This is the ninth story of the '#We are Eindhoven Airport' campaign. Every month we publish a new story on this page featuring an airport staff member, followed a week later by a podcast created by Summa Aviation Services.

“Hospitality with a capital H.” For Nikos Roussos, floor manager at The Bar at Eindhoven Airport, it's crystal clear what every hospitality worker should possess. The ability to know what guests need and how to give that extra bit of attention. But also to see where a helping hand is needed. Nikos has it all. While we're talking, he sees that a guest wants to ask a question and that a colleague needs help at the cash register. He stops the conversation for a moment to assist the guest and his colleague. It's as if Nikos has ‘eyes in the back of his head’. And it's no coincidence either. He has years of experience in hospitality and tourism. He worked as a mate on cruise ships and in catering at major festivals. After that, he sold pizzas as an account manager for a catering wholesaler. Eindhoven Airport was an important customer and that's how he ended up here at the airport. “I started at The Cloud Club and after six months I became floor manager at The Bar, which is also part of Vermaat Groep.”

Nikos manages eight people at The Bar and ten at The Cloud Club, where he also works about eight hours a week. He takes care of the staff scheduling, the orders for the bar, the cash register system and he's the main contact for external suppliers. But he also rolls up the sleeves himself. And that's needed, too, because he could use some more colleagues. “Come and join us” is what the floor manager regularly says in talks. Nikos also has the task of supervising the cleaning. “Everything has to be tidy and clean. For food safety, it's crucial that all the food is stored at the correct temperature. This is checked regularly in audits. So when it comes to the cleaning programme and food storage regulations, I'm a stickler for details.”

You're either a hospitality professional or you're not, Nikos says. So solving problems, listening, planning, anticipating, keeping a clear view, and being a people's person are an absolute must. “You have to feel how to treat your guests.” And one guest is quite different from the next. "I might reassure a guest who looks stressed because of a fear of flying, or I'll leave a guest alone who is reading a book in the corner, and I might have a chat with a large English-speaking group who are clearly excited about their trip.” Making guests feel comfortable is what makes Nikos happy. He clearly has hospitality running through his veins. Nikos: “My motto: at least one more fan every day.”   

Listen here to the podcast 'Ready for Take-Off' of Summa Aviation Services on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.     #weareeindhovenairport