemic and its long-lasting impact, how are you preparing to deal with it?
The pandemic has been the biggest casuality for Indian Hospitality, the crisis still carries deep uncertainties. We saw demand declining to its lowest owing to Global travel advisories, suspension of Visas, prohibition against mass gatherings, sporting events, etc. The silver lining for Indian hospitality to my mind will be the revival of domestic travel demand which is enough to sustain followed by curtailed operating costs.
Upskilling and reskilling of our team shall remain on top of our priority, keeping in mind the perception and expectation change of guests. At the corporate level, SHMS has embraced remote working and 90% of our workforce operates through digital tools. While we hope to return to the way things were, the change is inevitable and will shape the future of the hospitality industry. We are absolutely geared up to adapt to the new normal.
Deepika Udyan, Chief Revenue Officer, Shanti Hospitality Management Services
Alumni of University of Delhi, worked as a duty manager at InterContinental Hotels Group, Revenue manager at Bharat hotels, Head of Revenue management & Channel Distribution at Nidra hotels, VP- Revenue Management, Sales Strategy & Digital Marketing at Shanti Hospitality Management Services.