Managing Guest Complaints

Tough Customer(Guest) Situation? Tips to make the "save".

One of the most popular features of our service (as our clients tell us) is the guest alert- which offers guests, during the feedback survey, the opportunity to request contact from hotel management. If a guest ticks that box, email alerts are sent immediately to the designated hotel personnel distribution list with details about the guest's feedback. On average, approximately 7% of our clients' guests make the request.

Over the years (this feature has been in place for 9+ years), clients have asked us for advice on how to handle those alerts. Sometimes, guests are looking to personally offer praise for a job well done or for a personal touch in booking future additional stays.

In other instances, however, guests are looking for a personal interaction in dealing with experiences that have not met their expectations. Often, these are true opportunities to save future business (both directly and through referrals), as these guests have actively opened a direct and clear line of communication. Sometimes, the fix is easy. In other instances, not so much.

This week, we came across a blog entry about dealing with tough customer support situations. While it has a technology focus, a lot of the content translates to other businesses, including hospitality. We think it's worth a read; check it out here.