Mujad Yasin walks in with a big friendly smile after having wished everyone in his path a good morning and politely opening doors for people.
“That’s my first job of the day. I smile and wish anyone and everyone that I meet a good morning—because when you smile, you feel better, regardless of how your day started,” says the Club’s Rooms Manager.
Mujad joined the Club in 2022, but his actions stand testament to the rich hospitality experience he has clocked in over three-and-a-half decades of his career in some of the largest local and international hotel brands—and three-quarter of it has been at the Front Office. Maintaining a calm and friendly demeanour has become second nature to him.
FINDING HIS PATH
When he started out, fresh out of National Service, young Mujad found himself at a time when jobs were not easy to come by. His first job was the ’80s version of cold-calling—he knocked on the doors of The Paramount Hotel (now Village Hotel, Katong) to look for a job. As luck would have it, they had one opening that required a specific skill and license—as the General Manager’s driver. Albeit a discreet job that was unattached to the hotel workings itself, it opened doors for him to other jobs in the hospitality industry. Barely four months in, his boss scoped his interest in exploring a position at the hotel’s Front Desk. This was at a time when reception jobs were restricted to a select few, as height and other aspects of one’s appearance were part of the considerations, says the petite Mujad.
He joined the team as a night auditor. It was a job that was alien to him—“I learnt from scratch”, says Mujad. The potential his first boss saw in him did not go unnoticed, and soon enough Mujad’s career started making steady inroads in Front Office operations—transitioning from a Front Office Assistant to Assistant Front Office Manager in a matter of few years and on to more senior positions.
Moving from hotels to a marina such as ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove was tantamount to beginning a new adventure for Mujad. But it didn’t take him long to nail the most important aspect of his job—serving Members as opposed to hotel guests. “Members have a different kind of mindset and expectations as they are also stakeholders in the Club,” he summarises succinctly. Although a new concept to him, it set him in the direction he wanted to approach his role and the value he could bring to the Club.
“I have always wanted to grow in my career. Every time I land a new job, I dream of something bigger. But it’s also the thrill of a new kind of role, an opportunity to bring along my experience and knowledge to share with my new team members. I love the exchange of thoughts and ideas,” he enthuses.
THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
Mujad learnt the ropes of his new environment very quickly, thanks to his ever-obliging peers and team members.
It didn’t take him long to also refine the service standards of the most front-facing office of the Club to not only serve Members better, but also with the view of scaling the business.
“We have specific departments that cater to the different needs of our Members. But as the first point of contact for Members and guests as they walk into the Clubhouse, I strongly believe that we should be able to address any kind of question they may have,” says Mujad. Being knowledgeable, polite and courteous, as well as tactful are key, he adds.
This meant that, apart from knowing the rules of the role, he strives for his team to also have a basic knowledge of Membership details, as well as the recreational activities the Club offers.
Taking initiative comes naturally to Mujad. Aside from his customary morning greetings we spoke about earlier, Mujad makes it a point to walk around the Club to ensure the amenities are in order and up to standard. He does this even though it’s not part of his job scope.
When asked about job challenges, I expect him to quote handling guests as one, but instead, “learning the Revenue Management System (RMS) was tough”, he says, with a laugh. One of the skills he had to pick up in his new role, Mujad now revels in coming up with innovative ways to boost room revenue during slow periods.
Having been in the industry for many years, one tends to inculcate a solution-based approach with guests, says Mujad. “You get attuned to the needs of others. I try to understand where they are coming from, and their anger and frustration. That gives me an opportunity to make them happier.”
For someone who seems to live and breathe his work, Mujad makes sure to leave it behind when he leaves the office. The 58-year-old father of one reserves his deepest thoughts and me-time to sharing life lessons with his 27-year-old son, who is embarking on a successful career of his own. The veritable homebody’s evenings are spent with his wife watching whatever show she chooses on Netflix.
These moments are important for me torecharge, says Mujad. And the first thing he does when he gets back to his desk the next day? Open his RMS.
