01Complaints are a gift
Most unhappy guests never say anything — they just do not come back, or they write a review. The one who tells you is offering the chance to fix it while they are still here.
02The five steps: L.E.A.R.N.
- Listen — let them finish. Do not interrupt, defend or explain yet.
- Empathise — name the feeling: “I understand, after a long day that is the last thing you need.”
- Apologise — sincerely, for the experience, even if it is not your fault.
- Resolve — offer a concrete fix, ideally two options so the guest chooses.
- Notify — log it and tell the team, so it does not happen to the next guest.
03What not to say
There is almost always something you can do, even if it is small.
- “That’s our policy.”
- “Nobody has complained about that before.”
- “There’s nothing I can do.”
04Follow up
A quick call or visit later — “Is everything better now?” — is often what the guest remembers most. It shows the fix was not just to make them go away.
