How to Complain at a Hotel

• Get satisfaction when you have a valid complaint during your hotel stay

• Even in the best hotels, things go wrong occasionally. Patience, persistence, and smile go a long way toward getting results when you have a valid complaint at a hotel.

• Identify the Problem

• Make sure you can explain the problem clearly and concisely. Don't exaggerate; be honest and tell it like it is. Get evidence if you can. A photo snapped with your cell phone can be a powerful image.

• If it's just a small annoyance, consider letting it slide. Life is short, and that goes double when you're on vacation. Save yourself some stress by picking your battles, keeping your sense of humor and being flexible when faced with a minor issue you can live with.

• Identify the Solution

• Before you complain, figure out what your expectations for solution are. Do you need something fixed in your room? Need a new room assigned? What's your timetable?

• Be realistic about compensation for problems. You shouldn't pay for services you didn't receive. But you are unlikely to have your entire stay comped because one thing was not working in your room.

• One helpful approach is to tell the manager that you are not looking for compensation, you just wanted to let him/her know there is a problem so it can be addressed.

• Time Your Complaint

• Complain as soon as you know there is a problem. Don't wait until the next day or when you are checking out. Still, if there's a long line at the front desk and all the phones are ringing, you may want to delay until a quieter time so attention can be paid to your problem.

• Complain in Person

• Don't call the front desk with your problem. Go down in person and talk face to face. Explain the situation and let them know what your expectations are. Keep your story short and to the point.

• Remain Calm

• Be polite and calm. Even if you feel frustrated or angry, never raise your voice or lose your cool. A smile goes a long way toward helping people want to help you. Losing your temper will make the situation worse, and may even get you escorted out of the hotel. Tell your story once, without exaggeration or drama ("My whole trip is ruined!"), and what you'd like done about it, and wait for a response.

• Find the Person With the Power

• You should be able to determine fairly quickly if the person you are speaking to is willing and able to fix the problem. If not, ask for the manager on duty or GM (general manager). Calmly and candidly explain the situation to the manager and what you would like done. Let them know who else you've talked to and when.

• Be Patient

• In many cases, the situation can be resolved right away. Hotel staff are in the customer service business, and for the most part, they want you to be satisfied. Keep in mind that some problems are beyond their control, and some take time to fix. If you have a specific time frame (e.g., you have a dinner meeting and need to use that broken shower); ask them for a backup plan (use of a shower in another room or in the spa).

• Be Persistent

• If you are speaking to the right person (the one with the power to fix the problem), and they seem unwilling to do so, ask again, and then a third time. Remain polite and keep your cool, and be persistent in stating your need for a solution.

• Be Flexible

• If they can't offer the fix you requested, consider any alternate fixes they've offered with an open mind. Is it really going to ruin your entire vacation if you don't have a view of the pool as you imagined? Keep your sense of humor and focus on the positives.

• Take It Home

• It's best to resolve the problem when you are still at the hotel. If for some reason they can't fix the problem to your satisfaction while you are in the hotel, keep notes of what happened, who you talked to, when, and what was said. Once at home, you can dispute the charges with the credit card company (always pay with one) and write a letter to the General Manager of the hotel. You should expect a reply within a couple of weeks with an apology, a partial refund, or an invitation to return to the hotel at a reduced rate in the future. If the hotel is part of a chain, don't escalate your letter writing to the CEO unless you are unable to get a satisfactory response from the hotel staff.

• Even if you have a complaint, remember: hotels (and the people who work in them) aren't perfect, and things go wrong more often than any of us would like. If you find a hotel that solves your problems efficiently, show them your appreciation by becoming a repeat customer.

3. All members of a hotel staff must be ready to deal with complaints—some of them genuine, some silly—politely but firmly. Here are some examples of the dialogues between hotel personnel and guests. Memorize the dialogues and act them out.

Dialogue 1

- Is that the Manager?

- Speaking. Can I be of any assistance?

- Could you speed up your switchboard a bit please? I booked a call to Brussels a good twenty minutes ago and I haven't had a reply yet.

- Well, perhaps they are rather busy at this time of the day. After all, we are an hour ahead of Belgium.

