Top 5 Hotel Guest Complaints and How to Deal If You’re The Owner

Because great service is everything

Good service is mandatory in the hotel and accommodation business and applies to all types—a five-star establishment, a charming bed-and-breakfast and even an Airbnb. But guest or business owner, we’re sure you already knew that. Great service, however, is being able to think ahead and on your feet when it comes to customer complaints, and going the extra mile. While big hotels follow tried-and-tested processes in addressing common customer complaints, smaller hotels may not have the same resources or manpower. But it doesn’t mean you can’t provide the same level of service.

Here, five common customer complaints and solutions in the hotel and accommodation business:

Complaint #1: “Our reservation and booking is all messed up”

Solution: Many small business owners think that DIY is the way to go when it comes to organizing their reservation and booking transactions. However, this often results in mix-ups and confusion. And honestly, there is nothing more infuriating to travel-weary guests than being made to wait while staff scramble to sort things out.

Fortunately, there's a selection of software and digital solutions that can help you, such as Globe myBusiness Hotel Management System. It’s a digitized platform that streamlines the reservation, booking, registration and billing process. It synchronizes all of the online travel agencies you work with, allows for direct bookings, and organizes your front desk, reservations, sales and accounting.

Besides, guests these days expect hotel operations to be fully digital or at least enhanced by technology.

Complaint #2: “We can't find anything.”

Solution: You have to anticipate the needs of newly arrived guests. Think WiFi connection and password, location of convenience stores or pharmacies nearby, contact numbers of the hotel’s key services for food, laundry and transportation. Instead of having each one on separate documents, why not consolidate everything in a nice welcome booklet or guidebook.

This should be easy to use and understandable to guests of all ages. Oh and don’t forget to include the rates for products and services that guests may need to top up or pay additional for (read: laundry). 

Complaint #3: “Why are some of the previous guest’s things still in our room?”

Solution: Create a checklist for your staff when they prepare the room for the next guest. This way, they can ensure that there are zero traces of the previous occupant—including used toiletries or slippers, etc. Every guest wants to feel at home so make sure they feel just that with a clean and tidy room, and a welcome basket if you can manage.

Globe myBusiness Hotel Management System Plus Package also has a Housekeeping Management feature that can help keep track of housekeeping tasks, allowing for a more pleasant stay.

Complaint#4: “It takes forever for the staff to answer questions.”

Solution: In restaurants, they assign waitstaff to specific tables. You can do just the same and assign one person to five to ten rooms and another to the next batch or floor. Just make sure to introduce guests to their designated point person so they know who to look for and won’t have to repeat the same question over and over again to different people. 

Complaint#5: “We can't plug our gadgets into the room's electrical sockets.”

Solution: Have a variety of adaptors, chargers and extension cords ready. These come in handy especially with foreign guests or those who need to do some work while staying there. Spare your guests the trouble and just let them settle in and enjoy their stay. 

In the hotel and accommodation business, it's always better to anticipate guests’ needs. This means equipping your staff with the right tools and information they need to make things right at the shortest time possible. Besides, we all know that bad service is bad for business.

Read more tips on running a hotel and accommodation business and sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy.