Something I have meaning to write about for a little while now is guest expectations and when they have not been met and the way guests broadcasts their disatisfaction online.
It is true that when a bad comment is passed on, it is passed on to 15 others. When a good experience happens it is passed on only once.
When a comment is posted online it is great to receive feedback – good or bad. It is a transparent way to alert fellow travellers of the good and bad points of accommodation.
However, we have to wonder sometimes as to the motives and the honesty of such disatisfied comments, specially when they are anonymous comments. I know that when I am not made aware of problems as they happen I am not given a chance to rectify the issue and solve the problem. This is where I would ask guests on arrival to always contact me if they need anything at all.
My accommodation is not the norm and we do pride ourselves on giving the best hospitality and service. I am the first to admit that we are not perfect and encounter issues when guest expectations are not in alignment. We provide unique accommodation that gives you the freedom to come and go, while great value. We have guests who comment on our warm and welcoming hospitality and many return travellers who book year in and year out from within New Zealand and overseas. We welcome all feedback as this gives us an indication on how we are doing and what we do well and what we need to improve on. Constantly we are looking at our internal systems and looking for improvements and better ways to deliver service and customer care.
What I am trying to point out is that when staying at any accommodation, whether my accommodation or at another accommodation, do the right thing and tell the host/hostess if something is not to your liking. Tell them if you feel that your expectations have not been met. This will give them the opportunity to sort things out, and give you the service you deserve as guests. Feel free to broadcast your feedback online, but also ensure you include that you spoke to the host/hostess about how your stay went.
Happy travels!
