Get Me the Manager! Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, WB Yeats, The Second Coming Yeats may not have acquired many frequent travel points, but he obviously knew that "stuff happens" on business trips. Problems often occur on hotel stays: no hot water, no heat or air-conditioning, filthy rooms, overcharges or other problems. Successful complaining is a skill that can be acquired. Just follow these easy steps the next time something goes terribly wrong. How to Prevent "Bad Luck" Stay at the best hotel you or your company can afford. Inexpensive lodging can often mean slow check-in, hard-to-find staff, dirty rooms, faulty plumbing and just about anything else you want to avoid. When an airplane is delayed, first-class passengers are stuck waiting along with the cheap seat guys in coach. With hotels, more money almost always means better service. And if they do make a mistake, it is easier to get it fixed when you are paying the big bucks. Be rich and famous Or at least the business traveler equivalent -- a top-tier frequent travel program member. You may not be Bill Gates or Cindy Crawford, but you'll be you'll be treated like a VIP if you have elite program status. Hotels really care about loyal business travelers -- they are a valuable commodity. Be sure that you have every stay tracked and posted. It means free nights and better perks. Be loyal You may change jobs and spouses with abandon, but be true to your chosen hotel in cities where you travel frequently. Get to know the staff. When disaster strikes, the familiar face usually gets the best treatment. Familiarity also means that you will know the best rooms to ask for. Write nice notes to the General Manager when you have received good treatment -- mention staff names. These letters are usually posted behind the front desk -- the place where you will be complaining the next time something goes wrong. Pay with a credit card Credit card companies can back you up if you didn't get what you paid for. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DO HAVE A PROBLEM Is it really worth your time? Business travelers are often stressed out and tired. Little problems can loom large. Is the problem really worth complaining about, or are you trying to avoid finishing the presentation for tomorrow morning's meeting? Let your corporate travel department handle it If you have one and the problem can wait, let them deal with it. They book all the business, they have the clout and the time. Write down the pertinent data (or send them an email) and forget about it. Do you really want to waste your precious time? If you are part of a convention, let the convention services manager deal with it. Know what you want If you've decided it must be handled now, decide what you want. A new room? A discount? Hotel frequent travel points? What will make you feel properly compensated for the problem at hand. Don't be greedy It's not likely that you will get a free room because someone forgot to put mints on your pillow -- believe me, I know people who have asked. It is fair to ask for a new room if you have been inconvenienced by faulty plumbing, a dirty linen, etc. Most business travelers are less concerned with a discount for poor service -- after all the company is footing the bill, unless it is your company. Many ask for extra frequent travel points for their account. You should too. Be quick If you've decided that the situation must be addressed, go to the front desk immediately. Ask for the Front Desk Manager or the Rooms Exec. The assistant behind the counter may try to solve your problem -- give them a chance. Empowerment is a buzz word in the hotel industry today -- many front line staff people can solve your problem quickly. If they can't , then... Escalate, escalate, escalate The Rooms Exec (usually second in command at the hotel) can solve many issues. They do most of the day-to-day work at the hotel. Even if you end up dealing with the General Manager, the Rooms Exec will most likely execute the solution, so don't alienate him or her. Don't be a jerk You may have every reason in the world to be angry, but keep your cool. Hotel employees have a great deal of discretion in handling problem situations. No one will go the extra mile to help out a raving idiot. Be nice, you'll end up with a better room, and maybe even a fruit basket. If you are a jerk, you will get the "standard" response. And your "jerk status" will be documented in your permanent hotel record -- for everyone to see the next time you have a problem. Be concise, don't embellish Just deal with the basic issue and what you want as compensation. If you mention every little problem that has arisen since you entered the hotel, you'll sound like a whiner. The real problem will get obscured. Don't lie Remember, everybody is wired now. Don't say that you are a top-tier program member is you're not (they check). Just be specific and accurate. Say "thank you"! If the problem has been resolved to your satisfaction, thank everyone involved and drop a note to the General Manager naming the individuals who helped. This will stand you in good stead the next time something happens (and something always happens). IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SATISFIED, TAKE NAMES Write down all the pertinent information about your problem, dates, room number, staff names, etc. while it is fresh in your mind. Put it in writing Send an email and a letter to the appropriate hotel executives. Most hotel web sites now have specific areas to file email complaints. Embassy Suites even has a special email address -- embassy_unsatisfied@promus.com . Remember the rules: clear, calm, concise and tell them what you want for compensation. Hotels handle complaints from their web sites ahead of other online services. CC the World Be sure to copy the hotel company president, as well as the regional executives that your hotel manager reports to. The hotel senior officers are often inundated with complaint letters and the information gets forwarded to a complaint department where standard policy is enforced. Your hotel General Manager usually reports to a regional officer who determines his or her fate. This person does not always have a large staff and they are very interested in learning about the service at "their" hotels. Let them know about your problem. You can locate their name by calling the company headquarters. Some of the information is also listed at Hoover's Online. You can also send a copy to the local Better Business Bureau and the local paper's complaint hotline. Hire a Professional If you think you have a legitimate gripe, and you don't want to waste additional time, Complaints.com will handle it for you. For $ 19.95, just email them the information and they will draft a professional complaint letter and send it to the appropriate individuals. They will even follow up. Blow off Steam If your family, friends and business associates are sick of hearing about the "hotel from hell" , the internet offers several venues to vent your frustrations. Some will also compile and forward the information to the appropriate hotel. - Business Travel at About.com. Tell us your troubles. We want to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly hotels. Share your knowledge with your fellow travelers. Post a note in our forum, or visit our chat room. - EComplaints Has a detailed form to register complaints for hotels. They forward the information to the hotel and post on their website. - PassengerRights Offers an automatic complaint service. Fill in their online form and they will send it to the appropriate hotel. They also submit complaints to airlines with an automatic copy to the Department of Transportation. Send them your horror stories - they feature one per week. - HotelWiz Part of 1Travel, HotelWiz gives you the opportunity to rate your hotel stay and get feedback from other travelers. It's a great feeling when you finally get your problem resolved. Just don't waste alot of precious time complaining ineffectively. |
Copyright © 1998-2005 iGear Stores, LLC. All Rights Reserved. PO Box 81198, Warwick, RI 02888 (401) 615-2862 e-mail tiecaddy@yahoo.com. 
 |