Guest Satisfaction at the Convention Center Hotel

Frank Williams, general manager of the Convention Center Hotel, is very concerned. For the last three months, the guest comment cards for his hotel have shown significant downturn in guest satisfaction. The primary departments showing reduced guest ratings are reservations, front desk, and housekeeping.

Frank knows he has to find the reasons for the low ratings. He and his hotel management team are evaluated by the hotel's parent company based on the ratings gathered through guest comment cards. If the ratings are good, he and his team will see an increase in their year-end bonus. If the ratings are poor, the bonus will be reduced. Of even more concern to Frank is the potential loss of repeat business. If the trend continues, the number of guests returning to the property may drop significantly. Returning guests are the cornerstone of Frank's strategy to make annual occupancy, rate, and revenue budgets. If the hotel begins to lose its best customers, his strategy will fail.

Frank has looked at the remarks closely and asked each division head to provide two charts. The first chart shows the guest comment card ratings for each department for the last three months. The second chart shows the group arrival and departure patterns for the same period. In addition, each division head has listed each type of guest complaint and its frequency. Frank identified the following trends after meeting with the room division managers:

• The highest guest dissatisfaction was evident during major group arrivals and departures. Most groups checked in on Monday and departed on Thursday. Monday and Thursday were also the major arrival and departure days for non-group business.
• Both group and non-group guests mentioned that there was a lack of clean rooms when they arrived, and that they had to wait up to three hours for a room.
• Guests driving to the hotel complained about the traffic and congestion at the hotel front door.
• Special room requests by guests were seldom honored by the hotel-- even those from frequent guests.
• Most rooms division personnel (front desk, bellstand, concierge, telephone, and housekeeping) seemed to know little about the groups staying in the hotel. Special group room rates were often not posted to guest accounts; master account billings were also incorrect on several occasions. In addition, room division personnel did not recognize returning non-group guests.

1. What appears to be the underlying problem or problems with front office operations? What hotel information should Frank be checking?

2. What other departments may be affecting front office performance and, as a consequence, the guest ratings of the front office?

3. What should the room division management team be doing to turn this situation around? Develop a plan, consisting of at least five elaborate steps, that will resolve the problem.