GUEST CONFLICT RESOLUTION Guest Conflict Resolution Service

GUEST CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Guest Conflict Resolution Service received from employees is one part of the guest experience, and in addition, many physical aspects of the hotel must function well to ensure the guest receives the whole product At some point, one or both of these parts may break down Resolving a conflict to a guest’s satisfaction can “turn” around an unhappy guest and make him/her a satisfied guest

Guest Conflict Resolution (Cont…) The resolution is best accomplished by adhering to the visual and verbal rules of guest service It is assumed that if the employee is fully trained, the following rules should be followed to meet or exceed a guest’s expectations • Listen first • Summarize • Make no excuses • Resolve the problem • Document the conflict

Empowerment Training, experience, personality and other things contribute to an individual employee’s ability to satisfy a guest Hotel management must support that effort One way management supports an employee’s ability to satisfy a guest is by integrating empowerment in all duties Empowerment is defined as the ability and authority to satisfy guest complaints/requests within preset parameters

Empowerment Employees learn to implement empowerment techniques in how they communicate and that certain phrases and words should be avoided There are other ways of communicating the same message (see next slide)

Phrases to Avoid Phrases to Use Instead “I don’t know. ” “That is a good question, let me find out for you. ” “We can’t do that. ” “Well, I haven’t encountered this before, let me research it and find a resolution that you are happy with. ” “You have to. ” or “This is hotel policy” “Next time, here is how you can avoid this situation. ” or “I think the best way to handle this would be…” “No. ” “We are not able to reduce your rate but I am able to upgrade your room” “That’s not my job. ” “The person who handles that is (name). Please let me get him/her. ”

Diversity Awareness The diversity of guests makes it vital that all hotel employees appreciate the differences in people Most reputable hotels will put their employees through diversity training, which teaches employees that they mast understand appreciate the differences in people Helping the employees overcome stereotypes such as racism, sexism, ethnocentrism and others helps to create a comfortable environment

International Guests A hotel by nature is a “home away from home” to international guests Using good customer service skills helps to put these visitors at ease Hotels should share a list of all multilingual staff with front office managers Where appropriate, extra collateral should be provided in the guest’s native tongue Verbal communication will be difficult and nonverbal communication can be difficult due to cultural differences

Management’s Role in Guest Service Managers should become involved in guest complaints only after an empowered desk agents attempted to resolve the issue first A manager who involves themselves before the guest agent has a chance to resolve an issue defeats the purpose behind empowerment Some guests may simply prefer to address to a manager Managers must lead by example by showing that complaints are not a burden, but an opportunity to improve service

Management’s Role in Guest Service (Cont…) All complaints should be investigated, evaluated, and responded to If the Front Office Manager is unable to resolve the situation, it should be passed along to a more senior manager The escalation of an issue can and often should go all the way to the general manager