As a lodging industry training provider, we have recently received an extraordinarily high number of inquiries for guest service training in the topic areas of “handling guest complaints” and “service recovery.” While it is always great to see clients embracing training on these topics, it seems to me that a more comprehensive approach to hospitality and guest services training serves all stakeholders better.
Certainly, there are specific training techniques to share with front-line staff and first-level supervisors who field the majority of guest complaints. Most leaders already know to train their staff to listen, convey empathy and to apologize for the situation even when not at fault. Staff should also be trained to provide guests with a sense of validation for their emotional duress and, of course, personalized follow-up to ensure resolution.
Training staff solely on the topic of service recovery is a reactive approach, sort of like when a physician treats the symptom without diagnosing and treating the underlying cause. To me, “service recovery” begins with hospitality essentials such as greeting the guest first with a welcoming statement, eye contact and a warm smile. Of course, with most of us wearing masks at this time guests cannot see our lips, but we can still offer the “eye squint smile." Service recovery efforts continue on with listening attentively, “reading the guest” to identify unstated needs and proactively offering assistance before it is requested. Service recovery efforts require using the language of hospitality, such as “may I suggest” instead of “you’ll have to,” “allow me to check on that for you” instead of “I’ll have to check on that,” and “you’re most welcome” instead of “no problem.”
When guest service staff embrace a proactive approach to hospitality, it creates positive first impressions for guests. Ideally, a positive first impression starts with a call to reservations, or for those who book online, with a call to the front desk to reconfirm, make a request or ask a question. At that moment it is almost like the hotel is putting a bit of money into a reserve savings account specific to that guest. Then with each subsequent interaction, more money is funneled into that reserve account. A warm welcome at the front desk, or for those who checked-in online, a warm greeting by a lobby attendant near the front door adds more to savings. When guests call or text to receive more towels or coffee pods, additional funds are added to the account by the housekeeping attendant or runner.
When you stop to consider how many “moving parts” must work in coordination for a guest to have a positive stay, chances are that at some point something is going to go wrong. The longer the stay, the larger the accommodation, the more guests in the party and the more amenities, services, dining options or recreational facilities a hotel has, the greater the odds that guests will experience at least one “problem” at some point. Therefore, it is usually not a question of “if” but rather of “when” that delivery will fall short of expectation.
When things go wrong, all that hospitality “currency” is now stored in the guests’ overdraft protection account and you can draw on that good will. Most guests will be much more forgiving if they have so far had an overall positive experience. Otherwise, if guests have had negative first impressions, there will surely be a costly “insufficient funds” fee in terms of the loss of future business, and perhaps even worse, damage to your online reputation as a result of negative guest reviews and social media postings.
Prepare your staff to minimize the negative impact of gaps in service standards, and the traditional service recovery techniques will surely be more effective when needed.
Doug Kennedy is president of the Kennedy Training Network, Inc. Contact him at doug@kennedytrainingnetwork.com.
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