Most individuals arrive at their hotel and everything is up to hotel standards. In some cases, they find that the cleaning staff forgot to leave new towels or vacuum the carpet.
In 2021, it will take longer to clean up rooms. Plus, hotel staff have found that guests are messier. Nonetheless, when you arrive at your room after a long flight and before your business meetings, you have expectations.
Ideally, your company will book you at a location that caters to business clients. They provide amenities that suit your needs and meet expectations.
We provide a seven-step guide on how to approach a hotel if your room isn’t satisfactory.
1. Remain Professional
Common hotel guest complaints include:
- Noisy neighbors
- Odd carpet odors
- Lack of hot water
- Limited breakfast window
Since 2015, several of these issues have improved. Many have stayed the same. For example, noisy neighbors can occur to anyone, without warning.
Plus, when it happens to you, it’s different. If you’re on a tight itinerary, you don’t have the bandwidth to deal with a less than a satisfactory room. Still, remain professional.
Remember that you represent yourself and your company. In addition, the hotel staff is more likely to reciprocate professionalism if you exude it first.
2. Document
Most people travel with their smartphones. The conveniences that they provide remain numerous. You can make calls, send emails, and use them as documenting tools.
The smartphone camera is great for taking selfies and pics of cool scenes that you cross. It also helps you document the state of a hotel room. Before speaking with a staff member, document the issues that you have with a room.
Take a picture of the unmade bed, lack of towels, or missing amenity appliance. If there is an honor bar and it’s not stocked, document it.
3. Talk to Them In Person
Instead of calling the front desk staff, make your way to the front desk. The elevator ride and walk give you time to put things into perspective. If the issues cause you to stress, it gives you time to put yourself back together.
Moreover, it’s a reminder that the front office staff are people too. Over the phone, you can’t see their expressions. In-person, you can see the amount of effort they put into alleviating your concerns.
4. Speak with the Right Person
The front desk hotel attendant can handle several tasks and guest concerns. Often they’re empowered to handle issues with hotel room satisfaction. As you start to explain your concerns, ensure that you tell your story to the right person.
If the front desk person starts using hotel terms and jargon, ask them to break them down for you. You want to be on the same page.
For terms commonly used in the hotel industry, brush up with this outline from Hotel Engine.
5. Explain Your Expectations
When you address your concerns with the front desk staff or manager, explain your expectations. It puts both parties on the same page.
If you expected to have access to a park or ocean view instead of the street, explain that to them.
6. Ask for Options
As the hotel staff listens to your concerns, ask them for options. Maybe the solution is an easy fix. For example, they can send a cleaning crew to your room promptly. Sometimes it’s more complicated.
You may need a complete room change. If the location is booked at near capacity, it’s a challenge to accommodate you. But, if you receive some options, you can pick what works best for your stay.
7. Speak with Your Company
After reaching a solution with the hotel, contact your company. Let them know what happened, especially if it’s a new one. Sometimes these situations are one-offs. They don’t happen consistently. Other times, it’s the norm.
If your company sends you and others on business trips often, they can search for a different hotel in the area.
Conclusion
Business travelers run on a tight schedule. You don’t spend a lot of time in your hotel room. But it’s nice to have a clean one at your disposal. If the issues make it difficult to sleep, work, or relax, address them with the front desk staff in a professional manner and in person.
