We sat down with our Head of Training & Quality Assurance, Ignat Kostadinov, to talk about his journey to Coople and how he intends to revolutionise the world of work.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Originally from Bulgaria, I started working as a waiter at the age of 17 for La Pastaria. I liked the social aspect of working within hospitality and knew I wanted to pursue it further.
I moved to the UK when I was 22. I started out working with agencies which meant I was able to see the standards in the level of service between different businesses within the industry. My first full-time job in London was with the Marriott, in Regents Park as Head Banquet Waiter. I then moved from the Marriott to Le Meridien where I worked my way up to Manager of banqueting and room service. I wanted to expand my experience and utilise my skills in another area, so moved into recruitment where I worked for Summit Recruitment as Training and development Manager.
What do you do at Coople?
I head up face-to-face training and on-boarding to ensure that all staff are vetted for skills and experience. My hospitality service training involves social events, corporate events, restaurant service, room service and bars. I also run Customer Service training for office specific roles.
What do you love about your job?
I enjoy training and coaching people so that they can achieve what they set out to in their careers. There is nothing more satisfying than nurturing and getting the best out of people. By doing this we are also able to improve the quality of staff within the on-demand recruitment industry – which is fantastic.
What is something you want to deal with and fix within the industry?
I want to improve the housekeeping model to make it work for both the client and the worker. With the introduction of flexible working opportunities being provided by Coople, housekeepers will be able to work the days they want to, while the client being fully staffed.
What interests do you have outside of work?
I love to spend time discovering new areas on foot. Getting out of London is great and I love being able to explore what the rest of the UK has to offer.
Favourite place to eat, favourite place to drink in London?
Favourite place to eat in London: Galvin at windows
Favourite place to drink: Aqua Regent Street