All right FT, time for you to be the hotel manager.
Four scenarios. Tell me your opinions. Feel free to ask for more information. I'll share more information as the conversation progresses.
1) Mrs. Smith is staying with us for five nights. On the first morning of her stay she complained that HK made her bed but didn't replace the linens.
2) Mr. Jones complains that our property does not have an on-site fitness center as advertised on our website and in the in-room directory. Our website does not mention our fitness center, and the in-room directory makes it clear that the fitness center is off-site.
3) Dr. Sanders makes an award night reservation in his name. His daughter shows up to check in. She is underage and he is not present. She is refused check-in.
4) Rev. Morton uses one of the highway coupons to book a walk-in rate. Rate is honored for two nights, against T&Cs. After check-out he demands a lower rate as he didn't realize the coupon rate varies by day of week. After refusal, guest mentions problems during stay and demands discount.
Have fun! Or ignore this. I just like hearing what you all have to say about this kind of stuff.
There are so many things I could say about these issues....number 3 happened so many times at my hotels, but I will keep my thoughts to myself for now...
1) Let the guest know that the hotel abides by the environmental principle that linens should not be changed daily unless the guest has spilled something all over the sheets (I did it once, cola all over my heavenly bed.)
2) Just sweetly reiterate what the website and the directory indicate. You have the facts on your side, but sometimes, probably most times, guests don't read every word in the literature as closely as they might. Me, first thing I do is grab the in-room directory, read it from cover to cover, correcting the spelling and grammar as I go. My beloved just shakes his head in despair.
3) What exactly is the problem with an underage person checking in alone? That she may not have a credit card for incidentals? Who knows what the background story is? The young women may be in some kind of bind and need the help of her father to book her a room. I am more concerned with an underage young women being turned out on the street, probably in an unfamiliar city, and not have the resources to get herself to a safe place.
4) Same answer as No. 2. When you have the facts on your side, there is no obligation to discount. The only obligation you have is to be civil and polite. When corporations kowtow to illegitimate complaints and insufferable blowhards, it lowers the threshold for what is considered common decency and hurts all the rest of us who want to play fair and treat others with respect.
Four scenarios. Tell me your opinions. Feel free to ask for more information. I'll share more information as the conversation progresses.
1) Mrs. Smith is staying with us for five nights. On the first morning of her stay she complained that HK made her bed but didn't replace the linens.
I'm sorry about the confusion and the problems. I will send housekeeping up to replace the linens. I will talk personally with our staff.
To staff: Thanks for going the extra mile with Mrs. Smith. It would very unlike you to forget such a basic task that we are certain that she is mistaken, but we felt that it was a small thing to alleviate her concerns and maintain her loyalty.
2) Mr. Jones complains that our property does not have an on-site fitness center as advertised on our website and in the in-room directory. Our website does not mention our fitness center, and the in-room directory makes it clear that the fitness center is off-site.
Mr. Jones, I am sorry about the confusion. Please show me where you got that information and I will correct it immediately. As a valued customer we will provide compensation based on the information you can provide. Just let me know when you have it.
3) Dr. Sanders makes an award night reservation in his name. His daughter shows up to check in. She is underage and he is not present. She is refused check-in.
Dr. Sanders, I am sorry about the confusion but our policy does not permit allowing an underage check in. This is due to liability and safety issues (or whatever is the truth). If there is an adult locally that can check in in her place and take responsibility, we will allow it as a one time exception. (I find this one the most difficult as the underage young lady may have nowhere to go. You may have to make the one time exception after getting CC info from the Dr. if you do not already have it. If you do, make sure that he understands the seriousness of what he has done and the position it puts the hotel in.)
4) Rev. Morton uses one of the highway coupons to book a walk-in rate. Rate is honored for two nights, against T&Cs. After check-out he demands a lower rate as he didn't realize the coupon rate varies by day of week. After refusal, guest mentions problems during stay and demands discount.
