Wikitravel.

org released in an article a list of the common problems a guest at a  hotel, motel, or other
place of lodging may encounter. These situations are generally not pleasant, and in severe cases, may
ruin one's vacation. The likelihood of them can be reduced if one reads hotel reviews prior to making a
decision to book a lodging facility or asks to see the place prior to checking in.

Historically, lodging facilities have easily been able to get away with neglecting their properties and
mistreating their customers because often they do not get repeat customers, since many people will
only travel to a location once. But that is changing. The reviews provided on the internet in modern
times has given all such establishments with an incentive to offer quality accommodation because those
that give bad service are likely to receive negative reviews and therefore lose business.

Property quality and condition

Dirty room

The room, or parts thereof, are shy of being immaculately clean, and can appear disgusting to the guest.
This may include the floor or carpet, the wall, the upholstery, the linens, the bathroom, or the kitchen
facilities, just to name a few.

Unpleasant odors

The room exhibits an unpleasant smell to the guest.

Often, the room smells like cigarette smoke, which is unpleasant for a non-smoker. Separate smoking
and non-smoking rooms are supposed to alleviate this problem, though properties vary in how good of a
job they do at this.

Uncomfortable beds

The bed(s) are extremely hard, old, or otherwise uncomfortable to sleep on. The pillows are too hard,
too thin, or worn. Or else the linens are made of an unpleasant fabric. This could affect one's ability to
sleep well.

Infestation

The room is infested with insects or rodents, commonly roaches or bedbugs.

Amenities not working

Many properties are sought for the amenities they include. But it can be frustrating when one or more
of them are malfunctioning. No one likes to have an air conditioner that does not work on a hot day, or
wifi that simply will not connect.

Deteriorating facility

The building or the room within are falling apart, and have not been well maintained. Some examples
are excessive peeling paint or wallpaper, a leaking ceiling, dripping pipes, rust or mold, broken windows,
or loose tiles, to name a few.

Unsavory guests

One or more, sometimes a significant number of guests staying at the property, are a nuisance because
of their behavior, and their presence can be bad enough to ruin one's stay. Some of these behaviors can
include guest being rude in common areas, playing loud music or TV, public drunkenness, illicit drug
usage, drug sales, and prostitution, just to name a few, all while management is apathetic to this
activity. In fact, certain motels unofficially quite specifically cater to people looking for a safe and cheap
place to do drugs and have sex with prostitutes. For a traveler it is better to avoid those places.

https://wikitravel.org/en/Common_lodging_complaints_and_problems
Case Study Report Outline
1. Introduction and Rationale of the Case
 Hotels that do everything in their power to prevent common problems from occurring
have a better chance of retaining their customers and keep an undamaged reputation.
It's vital for hoteliers to know how to deal with every situation and train their staff to be
up to the task if any of the problems occur. We all know that if a guest checks into our
hotel, we know what the guest wants in a hotel is not just the place but the service and
the experience they had when they stayed at our hotel.

2. Description of the Status of the Case

a. Describe the current situation of the case
 The current situation of the case is that common lodging complaints and problems
affect the image of our hotel because we have received negative comments from the
guests who have checked into our hotel.

b. Describe the performance standards and measures (if any)

 One of the best ways of fighting these negative hotel complaints is by preparing for
them so that they don’t occur in the first place or so you’re at least prepared to deal
with the issue whenever it rears its ugly head.

3. Assessment/Analysis of the Case

a. Describe the operational strength of the case
 hotel guest complaints is a common issue for those working in hospitality and you’ll
have to work hard to ensure the issues don’t hurt your brand.

b. Describe the issues/problems/concerns within the case

 The common lodging complaints and problem, hotels should avoid these things so they
could have an excellent image and for the guest to check in again in your hotel.

4. Alternatives for improvement

a. Present alternatives to address the identified issues/problems/concerns
 Empathy
 Apologise
 Find a Solution
 Follow up
 Exceed guest's expectations
b. Assess the alternatives to determine the viable solutions
 Usually, when someone is complaining, they are angry and want to be heard. So, you
have to show empathy for the situation. Always listen to what a person has to say. Don't
cut him off, don't start explanations while the person is still talking. Let them finish.
Sometimes just expressing a frustration can already give a relief. Manage your voice
tone and pick words carefully. Emotionally heated person can't cope with certain
phrases or actions. Know at least a very basic tactics for anger/stress management.

 Always apologize and admit, if there was a mistake done. Even if a guest is mad about
something, that has nothing to do with you or even your hotel. Apologize that guest is
experiencing bad emotions and ensure that something can be done in order to make
them feel better. Various studies show that if the complaints are handled quickly, guests
are even highly possible to become loyal. Admitting mistakes show your honesty and
can help to solve even the worst situations.
 Find a solution. It is necessary to find a way, how to solve a situation. Sometimes a
simple "sorry" can do a miracle. People are not always interested to get compensation
for some unpleasant situation. But if you can offer an upgrade or something extra (like
breakfast, drink, SPA day...), that would also work just fine.

 Follow up with the guest. If you solved the situation, don't leave it as it is. A guest might
feel that you just got rid of their problem and pushed them out of your head. Guest
(customer) always should be in the center of your "business universe". So even if you
solved their issue, ask if now everything is fine, maybe they need something else. E.g.
you solved the issue by giving your guest a room with a better view. Next time when you
see this guest in the lobby, ask if everything is fine in a new room; if they are enjoying
the view; if there is something else they might need.

 Exceed guest's expectations. Even if you follow up with the guest after solving the issue,
go the extra mile. When guest will be leaving, offer a discount for a next stay. Or offer
complimentary transfer to the airport. Might be that unpleasant incident is already
forgotten so these nice little touches will create a very positive attitude towards your
hospitality. You admitted your mistake, you solved it and you made right apology
gestures for it. Happy good -byes will be the very last impression of your hotel, so make
sure that it is pleasant and that it's not the last time when you see this guest.

5. Recommended solutions/improvement
 The hotels should improve and maintain their service quality to stand out and remain
one step ahead of their competitor, and consequently, satisfying the increasing
expectations of customers.

6. References:
It is recommended that you source business journals, textual references as well as
any online sources to support your answers on number 5. Make sure to include it
with facts and figures. Please try to use your own words and ideas based on research
rather than copy and paste other’s words from the internet. You should use the APA
format style for the citations in this section.
 Guests' complaints in the hotel: how can you bring the most of them? (sabeeapp.com)