Hotel staff get nervous or defensive when they think about guest confrontations. After all, it is not easy to sport a smile when you are at the receiving end of furious comments and gestures.
The hospitality industry has worn the tag of being the frontrunner of etiquettes, presentability and congeniality, since time immemorial. But, hotel guests are humans after all and when all sensitization classes and coping mechanisms fails you would have a truly volatile repercussion; which is the worst nightmare of all hoteliers. Here is what you should do to take the heat off the moment and hold your composure as a commendable hospitality industry worker;
Get your facts right!
If your guest approaches you with a barrage of problems and issues that he/she is facing. Instead of jumping into a conclusion right away, take a moment to check for the facts. When someone is in an ill-tempered mood they tend to get irrational, so the only way to sooth tempers is by pointing to the facts of the matter. You can derive the facts from a witness, hotel staff, and records or by politely enquiring your guest about the events that occurred.
Don’t take it personally!
People at the edge of fury tend to say things that are meant to agitate. No matter how irrational and demanding your guest may be, remember not to take it personally. Learn to desensitize yourself when it comes to confronting irrational hotel guests. This is one of finest qualities to hone, to survive in the hotel industry; to bring about a balance between empathizing and holding a solid composure to get to the root of the problem.
Do not get into an argument!
It is only human to get defensive, but when there is a confrontation with the hotel guest, the patient and calming demeanor of the hospitality comes under the fiery test. Smiling when the opposite person is in a seething rage is just not right, it might just push your guest over the edge. Maintain a straight face and do not get into a war of words. Stick to the facts, for during an argument it is easy to get drawn away from the crux of the matter!
Be Neutral, Non-judging!
Remember as a member of a humble and polite organization you do not have the privilege to judge or take sides, you can only provide relief for the issue. Do not get intimidated or swayed by strong words. In case you cannot handle the heat of the situation call in a super to intervene and douse the fire.
Find a solution
Always work towards finding a solution as soon as possible and follow up on the issue. Follow up to oversee whether the problem has been solved and your guest and got his/her relief and you have your peace too. At any situation make it an ingrained duty to find solution and follow up with the same!
Negative criticism is not easy to digest, but the essence of the hospitality industry is to turn around these scathing remarks into adopting more guest-friendly policies. The hotel industry staff need to be trained to handle such tough situations, to better prepare them when need arises.
The hospitality industry holds repute for the gentle and unblemished portrayal of luxury and stress-free services. Automation of hotel operations have helped hoteliers globally, to reinforce a blemish-free quality services for their guest’s experience!