Guests Aren't Always Right, But They Are Always Guests

By Fred Cerrone, Founder & Chairman | April 22, 2022

 

As a very young general manager, working alone one stormy night, I waited anxiously to greet a final group of guests booked at my hotel. Hours past its scheduled arrival, the tour bus was delayed because of weather and traffic problems. No matter the reason, I knew I'd be greeting and checking in tired, unhappy, and irritable guests, not to mention a frustrated tour leader and an exhausted bus driver. 

"Extend hospitality!" I told myself. "After the day they have had, they deserve a warm greeting, a hot shower, fluffy towels, a comfortable bed and a quiet, restful night. You can turn this day around and make a difference for a bus full of people. You can give them a great stay in your hotel." That's what we do in the hotel business!

I started my career in my hometown of Boston, Massachusetts as an interim job while I waited to be shipped out to Vietnam. I had other plans for a career, but I fell in love with hospitality. Opportunities opened to me, and I redirected my course. In hospitality, at its heart, I discovered both the joy and the challenge of serving guests. I found my calling.

Early in my career, I came to understand that, in the hotel business, we welcome all sorts of people as our guests. And even when a guest's view of a situation or the facts of an incident differs from mine, I must remember that this person is my guest. My rule of thumb, throughout my career, is that guests aren't always right, but they are always guests. So, it goes without saying that we treat guests with respect, understanding and fairness.

As I think back to that tour group on the late-arriving bus, I especially remember the weary and disheveled seniors. I did my best to ignore the grumbling as I greeted each one, handed out keys, unloaded luggage and offered whatever assistance I could. I recruited the night auditor to help me, reminding her to smile, sympathize and give a genuine welcome to our guests. After all, as I reminded the night auditor, without our guests, neither of us would even be there. 

Since that time, more than 50 years ago, I have accumulated two million plus miles on Delta Airlines. I know what it's like to fly across the country, stand in line, rent a car, and get to the hotel late, just as the local restaurants, including the one in the hotel, have closed for the evening, more days than I care to remember. I can feel a guest's pain! Guests are tired, hungry, irritable and sometimes not polite at all. At least they aren't as polite as they usually are or as they want to be. I "get it,” and I want our associates to be trained to "get it" as well.

When I started my own company, I vowed to make a difference, especially with our guests but also with associates and owners. I created not only vision, mission and culture statements, but also twelve value statements. All are included on a commitment card that every associate carries as part of their uniform after going through the company's onboarding training. Value Statement #9 states, "Guests aren't always right, but they are always guests." It impacts everything that we do.

You may have heard it said that, if a guest leaves the reception desk unhappy, you can rest assured the remainder of their stay will not go well. I firmly believe that statement is a truth in our business but there are often additional opportunities to turn around a guest's attitude and make the stay a win for both the hotel and the guest. 

Even a small gesture can make a big impact on a guest's stay. At Hotel Equities, our general managers are trained and authorized to make decisions such as using discretionary funds in the budget to help a guest. Sometimes, in addition to a kind word, the gift of dinner and a glass of wine with fellow travelers can make all the difference.

At the end of the day, we welcome guests just as they are: cheerful or grumpy, disheveled, tired or ready to party. We're in the business of delivering hospitality in its purest form to one and all. Sometimes our guests may need a change of attitude and that falls into our job description, too! So, smile, be upbeat, be genuine, caring, welcoming and hospitable... they're our guests. We can and we do turn things around to produce a win for our guests, our hotels and ourselves.

After all, they're our guests and, right or wrong, they deserve our best.