Those of you who’ve been following the Kuredu Celebrities series will know that the brightest spotlight has been on team members who have been an integral part of the resort for many years, however we also find it important to recognise the outstanding performance of some of the colleagues who joined the Kuredu Family just recently, but have already made an impression on both us and you. Case in point – and the last Kuredu Celebrity of 2017 – Julia Schuh, Guest Services Manager.
We sat down with Julie for a chat about her first two months on the island, and received a whole lot of useful tips that especially those of you who are coming to Kuredu for the first time will appreciate.
Julia, describe to our readers a typical day of the Guest Services Manager at Kuredu.
The main goal of every single day is to make all of our guests happy! After our managers’ morning meeting I brief the Island Host team; we go through the day’s arrivals and departures and check if there are any things that require a follow up. Afterwards I visit the Kids’ Club team to see if everything is ready for our youngest, VVIP guests, and I also call the airport lounge team to see if things are in order there. Throughout the day I am involved in check-ins, room orientations and welcome meetings. In between I try to talk to guests around the island as much as possible to get feedback about their holiday and to see if there is anything we can do to make their time on the island even better.
You spend much of your time with guests. What’s been your most memorable encounter so far?
It’s difficult to pick just one! I love meeting our repeater guests and listening to their stories about the island that’s now also my home from home too. I also love our beach weddings. Being able to be a part of the couples’ specials moments is a wonderful experience every time.
Why did you decide you wanted to work in tourism?
Tourism is the best way of combining my biggest passion of travelling/exploring new countries and cultures with working. The industry has so many different facets and various job opportunities around the world. It’s a very people-focused sector, and making guest happy makes me happy too, so I think I’ve chosen the right career!
Before joining Kuredu where had you worked?
I had been working around, in different fields, for the past 6 years. Before joining Kuredu I was managing a cruise ship in Bali and the Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Before that I was working as a social worker in South Africa, for a big IT company in New York, as an English Teacher in Thailand, F&B supervisor in Australia and Assistant Bar Manager at the Baltic Sea.
What would be your number one recommendation for guests to do during their stay at Kuredu?
Join our Back of the House Tour that we organise 3 times a week. You will get to know Kuredu from a totally different side! We will show you our excellent staff facilities, the water desalination and bottling plant, laundry operation, our very own greenhouse… This really is a rare chance for you to see how our little island metropolis is run!
From your first couple of months on the island, are there any aspects of Kuredu that have surprised you?
Kuredu is like a big family, not only among all the staff members but also including our guests, especially our repeaters. Everything is on a very personal level here, which gives the island that special touch that can’t be found anywhere else.
Let’s say you were a guest and only had 24h at the resort. How would you spend your day?
I’d go for an early morning run around the island, followed by a yoga session at the yoga hut next to the O Spa. I’d then have a nice late breakfast at Franco’s. Afterwards I would relax on the beach or go for a round of paddle boarding. In the afternoon I would hop on a dive boat and keep my fingers crossed to see turtles, mantas and sharks. I’d admire Kuredu’s sunset at the sandbank. In the evening I’d opt for a sushi dinner with my friends at The Far East. We would finish the day off with a stroll at the jetty, watching the sharks that normally hang around there at night time and enjoying a drink at Sai Kotari – my favorite place on the whole island!
