respond to conflicts and customers complaints week (7)

Respond to conflicts and customers complaintsWeek (7)

Respond to Conflicts and customers

conflicts Complaints

Introduction

Occasionally guests complain.

Sometimes our fault, sometimes it is not but as we are front line staff, the customers will come and express their dissatisfaction

Therefore, we must manage how to respond to it.

OutcomesUpon completion of this topic, the students will be able

to :1.Identify potential and existing conflicts and seek

solutions in conjunction with parties involved.2.Recognise customer dissatisfaction promptly and take

action to resolve the situation according to individual level of responsibility and organisation procedures.

3.Respond to customer complaints positively, sensitively and politely and in consultation with the customer.

4.Refer escalated complaints to the appropriate person according to individual level of responsibility and organisation policy and procedures.

5.Maintain a positive and cooperative manner at all times.

Complaints

• Mechanical complaintMost guest complaints relate to hotel equipment malfunctions. ( room furnishing, ice machine, door keys, television, lighting, air conditioning etc)

Attitudinal complaint The guest feel insulted by rude or

unprofessional staff member of the hotel. Service-related complaint• The guest experience a problem with hotel

service. ( waiting time for service, lack of assistance with luggage, untidy room, phone difficult)

Cont.

Unusual complaintGuest sometime expects the front office staff to

resolve or at least listen.Hotel generally have little or no control over

the circumstances.The exampleBad weather, Why train are late? No buses

running on weekends etc.

Why do Customers Complain?Customers complain because their needs

and/or expectations have not been met.They feel they have been let down by the

establishment or the service provider.There is a gap between what the customer

expects and what has been achieved i.e..- a service performance gap.

WHY PEOPLE COMPLAIN?From frustration

To impress other people

For compensation

Provide Service to colleagues and customers 8

When dealing with a guest complaint - NEVER

Talk down to the customer

Be defensiveJustify why it

happenedBlame other people

or departmentsBlame the

customer


COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDUREListen without interruptionDon’t get defensiveExpress concern and empathy - apologise

sincerelyEstablish the problem - ask questionsFind out what they wantExplain what you can and cannot doFully discuss alternativesTake ActionFollow up to ensure they are happy



Handling Complaints

• Information recorded accurately in Complaint Log

Recognised complaint handling procedure s are followed

Relevant department or personnel consulted

Follow up to ensure everything is resolved - record action in Log

Log reviewed to see if on going/multiple complaints being received and what steps can be taken to rectify.


Empowerment• The person who takes

the complaint owns the complaint.

• You should try to resolve the complaint to the best of your ability.

• Do you know what you can do to resolve a complaint without calling for a manager or supervisor?

Complaint Recording and Follow Up Procedures

All complaints must be handled diplomatically so all parties recognise:

The issue has been raised with relevant authority

All points of view have been consideredDiscretion will be applied in resolving the

matterDue process will be followedAction will be taken and the matter will be

remedied


cont.You must establish the details of the customer complaint through Questioning and active listening techniques

Summarising and clarifying the issue

Recording details of complaintDiscussing with customer the process of

resolution – giving them options and letting them know how the complaint will be resolved

You need to know the lines of reporting complaints and when to seek assistance

Benefits of positive handling of complaints

The value of resolving complaints can not be underestimated and include:

Promoting goodwillImproved customer relationsPositive work of mouth publicityPromotion of enterprise service ethic



DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMPLAINING CUSTOMER AND A

DIFFICULT CUSTOMER

A complaining customer is somebody whose needs and expectations have not been met

A difficult customer is somebody who is a challenge to serve because of their personality, for example, they may be rude, impatient or talkative


HOW CAN A CUSTOMER BE DIFFICULT?

