F�ilte Ireland Careers

What were the main 'career decision' milestones in your life so far?

Maree O�Brien, Guest Experience Manager, Sustainability & Innovation Lead

I guess mine is a story of always needed to trust your instincts. My instinct was to work in hospitality following completion of my leaving certificate, but I was put off it by a friend at the time who thought it wouldn’t suit me. I ended up going down the business route instead and eventually as a trainer, but always found myself working around the periphery of the industry, I worked for a drinks manufacturer, in the business service industry, for a concert promotor and I also worked in the legal area and lobbied (different sort of lobby) for a number of years. I also volunteered with our local tourism office and when, after COVID, we all refocused a little, an opportunity came to work in the Sales Department in TCH, I applied and was promoted to Guest Experience Manager after a year.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My husband and children, they always encourage me to do things I never thought I was capable of doing, whether it’s work, a project or study.

How did you go about getting your current job?

After Covid, I wanted a change of scene, a vacancy opened up in the Sales office at TCH, so I applied and started as a Sales Executive. I really enjoyed working in Sales, but when the Guest Experience Manager role came up, it felt like everything I loved doing, meeting guests, resolving issues, promoting the business and Offaly so I made the move.

Describe a typical day?

No two days are ever the same, and that’s what I love about this industry. My day typically starts with checking emails for updates, complaint advisements, and shift notes to identify any immediate issues. Upon arrival, I gather further details on room moves, complaints, or other matters requiring attention. I also review the VIP list for updates and ensure all preparations for special guests, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or meeting organisers, are in place. I monitor guest ratings and survey responses daily, flagging any issues to relevant HODs and requesting corrective actions if needed. I update my notes for the morning meeting, where we discuss group updates, in-house events, and upcoming VIPs. Afterward, I prepare welcome cards for guests and coordinate with our fantastic Accommodation team to ensure everything goes seamlessly. Throughout the day, I address guest concerns, whether in-house or post-departure, and ensure our promotional materials are accurate while recommending local attractions. I actively monitor review platforms, respond to feedback, and escalate important points to HODs. I also prepare guest lists for upcoming days, highlight VIPs, review rooming lists, and compile corrective actions for departments. Weekly, I produce a comprehensive Guest Experience feedback report. Additionally, I oversee Customer Service standards and lead training initiatives such as ‘Here for You’ and Guest Excellence Moments across the property. I also identify training gaps and areas that I can target for improvement as well as our review strategy. I am also the Sustainability and Innovation Lead for the property and I’ve introduced some sustainability initiatives such as a quarterly Carbon Neutral day and integrating sustainability in to our Kids Club format.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

Again this depends on the property and the role focus, but broadly speaking it would be as follows;

Daily Operations

1. Guest Issue Management

Proactively address guest concerns, complaints, or issues during their stay or post-departure.
Gather and analyse details on room moves, complaints, and service challenges to ensure resolution.

2. VIP Guest Coordination o Review and update the VIP list daily, ensuring special arrangements for occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or events.

Write personalised welcome cards and liaise with the Accommodation team for accurate placement in rooms.
Tailor the Experience to suit the Guest

3. Email and Communication Management

Respond promptly to emails from guests, staff, and departments.
Update notes and lists to prepare for the morning meeting.

4. Meeting Participation

Share updates on upcoming VIPs during daily team meetings and any urgent Guest feedback or issues that need to be brought to the teams attention

5. Promotional and Local Engagement

Ensure all promotional materials are current and accurate and brand standard adherent .
Recommend local attractions and points of interest to guests.

Feedback and Improvement

1. Review Strategy Management

Monitor and analyse reviews across all platforms (TripAdvisor, Google, internal surveys, etc.).
Develop and implement strategies to improve ratings and guest sentiment.
Collaborate with Heads of Departments to address patterns or recurring feedback and execute improvements

2. Respond to Feedback

Reply to guest reviews promptly and professionally, ensuring concerns are acknowledged and resolved.
Highlight critical feedback to HODs for immediate attention and corrective actions.

