Good Housekeeping was once the second-most profitable magazine in the Hearst empire behind Cosmopolitan - but like many titles in the women’s service category, it has not had an easy time of late despite Ellis’s push to make it a multi-platform vehicle. 2, after getting the February issue out the door. In a surprise move, she was named to the post on Monday, replacing Rosemary Ellis, although she is not scheduled to relocate from Toronto until early next year.Įllis is slated to leave on Dec. Jane Francisco, who was editing women’s lifestyle magazine Chatelaine, is going to show up at the Hearst Tower for the first meet-and-greet with staffers. Hearst, which looked north to Canada to find the new editor of Good Housekeeping, will show off the new hire to nervous staffers on Wednesday. Rolling Stone names top Daily Beast staffer as new editor in chief Kaitlan Collins bylines deleted on stories she did for Tucker Carlson site Pickleball craze inspires new lifestyle magazine Kaitlan Collins’ missing Daily Caller bylines restored - but mystery remains This positive communication is the glue that holds together a positive customer experience, and without it even the most impressive hotels will struggle to keep up with the competition.A fond farewell from Keith J. Whether it is during or after a guest’s stay, opening a clear and sympathetic line of communication with customers is the key to dealing with housekeeping grievances. Customer service staff sort through responses, and makes sure that unhappy customers are updated on the ways in which their feedback is being addressed. The company uses a web-based service developed by Medallia to survey customers after their stay, even if they haven’t complained. The proactive customer service approach of Ramada Jarvis extends to its customer feedback policy. A manager must do everything in their power to ensure that the customer’s concerns are addressed and the situation is resolved fully, but must never act in a manner that alienates staff or de-motivates them.” Remember that the customer wants you to take personal ownership of the complaint. “Don’t be afraid to ask challenging questions from both parties as your job is to resolve the complaint. “The establishment of a fixed customer service culture makes staff feel more able to deal with guest complaints by themselves.” “When investigating a complaint, speak to all the parties involved – that is your guest and the housekeeping staff,” Lee-Savage continues.
Providing a client with a new room, an upgrade or an after dinner drink shows the guest that you care about them,” says Lee-Savage. “Empower staff so they are confident enough to be able to resolve the problem within the hotel rather than having to escalate the problem to head office. The establishment of a fixed customer service culture makes staff feel better able to deal with guest complaints by themselves, which in turn gives customers the satisfying feeling that their concerns are being personally addressed rather than filed away at corporate headquarters. It reflects your dedication to customer service.” “It is absolutely essential to have a policy in place to ensure all staff members are aware of how your hotel wants customer complaints resolved. Hotel clients include The Ritz London and Q Hotels.Īlison Lee-Savage, head of customer services at UK hotel chain Ramada Jarvis, says that customer service should be built in to a hospitality company from the ground up to be most effective. Stonebow provides bespoke training courses for the hospitality industry, ranging from in-house training programmes for large companies and short courses for SMEs, including “focus on customer services” courses. “With online forums such as Thorn Tree and TripAdvisor, there is no hiding from bad reviews.” “It is said that customers who experience poor service are twice as likely to tell other people as customers who have had a positive experience,” she says. Glancy notes that with customers being more connected to friends and relatives than ever before, poor customer service rarely goes unnoticed. “Rephrase the complaint in your own words, showing the customer that you have understood what they have said, then let the customer know what you intend to do and act immediately.” “It often happens to housekeeping, where a simple switch can solve the problem. “Complaints can sometimes get blown out of proportion,” she says. When it comes to solving the cause of the complaint, Glancy advises that finding out the facts of the situation should be the first priority. Data, insights and analysis delivered to you View all newsletters By the Hotel Management Network team Sign up to our newsletters Sign up here