Late Arrival Room Dispute

Here is the Scenario

A woman traveling alone arrives at the Canyon Shadows Resort lobby at 2 a.m. She made a reservation with the resort but did not call ahead to confirm the late arrival because her airline flight was severely delayed and she was stuck on the plane. Thinking the guest was a "no show," the front desk receptionist released her room when she failed to arrive by midnight. The guest is furious and begins to raise her voice as she demands that the front desk attendant find her a room. The front desk attendant explains the "no show" policy and tells the woman that the hotels in town are booked to capacity due to two major sporting events and a large convention in the city. There are no hotels with availability within a 50-mile radius. The one room "available" in the resort is currently out-of-order due to plumbing problems.

Questions

Answer the following questions to indicate your effort to provide exceptional guest service:

• What are the conflict resolution steps that the front desk receptionist can implement to meet the guest's needs?
• How can the front desk receptionist utilize interdepartmental communication skills to resolve the problem?
• What can the front desk receptionist do to provide service that will exceed guest expectations?

Related Reading

Conflict Between Staff Members

Addressing crew disputes to ensure a positive experience for children and equitable treatment for staff at Canyon Shadows Voyages.

Food Borne Illness Complaint

Addressing guest concerns and ensuring safety procedures after an alleged food borne illness incident at Canyon Shadows Resort.