Are Customers Always Right?
By hexebella
@hexebella (1136)
Philippines
January 3, 2011 3:53am CST
Four men came to the hotel and requesting for an accommodation for the night. They said that they have been all over the city but all hotels are full and can not find a place to stay. Unfortunately that night, the hotel is full and there was only one room available. Hotel policy is a maximum of 3 people in the room with an extra bed. Since there was no more place to stay the guests requested to be accommodated in one room and the hotel agreed as a favor to the guests.
The hotel is 4-star international brand and that time is undergoing renovation in the Health Club. However, the hotel notified the guests about the works being done through an apology letter placed in each room. The renovation work is being done from 1000H to 1600H when most of the guests are aleady out of the hotel. At around 12noon the Arab men complained about the noise and that they can not sleep. Also, they requested to have their stay extended for another night. The hotel offered them another standard room on the other side of the hotel away from the works being done. The guests refused telling that it was small for them since they are four people in a room. The hotel offered a suite since they are four and just pay the difference between the standard room and suite room. The guests refused again and they say that the only solution they want is a complimentary room for them BUT they would like to keep still the same room they currently have, the one that they are complaining to be noisy. The hotel did not agree. The guests threatened that they will file a complaint in the Ministry of Tourism. The guests also yelled at the receptionist telling that "This is not a hotel, this is a market."
Points to be noted:
- the hotel was full the previous night the guests are complaining and that they are the only people who complained
- they complained about the room to be noisy as it is near the renovation works but still they want to keep it and demanding for another complimentary room.
- they are complaining about the room to be noisy but they requested for an extension of their stay.
The guests indeed contacted the Ministry of Tourism and the ministry sent a letter to the hotel asking for explanation. The hotel replied and advised that an apology letter has been sent and the guests was offered 25% discount on their next stay. The guest replied to the hotel telling that it is not acceptable but he is not saying what he really wants. The guests thereatened that they will bring the case to the court. They even send the complaint to the franchising office of the hotel brand telling that they are not happy with what the hotel has offered.
Meanwhile the ministry phoned the hotel and as per the conversation, the ministry is suggesting to refund the money the guests paid to the hotel just to stop these people from making noise.
I would like to solicit your thoughts if the customer is always right in this scenario.
2 people like this
8 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Jan 11
These are not "customers" they are swindlers and crooks. They are not right and were treated far better than the little thieves deserved. The hotel owes them nothing.
The axiom "the customer is always right" refers to good customers only. These "men" make a point of costing businesses more money in the end, and businesses are better off without them.
Any government official who would back these "people" are corrupt and shouldn't be trusted by anyone... even their own mothers.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
5 Jan 11
Why shouldn't the minister back them, it's just the corrupt supporting the corrupt. :~D
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
7 Jan 11
ParaTed2k this part of the globe has really different mentality. I believe that it's really stupid to give in to their demands but this is how the people think. I will give an update once there is a development on this issue as it is still pending. :)
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
4 Jan 11
Yes, I agree with you, they are what others call daylight robbers, they will look for small things to complain and then they will demand for complimentary stuffs. Its better for them to go to charitable organizations and not to business establishments. It was really surprising that the ministry recommended to give refund to the guests just to please them, if it will push through, I believe these people will be more confident and determined to the same thing to other hotels in the future as they know that the government will support them.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
4 Jan 11
Having dealing with all sort of customers in my managerial job, I would say customers are not always right. Some of them do have their points however the policy restricts them but without some sort of company policies customers will abuse and take advantage of it. Remember customers have their own right in voicing their opinion but depending on the situation companies also do have their rights to explain how their policies work.
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
7 Jan 11
The Guest Relations Manager (an American lady and well experienced in customer care) of the hotel emphatized and has taken care of their concern, offered them a different room away from the ongoing works mentioned on my posting. As mentioned ealier the guests refused to take the room offered to them and even told the Guest Relations Manager that the only solution they would accept is to be given a complimentary room and still keep the same room they occupied the previous night, the one which they complained to be noisy. The hotel was full that night and mostly Europeans were there, but none of these white people complained wherein they should be the one to be fussy. If i am the owner or the GM of the hotel I will have them blocklisted as I don't want to have these people in my establishment. Once they get what they want absolutely they would do it again in another hotel. The mistake of the employees was they should have called the police right away when the guests started yelling but nobody thought to do that. If the ministry would push the hotel to give in to the demands of the guests, the hotel would have no choice but to comply. This issue is still pending and I would give an update of the devekopments once available.
