Owning a hotel is not easy. You will need to deal with all types of customers every day. Whereas most of the customers are polite and friendly, there will always be individuals who ruin the experience for everyone. In general, aggressive customers are the aspect of owning a hotel that is hard to handle. Not only do such customers disrupt the peace, but they also do so in a way that makes others feel uneasy. When it comes to resolving pitied situations, the best thing to do is to act calmly and professionally. In the article, you’ll explore some efficient tips for hotel owners that will help them act smart and responsible in such situations.
1. Leverage hotel management software
Sophisticated hotel management software, when trying to mitigate and solve issues with aggressive guests, hotel owners can deploy sophisticated hotel management software owing to the digital era we live in. These platforms have the necessary tools to help one manage aggressive guests efficiently:
- a) Guest history and profile tracking:Many hotel management systems come with tools to track each guest’s history and profile. This includes records on previous stays, the number of complaints or issues with the guests, and behavioral patterns. Thus, if the guest is aggressive regularly, the staff can know about it in advance and manage the situation proactively.
- b) Real-time communication alerting: There is such hotel management software that provides real-time alerting of staff. In other words, if the managers or security must interfere in the situation, the staff can inform them immediately via the hotel management app.
2. Remain calm and polite
The first and most important step in addressing an aggressive guest is to not lose one’s own composure and politeness. While it is only natural to get angry and wish to yell back at a person who yells at and insults one, equals never make better situations. Take a deep breath, speak with a neutral tone, and reach, try not to match the guest’s level of emotion.
This can be very difficult, but it is important to remain in control of oneself. Staying cool, as said, shows that you are in control. The idea of the angry client calms down when it is clear that he or she cannot provoke an outburst; the angry guest will have no reason to continue being aggressive when it is clear that the anger is not being returned.
Politeness also reflects back rowdily, proving that one accomplishes oneself to a high level of service, which is good for the hotel’s image even when things go wrong. Although it is important to take control, one must also remember to be patient. Speaking slowly, clearly, and calmly and staying to address grievances professionally is important.
3. Listen and empathize
Usually, aggression appears because of frustration, non-comprehension, or the feeling the situation is uncontrollable. In this case, it would be possible to validate the victim’s emotions by listening to them without any interruption and by repeating their own interpretations and a person’s words. It could take the form of “I see that you are mad since…” or “I realize this situation is frustrating because” or “I understand you are upset when…” without providing a solution or an opinion. This validation could show that the emotions are taken with appropriate attention and understanding.
4. Offer solutions
After you hear the guest and recognize the problem, now, it is time to propose potential solutions. An angry guest most likely feels ‘powerlessness’ since the problem has already occurred, and the solution might appear arbitrary to them.
Therefore, it is crucial to provide guests with opportunities to choose between several alternatives that will boost their sense of control and understanding that they can talk to your employees. Suggest such solutions as if the disagreement happened in one room: a cheaper price for remaking, another room, and a feature like a snack basket or breakfast in bed.
In the case of an unsatisfying service, acknowledge your mistake and offer re-performing or a free alternative. Think about alternative solutions and be open to negotiation. It should not be a battle – you should win a satisfied customer, not an argument.
5. Involve a supervisor or manager
However, sometimes, no matter how hard you try to pacify the guest and all the reasonable solutions you propose, the aggressive individual does not calm down. In this case, it is appropriate to return the supervisor. Explain to the guest that you are unable to handle the situation, as far as you see it, and that they will need to wait for a person in charge.
This way, you show the guest that you are not disregarding their concerns and that you are passing this matter to the relevant department or person. When the supervisor takes over, they can suggest a fresh look at your situation. In addition, the supervisor can also suggest other potential solutions or compromises.
6. Know when to call for assistance
While most incidents of aggressive guests can be resolved through a conversation and working towards a solution, there might be a situation where a guest threatens the place or faces imminent danger. In such a case, the safety of one’s personnel or other guests comes first.
If the guest refuses to leave the building, remains verbally abusive, or if their physical conduct is deemed threatening, you should not hesitate to reach out to the security personnel or the police. The staff’s safety should never be compromised, and no one should be forced to suffer threatening statements or actions.
In other words, one should establish a protocol on when to call for help from the security services, as well as train the personnel on how to recognize potentially threatening behavior.
Conclusion
It is always uncomfortable to have such situations as aggressive guests, but it is inevitable with a hotel as well. The strategies described in the article, such as staying calm and polite, empathizing, providing solutions, and seeking the support of supervisors or managers and hotel billing software, help to manage the challenge and support high professionalism among staff and clients. Additionally, it is preferable to know when a hotel’s assistance is required.