I'm sorry Rev. Morton, but the coupon rate is a special rate for one night only. As a one time courtesy it was extended to the second night even though your were not eligible for the coupon rate for the second night. As for the problems during your stay, we would have been more than happy to have taken care of them had we known, but after the fact you are really not entitled to compensation. However, we do appreciate you as a customer and as a gesture of good will, we are willing to make an advanced reservation at the coupon rate, for any date in the next year (or six months or whatever is reasonable) that you will be staying in the area again. No coupon required.
Have fun! Or ignore this. I just like hearing what you all have to say about this kind of stuff.
Okay, I'm not in the hotel business but this seems reasonable. It is a fun exercise as well.
__________________
Livingston's observation of complex systems: The purpose of a system is what it does.
1) Many properties have a plastic placard for the guest to put on the bed if they desire the linen change. If you have that, you wouldn't have this problem. If you don't, time to implement the procedure.
2) Show Mr. Jones the website and the in-room directory. Update the website to specifically state that the fitness center is off-site. Too many companies "neglect" to mention anything perceived to be negative on their website. Be honest, be upfront.
3) Is there an age limit in your state? or is the age rule your hotel-specific policy? What time of the day did the daughter try to check in? If it's late at night and the daughter is alone, I would hesitate to turn her away. I would attempt to get the daughter to call Dr. Sanders and speak to him on the phone and explain why you refused check in for his daughter.
4) You chose to honor the walk-in rate for Rev. Morton even though that was against the T&Cs and he agreed to it by checking in. That part no longer enters into the equation. If he then wanted a further discount and cite problems during the stay, you still have to look at each complaint and see if it is valid. You may feel that he is citing problems because he was refused a discount but you still need to see if the complaints were legitimate. If they were, you need to rectify the situation and that may well call for a discount. If the complaints were frivolous, I think you should point that out and refuse the demand.
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(1) No biggie...send someone up to replace the linens, let Mrs. Smith know if there is a card system in place (where she can indicate her wishes), and/or tell housekeeping to change her linens every day.
(2) What wilp said...
(3) A bit annoying that Dr. Sanders is sending his teenage daughter to check-in alone at a hotel...this one presumably varies by jurisdiction. Does the hotel become seriously liable if something happens to the kid if she checks in solo? Is she local? Can you dump her in a cab and send her home? Where is Dr. Sanders? This is a difficult one...clearly, getting him on the phone is the best thing and getting some sort of adult to show up at the hotel to check in is ideal. My assumption is that the kid can't be party to an enforceable contract, meaning she really can't check in to the hotel alone.
(4) Aren't walk-in rates typically higher than advance purchase rates? If the guy wants to pay the walk-in rate for two nights, so be it. But it sounds like his after-the-fact complaint about the stay is bogus. I'd probably tell him to beat it.
1) "Mrs Smith, I'm sorry, I will contact HK immediately and have your sheets replaced this morning. Our policy for sheet-changing is ..."
Question: you could ask Mrs Smith what she wants done for the rest of her stay, but if you do that then can you communicate it to HK and get it done? Or do you have to explain to Mrs Smith how to request sheet changes on each day that she wants it?
2) "Mr Jones, I apologize for the confusion. Our fitness center is off-site. Lets see if there is an error in the directory. No, there isn't. I can check the website and let you know if there is an error or not".
3) Question: Under what conditions can the girl check in? You can't quite kick her out on the street, because you are now responsible for her. You're going to have to try to contact Dr Sanders, but I suppose he is doing surgery in some distant city?
4) "Rev Morton, you agreed to the rate at check-in. We honored the coupon even though it was not applicable to your stay. Here is another coupon for a futures stay".
My actual responses would be more like:
1) Mrs Smith, you will have to call HK.
2) Mr Jones, our website and directory say it is off-site. Deal with it.
3) Go away little girl.
4) Reverend, it turns out that the coupon you used was not valid and we are going to charge you extra, for the correct rate.