Rude Impatient Noisy Talkative Confused -

unable to make decisions

Silent Fussy


TYPES OF DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS

Rude CustomerCan be rude to everyone - they just

don’t feel comfortable being nice.DO Ignore their rudeness and don’t take it personallyDON’T Become Rude and Aggressive

Impatient CustomerAlways in a hurry - and it won’t matter how quickly you serve them - they will still be impatient

DO Serve them quickly and politely DON’T Waste their time with conversation and

they may not want you trying to sell them products and services


TYPES OF DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS

Confused CustomerFind it difficult to make decisions and may take a long timeto decideDO Be helpful by making suggestions and asking questionsDON’T Rush them - they could become flustered and embarrassed

Talkative CustomerWants to talk and could spend all day doing itDO Be friendly and attentive - Lead the conversationDON’T Ignore them or give them all your attention

so other customers are ignored

Customer Complaint Handling

Customer Complaint HandlingIt is essential to treat every complaint with

respect, no matter how trivial.

On average, a satisfied customer tells three people about good service. A dissatisfied customer complains to 11 people.

One study showed that 13% of the people who had a problem with an organisation complained about the company to more than 20 people.

Advantages of Complaints

To the Organization

• Opportunity to improve quality of products and services in organization

To the CustomerThe customer’s

need can be met resulting in customer satisfaction

Steps in complaint handling

1. Listen and stay calm2. Acknowledge the customers feelings and

right to complain3. Establish/confirm the problem4. Suggest alternatives and agree on solution5. Take action6. Record the incident7. Follow up to ensure customer

satisfaction

The value of resolving customer complaints

Promoting goodwillCustomer RelationsPublicityPromotingenterprise serviceethic

Case studyA receptionist in a “5 star“ hotel received a call

from an angry guest who discovered that the TV in his room was not working and the bathroom had not been cleaned.

List the sequence of steps necessary for the receptionist in this scenario to deal with customer complaints.

Explain 2 long-term consequencesto the establishment if customer complaints are continuouslyincorrectly handled.

OutcomeAt the end of this unit the students will be

able to:-

Identify conflict situationsResolve conflict situationsEvaluate conflict situations.

IntroductionConflict! It can manifest itself in all situations

in the hospitality industry.

It's an industry that deals in people, in service.

It's an industry with tight deadlines and pressure.

It's an industry involving lots of people, all with different needs and expectations.

Conflict is part of the industry.

Cont.

We can't eliminate conflict, and in some cases we can't even resolve it.

All we can hope to do is to manage it.

That is, manage conflict so that its harmful effects are eliminated or minimised.

In some cases that means trying to manage the conflict to give a win-win situation for the parties involved.

What is Conflict?Any situation that leads to disagreement

between two or more individuals.

Conflict, when handled appropriately, can lead to:Improved working relationshipsImproved customer serviceIncreased productivityIncreased opportunities for self

development

Three areas where conflict existIn the workplace, we encounter three broad

areas where conflict could exist. These include:

Interpersonal conflict between staff members;

Organisational conflict between different sections, or managers;

Conflict involving the organisation's clients (customers and suppliers).

Interpersonal Conflict

Three basic causes can be identified.1.

Emotional Conflict - Conflict caused by hurt feelings.

Conflict due to different needs - something is stopping you from reaching your goal.

Conflict due to different values, attitudes and outlooks.

What Types of Conflict are there?Within ourselves.Between us and a colleague.Between us and a customer .Between organisations.Between customers.

Causes of ConflictConflict arises for any number of reasons:

Different expectationsCommunication barriers-( THE MOST COMMON)MotivationCultural values/Differences in valuesPersonalitySafety and securityOrganisational structureOrganisational change

Fear –people don’t get along because they fear each other.People fear each other because they don’t know each other.They don’t know each other because they have not properly

communicated with each otherDifferences in goals, expectations

But before dealing with the conflict, make sure you understand the situation and what is happening: identify the real difference that is causing the conflict.

Is the problem a difference in the facts, goals, methods or values?

By understanding the situation and the real cause of the conflict, you will be better equipped to choose from the range of constructive responses suited to conflict resolution’ Source: Dwyer, J. (1997) The Business Communication Handbook 4th Ed (p100)

THE BEGINNINGS OF CONFLICTMisunderstanding and Communication

barriers are main causes of conflict:- These occur because:1.People do not listen to each other2.Are not prepared to talk and resolve the

situation3.Do not understand cultural differences

and are not prepared to make allowances for them

How do you recognise potential conflict?Potential for conflict can be readily

identified where any of the causes of conflict exist.

