People stay at hotels for a veracity of purposes, spanning from leisure to business meetings and much more. Well irrespective of whatever the purpose may be, every guest wishes to have a top-notch experience, and a warm hug of world-class hospitality.

In fact the majority of the customers are influenced by their experience which is based on the treatment they receive. Thus, it becomes fundamental for hotels to pay critical attention to guest experience and Guest complaints as it serves as the basis of growth and revenue. 

In a move to ensure that the guests have a stellar experience, hotels need to be on top of their game, by closely following each guest review and feedback. In addition, no matter how hard hotels try, there will be certain cases that are riddled with complaints, which can be attributed to either potential errors or uncontrollable circumstances. As a result, we will be discussing impactful ways to address guest complaints, and ensure satisfaction. 

Importance of Addressing Guest Complaints

When it comes to addressing guest complaints, it is important that they are addressed on a priority basis, as delays in doing the same can result in loss of revenue.

Given that a hotel’s business comes from repeat customers, it is always better to keep the guests satisfied, as lower repeat guests translates into higher loss of revenue.

At the same time, it takes years of perseverance to build a positive hotel reputation that acts as a driver of profitability and occupancy, while it only takes one negative review to tamper with years worth of hard work.

Thus, hotels need to avoid negative reviews as much as possible as it lowers the score and hotel ranking, affecting business to a large extent. 

Some of the most common Hotel guest complaints and their solutions 

Check-In and Out Issues 

Almost every other hotel is plagued by guest complaints pertaining to check-in and out issues. In such cases, hotels can try to make exceptions for guests who are facing emergency situations, while for others they can refer them to the management policies or ask them to pay an additional charge accordingly.

Having said that, the best way to avert such situations altogether is to leverage Revivo’s Hotel X, which offers single-click check-in facilitating the process and guest experience.    

Matters of Cleanliness and Hygiene

Guests who are paying a few hundred bucks for their stay are more than allowed to create a fuss about unhygienic properties that fail to meet the proper sanitation standards.

As a result, it is important for the housekeeping services to be on point at all times, and the staff needs to refrain from delegations and should be kept under constant supervision.

However, if such issues continue to persist then the staff needs to take extra steps to deal with immediately to avoid any additional reputational damage.      

Inhospitable behaviour of Hospitality Professionals

When it comes to common hotel guest complaints, poor and unfriendly behaviour of the hotel staff ranks at the top of the list. Well-trained hotel staff, with the ability to handle all problems calmly can make the hotel guests experience.

Thus, hoteliers need to ensure that every guest company is attended on a priority-basis, and is almost instantly rectified and addressed by the staff in a positive and reassuring manner.     

Lack of amenities 

A number of guest complaints are centred around the lack of basic amenities. In regards to the same, every hotel should ensure that each room is allocated with the right supply of basic amenities.

At the same time, hotels need to take a look at the Wifi, electrical equipment, shower supplements to ensure their proper functioning. Don’t forget that a follow-up on the same needs to be taken once the guest has checked-in. 

Hidden Fees and Charges

A hotel’s reservation confirmation details should highlight all the charges and fees so that the guest is saved from any sort of confusion that may arise during the time of check-out.

Since ambiguity around charges is one the most common and nerve-cracking guest complaints faced by hotels, it always makes sense to be transparent about the prices and additional charges to avoid such mishappenings altogether.   

Poor Quality of Food 

Within the landscape of guest complaints, a handful of them come from the restaurant department in regards to unsatisfactory meals, limited communal breakfast or even dinner and lunch hours.

By making sure that they are serving top-notch quality of products and maintaining excellence standards of taste during both breakfast and restaurant hours, hotels can beat the pressure of poor meals, along with positive behaviour of the servers. 

Learning to Deal with Guest Complaints 

Guest complaints aren’t limited to any particular department but vary greatly, making it pivotal for the hospitality industry to listen to guests and take steps that demonstrate  readiness to care and elevate the guest experience.

There’s no doubt that the hospitality industry hinges on positive guest experience that forms the foundation of everything, from reputation to revenue.      

As the saying goes, “Atithi Devo Bhava”, don’t wait when it comes to embracing the value of positive guest experience and get started with Revivo’s Hotel X.    

FAQs

1. How to handle guest complaints in a hotel?

There is no hard and fast rule that applies to handling guest complaints, rather hoteliers need to focus on making sure that they are addressed most immediately in an approachable and hospitable manner. 

2. What are the four major types of guest complaints?

The four major guest complaints that plague the hospitality industry include ambiguous pricing, unhygienic property standards, absence of basic amenities and inhospitable behaviour of the hotel staff.    

3. How to handle a difficult customer?

The most trusted and reliable way to handle a difficult customer is by apologising for the issue, and then showcasing readiness to address the same almost instantly, with the added bonus of some kind of additional perk. 

4. What is the most common guest complaint in regards to hotel rooms?

The most common guest complaint that arises about hotel guest rooms is the lack of amenities and services, along with poor maintenance standards which includes unkempt bed, diary bathrooms and sheets, faulty electrical outlets etc.   

5. How do you handle guest complaints quickly?

When it comes to handling guest complaints quickly it is important to integrate the potential of Hotel X, which provides an in-built feedback management system, housekeeping service dashboard, and single click check-in, which elevates the guest experience.