created by and property of christian alexander and lorena perez gomez

BECAUSE OUR GUESTS DONT CARE HOW MUCH WE KNOW..

..UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH WE CARE!

GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY PEOPLE COMPLAIN, EXPECTATIONS ABOUT SERVICE, AND THE MANY DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE HOTEL AND ITS GUESTS REGARDING COMPLAINTS

DEFINE THE ROLE OF A FRONT DESK AGENT (GUEST SERVICE AGENT, RESERVATIONIST, BELLBOY, ETC) IN THE RESOLUTION OF A COMPLAINT AND DETERMINE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR ATTITUDES AND TECHNIQUES VIS A VIS SATISFYING AN UNHAPPY GUEST. IN ADDITION WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE PROCEDURES AND TEAMWORK.
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L.E.A.R.N. SOME VERY EFFECTIVE AND IMPORTANT TECHNIQUES THAT CAN MAKE US BOTH MORE EFFICIENT AND SYMPATHETIC WHEN HANDLING COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS

If guest services is not your number one priority, then you are in the wrong business! The top three dayto-day priorities of any hotel:

1.
2. 3.

SERVICE-MAKE SURE THE GUEST IS HAPPY!

SERVICE-IF THE GUEST ISNT HAPPY,

SERVICE-MAKE SURE THE GUEST GOES HOME.HAPPY!

MAKE HIM HAPPY!

PRIORITIES 4-(?) ARE ONLY THERE TO SUPPORT #s 1-3 WHAT EXACTLY DOES HAPPY MEAN? ASK YOURSELF OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PRESENTATION HOW WELL THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND SERVICE SUPPORT THESE PRIORITIES

WHAT IS A SERVICE CULTURE? DOES THIS HOTEL HAVE A SERVICE CULTURE? DOES OUR SERVICE CULTURE LIVE UP TO OUR VALUES AND MISSION STATEMENT? HOW SO AND HOW NO? WE WILL RETURN TO THIS IDEA OF SERVICE CULTURE DURING THE COURSE OF THE SEMINAR

WHAT CONSTITUTES GREAT SERVICE? WHAT CONSTITUTES AVERAGE SERVICE? WHAT CONSTITUTES POOR SERVICE? WHAT ARE OUR PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS AS A CUSTOMER OR GUEST? ARE WE SURPRISED BY GREAT SERVICE OR BY POOR SERVICE? WHEN WE COMPLAIN, ARE WE SURPRISED WHEN THE PLACE OF BUSINESS DOES A GREAT JOB OR A POOR JOB IN RESPONDING TO AND RESOLVING OUR COMPLAINT? EXPERIENCES AS GUEST/CUSTOMER: A GREAT SERVICE EXPERIENCE A POOR EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB; RECOUNT A TIME WHEN YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR A GUEST IN DIFFICULT SITUATION. HOW DID THE EXPERIENCE MAKE YOU FEEL? RECOUNT AN EXPERIENCE IN WHICH YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE?

FACTORS INVOLVED IN BODY LANGUAGE

UNIVERSAL FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE:

HAPPINESS SADNESS FEAR DISGUST SURPRISE ANGER

POSTURE EYE MOVEMENT AND CONTACT FACIAL EXPRESSIONS YOUR OWN BODY LANGUAGE THE FIRST IMPRESSION PHYSICAL PROXIMITY SEATING ARRANGEMENTS HOW WE TOUCH OURSELVES AND OTHERS HOW OUR BODIES CONNECT WITH NON-HUMAN OBJECTS SUCH AS PENS OR CIGARETTES

SOME BODY LANGUAGE' ISN'T WHAT IT SEEMS AT ALL, FOR EXAMPLE:

SOMEONE RUBBING THEIR EYE MIGHT HAVE AN IRRITATION, RATHER THAN BEING TIRED - OR DISBELIEVING, OR UPSET. SOMEONE WITH CROSSED ARMS MIGHT BE KEEPING WARM, RATHER THAN BEING DEFENSIVE. SOMEONE SCRATCHING THEIR NOSE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE AN ITCH, RATHER THAN CONCEALING A LIE.