3. Monitor Ratings and Survey

Track guest ratings and survey responses daily to identify trends and areas for improvement.
Escalate significant issues and ensure action plans are in place

4. Prepare Feedback Reports

Compile corrective action advisories and produce a weekly Guest Experience report summarising trends, issues, and resolutions.

Training and Standards

1. Customer Service Training

Deliver and manage training programs such as ‘Here for You’ and iNUA Guest Excellence Moments.
Promote a culture of exceptional service across the property. 2. Monitor Service Standards
Ensure all departments uphold the highest levels of customer service, addressing any gaps in performance with the relevant HOD.

Planning and Coordination
1. Rooming and Group Lists

Review rooming lists for upcoming stays and coordinate preparations for groups and events.
Identify and prioritise VIP arrangements to ensure seamless execution.

2. Cross-Department Coordination

Collaborate with departments (e.g. Sales, Reservations, Accommodation) to align efforts for delivering an exceptional guest experience

Administrative Duties

1. Documentation and Organisation o Maintain updated records of guest interactions, VIP preparations, and corrective actions.

Ensure all promotional materials, welcome cards, and reports are accurately distributed and documented.

My role also includes Sustainability and Innovation

What are the main challenges?

The Guest Experience Manager, GEM, role is relatively new to the traditional Hospitality construct but as the future of Hospitality is centred on the Guest Experience, the Guest Experience Manager role is pivotal in ensuring guests have the best possible experience. As it’s not a role that’s always been there, it’s sometimes been unclear how it works or creating an understanding as to how impactful it can be. Each property is different, and some Guest Experience or Guest Relations managers are more operational focused, whereas I’ve incorporated a lot of my strengths in Training, Reporting, developing feedback loops for information in order to pre-empt rather than react to issues.

One of the challenges I’ve faced is creating a channel of communication that didn’t exist before, making sure information flows smoothly between departments and is passed on so we can be proactive in meeting guest needs. It’s a role that evolves constantly, but that’s what makes it so valuable in staying ahead in the industry. A guest’s entire journey is centered around their experience, and it’s those exceptional experiences that bring them back. That’s what makes this role so important and why it’s essential for it to work, seamlessly, it’s not just being a GEM for Guests, it’s literally such an important role in a business sense too.

What do you like most?

I love interacting with guests, solving problems, and making sure they leave happy—and, most importantly, that they want to come back. Monitoring feedback and seeing where we have done things well and where there is room for improvement. I also enjoy sharing all the interesting and quirky things about Offaly. I always add a personal touch to our guest cards, wishing them an "Offaly Amazing" stay— because we are Offaly Amazing! That’s what I love about my job. Sustainability is another passion of mine, and I’m really proud of how I’ve been able to bring it into my role. I’ve developed policies around it, like introducing Carbon Neutral Days, and I wrote the submission for the Best Sustainable Hotel award— which we won! I also took charge of our Green Hospitality ECO Award application, and we were awarded that too. Right now, I’m working on completing our Silver Award accreditation, which is another big step in making sustainability a key part of what we do and how we provide the best experience for our guests.

Is there anything that isn't great?

One of the first hurdles I faced was creating a smooth flow of information, so I developed a bespoke complaint handling model to improve the handover process. We’re only ever as good as our last guest experience, so for me, having constant information and feedback across the property is crucial to maintaining our customary Offaly warm welcome and exceptional service. It's essential to keep improving and delivering the best possible experience.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

It’s funny, but the work experience I had outside of hospitality has actually been crucial in shaping my role in the industry. My background in the business-tobusiness service industry gave me a solid foundation in customer service, helping me understand and meet guest needs. Working in tourism has also been key, as I knew the local area, and county extremely well so I recommend local attractions and create unique experiences that enhance a guest’s stay. I’m also a bit of a history geek so can relay the history of the area, explain local history and help guests doing family history research – which comes in very handy during the summer.

