innkeeping: difficult guest

[Uri Ladell <margoa@actcom.co.il>]

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From.....

Uri Ladell
Margoa Ba'Gilboa Country Inn
Kibbutz Ma'ale Gilboa                
Israel                              

new tel: +972-6-6539500
new fax: +972-6-6585895
e-mail: margoa@actcom.co.il

Visit us now at:  http://www.margoa-bagilboa.co.il 



"He who travels, knows much." (Wisdom of Ben Sira 34,9)

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> 
> >
> >I have been in business for maybe 7 years, and one or twice a year I get a
> >"difficult" guest. My past practice has been to bend over backwards to
> >accommodate in any way possible. If they didn't like the room, I have 
> >given
> >then a refund.
> >

It's always a dubious "pleasure" to see that the difficulties we all go
through in our line of work are not our's alone.  I think you're lucky if
you only get one or two such complaints a year.  I also appreciate the
fact that you bend over backwards to accomodate in any way possible.  I
agree with this way of running  a business - especially a service oriented
business - and I must justify this route to my associates and others (I am
not the owner of the country inn I run).  The small B&B and country inns
have a good name specificalyy because we make it our business to please -
and not just as an empty slogan.

In my experience however, (a bit less than yours - I've been manager of
this 19 room inn for only 5  years) , a refund is not the correct
solution.  In effect it is counter productive.  In the event of a
complaint such as you received (i.e. an unfair, blown out of proportion
kind of complaint) refunding the money won't bring in new (paying) guests.
The complainers won't be coming anyway, and if, that is, when they tell
their friends about their experience, you won't get any new guests from
the referal.  How about a letter of apology and a small gift (fruit basket
or the such).. In this way, they may return on their next visit in the
area, and if they do spread the word about the experience, it will be
a more positive story. What is called a win-win situation.  (AT the worst
all their friends will come, make similar complaints and it will cost you
some more fruit baskets.  Not bad if it brought you more business...

In any event - Good luck to you!

Uri Ladell in Israel