@loveworld360 (49)
• Malaysia
4 Jan 11
Though its wrong to judge just by hearing from one party but if what you have narrated is how it all happened then customers in this scenario are wrong.There is apology letter written in English and i reckon they didn't understand or take note of the apology note available in the hotel.Again i don`t know if the customer care was nice enough in their approach.
Anyway going by the general note, that customers are always right is simply because of the valued attached to the customer.There will be no business without the customer,so whatever they do, always give them that preference that they are right.If you don`t agree with me then take him/her to court and settle the case there.But as far as customer and business relationship remains,the customers are the bedrock of the company.You as an employee,you only get paid because the customer, irrespective of their various attitudes paid for the service.
So to me,Customers are always right unless they refused to pay for the service then you can call the security personnels to handle the issue
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
4 Jan 11
no, i don't think customers are always right... there are times when customers can be wrong as well... like in this case, i think the customers are wrong... the problem is, customers always think that they are right and they are the king and queen because they spend their money on our business... i find it really annoying when this happen... take care and have a nice day...
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
7 Jan 11
Different people, different characteristics, different behavior and different attitude. A lot of people in this world are opportunist, crooks, shrewd and greedy. Once they found an opportunity to gain something even it would mean taking adavantage of other people they would definitely do it. This "customer is always right" thing is being abused by these kind of people. If this would always be the case without limitation, nobody would do business anymore.
@Bianca_mergillano (1067)
• Philippines
3 Jan 11
Greetings!
For me not all the times. There is always rule in every place, in market and anywhere so customer must follow those but customers must be treated nice.
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
7 Jan 11
Yes indeed, it is a case to case basis especially when the customers has gone beyond the limits definitely they are no longer right. In this scenario they were treated more than nice as they were given a big favor by the hotel but they abused it.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
3 Jan 11
A customer is not always right. They can use this ploy to get what they want. businesses should listen to what customers have to say, but that doesn't mean that the customer is right every time.@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
4 Jan 11
I believe so, and the fact that they displayed inapproprite behavior and were so rude....yes, they were the customers, they were the guests but it didn't give them the right to humiliate the hotel staff after all the favors given to them.
@maryjane41 (90)
• Abbeville, Mississippi
3 Jan 11
i have always thought that the customer was always right. and the gentle man already knew about the work. so i do not think that he should of gotten another night. that is just how i see it.
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
4 Jan 11
You are right. They complained already that it was noisy and can not sleep at 12noon and they are supposed to be checking out already by that time, and yet they would like to extend their stay. They were given another room away from the noise but they want it to be complimentary and still would like to keep the same room which they complained noisy.
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
3 Jan 11
Geeze, the government got involved? And there was no trial, to be judged by your peers? You just had to pay the money and lose profits, denying any other further improvement you could have done.
Was it the government who ordered you to pay the refund, or the owners of the hotel franchise? I will need to think on this more -
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
3 Jan 11
Yes, they got involved as the guests had complained to the ministy. It's not an official decision that they would like the hotel to refund the total bills paid, it was suggested on the telephone conversation with one of the managers as they think this is what the guests want. The ministry's concern is that these guests could promote the country's tourism as they are working in the Ministry of Tourism in their home country and that they would like to prevent this issue to be brought to the court as this would be a negative impact to the country's tourism industry.
The hotel franchise has not arrived at a decision yet as they were informed that the GM is still on holiday and will be back only by mid January 2011.
@EdnaReyes (2622)
• Philippines
3 Jan 11
sometimes people are some kind of a pain in the neck but if you're in a business and you want to have more customer, you should treat all of them as a king. Remember, they're the bringer of money, just think of how much they could add to your coffer then maybe you'll just ignore their bad manners. In regards to your customers,One wrong action dealing with this kind of customers will surely bring much trouble to the hotel, I think the Ministry had done the right thing, treat them well and surely they will come back and the true winner will be the hotel itself!
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
4 Jan 11
Yes, they were treated very well to the extent of allowing four of them to stay in one room which other hotels would not allow. I think, if they come back, they will demand more complimentary :(....well it's just my thinking. Thanks.