- I know that, but I could have dialed myself direct in no time at all.

- We do like to route the calls through the operator and then there can be no misunderstanding about the charges, I'm sure you understand.

- No, I suppose it would be difficult to check the cost of directly-dialed calls, but nevertheless I do have to put through an important call to Brussels.

- I'll get on to them myself and see what the delay is, then call you back as soon as I know anything.

Dialogue 2

- And what seems to be the trouble, sir?

- They don't want to let me into the nightclub.

- Well, I'm afraid there is an entrance charge, sir.

- But damn it all—I am a resident. It's ridiculous.

- I'm very sorry sir, but you see it is something of a special evening. Our guest star this evening is Sammy Davis Junior and I'm afraid that the tickets do cost 250 marks each. I could see if there are any left if you would like one. We generally try to keep a few back for the residents.

- Good Lord. That's nearly £35. No, on second thought, I don't think I'll bother. Could you have them send up a bottle of scotch to my room? I'll entertain myself instead.

- Very good sir. That was room 634, wasn't it?

Dialogue 3

- Good evening sir. I'm the Assistant Manager.

- How nice.

- Yes, I'm afraid we've had a complaint about the noise from your neighbour across the corridor. - He's trying to get some sleep as he has an early start tomorrow. I'm sure you understand.

- Oh, I see.

- Do you think it might be possible to ask your friends to be a little quieter? We do like to give our guests a chance of getting a good night's sleep. It is well after 11.

- Oh, I'm so sorry. I do apologize. I suppose we were talking rather loudly. It's just that we've signed a very important contract. We were having a bit of a celebration.

- I'm pleased to hear it. Shall I ask Room Service to bring you some coffee?

- No, that won't be necessary. We were just about to pack up anyway.

- Thank you, sir, and good night to you.

Dialogue 4

- Could I see the Manager please? I have a complaint.

- Can I help you, madam?

- Yes. Did you have this room checked before we moved in? There's not a sign of lavatory paper and the toilet doesn't flush properly, the water doesn't run away in the shower and I would like an extra pillow. What have you to say to that?

- I'm extremely sorry to hear that. I'll attend to it right away. The housekeeper usually checks every room before new guests move in. We have been extremely busy with a large conference attending the International Packaging Congress.

- That's no way to run a hotel. One doesn't expect this sort of thing in a well-run hotel.

- No, madam. I do apologize. It's unusual. We do try to check the rooms as thoroughly as possible. Just the one pillow, was it? Is there anything else?

- Well, your thermostatically-controlled air-conditioning doesn't seem to be working too well. It's as hot as hell up there.

- I'll just adjust the regulator for you and I think you'll find it a little cooler in a short time. I'll also send someone along right away to look at the toilet and shower.

Dialogue 5

- What in heaven's name happened to my baggage?

- Are you with Mr. Grey's party?

- Yeah, and my suitcases have disappeared. What are you going to do about it?

- You did put your cases outside the door by 8, did you sir?

- Yeah. Well, maybe it was a bit later, say about 9.30. We didn't get to bed till well after 3 a.m.

- I see. Well, the bellboys would have picked up the group's luggage just after eight and brought it down to the main entrance. You do remember putting the cases outside the door?

- Yeah, sure we did. Do you think we're nuts or something?

- I'll just check with the bellboy and see if he remembers collecting any baggage from outside room 369.

- Yeah. Two soft pig-skin suitcases with blue and white stickers on them. One of them had my movie equipment.

- The bellboy says there was nothing outside 369 except a pair of brown shoes which he had cleaned and returned about 9.20.

4. Make use of the ideas and the vocabulary of the above dialogues to prepare and act out similar dialogues of your own.

5. The following letters are taken from an actual incident between a London hotel and one of its guests.. The hotel ended up submitting the letters to the Sunday Times. Read them and give your idea.

