In service-driven careers, mistakes are inevitable. Systems fail, expectations shift, and unexpected crises disrupt even the best-laid plans. For Jan Noel Vero, a Certified Hospitality Professional, the real measure of success was never about avoiding problems altogether—but about how leaders and teams respond when things go wrong.
Early in his career in hotel sales and operations, Vero learned that performance was inseparable from trust. “Relationship-building, service recovery, and adaptability” were not abstract concepts, he explains, but daily requirements. Selling a room or closing a contract meant little if the operation could not deliver on the promise. And when it didn’t, recovery mattered more than perfection. As he puts it, “Guests often remember how you solved a problem more than the mistake itself.”
Learning that service is about trust, not transactions
Working in hotel sales taught Vero that success was not about filling rooms at all costs. It was about credibility. “It’s not just about filling rooms,” he says. “It’s about creating trust with clients and making sure operations can deliver on what you promised.”
That mindset reshaped how he viewed service. A booking was not the end of the relationship—it was the beginning of accountability. When challenges arose, service recovery became the defining moment, turning frustration into loyalty when handled with care and clarity.
Staying competitive by bridging practice and theory
As the industry evolved, Vero resisted complacency by keeping one foot in practice and one in scholarship. He observed how hotels adapted—through technology, sustainability initiatives, and new guest engagement strategies—and carried those lessons into the classroom.
“Competitiveness comes from never being complacent,” he explains, “whether you’re running a property or running a classroom.” For him, relevance depended on staying connected to real-world operations while continuing to learn and reflect.
That philosophy echoed advice he received early on from a former boss: “Don’t just sell the room, sell the experience.” The lesson stayed with him, shaping not only his sales approach but also his teaching. Connecting a product to emotion, story, and purpose made it meaningful—and memorable.
From immediate results to long-term impact
One of the most challenging pivots in Vero’s career came when he transitioned from hotel operations into academia. In hotels, results were immediate. Bookings, revenue, and guest satisfaction scores offered constant feedback. Education worked differently.
“In education, results are long-term,” he says. Progress unfolds over years, not shifts. That shift required patience and a different definition of success—one focused on shaping people rather than chasing numbers.
Relocating to Berlin added another layer of complexity. Starting over in a new culture and teaching international classrooms required humility and flexibility. Yet the experience sharpened his perspective. Adapting to students from diverse backgrounds made him more globally aware and reinforced the importance of cultural sensitivity—one of the core skills he believes defines standout professionals.
What separates strong professionals from the rest
In his experience, standout candidates combine polish with resilience. “Professional polish combined with resilience” mattered most in hotels, he says. The ability to present well to clients had to be matched with the grit to handle long shifts, demanding events, and unexpected challenges.
Future-proofing, he believes, requires balance. Professionals must stay grounded in service fundamentals while remaining curious about technology and sustainability. During his hotel days, he gained an edge by understanding corporate travel policies alongside sustainable practices. Today, that curiosity extends to revenue management systems, CRM tools, and digital guest engagement platforms.
Leadership learned in crisis
Vero’s most defining leadership lessons did not come during calm periods, but in moments of crisis. The Taal Volcano eruption demanded immediate decisiveness—relocating guests, arranging transport for staff, and communicating clearly amid uncertainty. Leadership required presence and calm when information was incomplete.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed organizations into prolonged survival mode. “I learned the importance of transparency, even when delivering tough news,” he says, and the need to balance empathy with hard decisions. Leadership, he realized, was not about having all the answers. “It was about building trust and stability when people felt uncertain.”
Managing conflict through clarity, not authority
Handling workplace conflict reinforced the same principle. Rather than defaulting to reprimands, Vero focused on expectations, evidence, and options. In one case, recurring clashes between sales and banquet operations were resolved by mapping the guest journey together and clarifying communication protocols. Seeing the bigger picture transformed friction into collaboration.
Inspiring performance followed a similar logic. Recognition mattered. Celebrating even small wins—like securing a repeat booking—helped teams see the connection between effort and results.
Over time, his management style evolved. Once highly results-driven, he shifted toward a coaching approach—setting targets while asking, “What support do you need to get there?” That shift built confidence and accountability without sacrificing performance.
Making the hardest calls with integrity
The most difficult decision of his career came during COVID, when he had to let go of valued colleagues to ensure the hotel’s survival. Many had shown loyalty during the Taal crisis, which made the decision even heavier.
“I chose transparency,” he says—explaining the situation clearly, assisting with paperwork, and helping affected staff find new opportunities. It was painful, but necessary. The experience reinforced a lesson that stayed with him: integrity matters most when decisions hurt.
What people remember
Looking back, Vero sees a consistent thread across sales, leadership, crisis management, and teaching. People do not expect perfection—but they do remember sincerity, accountability, and how they were treated when things went wrong.
In service, leadership, and life, that response becomes the story that lasts.
