If you’re a hotel manager and you want to keep your job and continue to be promoted, you’ll try to avoid making these five common mistakes:
Failure to Enforce Rules. If you don’t enforce hotel rules, word will get around and, before you know it, you’ll have chaos and some very unhappy guests. Rules about prohibiting alcohol in certain areas should be strictly enforced. The same holds true for swimsuits in the lobby, keeping children out of spa and adult workout areas, and ensuring strict enforcement of pool rules. Keeping smokers out of non-smoking areas can be particularly irksome, yet it’s your job as manager to enforce these rules or risk losing non-smoking customers in the long run.
Lax Security. When guests stay in your hotel, they place much of their privacy and security in your hands. Privacy regarding room assignments, telephone numbers, messages and mail should be top priority. In addition, someone should always be available to accompany a guest to his or her room or car, especially at night, if they request it.
Messy, Messy. It goes without saying that rooms, bathrooms, workout rooms, and pool/spa areas all need constant attention. Instill in all your staff—regardless of their function—to be ever vigilant when it comes to cleanliness. Don’t always rely just on the cleaning staff to take care of things. They can’t be everywhere at once.
The “Runaround.” Don’t force guests to go through a gauntlet of staff to solve a problem. Don’t allow staff to hand off guests, saying, “That’s not my problem.” or “We don’t do that here, you'll have to call so and so.” The proper response should be, “We’ll have someone address that issue right away.” Notice the word "address" not "fix." Never over-promise.
White Lies. Lying to a guest about a staff’s mistake or yours eventually catches up to you. Even the little white lies can take their toll. Admit your mistake, offer a heartfelt apology and move on. Sometimes comping services to make up for the problem or inconvenience can help smooth out ruffled feathers.
Got any tips or advice on common hotel manager mistakes? Share your comments in the section below.
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Nexxt.
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