Dear Maid, Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Imperial Leather. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way. Thank you, S. Berman

Dear Room 635, I am not your regular maid. She will be back tomorrow, Thursday, from her day off. I took the 3 hotel soaps out of the shower soap dish as you requested. The 6 bars on your shelf I took out of your way and put on top of your Kleenex dispenser in case you should change your mind. This leaves only the 3 bars I left today which my instructions from the management are to leave 3 soaps daily. I hope this is satisfactory. Kathy, Relief Maid

Dear Maid I hope you are my regular maid. Apparently Kathy did not tell you about my note to her concerning the little bars of soap. When I got back to my room this evening, I found you had added 3 little Camays to the shelf under my medicine cabinet. I am going to be here in the hotel for two weeks and have brought my own bath-size Imperial Leather, so I won't need those 6 little Camays, which are on the shelf. They are in the way when shaving, brushing teeth etc. Please remove them. S. Berman

Dear Mr Berman, The assistant manager, Mr Kensedder, informed me this morning that you called him last evening and said you were unhappy with your maid service. I have assigned a new girl to your room. I hope you will accept my apologies for any past inconvenience. If you have any future complaints, please contact me so I can give it my personal attention. Call extension 1108 between 8AM and 5PM. Thank you. Elaine Carmen > Housekeeper

Dear Miss Carmen, It is impossible to contact you by phone since I leave the hotel for business at 7:45 AM and don't get back before 5:30 or 6.00 PM. That's the reason I called Mr Kensedder last night. You were already off duty. I only asked Mr Kensedder if he could do anything about those little bars of soap. The new maid you assigned me must have thought I was a new check in today, since she left another 3 bars of hotel soap in my medicine cabinet, along with her regular delivery of 3 bars on the bathroom shelf. In just 5 days here I have accumulated 24 little bars of soap. Why are you doing this to me? S. Berman

Dear Mr Berman, Your maid, Kathy, has been instructed to stop delivering soap to your room and to remove the extra soaps. If I can be of further assistance, please call extension 1108 between 8 AM and 5 PM. Thank you, Elaine Carmen, > Housekeeper

Dear Mr Kensedder, My bath-size Imperial Leather is missing. Every bar of soap was taken from my room, including my own bath-size Imperial Leather. I came in late last night and had to call the bellhop to bring me 4 little Cashmere Bouquets. S. Berman

Dear Mr Berman, I have informed our housekeeper, Elaine Carmen, of your soap problem. I cannot understand why there was no soap in your room since our maids are instructed to leave 3 bars of soap each time they service a room. The situation will be rectified immediately. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience. Martin L. Kensedder Assistant Manager > > >

Dear Mrs Carmen, Who the hell left 54 little bars of Camay in my room? I came in last night and found 54 little bars of soap. I don't want 54 little bars of Camay. I want my one damn bar of bath-size Imperial Leather. Do you realise I have 54 bars of soap in here? All I want is my bath-size Imperial Leather. Please give me back my bath-size Imperial Leather. > > S. Berman

Dear Mr Berman, You complained of too much soap in your room, so I had them removed. Then you complained to Mr Kensedder that all your soap was missing, so I personally returned them. The 24 Camays which had been taken and the 3 Camays you are supposed to receive daily. I don't know anything about the 4 Cashmere Bouquets. Obviously your maid, Kathy, did not know I had returned your soaps, so she also brought 24 Camays plus the 3 daily Camays. I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Imperial Leather. I was able to locate some bath-size Ivory which I left in your room.

Elaine Carmen > Housekeeper > > >

Dear Mrs Carmen, Just a short note to bring you up-to-date on my latest soap inventory. As of today I possess:

* On the shelf under the medicine cabinet -18 Camay in 4 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.

* On the Kleenex dispenser - 11 Camay in 2 stacks of 4 and 1stack of 3.

* On the bedroom dresser - 1 stack of 3 Cashmere Bouquet, 1 stack of 4 hotel-size Ivory, and 8 Camay in 2 stacks of 4.

* Inside the medicine cabinet - 14 Camay in 3 stacks of 4 and 1 stack of 2.

* In the shower soap dish - 6 Camay, very moist.

* On the northeast corner of the tub - 1 Cashmere Bouquet, slightly used.

