JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION. WHEN IS A GUEST/CLIENT COMPLAINT EFFECTIVELY RESOLVED? IS A SIMPLE “SORRY” EVER ENOUGH?

As first class hoteliers, spa, salon or hospitality owners, our aim, every day, every minute is to achieve and ideally exceed guest expectation; to deliver to our promised and published offering, consistently and cohesively across every department, from first aspect of contact right through to post-departure follow through.

But what happens if this goes wrong? Despite our very best efforts, not meeting a guest’s perceived expectation might occasionally happen, where we fail to deliver the promise in any aspect, resulting in a guest complaint.

A genuine complaint provides a highly valuable learning source for any business. We are grateful for the time taken by the guest to bring it to our attention, providing a positive opportunity to turn a less than ideal situation around, to regain a contented guest/client/customer.

When a genuine complaint occurs, we have failed to provide; actually or from the guest perspective. How we then deal with the complaint, from the very instance of it being raised, is KEY to its successful resolution. 

In EVERY case of a genuine complaint, the end-goal has to be to ensure a satisfied outcome and a guest/client/customer who feels genuinely valued and happy to return? Ultimately, that they leave feeling happy and satisfied with their overall stay/visit, despite the aspects that led to the original complaint? That their complaint has been RESOLVED successfully in their eyes, and yours? 

SO, IS “SORRY” IN ISOLATION EVER ENOUGH?

Over the last 2 years I have encountered 3 occasions where my experience was negative enough to warrant feedback to the company.

Two of these were known, well reputed high street retailers and one, a high-end event property in which we’d stayed for an overnight function.

In all three cases, it was undeniable that the promised offering, service and delivery had failed to a large or full degree, as well as to my expectation based on 1) their reputation, 2) published service offering, 3) star rating, 4) website photos and event description, etc.

I spent a good deal of time compiling and outlining my feedback, making sure to also include any positives that might have occurred during the experience, with photo evidence in some cases and in others, a log of events with dates, times and names, and ultimately the specific aspects that failed to deliver as promised. In all three cases, there were too many undeniable failings.

Fairly swiftly in two of the cases, and slowly in one, an acknowledgement was received to “thank me for my feedback, apologizing for any inconvenience caused and they’d be sure to include all the aspects raised in their next training session”. The end!

Was that a satisfactory resolution? As much as it was correct that all three businesses assumed to further train their teams as a result of the feedback, my initial involvement and spend hadn’t aimed to provide that opportunity in the first instance.

What could have been done better to satisfy these complaints? Many things, but if only able to use three words to summarise requirement, we’d suggest it to be:

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

If the correct attention to detail had been in place from the outset, from training to delivery, to process and procedure, communication, departmental synergy, cohesion and consistency etc., it’s unlikely the events leading to the complaint would have occurred in the first instance.

If attention to detail had been applied to the complaint process and response, it would have been resolved swiftly and effectively, resulting in an immediate, positive outcome. If the guest/client/customer felt valued, if the customer service level and faith in the originally expected offering had been restored, they’d be far more inclined to:

 1) speak positively about the company and experience to friends

2) return in the future based on the business promise of ‘usual and expected standards of delivery’

There are of course multiple considerations and methodologies that go into satisfactorily resolving each individual complaint, whether in a small or large business or a lower or higher value offering; all aspects covered in our JGA BUSINESS TRAINING. And within that we can’t stress ‘attention-to-detail’ enough. We work on the basis of ‘Nothing Without Purpose and Reason’ and are hardwired to identify ALL the detail, from minute to large, that makes ALL the difference to our clients business and success.

But for the moment, WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS A GENUINE COMPLAINT EVER WORTHY OF A SIMPLE “SORRY” IN ISOLATION?