The Covid19 virus has changed more than us just wearing a mask. It has changed the way we behave. People are scared. Some have lost their jobs. They have lost loved ones. Don’t be so quick to assume that when you are confronted with a difficult guest that they are out to get you.
Being in customer service, we have been involved in all sorts of interactions with our guests. And when you are constantly hearing negativity, it tears you down. Words are very powerful and negative words hurt. Yet, why is this guest coming into your lobby, upset, angry, and saying hurtful things? First, it’s not because of you. You are just the frontline. The first person they are coming into contact with after they have already had a crappy day or year because of Covid. We don’t know what that guest, the other person is feeling at that moment, what they may be going through, or what set them off before they came in to see you. Everyone has bad days, and we should never assume that the person is out to get you. But they will challenge you and make you forget who you are. To make you feel as bad or as terrible as they do. It’s easy to fall into that trap. We are wired to make quick decisions. You want to respond, not react. Try to stay centered, grounded when emotions are running high before you speak so that what you say is a reflection of who you are, rather than what is going on around you.
An example may be a guest who does not want to wear their face covering or mask. You’ve asked them politely to wear one and they become aggitated. Reply, “Sir or Ma’am, I can understand that you don’t want to wear a mask. They are uncomfortable and they are an inconvience for all of us. I don’t want to wear one either. Yet for your safety and out of respect for others who may feel uncomfortable, I have to insist that you wear your mask while indoors. We want all of our guest to feel safe while staying with us.” Making it personal and relating to the guest will help defuse the situation. If the guest does not have one, then you can always offer them a mask.
A tip to keep a situation from getting out of control is to repeat your resolution to a difficult guest. They may be trying to cause a scene and a friend or family member is recording the situation to post on social media. Reply, “I can understand how upset you must feel. What I can do is…” If they continue to voice their thoughts, repeat, “Sir or Ma’am, as I already said, what I can do is…” again, “As I already said, what I can do is…” You may need to ask the guest to step aside so that you can assist your other guests. I understand that this is not the ideal situation, but it is the reality sometimes because you can’t always bend the rules. It is what it is. Once they realize that you will not bend they will back away.
Don’t let them trap you. When you are being tested, remember you can choose who you are and use powerful words. Words that will calm the guest or empathize with the guest. Words that make you a loving, caring person. Words can help display empathy. Words like I can understand or I would feel, and I can see how that would make you feel.
It’s important to undo this automatic reaction of whether this difficult guest is friend or foe when they walk through the door. Instead of being angry, annoyed or resentful, be more understanding, listen to them – empthazie and put yourself in their shoes. Value them as a human being. They have rights just like you and me and we need to understand them and value the really difficult guest as much as we would a mildly resonable guest.
Want to talk more about how to handle a difficult guest? Stay tune to a webinar coming soon.