My time in the legal field taught me to pay attention to the details, problem-solve, and handle sensitive situations with care and have legal awareness—skills I use every day, especially when dealing with complaints or tricky situations. And my experience in political lobbying really sharpened my communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills. It’s helped me communicate effectively, tackle guest concerns, and push for improvements in service standards. All of these experiences have come together to give me an expansive skill set, and that’s been invaluable in my role. It’s allowed me to adapt to handle a wide range of challenge.

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

Well, if anything, my story is a cautionary tale about always listening to your heart and doing what you truly want to do. If I had followed mine, I would have gone into Hotel and Catering Management straight away. But I believe that no matter what path you take, you’ll always find your way back to the thing you love. For me, that’s working as a Guest Experience Manager. Despite the detour, the life and work experience I’ve gained along the way has been invaluable, helping me develop my role and enhance our guest experience. It’s taken a winding road, but for now I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, doing what I’m passionate about.

What is your education to date?

I’m always reading or researching something but the notables to date are 1st Class Honours Diploma in Education and Training - University College Galway Currently completing a Joint Honours BCL Degree in Law and Criminology - Maynooth Universit

What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?

The part of my education that has helped me most in my role is a combination of my training background and my legal education. My training experience has been invaluable in identifying gaps in knowledge or customer service and designing tailored solutions to address them. It’s given me the tools to improve team performance and enhance the guest experience. My legal education, on the other hand, has provided me with critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a strong attention to detail, which are crucial for handling guest issues, implementing policies, and ensuring smooth operations. Together, they’ve equipped me to approach challenges with a balanced perspective and most importantly, empathy and understanding.

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

Achieving Tripadvisor No. 1 rating within 5 months of starting and Tripadvisor Travellers Choice for 2024 is something I’m very proud of. Of late, I was shortlisted for Best Hotel Manager in the Midlands103 Hospitality Awards, this meant an awful lot to me as apart from being included in the same category as 3 General Managers with a wealth of experience, it came a few months after I had lost my Mum. I was so appreciative of being nominated by our Guests, Customers and my Colleagues, but being shortlisted was amazing. I didn’t win but I am very proud of being shortlisted. I was also nominated recently for the iNUA Sustainability Lead of the Year.

What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career?

I have a lot of varied life experience that enables me, I think, to see things from a different perspective, I’d like to think that I’m also understanding and empathetic of different points of view which does help when you want to put yourself in someone elses shoes to understand their perspective.

What is your dream job?

I think I will always be deeply embedded in Sustainability and Guest Experience, for me, the two are hand-in-hand and it’s how I see Guest Experience developing.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

I think having a job that you love and doing what you are happy doing is key, if you are doing what you love in an industry that you enjoy working in then nothing is a challenge. No two days are the same, there’s a fantastic buzz working in this industry, once you have a good team to work with nothing is a challenge.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

My advice would be to stay adaptable, as no two days are ever the same in this industry. Focus on building strong communication and problem-solving skills. Always listen to feedback and use it to improve. Develop empathy and understanding for guests, as this is key to creating memorable experiences. Lastly, follow your passions within the field, whether it’s guest experience, food & beverage or Meetings & Events, find what you love, what you’d come in after hours to check on or read about in your spare time —it’s what will make you stand out and – most importantly – follow your instinct and enjoy the journey.

What are the three most important personal characteristics required for the job?

Strategy, Organisation and Patience.

What is your pet hate at work?

I genuinely don’t have anything I ‘hate’ at work, there are days things might not be going well, but these pass, I think that would be true of any role.

Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?

I am always learning and researching Sustainability or how we can incorporate Customer Service developments, I doubt that I will ever stop training and learning.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

It largely depends on the slant the role takes, every property has a different take on what the role is.