Service recovery 10-minute trainer

About Service Recovery

​At IHG we aim to give the best guest service possible. However, as service business, we can't avoid all problems, and it is inevitable that you will deal with dissatisfied guests at some time.

Handling guest complaints correctly is an incredibly important part of the overall service experience you deliver. Often, a negative experience that a guest has with your hotel can be recovered and turned into an opportunity to win the mover for life. But being able to handle negative feedback in a positive way takes plenty of practice.

Poorly handled guest complaints are one of the quickest ways you can destroy another wise stellar service reputation.
Consider the following:

​The customer complaint iceberg

For every unhappy guest that complains directly to the hotel, there are 25 unhappy guests who did not bother to complain, each of those unhappy guests tell an average of 10 people about their experience (260 people in total,) which in turn tell 5 more people what they heard (1300 people in total.) and that is without the use of social media!!!

IHG Standards states: “Any guest complaint received by IHG will be resolved immediately and fairly to the guest’s satisfaction.” (prior to departure)

In other words, you should respond quickly and effectively to any guest concerns. Most guests will come back to stay with us, IF a solution is found to their problem. The quicker the solution is found the higher there turn rate up to 95%.

At IHG service recovery means an opportunity to correct and build loyalty when something goes wrong during a guest stay. To help you learn effective service recovery we use a principle called ILEAD:

· Make it easy for Guests to report problems and complaints.

· Encourage the Guest to share their concerns.

· Ask open-ended questions.

· Look for non-verbal clues. Listen for indirect comments or concerns.

· At departure, ensure the Guest leaves feeling happy using Rate your Stay.

​​Identify

​​Listen

Empathise

Delivery

Apologise

· Smile.

· Nod.

· Turn your body towards the Guest.

· Make eye contact.

· Ask clarifying questions.

· Stay focused on the Guest.

· Write down key points.

· Over the phone: Repeat information back to the Guest. Confirm your understanding. Indicate with your tone of voice that you are listening actively.

· Respect the Guest’s priorities and concerns.

· Use the Guest’s name often.

· Place yourself in the Guest’s position. How would you feel?

· Use phrases that show you understand the Guest.

·  For example: “I can see why that has upset you”
“I understand how you must feel”
“I know this isn’t good enough”

· Apologies are always necessary when a Guest complains.

· Show that you are genuinely sorry.

· Demonstrate kindness towards the Guest and hotel.

· Stay positive!

· Be genuine.

· Don’t apologise before you know what you are apologising for. This will seem insincere.

· Follow up with the guest. Keep them informed of the status of the issue.

· Check that the guest is happy with your resolution.

· Follow up with the other team members who are involved. Have they done what you need them to do?

· Use IHG Rewards Club points to thank guests for bringing the matter to your attention.

· Log the complaint on your Problem Tracker and inform the Duty Manager.

Open Ended

Time to evaluate the knowledge, please insert your Punch clock number

Multiple Choice

Question 01

Handling negative feedback in a positive way does not require any practice.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 02

For every unhappy guest that complains directly to the hotel, there are 25 unhappy guests who did not bother to complain.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 03

Good customer service gives your hotel a strategic advantage over your competitors.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 04

As per the IHG Standard any guest complaint received by IHG will be resolved in one week and fairly to the guest’s satisfaction.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 05

Most guests will come back to stay with us, IF a solution is found to their problem. The quicker the solution is found the higher the return rate. Up to what percentage?

• 65 %

• 95%

Multiple Choice

Question 06

Service recovery means to give compensation to the guest in every case for any complaint in order to eliminate the problem.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 07

In order to provide effective service recovery delivering the solution is the next step after identifying the problem.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 08

Empathy means that we know how to put ourselves in the shoes of the guest.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 09

Dissatisfied guests provide important feedback to help us improve our service.

• True
• False

Multiple Choice

Question 10

It is twice more expensive to acquire a new guest than it is to retain an old one.

• True
• False