ambush

[thehippie777]

Had this one last night at the Hotel:

Lady calls down from a room. For some reason the room she just rented's door was open. Odd. Nothing was in the room hinting at another occupant, so I appologized & let her know that it must have been missed by housekeeping.

Couple moments pass.

Phone rings, it's the same room. The lady sternly demands, "I want someone to come up here & see this."

????

Because I don't want my night maintenance guy to go up to what seems like a surprise attack on her part, I ask what is needed. Why would someone just "demand" someone look at "something" in their room???

After asking her what the issue is, she tells me that the comforter on the bed is stained, along with the floor. I asked her if she wished for someone to come clean it up, as much as possible at 12am (and we were booked solid). She at first she said no, she just wanted someone to see this to believe her. I assured her that we believe her (I am not exactly in the business of thinking people are lying when they are unhappy with a room). She still demanded someone bare witness. She was angry. I asked her if we could change out the comforter at least. She said she would be happier with a couple queen flat sheets for the bed. Okay... I send that up.

The room was dirty; that doesn't make me happy either. I feel horrible if something is wrong with a room. Only every once in awhile we we get guests who overreact. Most guests just simply want the issue remmedied in some manner.

I just don't understand why anyone would want to have someone come up to their room ready to ambush them with anger?

[bainsidhe]

Why was the room dirty? Did someone break in? If someone had messed up my room (AND it was the only room available), I'd be pretty upset too. I might also demand someone come take a look so I can point things out and have them tell me what they're going to do about it. For no other reason than making me feel like the staff was addressing the problem. I mean, it's great that you offered to give her sheets to replace the STAINED ones on the bed, but I'd probably expect someone to replace it for me and take care of the mess.

I used to work night audit myself and I know this isn't always feasible. I used to be the only person working after 11pm and I wasn't familiar with the housekeeping on a room. Doesn't change the fact I'd be pretty upset, though. I'm glad you at least have a maintenance person on your staff to help you out with this. At least the woman was civil. Angry, but civil.

It's tough when situations are thrown at you like this. You did what you could with what you had.

[lobsterdance]

I'd be upset if i was the customer although i don't think i'd demand you come up and see it youself. Still, it's not as bad as the time i got given a hotel room with people already in it. If they hadn't put the chain on their door i'd have barged right in on them sleeping.

[Geek King]

In her slight defense, she might have been afraid you would hold her responsible for staining the comforter and floor. I know I would have wanted someone to see that the room wasn't right when I got there, for just that reason. It does sound like she got a little rude, though.

[SuperB]

She may have been worried about being charged for something she didn't do. I've requested non-smoking rooms, read the part where any evidence of smoking will incur a charge and been given a room that most definitely had been smoked in. I've called the desk to notify them of it first thing and asked them to make note of it so I'm not held responsible.

[thehippie777]

[QUOTE=bainsidhe;317980]Why was the room dirty? Did someone break in? If someone had messed up my room (AND it was the only room available), I'd be pretty upset too. I might also demand someone come take a look so I can point things out and have them tell me what they're going to do about it. For no other reason than making me feel like the staff was addressing the problem. I mean, it's great that you offered to give her sheets to replace the STAINED ones on the bed, but I'd probably expect someone to replace it for me and take care of the mess.[QUOTE]


I have no idea why this room was dirty. The room hadn't been a stayover, it was clearly a housekeeping mistake. Those things happen, since humans do them. Sadly, housekeeping is mostly full of people who barely have experience in much of anything and often they don't really care about much other then the paycheck. I tried to get her help right away, but it's hard to do when a guest is being more angry then caring about what is going to be done about the issue. She refused a clean room or to have the room cleaned for her...

[thehippie777]

In my defence, the woman was more concerned about us not believing there was a stain situation in the first place. At least, that is the impression she gave me. But my big beef was that she wasn't going to tell me what was wrong, but just "ambush" a person sent to the room...all unprepared.

[marasbaras]

Yeah, the ambush part isn't cool. Tell the person on the phone what's wrong so that they can send an appropriate staff member to fix it.

I do understand why she might want someone to come see the problem. I've been in a "you must have done this, sir" situation myself. Rather infuriating and sticks with you.