1. "Sorry for the confusion, but as the card in the room states, we normally only change the linens every 3 days for environmental reasons. But, we do honor requests for more frequent changes. I'll put in a note to housekeeping for you. (and if the time permits) Would you like them changed for tonight?"
2. "I'm sorry for the confusion as we're unaware of any website and directory errors. (Quickly bring up page on computer) Would you be so kind as to show me where it states on-site so I can have it corrected asap?"(Repeat with directory) (The tricky part is to solicit finding the error even though you know there isn't one without sounding condesending as you never know if IT has been "updating" things behind your back...and I agree it should be explicit that it's off-site.
3. Tricky one. There may be local laws that require minimum age (to avoid room parties or underage solicitation issues) so I can understand that the hotel might be in a bind. As a result, I think the hotel has a more "moral" obligation to ensure the underage woman isn't out on the street. So perhaps offer to allow her to wait in a (relatively) public & safe corner of the lobby. Perhaps offer her something to drink, or even a throw-blanket if needed until such time as her father arrives. If he's not arriving, ensure she has a ride to a safe location. By all means contact "Dr. Sanders" but remember that anyone can claim to be him over the phone (so caution in the case of her meeting up with someone else). End result, Don't let her check in but do best to ensure she remains safe until her father arrives.
4. "Sorry Rev." (note: For all my stays, the rate is on the checkin paperwork that I usually have to initial. Was this not the case with the Rev? Upfront disclosure is important with a changing rate. As for the sudden "issues" with the stay, that has to be taken with a critical eye on the timing. It raises an interesting point though. If I walk into a Hampton, agree to the rack rate and stay overnight, can I just claim "bad room" and walk out? Any escape clause in the 100% refund policy?)
Note: For all these cases, I don't see that HHonors status should change any of them.
Most of these answers are pretty on point. Good work, I'd say!
Scenario 1 is pretty cut-and-dry. Apologize to Mrs. Smith, offer to replace linens immediately, educate her regarding linen change policy and how to use the "change my sheets" post card on the bed.
Scenario 2, Mr. Jones is a Gold VIP who requested an upgrade to a jacuzzi suite in his reservation notes. We do not have jacuzzi suites at our hotel, but there is another property (same brand) about 15 minutes away that does. They also have an on-site fitness center. I've left two voicemails for him (he asked that I call him to discuss) and he has not returned either. As a Gold VIP who is clearly incorrect, is he due goodwill compensation for his trouble?
Scenario 3, Dr. Sanders is a Silver member. While he was a jerk who said some very inappropriate things to me (not relevant), I assured him that I would make sure his well-mannered daughter was taken care of. I found a nearby hotel that would accommodate her. Is any compensation due for his trouble?
Scenario 4, Rev. Morton mentions that his room smelled of cigarette smoke immediately upon check-in and that the next day HK didn't service his room. During his welcome call (30 minutes after check-in) and a brief conversation the next day in the lobby, he assured me he was happy and didn't need anything. Is he due the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for his troubles?
1) Suck it up and apologize. Ask what services she'd like each day, inform HK and save them a warm cookie.
2) "I wasn't aware that the hotel website was in error. I will have it fixed. In the meantime, here's the information about the fitness center. Can I arrange transportation for you?"
3) What kind of underage are we talking here? 17, 12, 8? Is it clear that the Dad will be staying there? Are you sure the Dad actually made the reservation? My husband often makes reservations for me. She could have made it herself using her dad's credentials.
I was under the impression that the paperwork you sign at check-in qualifies as a contract. And those under 18 can't legally enter into a contract. So the hotel has no way to collect if the "father" contests the charge for one reason or another.
4) Didn't the reverend sign the rate slip when he checked in? So he knew the rate. Just explain that the cheaper rate was already extended beyond it's life and that he agreed to the rate at check-in.
