Interview: Lamway Hotel Management Group Owner Dimosthenis Leontis

Founded in 2008 and boasting a client roster that includes nine 4- and 5-star hotels in four different key Greek destinations, Lamway Hotel Management Group provides management strategies aiming to boost their clients’ profitability and strengthen their position on the market.

2014 has been a successful year for Lamway with its client hotels increasing their average occupancy by 16 percent and average turnover by 21 percent.

Under the motto “One Way – One Philosophy”, Lamway’s owner Dimosthenis Leontis, gives his insights on how Lamway operates in its aim to stay ahead of competition, ensuring the ongoing satisfaction of hotel guests.

• GTP: Please explain a little about Lamway Hotel Management Group and what services it provides.

Dimosthenis Leontis: Lamway Hotel Management Group is a Greek hotel management company that operates with a main scope the development, modernization and improvement of every hotel company. Lamway is actively operating, from 2008, with hotel management, property lease and the provision of consulting services — such as sales promotion, human resources and training — and any other services that we believe that can offer added value to the hotel that chooses to work with us.

We take in our responsibility the total shape and implementation of each hotel’s strategy, especially for the ones that want to obtain a professional, rational and effective management, the ones which want to increase their profit and to power their position and profile in the market.

• GTP: How does Lamway contribute to the promotion and success of a hotel?

Dimosthenis Leontis: Lamway helps hotels to succeed in challenging times. Basically, we help hoteliers position themselves ahead of competition and restructure their property for the highest levels of performance. We support hotels to take all initiatives in order to be in a competitive position with our hotel turnaround plan, positive operational improvements and revenue management. For the success of each hotel we determine all steps that will allow us to advance the profile of the property and take all necessary actions in order to provide high quality services and keep hotel guests satisfied.

Our company’s main goal is to create memorable experiences for our hotel’s guests, so we work closely with each hotelier towards that direction, by empowering hotel employees with customer service skills, so as to transform a “room experience” to a “memorable hotel experience”.

• GTP: Lamway’s portfolio currently includes hotels on the Greek islands of Paros, Santorini, Naxos and Ios; all part of the Cyclades group. Do your future plans include entering markets on the mainland?

Dimosthenis Leontis: Lamway’s portfolio includes nine hotels in four different Greek destinations on Paros (Paros Agnanti Resort,Archipelagos Paros Resort, ParosLand Hotel), Santorini (Armeni Village Rooms & Suites, Liakada Oia Houses, Chroma Suites, Artemis Suites), Naxos (Dream View Hotel) and Ios (Relux Hotel).

Our company’s goals are to expand our brand to Mykonos Island, but also to other destinations, apart from the islands of the Cyclades, such as Mani and many more.

Mykonos

• GTP: What are the comparative advantages of the hotels managed by Lamway?

Dimosthenis Leontis: Lamway is committed to delivering excellence in hotel operations, profitability, and guest service. We offer to our hotel members our extensive experience in the tourism sector, with personal attention from our company’s executives. We want to maintain a personal relationship with each hotelier in order to better feel the needs and priorities of each business.

We determine each hotel’s sales policy and then our sales team works on contracts through relationships with tour operators. We also focus on e-commerce support (through channels such as social media, website development, online marketing & CRM).

Additionally, we work hard on the staff’s continuous training and development so as to offer high quality services to our guests. A major part of our success is that we offer each hotel’s guests a superior client communication, highly accountable and responsive. We have also established a loyalty program for all of our hotel members, which helps develop loyal customers and boost customer’s satisfaction.

• GTP: What are the biggest challenges a hotel management company faces to improve the guest experience today?

Dimosthenis Leontis: Today hotel management companies face many challenges, especially because of financing resource, human resources development, increased competition and risk management. It is important to highlight that our strategy depends on the understanding of the global travel market, brand management, human resources development and technologic applications.

Today all hotels face a strongly competitive environment on the web. Our role as a hotel management company is to work hard to know who the customers of each hotel are and to understand their needs on a deeper level. We support all hotel members by implementing new customer engagement channels and maintaining a hotel’s good reputation by monitoring all guest reviews. Technology can help hotels make big improvements in order to ensure satisfaction in the guest experience.

• GTP: Technology and social media play major roles in the hospitality industry. For Lamway, what role does technology play in improving the guest experience?

Dimosthenis Leontis: Technology plays an important role in the hospitality and tourism industry. We always keep up-to-date on the latest trends in hospitality technology that facilitate business and we adapt on all necessary changes. We believe that there are great opportunities for learning and explore new business opportunities through technology. Both customers and businesses can benefit from advances in communication, reservations and guest services systems.

We also focus on the effective use of social media as a marketing, communications and guest-service tool. Sometimes we invest in listening technology to ensure that the company keeps in touch with guest reviews, comments and reactions.

• GTP: Can you please explain Lamway’s motto “One Way – One Philosophy”?

Dimosthenis Leontis: This motto — One Way – One Philosophy — reflects our company’s philosophy. It’s much more than a motto, it’s a way of life. We commit ourselves to offer the best services in our collaborations, by remaining close to our ideas, to our philosophy that will lead to the success. We offer innovative and contemporary service concepts, based on the very specific needs of the hoteliers. And we plan to stay ahead of the competition, ensuring our guest’s ongoing satisfaction.

At Lamway Hotel Management Group we believe that the success of our company depends on the dedication, skills and knowledge of our people. We all work together towards the same direction, based on the same philosophy and having the same goals.

Photo source: Lamway