How to Handle Angry Hotel Guests Effectively

Learning how to handle angry hotel guests effectively is key to keeping operations running smoothly in the hospitality industry. Employees who are trained in conflict management will be able to remain calm and handle guest complaints well. Such training equips hotel staff with proactive approaches to handling difficult situations, such as active listening.

Problems like overbooked rooms or long waits can make guests irritable. Employees who are not adept at conflict resolution are likely to make the situation worse. The following are effective strategies for dealing with displeased hotel patrons.

Practice Active Listening

Active listening is a key component in keeping a guest complaint from escalating into a bigger issue. Active listening is a vital communication skill that makes the speaker feel more understood and heard. This is exactly what an employee or manager should aim for when addressing a guest’s concern.

Some examples of key active listening phrases in the hotel industry are:

1. “I hear you; I understand completely.”
2. “That’s an excellent point.”
3. “I will update you on the issue as soon as possible.”
4. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention; I appreciate your feedback.”

Active listening is a communication tool that helps hotel staff stay calm and collected during tense guest confrontations. Employees can be trained to handle difficult hotel guests with purpose-built modules such as those available through the hospitality LMS by Axonify, which is designed specifically for frontline workers in sectors such as hotels and large resorts. Such platforms offer AI-based adaptive training and teach employees conflict solution strategies so that they can respond to angry hotel guests appropriately.

Identify the Problem and Apologize

Employees should quickly acknowledge any inconvenience that a guest reports during their stay. This will not only help resolve the issue promptly, but an apology will also help the guest feel valued. Even if the problem was a result of miscommunication, an authentic apology can relieve tension and de-escalate a tense guest interaction.

Some of the most common inconveniences that a guest will report during their stay at a hotel are:

• Poor customer service
• Slow or absent Wi-Fi
• Small beds
• Noisy atmospheres
• Unclean or untidy rooms or common spaces
• Low-quality food

If any of these issues occur during a guest’s stay, a frontline employee should offer an empathetic and sincere apology. An example would be, “I’m so sorry you’ve had this experience, and I completely understand your frustration. Let’s see what we can do to fix this.” Acknowledgment followed by sincere efforts to remedy the situation can do wonders for regaining the trust of an upset guest.

Empower Your Team to Solve Problems Quickly

Guests who are unhappy usually want a fast fix. It’s a good idea to walk through how each employee plays a role in fixing the problem for the guest. Hotel learning and development (L&D) managers may want to do this by presenting real-life scenarios that could occur during an employee’s shift.

For example, if a guest complains about an unclean room, the front desk employee can offer to switch rooms for the guest. Meanwhile, they can communicate with housekeeping to make sure the new room is spotless. This collaborative effort ensures that the guest’s complaint is handled as efficiently as possible.

Offer Plenty of Solutions

Once an employee acknowledges a guest’s concern through active listening and apologizing, it’s time to offer a solution. They could say to the guest, “Here are some solutions I can offer you.” An employee’s commitment to fixing the problem will help turn a negative situation into a positive one.

Examples of possible solutions for common customer complaints are as follows:

Customer complaint: “My room is untidy and small, and the beds are uncomfortable.”

Possible solutions: Upgrading or changing a room to the guest’s liking.

Customer complaint: “I did not like the hotel’s restaurant food.”

Possible solutions: Offering the guest other plates that patrons enjoy. Offering a complimentary meal or a discount on a future meal. Talking with the chef and restaurant manager about food quality and standards.

Customer complaint: “XYZ staff member was unfriendly to me.”

Solutions: The hotel manager or colleagues should address the issue directly with the staff member. Ask the staff member in question to apologize directly to the guest. Then provide the staff member with additional training or coaching to improve future interactions with such guests.

Sometimes, guests have unrealistic expectations about the service they expect. In this situation, it’s important that both employees and managers are prepared to handle these requests with professionalism and grace.

Follow Up to Ensure Satisfaction

Following up on complaints from angry guests to ensure that the issue has been resolved is crucial for maintaining guest loyalty. Research shows that guest complaints can damage a business’s image but, if appropriately handled, will lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Addressing complaints quickly can help de-escalate concerns rather than letting them brew into something more serious. A quick follow-up, whether by phone or in person, shows the guest that their experience really matters to you.

Some examples of follow-up questions to ask after dealing with an angry guest are:

• “I apologize and understand how frustrating the situation must have been. Are you feeling better now?”
• “Would it be helpful to go over the details of what happened to make sure we’re on the same page?”
• “Is there anything else we can do to make sure you have a great experience with us?

Following up with an angry guest after resolving their complaints will impact their overall guest experience. A prompt and sincere follow-up shows an irritated guest that you are genuinely concerned about their experience and are committed to improving it. Asking the right questions allows a frustrated guest to vent and gives them the power and space to express their feelings.

Don’t Take It Personally or Be Defensive

Guests will come and go, and it’s important that an employee doesn’t take it personally when an angry customer lashes out. Ideally, a guest will express their frustration in a calm and constructive way. In other cases, a guest may get angry and raise their voice. Sometimes, a frustrated guest is upset about something that occurred in their personal life and has been further agitated by the situation.

When a customer is upset, try not to take it personally or get defensive. Remind yourself that a guest is upset with something your company did or didn’t do. An employee’s or manager’s job is to take an angry guest’s energy and channel it into something positive the best they can.

Other Quick Tips for Handling Angry Guests

Here are some other quick tips employees can use when emotions are running high and they need to de-escalate the situation:

• Let the guest finish their concern, rant, or complaint without interrupting.
• Offer practical solutions right away.
• If the staff member feels threatened in any way, they can calmly ask the guest to lower their voice or they will need to involve a manager or security.

Listen, Solve the Problem, and Improve

Handling angry guests is never fun. Staying calm and familiarizing staff members with a few techniques for handling angry guests will help de-escalate tense interactions. Practicing active listening, identifying the problem, and offering sincere apologies will all assist in resolving angry guest issues more quickly.

In situations where an angry guest becomes aggressive, it’s important to set boundaries to ensure that both guests and staff members are safe. Learning management systems are good tools for training employees about effective de-escalation techniques when dealing with upset guests. Overall, approaching guest complaints with empathy and action will help transform a stressful situation into a positive one.