Oasia Residence – Far East Hospitality
Oasia Residence Singapore
Demonstration of industry leadership
A. Brand’s thought leadership
A year into the pandemic, Oasia Residence along with our parent company, Far East Hospitality Management, continue to focus on training, mentorship, and rotation programmes to develop team members into leaders. As shared by our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arthur Kiong, in a Business Times article published in November 2020, our goal is to “lead through anxiety with peace, purpose, and preparedness”.
In the Business Times article, Mr. Kiong highlighted the need to adapt quickly in order to come out of this pandemic stronger. He advises leaders to over-communicate for peace of mind, remind management and staff of their purpose, and prepare thoroughly for the new normal.
In January 2021, Mr. Kiong shared his insights on a SID Directors’ Bulletin, about the long-term future of Singapore’s tourism and how the definition of good service will evolve from “compliance of expectations” to “experience creation” as there will be greater emphasis on soft skills and the ability to deliver unique and enjoyable guest experiences.
Mr. Kiong was also interviewed in The Business Times on February 2021, on reinventing travel experiences through “Rethinking hospitality: 3Cs for hotels to heed”, and how this approach will create pent-up demand for international travel when the crisis is finally over.
These thought leadership articles reflect our approach to hospitality, not just with our guests but with our staff as well. On The Daily Dose, our internal newsletter, we regularly recognize and commend staff who always demonstrate kindness, go above and beyond to help others, and take exemplary care of guests. We also have a dedicated social media account managed by our Learning and People Development Team, to connect with staff and reinforce “Acts of Grace” values.
In times of fear and crisis, we learnt an important lesson: as Mr. Kiong puts it, “Unless we look after others, we cannot get out of this crisis alone.” By maintaining confidence and leading with kindness and service, we offer our guests a reprieve from the uncertainty of daily life. And along the way, we hope to set the standard for hospitality in the new normal.
B. Oasia Residence Singapore’s Achievements
Oasia Residence has continued to exceed industry benchmarks of guest satisfaction. We consistently receive outstanding and excellent ratings on hotel-booking platforms.
Still, Oasia Residence Singapore continues to raise its standards and levels of excellence year after year. This tireless commitment to top-notch service and continuous improvement is evident in the awards we’ve received over the years:
Excellent Service Award by The Singapore Hotel Association | ● New2021: 3 Star, 6 Gold, 7 Silver ● New2020: 2 Star, 1 Gold, 5 Silver ● 2019: 3 Star, 3 Gold, 4 Silver ● 2018: 2 Star, 2 Gold, 2 Silver ● 2017: 3 Star, 2 Gold |
HRM Asia Reader’s Choice Award | New2020: GOLD award for Best Serviced Apartment – By Property |
HR Vendor of the Year by Human Resources magazine | 2019: Best Serviced Apartment Company category |
TripAdvisor | ● NewTripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Winner (2021) ● 5/5-star rating across 161 reviews ● TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Winner (2020) |
Booking.com | ● Traveller Review Award 2020 with an average rating of 8.9 out of 10 (Excellent) ● Traveller Review Award 2019 with an average rating of 8.9 out of 10 (Excellent) |
Far East Hospitality | 2019: Best Front Office Team |
Far East Organisation | New2020: Service Excellence Award – Cycle 2 Winners |
Provision of innovative product & service offerings
Oasia’s team is passionate about carrying out Acts of Grace—a core value of Far East Hospitality. This means going the extra mile to make a difference in our guests’ lives.
For example, if a guest is sick, we help them buy food, identify nearby clinics, and, if necessary, accompany them to the hospital. If a family is travelling with kids, we offer to install corner protection guards and window locks in their room.
When a group from Australia travelled to Singapore with their 91-year-old grandmother, they chose to stay at Oasia Residence Singapore. Our staff lent them a wheelchair to use throughout the duration of their stay.
One family from the US stayed for a few months at Oasia Residence Singapore. Through conversations with them, our staff found out the items and goods they wanted to bring back home. We bought these items and gave them as a gift on the day before their departure.
During the month of Ramadan, we provide our Muslim guests with a weekly “Ramadan basket” containing food and beverage supplies, such as bread, jam, cheese, milk, and juice. This allows them to eat breakfast before sunrise if they have no time to prepare a meal or find an eatery that’s open at dawn. Special Events and Celebrations Holiday celebrations allow guests to experience an aspect of Singaporean culture and get to know other residents and staff.
We also take note of guest’s interests and create activities based on these. Our terrarium-making workshop was a hit, as it piqued the curiosity of our wellness-conscious travellers. Guests travelling with their families also appreciated the fact that both kids and adults could participate in the activity.
Special Events and Celebrations
Holiday celebrations allow guests to experience an aspect of Singaporean culture and get to know other residents and staff.
During Chinese New Year, we prepare lo hei and invite all our guests to participate. For many international guests, this is a unique experience and their first time to be introduced to this Chinese New Year tradition.
During Mother’s Day, we give children art materials so they can create cards for their mums.
At Deepavali, we prepare a feast, decorate the common areas with flowers and lamps, and invite guests to participate in lighting candles. As Oasia has a good mix of guests, it was the first time for most of them to participate in such a festivity.
Aside from these events, we celebrate locally relevant dates, such as National Day. We also prepare surprise gifts for guests’ birthdays and organise BBQ & Beer parties that give guests the chance to relax and get to know one another.
Providing Hospitality and Good Vibes Amid a Pandemic
These are challenging times for the hospitality industry due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. As part of social distancing measures, we had to cease activities that would draw crowds or involve prolonged contact. We also implemented limits on the number of guests who could access shared facilities, such as the gym and swimming pool, at any given time
Once the Circuit Breaker measures were eased and we reopened our facilities, we rolled out a “Connect and Be Rewarded” programme. This involved fun activities like guessing movies and answering crossword puzzles to test one’s knowledge about Singapore. Once guests have completed a challenge, they could show their form to the Front Office Team, who would reward them with a prize.
Just like the “Weekly Discovery with Oasia” segment, the “Connect and Be Rewarded” programme is done by placing printouts with QR codes in selected areas around Oasia properties. The use of a QR code ensures a contactless experience for guests’ peace of mind.
Genuine Service Without Being “Over the Top”
We take care of the affairs of daily living—providing laundry services, cleaning occupied rooms every three days, providing a healthy breakfast, and offering complimentary WiFi. Security and guest services are provided round-the-clock, giving travellers the peace of mind that they need to be able to focus on their trip, whether their purpose is business or leisure.
In fact, a common theme in guest reviews is that Oasia’s staff are friendly and helpful “without being over the top”. Guests frequently commend the cleanliness of the facilities, the housekeeping team’s professional and positive attitude, and the front office’s ability to swiftly resolve the problems or requests that guests bring up. With busy international business travellers making up a major part of our target audience, the ability to assist them with specific needs helps to make their stay in Singapore pleasant and fruitful.
All these personalised services and varied facilities give our guests a fun and memorable stay. And because our service comes with a personal touch, many guests have told us that Oasia Residence Singapore truly feels like a home away from home.