* On the northwest corner of the tub - 6 Camays in 2 stacks of 3. Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip. May I suggest that my bedroom window sill is not in use and will make an excellent spot for future soap deliveries. One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-size Imperial Leather, which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings. > > S. Berman > > > >

6. Discuss in groups how you would handle the following people complaining in your hotel:

1. A drunk customer in the hotel restaurant complaining loudly about the slow service;

2. A guest who can’t speak your language very well complaining about the size of his/her room (you think);

3. An extremely rude and angry guest complaining about his/her bill when checking out;

4. A dinner guest who is part of a large and important wedding party complaining about the quality of food;

5. An elderly gentleman complaining about how many stairs he has to walk up to get to his room;

6. A foreign visitor to your country complaining about the weather.

7. Choose any situation from exercise 6 and make up a dialogue between a guest and a hotel worker.

8. The following extracts are from two different letters a letter of complaint and a letter of reply, but they have got mixed up. Put them in the right order to produce two correct letters.

1. When one of my guests arrived the waiter sat her at the wrong table. Later. The same waiter spilt a few drops of red wine on another guest’s trousers. The final embarrassment was when the waiter presented the bill to one of my guests instead of me.

2. As a token of our regret I enclose a voucher for an evening meal for two people and hope to welcome you personally in the near future.

3. I am writing to complain about the service I recently received in your restaurant while on a business trip.

4. Y our sincerely

Pierre Lancel

R estaurant Manager

5. Yours faithfully

Raimond Strang

Sales Manager

6. Dear Sir/Madam

7. I have invited four clients to join me for lunch in your restaurant, where I expected to get the best service. Unfortunately I had a number of complains.

8. I am afraid that we were experiencing staffing problems during this period and had an inexperienced waiter working in the restaurant. He has since left and we are happy to say that now we have fully qualified waiters serving our customers.

9. I feel that this is not a professional service which I expect from a top restaurant and I now that you will wish to ensure that this not happen again.

10. Dear Mr Strang

11. I was very sorry to read about the problems which you experienced in our restaurant on your recent visit.

Letter of complaint

Letter of reply

9. Divide into pairs A and B. Choose one of these areas for complaint (or invent your own):

Dirty room

Bad/slow service

Noisy room

No bathroom

Bed too small

Rude staff

and act the conversation

A

You are the receptionist. You want to calm the guest down. Your tactics are a) to get the guest to say exactly what the problem is; b) to ‘buy’ time; and c) to offer something that is acceptable and possible.

B

You are the guest. You are extremely angry. Think about a) what exactly is wrong; b) what you expected; and c) what you want to happen.

10. Some questions are experiencing problems. Match each problem (1-14) with a suitable reply (a-n). Write the letters in the grid below

1.This towel is damp.

2.The pillowcase is stained.

3.The shower curtain is torn.

4.I wanted a newspaper in my room.

5.The room is dirty.

6.There’s a lot of noise on the telephone line.

7.The mirror is cracked.

8.I think the hairdryer is faulty.

9.The window is stuck.

10.My suitcase is still in my room.

11.The waste-paper basket is full.

12.This light bulb is too weak for reading.

13.The room is cold.

14.There is no ashtray in my room.

a) I’ll get the chambermaid to clean it.

b) I’ll have the heating turned up.

c) I’ll get someone to open it.

d) I’ll have it brought down.

e) I’ll fetch you a dry one.

f) If you tell me which one you read I’ll have it delivered.

g) I’ll get you a clean one.

i) I’ll have it replaced.

j) I’ll have one brought to your room.

k) I’ll have a new one put up.

l) I’ll have it checked.

m) I’ll call the operator and have it checked.

n) I’ll get someone to empty it.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14

11.Presentation 1.

What problems do guests have in their rooms?

12.Presentation 2.

What kinds of problems do guests have with their amenities in the rooms? Do guests have problems with operating the TV or using the safe? Here are two jumbled explanations. What do you think the correct order is? There is more than one possibility.

The TV		The safe
- Press play on the remote control.		- Turn the dial quickly and the safe is locked.
- Choose a film.		- Put your valuables in and close the door.
- Sit back and enjoy the film.		- Remember this number: you will need it to open the door again.
- You will see a list of films.		-Open the safe door.
- Press OK on the remote control.		- Tap A, then tap a six digit number, then tap C.
-First switch on the TV.		- On the front of the door you will see some letters and numbers.
- Then press video on the remote control.