Complaints

Presented by Dhiman Kanti Mridha

What is Complaint?

Complain is an expression of resentment or displeasure. Complaint is to make protest.

When doit people complain? More often is the result of a series of little

things that have been built up to a point where just one more thing make the customer snap.

Most customers/guests/clients hate to complain and will put up with a lot before they will ever say anything.

Why customersorcomplain? Quality of the product service may be

unacceptable.

Choice is limited. Wrong product is offered. Timing is wrong. Frustration due to the treatment they receive . Being ignored.

Types of complaints:

Guest complaints can be separated into four(04)categories of problems: Mechanical Problems, Attitudinal Problems, Service-related Problems, , and Unusual Problems.

Mechanical Problems

Most guest complaints relate to hotel equipment malfunctions. Mechanical complaints Even an excellent preventive maintenance program cannot completely eliminate all potential equipment problems. Effective use of a front office log book and maintenance work orders may help reduce the frequency of mechanical complaints. Sometimes, the complaint is not about the mechanical problem, but the speed of response. It is essential, therefore, that the appropriate staff member be dispatched as quickly as possible with the proper tools to fix the problem promptly. Good tracking methods will ensure timely service.

Attitudinal Problems

Guests may make attitudinal complaints. Guests who overhear staff conversations or who receive complaints from hotel staff members may also express attitudinal complaints. Guests should not have to listen to employees arguing or become a sounding board for employee problems. Managers and supervisors (not guests) should listen and attend to the complaints and problems of staff. This can be especially critical to maintaining solid guest relations.

Service-related Problems

Guests may make service-related complaints when Service-related complaints can be wideranging and about such things as long waiting time for service, lack of assistance with luggage, untidy rooms, phone difficulties, missed wake-up calls, cold or ill-prepared food, or ignored requests for additional supplies. office generally receives more service-related complaints when the hotel is operating at or near full occupancy.

Unusual Problems

Guests may also complain about the absence of a swimming pool, lack of public transportation, bad weather, and so on. Hotels generally have little or no control over the circumstances surrounding unusual complaints. Nonetheless, guests sometimes expect the front office to resolve or at least listen to such situations. Front office management should alert front desk agents that on occasion through such orientation, staff will be better prepared to handle an unusual situation with appropriate guest relations techniques and avoid a potentially difficult encounter.

Where a causes complaints? Whatnumber of staff has failed to do something properly.

Where the guest has been kept waiting. Where a member of staff has misunderstood the guest. Where a guest expects something which is usually not provided. Where a staff member has forgotten to do something. Where a guest feels that he is not getting VFM (Value for money). Where a staff member has forgotten to pass on a message. Where equipment and supplies are broken, damaged or missing.

Customer's expectations in lodging a To be treated complaint: courteously.

A satisfactory result. To be believed. Some one to take personal responsibility and make any necessary decisions to rectify the situation ( No passing of 'buck'). To believe that management values them. To believe that the problem will not be repeated.

Handling of complaints:

Listen with concern and empathy. Isolate the guest, if possible. Stay calm, avoid responsibility with hostility, defensiveness and body language is important. Beware of guest self esteem. Show a personal interest in the problem. Use the guest's name frequent by and take the complaint. Give the guest your undivided attention. Concentrate on the problem, not on placing the blame and do not insult the guest by any means. Take notes by writing down the key facts, saves time, If some else gets involved. Also the guest is tend to slow down when they speaking faster and you can write. Tell the guest what can be done, offer choices. Do not say no on the face of the guest and do not exceed your authority also. Set an approximate time for the completion of

Objective for handling of complaints:

The objective is to ensure that every guest who has cause for dissatisfaction is impressed by the professional manner in which we handle his complaint.

Steps toSay how may I help you? Try to guide away from other guest and staff. be followed to handle Avoid conflicts: complaints: tell his story. Do not interrupt. Try to identify his needs. Listen: Allow the guest to

Show sympathy: Apologize. Show concern. Display humility. Avoid arrogance. If possible, invite him/her to sit down. Do not justify: Avoid making excuses. Only give explanations to satisfied need for an explanation. Ask Questions: Make sure you know all the facts by asking questions .You can also confirm that you have identified his needs correctly. Agree and take actions: Make sure you get his agreement to your proposed course of action. Remember it is wrong to buy your way of trouble. Get his agreement. Make a note. Follow up and feed back: Make sure you follow up the actions taken to ensure that it is completed satisfactorily. Take preventive actions to avoid re-occurrence of complain. Give feedback to guests.

Benefits derivedviews and the guests They highlight guests' from needs. They reveal weaknesses in standards and systems. complaints :

They provide free quality control. They provide free auditing. They highlight priorities. They provide information about competitors. They provide free market research. They can be a means of getting company approval for capital expenditure. They identify training needs. They prevent complacency by providing an objective 'eye'. They enable us to prevent re occurrence of the event.

Benefitsan additional opportunity for guest contact. They give derived from the guests complaints : sales opportunity. They provide an extra

They allow retaining a customer. They should be used to develop staff morale and inter-departmental communications. They can be used to develop the management team. They develop the social skills of management and staff. They provide feedback on staff/management attitudes. They can be used in staff/management appraisals. They involve the senior management in hotel problems. They provide means to monitoring suppliers' standard. They lead to increased profitability.

Facts/effects of complaints:

For everyone person who complaints there are at least five others who keep quiet and all these six will tell at least six persons each. So one complaint may mean thirty six lost customers. One satisfied person would speak to three others about their satisfaction and may bring three new customers. Finding new customers is not easy and it costs four to five times more money than it does to look after an existing one.

Possible questions from the topic:

1.

What do you understand by Complaint? State about the different types of complaints generally encountered in hospitality industry with suitable examples? Complaints are sales opportunities and not threats-justify this statement with proper arguments. State the steps to be followed in hotels for handling complaints. What are the effects of complaints?

2.

3.

Topic is available in:

Front Office Management By Sushil Kumar Bhatnagar-page no350 to 353

Front Office procedures by M.L.Kasavana & R.M.Brookspage No-235 to 240

Thank you, see you all in the next class,