INTRODUCTION
In a study by the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, dissatisfied customers typically tell nine to 15 other people about their experience; some tell 20 or more. This is especially important for hotels, B&Bs and resorts. Service issues such as inattentive and rude staff, a room not up to a customer’s liking and dirty amenities, can cause customers to write negative reviews online on sites like TripAdvisor, Google
Here is how to handle a social media crisis related to a service issue and rebuild your hotel’s reputation.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLAIMS
One common service issue is hotel early check-ins. For example, say a guest calls the hotel four days in advance and requests an early check-in but when the guest arrives, there is no room available. Rightly so, the guest gets upset because the front-desk staffer forgot to make a note of the special room request. Consequently, the guest shares their disappointment on TripAdvisor. You should respond publicly
“Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and I’m sorry we couldn’t accommodate your request. The situation you described does not live up to our service standards, and to prevent it from happening again, we will address this issue with our entire staff. I hope you’ll give us another chance to serve you.”
Since the goal is to not lose future business from or because of this customer, it’s important to not make excuses for the service issue and take responsibility. This approach can minimize the damage to your reputation by making prospective guests think more highly of you, and it can repair your relationship with the unhappy reviewers.
For minor service situations like this one, you don’t necessarily have to offer compensation, such as a refund. Instead, owning up to your mistake and then sincerely apologizing for it should be sufficient.
DON’T JUST SAY IT, OFFER A FIX
Another common service issue complaint is related to hotel cleanliness. Everyone in the hospitality industry knows about the dreaded accusation of bed bugs. Even though it’s often the guest’s fault, you
“Thank you for providing us with feedback from your stay. First and foremost, I am very sorry about your experience. We addressed the issue immediately by thoroughly cleaning the room, especially the bed, and we’ve issued you a refund. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”
In service issues that disrupt a guest’s stay, it makes sense to offer a refund. At the same time, do not offer a complimentary future stay, because that doesn’t show enough sensitivity to what the guest had to experience.