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Karolyn Doro, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions’ Corporate Director of Rooms, has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Passionate about inspiring future leaders in executive roles, she balances a thriving family life while growing and empowering future leaders. With expertise in leadership, 1000-room resort management, mentoring, revenue growth, and creative strategies, she's a trailblazer in hospitality, achieving financial and service excellence. Outside of work, Karolyn enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors, especially in the sun and water.
The hospitality industry is a fast-paced world that requires attention to detail and anticipation of guest needs. At Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, we prioritize these to create unforgettable memories for everyone who visits.
How do you prioritize and focus on guest experiences and customer satisfaction in the highly competitive hospitality industry?
Our guests’ experience starts long before they arrive at a Kalahari Resorts location. We can optimize our messaging with guests by using communication lines through email, text, and our website. This allows us to share any details needed before arrival, and we can learn how to make their stay extra special.
The hospitality industry is not for the faint of heart, but if you love serving others and making memorable impressions that guests will talk about forever, this is the right industry for you
It’s important to understand that each guest has their own unique needs. While a business traveler may be looking for a space to take a call after check-out, a work-from-home parent may try to sneak in an extra family day and work simultaneously. Likewise, another guest may be a grandparent hoping to lounge in a cabana while the rest of the family is taking surfing lessons. Each experience is important to us, and whether you are 2 or 92, we want to be able to customize the experience for everyone coming to stay at Kalahari.
Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and by empowering all Kalahari associates to go beyond our guests’ expectations, we can ensure all visitors have a wonderful stay. Our extensive training and development program constantly evolves based on what we learn from our guests. Ultimately, our goal with this training is to have every associate seek out and strive to deliver on our company’s promise—to go beyond expectations.
Can you share your experiences from an initiative you recently took?
When our Texas location opened in 2020, our front desks added a section in the lobby dedicated to “Enhance the Fun!” Through this, we learned there was a lot of overlap between this new experience and our check-in process. From there, the concept for our VIP Emerald Lounge was born.
This exclusive lounge access can be added to any stay and includes a personal concierge to set reservations for cabanas, spa services, and dining. The offering also includes early checkin and late check-out, valet, welcome gifts for the kids and adults, and my favorite: An evening turndown service complete with adorable elephant-shaped chocolates on your pillow and bedside slippers.
What are some of the challenges in your business that current solutions that you’ve had to overcome?
Looking to technology is always helpful in solving challenges that come up. Better automation with guest communication and adding kiosks to our quick service restaurants and front desk check-in continue to help streamline the guest experience quickly.
It is important to adapt and utilize technology wherever it makes sense while remembering that technology is a tool and will never fully replace the hospitality that an associate can offer. Communication is the key to learning what a guest needs and human interaction is always the best way to get those answers.
What advice can you offer for professionals seeking to advance their hospitality management careers based on your career journey?
The hospitality industry is not for the faint of heart, but if you love serving others and making memorable impressions that guests will talk about forever, this is the right industry for you. The industry offers a lot of room for personal growth as well as space to mentor others and be a part of a special work family. Each day provides new challenges and is never the same day-today routine.