3) Dr. Sanders makes an award night reservation in his name. His daughter shows up to check in. She is underage and he is not present. She is refused check-in.
For most of the issues, it really doesn't matter what you do. Some people can't be pleased, regardless. You have a duty to be courteous to guests, but you do not have a duty to acquiese to unreasonable demands.
1. On the changing of sheets, you don't indicate what the policy is of the hotel. If it is to change sheets daily, then change them, and maybe make amends by sending a basket of fruit to the guest's room. But if the policy of your hotel is to make the bed without changing sheets, then you need to communicate this beforehand.
2. On the fitness center, just tell the complainant (politely and with a smile) that the location is not mentioned on a website, and the directory indicates that it is off-site. The guest will be annoyed at the moment, but the issue is trivial, and the guest will check later and realize he had been mistaken.
3. This is the bad one. You can't win on this one, and it is potentially a bad situation.
Technically, award reservations have been usable only by the person to whom they were issued, or at least until recently. Has that changed? Unless policy has changed, then no one, not even the good doctor's wife or mother, would be allowed to use the award reservation.
But in this case, to complicate matters, the other person is his underage daughter, and you can't just turn away a vulnerable teenager. Nor can you report her to her father reasonably, in case he doesn't know that she is at the hotel. (I suppose you could, but it doesn't seem very ethical.) And are you legally able to rent a room to a minor? What is the law on that one? Another scary point is that you might be assuming some responsibility for her care if you rent to her, since she is a minor.
I think the father might become angry regardless of whether you rented to her (if he doesn't know she is there) or whether you didn't (if he does know). But if she is there with his permission, and she is, as you say, underage, then he would seem to be not a very protective parent.
I don't know what I'd do. Well, yes, I do. I think I would call Hilton HR and explain that I would like to take early retirement. (Just joking.)
4. On the coupon--shrug. Courtesy is required but not capitulation. On the belated demand for a discount due to "problems" which were not reported at the time--I thought (and IANAL) that problems MUST be reported when they occur, or the guest loses the right to any reimbursement. Sort of like finishing an expensive steak at a restaurant then announcing that it was not cooked properly and demanding that the meal be comped.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hhonor Gguard
Four scenarios. Tell me your opinions. Feel free to ask for more information. I'll share more information as the conversation progresses.
1) Mrs. Smith is staying with us for five nights. On the first morning of her stay she complained that HK made her bed but didn't replace the linens.
2) Mr. Jones complains that our property does not have an on-site fitness center as advertised on our website and in the in-room directory. Our website does not mention our fitness center, and the in-room directory makes it clear that the fitness center is off-site.
3) Dr. Sanders makes an award night reservation in his name. His daughter shows up to check in. She is underage and he is not present. She is refused check-in.
4) Rev. Morton uses one of the highway coupons to book a walk-in rate. Rate is honored for two nights, against T&Cs. After check-out he demands a lower rate as he didn't realize the coupon rate varies by day of week. After refusal, guest mentions problems during stay and demands discount.
Have fun! Or ignore this. I just like hearing what you all have to say about this kind of stuff.
1. All the hiltons Istay at have the cards to put on your bed if you want the sheets changed. If your hotel has that I would have asked her if she put the card on the bed and if she said she did, I would apologize and have housekeeping change the sheets. If she didn't, I would make her aware of the policy and tell you will have housekeeping still come up and change the sheets. If your hotel doesn't have the cards, apologize and have housekeeping change the sheets and make the employee aware of the mistake.
2. I would point out the correct details and tell him the off site fitness is great.
3. You did the correct thing denying check in. I would have said the reservation was in the dr's name and for liability reasons you require an adult to check in.
4. For Rev., I would point out that you gave him a lower rate than he already was suppose to have had. On the issues he complained about, if they were petty things he didn't bring up beforehand and has no status, I would apologize and tell him kindly if he would have brought it to your attention sooner you would have fixed the problem immediately.
(Just joking.) 