HOW DO WE FEEL WHEN WE HAVE A COMPLAINT? THE GUESTS STATE OF MIND WHAT WE KNOW: THE GUEST IS UNSATISFIED ABOUT THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE WHAT WE DONT KNOW: EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED TO THE GUEST (BAD FLIGHT,ETC) HYPERSENSITIVITY TO PROBLEMS WHAT ARE OUR ATTITUDES ABOUT COMPLAINTS? WHAT ARE OUR ATTITUDES ABOUT GUESTS?... ARE THEY OUR GUESTS OR ARE THEY JUST INTERRUPTIONS? HOW THE DAILY CHECKLIST AND TIME ISSUES CONFLICT WITH SERVICE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TRIPADVISOR AND THE INTERNET

MY WIFE AND I ARRIVED LAST MONTH FOR A ONE-WEEK STAY AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL OUTSIDE OF PUERTO VALLARTA. OUR EXPERIENCE AND IMPRESSIONS OF THE HOTEL WERE NOT PLEASANT. WHEN WE ARRIVED, WE WERE ASSIGNED A ROOM SOMEWHAT FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN AREA AND WHEN WE GOT TO THE ROOM, WE FOUND IT TO BE KIND OF DARK WITH A STRONG SMELL OF MILDEW. TO MAKE IT WORSE, THE AIR CONDITIONER WASNT WORKING. WE WERE NOT IMPRESSED AND RETURNED TO THE FRONT DESK TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ROOM AND GET MOVED. THE AGENT AT THE FRONT DESK SEEMED LESS THAN UNDERSTANDING. ACTUALLY SHE BORDERED ON BEING RUDE. SHE EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO THE HOTEL BEING SOLD OUT AND VERY FEW ROOMS HAVING BEEN AVAILABLE FOR NEW ARRIVALS THAT DAY, A DIFFERENT ROOM WAS NOT AVAILABLE THAT EVENING. SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD LEAVE A NOTE WITH THE MORNING STAFF TO SEE IF A NEW ROOM MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THE NEXT DAY BUT SHE DOUBTED IT. THE ONLY THING SHE DID DO WAS TO CALL HOUSEKEEPING TO CHECK ON THE MILDEW PROBLEM. OUR DINNER THAT EVENING AGAIN WAS A MIXED EXPERIENCE, AS WERE THE FOLLOWING NIGHTS DINING EXPERIENCES. THE FOOD WAS GOOD BUT WE FOUND THE RESTAURANTS TO BE SOMEWHAT NOISY. THE SERVICE, WHILE EFFICIENT, SEEMED TO LACK ANY WARMTH. THE WAITERS SEEMED TO HAVE TROUBLE COMMUNICATING BEYOND MAY I TAKE YOUR ORDER AND THE HOSTESS SAT US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RESTAURANT EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE TABLES OPEN NEAR THE WINDOW AND BARELY WELCOMED US.

AS FAR AS CHANGING ROOMS THE NEXT DAY, THE SO CALLED MESSAGE ABOUT CHANGING ROOMS NEVER REACHED THE MORNING STAFF. WHILE WE DID GET MOVED TO A (SOMEWHAT) NICER ROOM, I FELT LIKE WE WERE TREATED LIKE A NUISANCE, NOT A GUEST. FUNNY, IF THE SERVICE HAD BEEN BETTERAND KINDER, I WOULDNT HAVE FELT COMPELLED TO COMPLAIN. I DIDNT BOTHER COMPLAININGWHILE WE WERE THERE SIMPLY BECAUSE I DIDNT THINK IT WOULD GET ME ANYWHERE. AS IT IS, I WOULD ADVISE READERS TO LOOK FOR OTHER HOTEL OPTIONS. THIS PLACE DID NOT MAKE US FEEL AT HOME. IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS AT MY IN LAWS HOUSE INSTEAD.

