In May when one of Sandals Negril’s Club Sandals Agents, Shenade Quarrie, was announced as the Diamond Team Member of the year 2018 the ballroom at the Negril Hills Golf Club erupted with cheers and screams as she undoubtedly deserved the coveted title.
And last week, Quarrie triggered even more screams, cheers of glee, hugs and congratulations when she was announced as the new Club Sandals Manager for Sandals Negril, leading a team of 18 persons.
Club Sandals is the department responsible for giving guests personalized concierge services that may include preparing vacation itineraries, making reservations, handling guests activities on and off resort as well as hosting special events for guests.
“Even with the absence of a manager and a supervisor, Shenade has really been carrying the Club Sandals mantle efficiently and with pride,” General Manager, David Latchimy said, ahead of the announcement.
He was right. Quarrie’s team underwent a transition recently and she was quick to jump in and fill the gap. This saw her handling the arrival of club level and butler guests, preparing her team’s weekly schedule, representing in Heads of Department meetings, daily shift meetings and other things required of a supervisor, while still carrying out her assigned tasks as a club sandals agent. She is well rounded.
In fact, people will see her assisting with tasks outside of her job description and admit they wouldn’t extend themselves the way she does. But she is never deterred by that as she is a positive human being at heart and that is evident in her day to day approach on resort.
“I always share with my team members that people will try to spew negativity but we should never allow that to slow us down because in all that noise, you never know who is watching,” she said.
Her work ethic has been unmatched ever since she stepped through the gates of the Sandals owned Beaches Negril as a hospitality trainee in 2009.
“After graduating from the Hospitality Training Programme, they never actually had me wait for a call back; I just continued working at the front desk. I think this was because I was an outstanding trainee,” she shared.
Quarrie was later sent to Sandals South Coast (then Sandals Whitehouse) to work in the Concierge department after being recommended by a manager at Beaches Negril. There, she worked assiduously, copping several awards before leaving in 2011 to assist a family member who had started a customer service business.
She rejoined the company in 2015, this time at Sandals Negril where she has since been a booming success story. Quarrie’s list of accolades is illustrious. She has won almost every team member recognition award from approximately 15 categories observed on the resort on a monthly basis.
“It always makes me so proud whenever I win anything. Everyone knows I cry easily and this is because I know my journey has been met with its fair share of challenges. There were days when I had to cry or just take a walk. I’ve even felt like giving up but I have grown and now I know how to maneuver challenges,” Quarrie explained.
Apart from her latest award- her promotion, Quarrie is still basking in her Team Member of the Year moment and says she is happy she did something great in the eyes of her four-year-old son.
“On the night when my name was announced as Diamond Team Member, my son was the first person who came to my mind. I was like, ‘I did it for us, Amairy’,” she shared.
It is still baffling to many how she manages to stay on top of her game as a mother and a Club Sandals anchorwoman, yet still finds time to be present on nearly all Sandals Foundation outreach activities. She is one of the lead Foundation ambassadors on resort who often helps to raise funds, give back to communities and inform the public of the Foundation’s impact.
The 27-year old is a storehouse of ideas and information, often reeling off guests’ concerns and feedback off the top of her tongue without missing a single fact. The vivacious Quarrie is one of the persons many call on when they want a unique set up for guests on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons and retirement.
Quarrie’s colleagues at Sandals Negril are all happy for her promotion and latest challenge. All are echoing the “well deserved” sentiment.
“We all screamed from the bottom of our bellies for Shenade because not only does she deserve this promotion, she has earned it. We have seen where she has grown tremendously. She carries herself with a certain level of poise and she commands respect from her team and from all of us. I am truly happy for her and I will be right here supporting her every step of the way,” shared hotel manager, O’Brian Heron.
