Guest Complaint Handling Procedure

Purpose. This procedure gives every frontline worker a consistent way to receive, resolve, record and learn from guest complaints.

1.When this procedure applies

This procedure applies whenever a guest, function client or travel customer expresses dissatisfaction with any product, service, charge or staff member, in person, by phone, by email or online. It applies to all departments and to complaints received by third parties such as online travel agents.

2.Step 1: Listen and acknowledge

Give the guest your full attention, move to a private space if the complaint is sensitive and let them finish without interruption. Acknowledge how they feel, apologise for the experience and confirm your understanding by repeating the key facts back to them. Do not argue, blame another department or promise something you cannot deliver.

3.Step 2: Resolve within authority

Frontline staff may offer a replacement dish, a room move, a complimentary beverage or a charge adjustment up to 50 dollars without approval. Supervisors may approve adjustments up to 200 dollars and department managers up to 500 dollars. Anything above 500 dollars, any injury, any allegation about a staff member and any legal threat must go to the General Manager the same day.

• Frontline: up to 50 dollars
• Supervisor: up to 200 dollars
• Department manager: up to 500 dollars
• General Manager: above 500 dollars, injuries, staff allegations, legal matters

4.Step 3: Record

Complete the Guest Complaint and Feedback Form before the end of your shift and add a note to the guest's reservation, function or travel booking record. Record the facts, what was offered, what the guest accepted and any follow-up promised. Complaints involving injury or food safety must also be entered in the WHS register.

5.Step 4: Follow up

The department manager will contact the guest within two business days for any complaint that was not fully resolved on the spot. Written complaints will receive a written response from the department manager, reviewed by the Front Office Manager, within two business days.

6.Step 5: Review

Complaint forms are reviewed at the weekly operations meeting. Recurring causes will be assigned a corrective action with an owner and a due date, and the outcome will be recorded against the original form.