For Carmen Kanematsu, owner of Minshuku KCS Hotel and Restaurant, running a business is something she learned through experience rather than formal training.
After spotting an opportunity to earn from their vacation house in Puerto Galera, she transformed the property into a business venture, now welcoming guests for over seven years.
Located on an island, the business faced its fair share of challenges, especially in the early days. Opening just before the pandemic made things even more shaky but through her persistence and focus on growing the business, the hotel gradually found its footing.
Today, guests keep coming back not just for the authentic Japanese food they offer, but for the warm, family-like service that Carmen and her team are known for – staying true to their hotel name Minshuku, which refers to family-run traditional lodgings in Japan that offer a “home away from home” experience.
As the business grew, a reliable internet became increasingly important for the hotel. Before, Carmen and her team were constantly stressed due to frequent outages from their previous provider.
Eventually, Carmen decided to switch to Converge after hearing about its reliability and consistency, along with recommendations from friends.
“Everytime na nawawalan ng signal or walang nagre-response agad, ‘yun ‘yung stressful sa amin kasi once na nagreklamo ang guest, stressed na ako n’on. Kaya we decided, humanap na ng better provider. Then I found out maganda raw yung Converge,” she said.
Since making the switch, the improvement was immediate and noticeable. The connection has been stable, which significantly reduced the number of complaints they get – allowing Carmen and her team to focus more on delivering the kind of service they’re known for.
In many ways, this is where technology becomes truly meaningful – not just as a tool – but something that helps create better experiences for both businesses and their customers.
“Malaki ‘yung difference. Sa mga guest, wala nang nagrereklamo unlike before, as in wala – hindi mahina – wala. Everybody needs internet. Kapag may nagreklamo sa akin, lahat na ‘yan eh. Ngayon wala na akong naririnig,” Kanematsu said.
For the business owner, beyond just faster internet, a better provider also allowed them to breathe easy and focus on delivering better service. Through a reliable connection, they’re able to respond quickly to bookings and inquiries online, something guests now expect from hospitality businesses today.
“Palagi kong ibinibilin sa kanila, huwag hayaang unattended ‘yung mga guest. Every now and then, chine-check nila ‘yung Facebook page namin kaya very important ‘yung internet. Ayoko kasi yung mainip yung mga guest sa response nila. Importante sa akin ‘yon,” she added.
As Minshuku KCS Hotel and Restaurant endeavors to give exceptional service, having a dependable internet partner like Converge definitely makes things better, enabling smoother operations, happier guests, and more time to focus on creating a welcoming and memorable stay for every visitor.
“Dito sa hotel, expect the good service and our mouth-watering authentic Japanese dishes,” Carmen said.
