Can't get no satisfaction? The Insider's guide to gettin' some!
Maybe you haven't been in exactly the same situation, but see if this rings a bell for you.
A few months back, I had to attend a convention. As usual, organizers held it in well-known tourist destination, at a fairly prestigious hotel. There's always time for fun and games when you're at these things, so when the opportunity arises, it's fun to bring your sweetie with you.
Since it was one of those places where people are supposed to have fun, the hotel rooms were thoughtfully fitted out with hot tubs, perfect for "getting in the mood."
There was just one problem--just as things were progressing nicely following the soak, there was a knock on the door!
"Maintenance. There's a leak coming into the suite below you."
What followed was an at-times hysterical scramble which climaxed in my being soaked when the maintenance guy (no quibble with him, he was just doing his job) asked me to turn on the tub's jets while he checked a pipe. Long story short--things ceased progressing. Period.
Upon checkout the next morning, I registered my displeasure with the duty manager, who offered a sympathetic shrug, but nothing beyond that.
It's natural in these sorts of situations to think you're powerless, but you aren't. A little secret. Just because a hotel has a well-known nameplate, most hotels are actually franchise operations, not really all that different from the local fast food joint down the road. The owners, usually mid-sized regional companies and developer-managers, pay a 'brand' for the rights to operate under a brand. In exchange for shelling out a nice chunk of dough, the franchisee gets access to the brand's reservation and booking systems, benefits from the marketing budget (which they pay into), and generally make some dough for themselves.
And HERE is the place where an unhappy guest can get some satisfaction. See, the manager I complained to effectively works for the franchisee. THAT'S who he's going to want to please, and an property owner won't give anything away if he/she doesn't have to.
However, a franchisee is generally beholden to an agreement with the brand to operate the property according to a laundry list of minimum standards. Why? Because the brand is interested in making money, too, but their greatest asset isn't the rooms. Rather, it's the brand itself, and anything that harms the brand's image devalues the brand for all the operators.
Most major brands have an executive responsible for 'brand integrity' and another responsible for 'customer satisfaction'. The titles aren't necessarily those two, but it gives you an idea of where you can direct your complaint if you can't get no satisfaction from the actual property. That's where I directed my complaint, and wonder of wonders, a few weeks later I received a nice little letter on company letterhead, apologizing for leaving me dissatisfied, asking me very nicely to 'give them another chance,' and --- best of all --- informing me that the charges were being removed from my credit card.
Beauty, eh?
To recap--if you're swingin' for satisfation, there's a sweet spot to aim for, and if you know where to find it, you'll be hitting the fences in no time.
Enjoy your stay.
