My name is Kira, and I am a second year communication science student studying Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam. I am currently pursuing my 6 month Internship since February at Zoku Amsterdam as Reservations and Communication Intern.
Zoku is a hotel chain with four locations across Europe. The company targets business travellers as their main market and offers the combinations of working and living within the same space with their unique community events, hybrid home-office lofts, private meeting spaces and restaurant. Although, the style and atmosphere also often attracts tourists and even locals for over night stays and fun events hosted.
Regarding my position, there were two responsibilities in one. Firstly, the reservations part of the title put me in charge of all hotel reservations made by individuals, companies, groups and relocations. This was accompanied by the second half of my position, which was the communication aspect. I regularly received calls and emails from companies and guests. Problem solving was a skill I quickly learnt to adapt to, as every guest and situation was different especially due to the dynamic nature of Zoku in new promotions and product management strategies. Furthermore, I had regular meetings regarding internal cases to help other departments of the team such as operations, finance and events or assisting in house guests. This required immediacy and strategic communication. I am thankful to have learnt these skills from my internship as I am sure they will be useful in future occupations too.
A day in the life of this job included going through a pre-established check list to ensure smooth running of the hotel operations. Steps of this list included assessing the incoming and departing guests, their form of balance and whether this is handled correctly, as well as the no shows and cancellations. As there are four locations is also crucial to keep the other locations up to date and communicate with our team abroad regularly by having meetings and making a handover when there was an important arrival such as a VIP, long stay or large group. Something I did to go above and beyond was share by ideas for developments in the company, as well as going above and beyond to notice guests who work for larger companies and collaborated with the sales managers of each property to form partnerships with these large companies. Members of the team supported and motivated me to keep searching for opportunities which elevated their revenue stream.
As my internship at Zoku comes to an end, I reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had. Being part of the Zoku team has been an amazing experience, and I feel proud of how I maximised every opportunity. I’ve gained invaluable insights into corporate communication in practice and discovered a new passion for the hospitality industry, which I have grown to adore and develop a keen interest in.
I highly recommend Zoku to Communication Science students. The diverse range of positions available closely align with our studies, offering ample opportunities for personal growth and professional innovation. You’ll gain practical experience applying your knowledge to real-world business cases in the hospitality industry.