MY WIFE AND I ARRIVED LAST MONTH FOR A ONE-WEEK STAY AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL OUSIDE OF PUERTO VALLARTA. OUR EXPERIENCE AND IMPRESSIONS OF THE HOTEL WERE MIXED. WHEN WE ARRIVED. WE WERE ASSIGNED A ROOM SOMEWHAT FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN AREA AND WHEN WE GOT TO THE ROOM, WE FOUND IT TO BE KIND OF DARK WITH A STRONG SMELL OF MILDEW. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, THE AIR CONDITIONER DIDNT WORK. WE WERE NOT IMPRESSED AND RETURNED TO THE FRONT DESK TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ROOM AND GET MOVED. THE AGENT AT THE FRONT DESK TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF OUR MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCES. SHE WAS VERY APOLOGETIC AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SITUATION. SHE EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO THE HOTEL BEING SOLD OUT AND VERY FEW ROOMS HAVING BEEN AVAILABLE FOR NEW ARRIVALS THAT DAY, A DIFFERENT ROOM WAS NOT AVAILABLE THAT EVENING BUT THAT SHE WOULD MAKE A ROOM MOVE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT DAY (WHICH, BY THE WAY HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY IN A VERY EFFICIENT AND HOSPITABLE MANNER). IN THE MEANTIME, SHE CALLED ONE OF THE RESTAURANTS AND MADE A PRIORITY RESERVATION FOR US. SHE ALSO CALLED HOUSEKEEPING AND SENT THEM TO DO A CLEANING. OUR DINNER THAT EVENING AGAIN WAS A MIXED EXPERIENCE, AS WERE THE FOLLOWING NIGHTS DINING EXPERIENCES. WE FOUND THE RESTAURANTS TO BE SOMEWHAT NOISY AND WHILE OK, THE FOOD WAS NOT THE GREATEST I HAD EVER TRIED. AGAIN THOUGH, THE SERVICE MORE THAN MADE UP FOR THESE COMPLAINTS AND I WAS IMPRESSED HOW GENUINE, KIND, AND ACCOMODATING THE STAFF WERE WHILE WE WERE THERE. MANAGERS, TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE HOTEL FACILITIES AND YOU WILL HAVE A VERY NICE PRODUCT. KEEP ENCOURAGING THE GREAT SERVICE AND IT WILL BE HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE MORE WELL KNOWN HOTEL NAMES SUCH AS MARRIOTT OR HYATT.

WHY DO OUR GUESTS GET ON SITES LIKE TRIP ADVISOR TO EXPRESS THEIR DISSATISFACTION and WHY DONT OUR GUESTS BRING THEIR COMPLAINTS TO US?

A LACK OF CONFIDENCE CAUSED BY AN INDIFFERENT, UNCARING STAFF POOR RESPONSE BY STAFF TO PREVIOUS REQUEST OR COMPLAINT WHAT OTHER FACTORS COULD CAUSE A GUEST TO ADVERTISE THEIR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ?

THE IMPORTANCE, OR VALUE, THAT A CONSUMER PLACES ON ANY SINGLE OR GROUP OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. THIS IMPORTANCE IS BOTH MONETARY(OBJECTIVE) AND PERSONAL (SUBJECTIVE). EUROPEAN PLAN vs ALL-INCLUSIVE HOTELSDETERMINING VALUE DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES OF IMPORTANCE WHEN STAYING AT A HOTEL. WHAT ARE YOURS?

 RATE THEM 1-4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. LONG WAIT FOR TOWELS NOISY NEIGHBORS NO HELP FROM SECURITY MALFUNCTION IN ROOM ROOM NOT CLEANED WRONG ROOM TYPE MINI BAR NOT FILLED PAID FOR INTERNET-DOESNT WORK RUDE WAITER POOR QUALITY FOOD ROOM INFESTED WITH INSECTS MADE TO WAIT FOR CHECK IN POWER SURGE FRIED COMPUTER NO VOICE MAIL OR MESSAGE SYSTEM CALLS DIRECTED TO WRONG ROOM MISSED WAKEUP CALL-MISSED FLIGHT/RESERVATION

FORM INTO GROUPS.. USING A RATING FROM 1-4, 1 BEING A MILD COMPLAINT OR SITUATION AND EASY TO RESOLVE AND 4 BEING A COMPLAINT OR SITUATION THAT SOUNDS ALL THE ALARMS, THINK OF TWO COMPLAINTS FOR EACH LEVEL (TWO MILD COMPLAINTS, TWO EXTREMELY SERIOUS COMPLAINTS ETC.)

THIS CONCLUDES THE FIRST PART OF THE TRAINING. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR? THE NEXT SECTION WILL DEAL WITH THE FRONT DESK AND GUEST SERVICES TEAM AND HOW THEY ARE PREPARED FOR COMPLAINT RESOLUTION AS WELL AS WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER EQUIP THEM IN ALL ASPECTS OF GUEST RELATIONS