WIthin Reason

I'm aware I do a lot of complaining on this blog. My readers (if I have any) may think I hate all the guests, management, my coworkers, and people in general. This is not true.

I like many of our guests. Most people stay without any problems, are pleasant to deal with, and easy to resolve problems for. If people have a reasonable complaint, I have no problem fixing it for them. Like the ant guy - I can understand being upset by that. Not having a newspaper at your door? Not a reason to get upset.

If people have a reasonable complaint, I will offer a solution as to how I can fix that for them. If they don't like my solution, they should feel free to offer a suggestion of their own. Again, one within reason. You are not getting your stay comped because the clock in your room was not working. Nor should you come and complain about the room upon check-out. "I didn't want to be on the first floor!" Well, then you should have come and told me that after I checked you in. I once checked in a woman several hours ahead of the check-in time, and all that was available was a first-floor room. I asked her if that was alright, and she hemmed and hawwed then said fine. I told her if she didn't like the room, to come back and I would move her. Well, she never came back - but she did complain in that week's GSS.

One of my favorite guests is a woman who stays with us every week. She is very particular. Very particular. So why is she a favorite? Because she tells me what she wants and isn't ridiculous about it. Once, we couldn't put her in her regular room. She was in a room nearby. The next morning, she comes and complains that the room is dirty. I apologize. Her response?

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault." No, it's not, but most guests don't care whose fault it is. At least someone recognizes that I'm not responsible for everything in the hotel.

She asks if she can move back to her regular room. It's now vacant, and I tell her yes, housekeeping will move her things for her. She leaves happy.

See how easy things are when you're polite and reasonable?