Learn How to Handle Difficult Guests in Hotel & Restaurants

In a hotel or restaurant everyday hundreds or thousands of guests come and go. All are different. They come from different countries, possess different levels of education and most importantly each carries different personalities. It is you, as a server or hotelier, have to handle all types of guests.

In service industry like hotel, complaints go side by side. Whenever you would try to sell any product or service, you will find some people who may not become satisfied. In hotel arena, people get angry or not fill happy for various reasons. Some common reasons are like not getting proper service by staffs, bad quality of food in restaurants etc. The basic golden rule is don’t be panic or offensive while guests complain to you. Try to professionally deal all sorts of complaints. This is a great chance to show your professionalism. For more guest complaint handling tips, read these articles by clicking here

Handle Angry Guest Hotel RestaurantThing you should consider:

Why do you feel guest complaints are bad for your property. Try to think in different ways. Don’t you feel it is helpful for you to find out weaknesses of your property and a chance to resolve that? A valid, logical complaint is the feedback from your guest, by handling which you can improve your hotel or restaurant on the other hand ignoring such complaint will result serious loss in future. So, try to think this way. This is the right approach to handle guest complaint.

Proper ways of handling guest complaint

  1. Take your time. Listen with full attention what guest wants to say.
  2. After guest expresses his complaint, repeat that in your voice to make him understand that you listen to him properly.
  3. Start replying in a tricky way like “I understand your problem, sir” or “Thanks a lot for bringing up the matter to us”. This will give impression to guest that you are not against the guest but rather supporting him. This would make him calm.
  4. If you are the person to solve the matter then take proper action to solve the problem. If you are not authorized for handling such complaints then inform the right person who can solve the problem.
  5. If you can solve the problem and you may take time from guest to solve the problem and in this situation don’t forget to follow up the problem to check whether it is solved or not.
  6. If the problem is very serious then consult with top personnel immediately.
  7. If you are front desk agent then you should write the complaint in complaint form.

How to Handle Intoxicated Guest

  1. Whisper; talk personally to persuade him out of the party. Do not talk facing the people.
  2. Inform him that he is disturbing the party. Offer him your service.
  3. If he does not agree, inform the host (as in the Hotel, inform the Duty Manager).

How to Handle Guest Visitor

  1. Screen the visitor in a polite manner. If there is advance information all ready from the guest, escort the visitor to the guest room. If not, request the visitor to go with you to the Front Desk and establish the reason for the visit.
  2. Offer your help and ask the visitor’s name.
  3. Inform the guest by phone, and announce the name of the visitor.
  4. If the guest agrees to see his visitor, escort the visitor to the guest room.
  5. When they both meet, offer some services, such as coffee or tea service.

How to Handle a Visitor at Night

If the guest comes home with a joiner:

  1. Greet the guest and his joiner like normal guests.
  2. Offer your service to them.
  3. Inform the Chief of Security and Duty Manager about the guest’s joiner.
  4. Note in the follow up book for next shift for information.
  5. Treat the joiner as your guest also.

How to Handle a Noisy Guestroom

  1. Go to the noisy room and politely ask the guest to tone down the noise level.
  2. If the guest does not agree, inform the Duty Manager to handle the matter.

Guest on Diet/Allergy

  1. Offer food item out of what the guest diet allergy is.
  2. Give the guest the menu card to choose from.
  3. Suggest to the guest to have:
  • Fish from the river, if he cannot eat seafood.
  • Beef meat, if the guest cannot eat pork.
  • Vegetables, if the guest cannot eat meat.
  • Unsalted meat, if the guest cannot eat salty food.
  • Low calorie and less fat content/no sugar, if the guest is on a diet.