Accor S.A. operates in hotels and services sector worldwide. It operates up and midscale hotels, and economy hotels. As of June 1, 2007, the company operated approximately 4,000 hotels in 90 countries. Accor provides various services, including food vouchers, people care and services, incentive programs, and loyalty programs to corporate clients and public institutions. It also operates travel agencies, restaurants, and casinos, as well as provides onboard train services to the railway sector. Accor was founded in 1967 and is based in Evry, France.
I was assigned to the Novotel Hotel in Beijing where I served a number of functions. I was primarily attached to the Front Office as an Assistant Manager where I helped with reservations, guest enquiries and learned to use the reservation management systems used by Accor.
I quickly took on more responsabilities working my way through the hotel in an effort to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, I looked at ways to integrate better marketing within the hotel, became a mystery client at a number of other hotels and worked with the senior management in implementing new strategies.
I worked initially within the restaurants and then moved to the back office staff (waiters, housekeeping, concierges etc..) and then assisted in the management and client interaction of our club floors and our elite members. During the final parts of my internship, I was regularily sent to Shanghai to assist in the preparations for the opening of the new Shanghai Novotel.
Overall, this was an excellent experience where I learned to take and assume responsabilities within a foreign environment.
