Handling unhappy guests and customers is never easy. The most difficult thing about bad reviews is that everyone has one! Even the biggest organizations on earth receive unpleasing feedback from their customers. Whether you are a guest or a business owner, you should keep these 4 principles in mind every time someone takes the time to let you know how they feel about your product or service.

Let Them Speak

90% of the time, people want to be heard. So let them voice their complaints, and listen with intention, breathe, and give them your undivided attention. Avoiding eye contact, interrupting, or letting the guest know their problem is unimportant to you will only fuel their fire. They want to feel heard and remember that every issue is important to someone, no matter how small. 

Be Empathetic

Be kind to the person who is standing in front of you. Put yourself in their shoes, try to gather more facts, and take a subjective approach. Validate their feelings. Working in the hospitality industry means making your guests happy and going above and beyond to put them at ease.

Apologize for the Inconvenience

Offer an apology, even if it has nothing to do with you. You represent a company and a brand. Upholding that is the priority. A happy guest may turn and tell 3-5 friends then run into about their positive experience, but an unhappy guest will spread the news like wildfire to anyone who will listen. 

Own Your Mistake

Be honest and take responsibility for the complaint; show your grace and willingness to make things right to rebuild their trust and loyalty. Professionally addressing them and taking the time to communicate and prioritize them will turn this problem into an opportunity. Go above and beyond to remedy the situation. Try and exceed their original request with something new. 

When all is said and done, don't stray from your core values. Making everyone happy is not possible or necessary, but it sure is worth a try!