Deal with conflict Situations Respond to conflicts and customers complaints Week (7)

Respond to Conflicts and customers 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.

Outcomes Upon completion of this topic, the students will be able to : Identify potential and existing conflicts and seek solutions in conjunction with parties involved. Recognise customer dissatisfaction promptly and take action to resolve the situation according to individual level of responsibility and organisation procedures. Respond to customer complaints positively, sensitively and politely and in consultation with the customer. Refer escalated complaints to the appropriate person according to individual level of responsibility and organisation policy and procedures. Maintain a positive and cooperative manner at all times.

Complaints Mechanical complaint Most 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)

Hotel generally have little or no control over the circumstances. Unusual complaint Guest sometime expects the front office staff to resolve or at least listen. Hotel generally have little or no control over the circumstances. The example Bad 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

When dealing with a guest complaint - NEVER Talk down to the customer Be defensive Justify why it happened Blame other people or departments Blame the customer Provide Service to colleagues and customers

COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURE Listen without interruption Don’t get defensive Express concern and empathy - apologise sincerely Establish the problem - ask questions Find out what they want Explain what you can and cannot do Fully discuss alternatives Take Action Follow up to ensure they are happy Provide Service to colleagues and customers

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. Provide Service to colleagues and customers

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? Provide Service to colleagues and customers

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 considered Discretion will be applied in resolving the matter Due process will be followed Action will be taken and the matter will be remedied Provide Service to colleagues and customers

cont. You must establish the details of the customer complaint through Questioning and active listening techniques Summarising and clarifying the issue Recording details of complaint Discussing 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 goodwill Improved customer relations Positive work of mouth publicity Promotion of enterprise service ethic Provide Service to colleagues and customers

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 Provide Service to colleagues and customers

HOW CAN A CUSTOMER BE DIFFICULT? Rude Impatient Noisy Talkative Confused - unable to make decisions Silent Fussy Provide Service to colleagues and customers

TYPES OF DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS Rude Customer Can be rude to everyone - they just don’t feel comfortable being nice. DO Ignore their rudeness and don’t take it personally DON’T Become Rude and Aggressive Impatient Customer Always 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 Provide Service to colleagues and customers

TYPES OF DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS Confused Customer Find it difficult to make decisions and may take a long time to decide DO Be helpful by making suggestions and asking questions DON’T Rush them - they could become flustered and embarrassed Talkative Customer Wants to talk and could spend all day doing it DO Be friendly and attentive - Lead the conversation DON’T Ignore them or give them all your attention so other customers are ignored Provide Service to colleagues and customers

Customer Complaint Handling

Customer Complaint Handling It 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 Customer The customer’s need can be met resulting in customer satisfaction

Steps in complaint handling Listen and stay calm Acknowledge the customers feelings and right to complain Establish/confirm the problem Suggest alternatives and agree on solution Take action Record the incident Follow up to ensure customer satisfaction

The value of resolving customer complaints Promoting goodwill Customer Relations Publicity Promoting enterprise service ethic

Case study A 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 consequences to the establishment if customer complaints are continuously incorrectly handled.

Deal with conflict Situations

Outcome At the end of this unit the students will be able to:- Identify conflict situations Resolve conflict situations Evaluate conflict situations.

Introduction Conflict! 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.

All we can hope to do is to manage it. 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? Improved working relationships Any situation that leads to disagreement between two or more individuals. Conflict, when handled appropriately, can lead to: Improved working relationships Improved customer service Increased productivity Increased opportunities for self development Refer to page 208

Three areas where conflict exist In 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. Refer to page 208

Causes of Conflict Conflict arises for any number of reasons: Different expectations Communication barriers-( THE MOST COMMON) Motivation Cultural values/Differences in values Personality Safety and security Organisational structure Organisational 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 other Differences in goals, expectations Refer to page 209

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 CONFLICT Misunderstanding and Communication barriers are main causes of conflict:- These occur because: People do not listen to each other Are not prepared to talk and resolve the situation Do not understand cultural differences and are not prepared to make allowances for them Refer to page 207

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….. Refer to page 211

Barriers That Cause Conflict Not 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 Refer to page 211

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’ Refer to page 211

Recognising potential for conflict through Body Language Body 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. Refer to page 212

Body language – how does it look

Recognising potential for conflict Not 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 rise Their rate of speech may increase Their tone may change – boredom, sarcasm, irritation They may accuse you of something They may tell you how to behave Aggressive Body Language Narrowing of eyes – intimidating you Flared nostrils – anger building, taking deep breath.. Tapping of fingers or feet - impatience Refer to page 212

Recognising potential for conflict Stretched 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 shouting Body leaning forward – intimidating Hand gestures – finger pointing etc Storming out of room, slamming door or draws or if in the kitchen – implements! Refer to page 212

If you have identified potential conflict situations: Do not ignore it Immediately address the situation Remain calm and polite If need be, seek assistance Tackle /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 courteously offer apologies where appropriate don’t give reasons or excuses take the best course of action to resolve as quickly as possible learn by ones mistakes seek 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 information provide 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 Refer to page 213

Stages of conflict- Helpful Hints Refer to page 213

Resolving conflict situations It 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 unhappy Win-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 expectations Verbalise what we want Identify 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).