For example, if you or a colleague are unable to meet each others, organisational or customer expectations, conflict may arise.

You can also recognise potential for conflict by observing body language and by listening.

Barriers in communication…..

Barriers That Cause ConflictNot paying attention – causing frustration,

annoyance – unprofessional/distraction - If you have answer the phone please ensure that you excuse yourself.

No Eye Contact – results in showing of disinterest but uncomfortable too.

Interrupting – when someone is trying to talk to you or finishing their sentences for them –

Tone of Voice – arrogant, demanding, anger, whining etc - ensure that you remain objective

Sarcasm – show patience and understanding as sarcasm can only ignite the situation

Barriers That Cause Conflict

Rudeness – is totally unacceptable in hospitality and there is no excuse for this.

Cultural Differences – try and familiarise yourself with the culture you are dealing with to avoid conflict as a result of you ‘misunderstanding cultural beliefs, manners & protocols’

Recognising potential for conflict through Body LanguageBody language (non verbal communication)

is a powerful way to express thoughts and feelings.

Being able to recognise negative body language can help identify potential for problems.

However, do not read body language signals in isolation; consider the entire context of the situation.

Body language – how does it look

Recognising potential for conflictNot only what a person is saying but how they

are saying it can indicate potential for conflict.For example, as people become frustrated,

angry or impatient,Their pitch may riseTheir rate of speech may increaseTheir tone may change – boredom, sarcasm,

irritationThey may accuse you of somethingThey may tell you how to behaveAggressive Body LanguageNarrowing of eyes – intimidating youFlared nostrils – anger building, taking deep

breath..Tapping of fingers or feet - impatience

Recognising potential for conflictStretched muscles – especially jaw line

showing that anger is building!Difficulty in discussing the issue calmly and

rationally

If the signs are not recognised and acted upon then..

Voice is further raised maybe even shoutingBody leaning forward – intimidatingHand gestures – finger pointing etcStorming out of room, slamming door or

draws or if in the kitchen – implements!

If you have identified potential conflict situations:Do not ignore itImmediately address the situationRemain calm and politeIf need be, seek assistanceTackle /dig deep and find out the ‘real reason’

for the conflict.

If you have identified potential conflict situations That Are Cultural:Learn about each other's countries and

cultures

Be respectful and open-minded

Celebrate holidays of other cultures

Create cultural awareness factsheets

Treat people as individuals

Identify gaps in your own knowledge

If you have identified potential conflict situations That Are Cultural:Strategies for minimising cultural

misunderstandings: handle sensitively and courteouslyoffer apologies where appropriatedon’t give reasons or excusestake the best course of action to resolve

as quickly as possiblelearn by ones mistakesseek assistance from supervisor or

manager if required

If you have identified potential conflict situations That Are Cultural:Preventing cultural misunderstandings: provide colleagues and customers with

appropriate informationprovide advise of cultural variations and

practices, behaviour and opinions they may find different before they experience them

adapt own actions and behaviour in ways that are culturally appropriate

provide customers with appropriate tourism and hospitality products and services

Stages of conflict

Stages of conflict- Helpful Hints

Resolving conflict situationsIt is important for us to understand how to resolve

conflict and develop our own way of doing this. Possible outcomes include:Lose-lose – where both parties end up

dissatisfied and unhappyWin-lose – where one side wins at the expense

of the other. Useful if one side can admit they were in the wrong, however not common!

Win-win – our preferred outcome. To achieve this we must be willing to :Respect and acknowledge everyone’s

perceptions and expectationsVerbalise what we wantIdentify and practise appropriate conflict

resolution techniques.

Responsibility for resolving conflict

Whilst responsibility for resolution usually rests with those involved, sometimes it also depends on:Our position in the workplace – do we have

the authority to resolve the situation?The people involved – if involves colleagues

then we may need to involve more senior staff.

The nature of the conflict – depending on the nature of the conflict, we may be forced to involve others (e.g. security or safety issues).

respond to conflicts and customers complaints week (7)

Documents

hotel service

customer complaints

guest complaints

customers9 slide

customers10 slide

customers8 slide

servicerelated complaint

service provider