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A career in hospitality is highly rewarding – aside from the excellent opportunities for training and professional development, it’s also a very sociable industry where relationship-building and customer interaction is key on a daily basis.
However, whilst most customers are easy to deal with, it’s no secret that you’ll be faced with difficult individuals and challenging situations from time to time.
For people who new to the hospitality sector, or who haven’t worked in a customer-facing role previously, an argumentative customer can be a daunting and stressful situation to manage. Even for seasoned hospitality workers, such situations can prove problematic and require you to think quickly to resolve the issue and keep your customers happy.
Here at Workforce, we’ve put together some helpful tips to help you manage difficult situations with confidence, integrity and compassion.
The golden rule of fantastic customer service is to listen to the customer. Don’t interrupt them, no matter how tempting it is – just allow them to vent their frustrations, however how long this takes.
If you have a notepad and pen to hand, make notes whilst they’re speaking and repeat the key points back to them when they’ve finished complaining. This shows that you have taken on board and understood everything that they have said, and will give you something to reflect back on when you’re thinking of ways to solve their issues.
This is a pariculatly useful tool if dealing with non-English speaking guests (or guests who don’t speak your native language), as it prevents things from getting lost in translation, forgotten or misconstrued.
You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘the customer is always right’. Whilst this isn’t always the case, it’s important that you keep this mindset, regardless of whether you think their points are valid or not. Telling a customer that they’re wrong will only fuel their frustration, so let them be entitled to their opinion.
As crucial as it is to aplogise to the customer, sometimes ‘sorry’ doesn’t always cut the mustard. As well as being apologetic, it’s important to be empathetic and show that you’ve truly understood their situation.
You could say something like ‘I completely understand how you feel – I would also feel that way if the same happened to me’, or ‘I can see why you’re annoyed about that, I would also find it unacceptable’. Showing that you can relate to their situation will help to show that you’re on their side.
Also, when delivering an apology, be careful about your choice of words: avoid saying ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’, as this implies that the problem lies with the customer. Instead, try ‘Please accept my apologies for the error – will you give me the opportunity to make this right for you?’. This gives the customer the power to forgive you.
Also, when delivering an apology, be careful about your choice of words: avoid saying ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’, as this implies that the problem lies with the customer. Instead, try ‘Please accept my apologies for the error – will you give me the opportunity to make this right for you?’. This gives the customer the power to forgive you.
When you’ve got a customer shouting, swearing and generally being unpleasant towards you, it’s easy to get flustered and lose your cool. But if you get angry, this can reflect badly on you and the company you work for.
Instead, take a deep breath and pause for a few moments to gather your thoughts. Keep your voice low and calm, and remind yourself that the issues that they’re complaining about likely aren’t your fault. Smile and be friendly, and you’ll be one step closer to winning the guest back around.
Also, don’t be afraid to seek the support and advice from someone who’s more senior than you – this definitely isn’t a sign of weakness, and shows that you and the wider team are doing everything you can to resolve the matter.
If the customer is being aggressive, remember that you’re absolutely within your rights to ask them to calm down – just choose your words carefully.
Say: ‘I want to resolve this for you, but I cannot help you if you continue to swear and act aggressively towards me. Do you understand?’. This will show that you’re assertive, confident and won’t tolerate unacceptable behaviour.
Of course, if a guest is physically violent towards you, of if you feel like your safety is about to be compromised, then you must call 999 immediately.
The best thing you can offer aside from an apology and empathy towards the guest is a solution. Clearly communicate with the customer about how you will make the situation right, and how you will ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Take full accountability, and don’t blame the customer at any point.
You could also offer a gesture of goodwill, such as a full or partial refund, a free meal or future stay, or a change of room. This can help to end the exchange on a positive note and get the business back in the customer’s good books.
Hopefully these tips will make things that little bit easier the next time you’re faced with a guest who has a complaint!
Did you know that Workforce is recruiting for some fantastic hospitality roles right now? We’re working with some amazing clients, including some of London’s most luxurious hotels, international hotel chains and holiday parks based up and down the country.
If you’re actively looking for your next role in hospitality, want to start your career in the sector or just want a confidential chat about some of the vacancies we have available, get in touch or apply today.
