Complaint management

Case study

The Kingfisher is part of an international chain of four-star hotels with mainly corporate guests. It is situated in a busy city centre.

A businessman, Mr Hedley, attempts to check in one weekday evening and is told that the hotel has no record of his booking and that no rooms are available. He insists that the room was booked some weeks ago, so the computer is checked again, but the receptionist shrugs and restates that no room is booked under his name.

Hedley asks to see the manager and explains his predicament to him, stating that his secretary rang the previous day to confirm the booking.

The manager answers that this is likely to be the problem - the central booking system was out of action for part of that day, causing some bookings to go astray. But, he continues, there are no other rooms available at that price and nothing can be done.

Understandably, Hedley then enquires whether there are any rooms available at other rates, so the receptionist goes to check.

The manager, meanwhile, takes a phone call. A little later, after checking in two other guests, the receptionist confirms that there is just one room available but it is significantly more expensive than the one Hedley says he originally booked.

Unhappy that he is expected to pay more, he offers to pay the original rate quoted. The manager, re-entering the discussion, points out that there is only Hedley's word that he made the booking.

Desperate now, Hedley reluctantly agrees to accept the room at the higher rate, but he vows that he'll never return to the Kingfisher again.