Surprised by poor customer service at Hampton Inn

[Vicki]

I aplogize in advance if this turns out to be a long post, I am very angry and very shocked at the poor customer service that I have received by Hampton Inn. Customer service is completely non-exsistant in their business!
My husband recently stayed at a Hampton in Savannah, Georgia. They made a huge mistake and charged our card four different times and in four different amounts, none actually matching the actual charge of his room. (these four charges did not even include what his actual charge that he signed for) We actually used our debit card so the four charges resulted in that money being frozen until the charges are taken off. I proceeded to call the hotel and try to speak to the general manager but she was not in so i tried calling Hampton's headquarters. I didn't realize until yesterday that all the Hampton's are franchised. After again not hearing from them today I called them again and finally got to speak to the manager on duty. They never once apologized for the mistake or explained why it happened except that it must have been a computer mistake!? The corporate number is no help either because they say it is up to each individual hotel as to how they handle things and that they can intervene in any way. After several long distance phone calls and much stress over this, they finally agreed to comp us the one night he did stay. I appreciated that gesture but did not feel completely satisfied over the incident because of the money that they screwed up on and charged me 4 times for. I felt like the one night at comp was a given and they should have done more.......maybe I am wrong however i really don't feel like i am hard to please. I just want fair treatment and to feel like they value me as a paying customer. I am just totally shocked and amazed that they can freeze up my money like that and not even care to try to make me happy. I have always liked Hampton in the past, thought they were clean, safe, etc etc but I feel so strongly about this that I would never stay at one now no matter what. I am a GM of my store and go out of my way to make my customers happy. If I can't please someone I send them to my regional, etc. I thought that was what all companies did.......guess i am wrong again!
Sorry for the long post, I am just very frustrated and felt like venting!
Vicki

[stephanie]

Vicki, I don't think anywhere values customer service skills much anymore. We had a similar experience at the Day's Inn in Tunica back in March. They charged us for a phone (large charge btw) call we didn't make. I used my cell phone for every call I made so there shouldn't have even been a charge at all on the bill. The woman at the desk says maybe you used the phone and don't remember. What is really funny is we weren't even in the room at the time the call was supposedly place and I had the bill from the restaurant we ate at with the time on it. They are counting on us missing errors.



Steph

[Texas Ranger]

Stephanie, maybe the maid entered your room while you were out and called Guatamala or somewhere? Vicki, sorry y'all had such a bad experience; you would think that the national office would have influence in such greivences?

[Darris Chambless]

Hello Vicki,

I haven't had a run in with Hampton but I have with a couple of others before but usually with great success at getting it taken care of via the manager. If you want the real scoop on customer service (or lack thereof) all you need to do is watch the actions of the people working behind counters in all types of businesses. The guy or gal working behind the counter for Hampton may have been working the counter at a department store a week before or where ever and offered up the same attitude from that vantage point. They may have even trained their replacement which means...Yup! You got it. Their replacement learned the same attitudes and the same way of handling a situation. Vicious circle it is. :)

I went to a local restaurant last week and was actually waited on by a young man that was friendly, curteous, knowledgeable and expiditious with my order. I was so shocked I didn't know what to do or how to act ;) He wasn't one of those that comes by too often to check up on you either, his timing was impecable. The sad part is that people like that will not be there long before someone hires them away and you'll be right back to square one. Good people are hard to find because they are so few and far between. Those that are out there are in such demand that they can write their own ticket as to what they want to do or where they want to go.

Again sorry to hear your plight but it just isn't all that uncommon in this day and time but isn't necessarily indicative of all Hampton Inns either.

Take care,

Darris C.

[optigoddess]

Despute the charges with the credit card company.

Try contacting "Planetfeedback.com" - perhaps discussing this on a customer service board will get some results.

Better Business Bureau?

Best wishes...


Karen :o

[JRS]

Does your husband travel quite a bit Vicki?

If he frequents a certain chain, and he is registered, he should contact their home office. I stay at the Hilton Group (including Hamptons) almost exclusively, and have always gotten good service. It helps, if he does travel alot to get rated, as they usually take the word of their top class customers. But then most people don't spend 200 nights/year in a hotel like me.

[10 Pence Short]

It drives me mad when you have a complaint and the 'complaint-dealer-with-person-thing' doesn't even have the authority to wipe their own backside. When you ask for someone more senior they try to fob you off. Even worse is when it's some phone banking company or you're reporting a fault to a computer supplier, it's like talking to a machine with the personality of a small used peice of snot rag.

Mind you, to be fair, if I was being paid peanuts to spend all day behind a counter being 'nice' to people, I'd find motivation pretty difficult. Maybe we should ask where people's ambitions have gone?

Kinda reminds me of that early scene in Resevoir Dogs where they're arguing about tipping the waitress...

[Vicki]

Thanks to everyone for your advice and support. Sometimes it just helps to vent for awhile! :o I know that customer service is a challenge anywhere, including our field. I guess I can't let it bring me down, life is too short.

Vicki

[Johns]

Vicki,

I ran into a similar problem with Hampton. I called the main office and although the insisted they were not responsible fro their franchisees, they did contact them and comp the room, along with a comp on my next stay (I have to send corporate the receipt, and they'll credit my c/ card.

If you have a problem at a hotel:

1. Don't wait until you check out to solve it. Go to the front desk between 3 & 6 PM (if possible) Of course, if you're only staying one night, you're stuck. This is the time when the most check-in are processed, and they want you out of the way. If they offer it, check the "in room check-out" option on the television. You can immediately see any deviations long before check out and address them.

2. Even though the most hotel are franchises, the larger ones are owned by investment or other type groups. Ask to talk the the GM (on the phone), while you are at the front desk. Usually the front desk person will just hand you the GMs card. Insist that they call for you.

3. Although you might spend a few buck more buy not being able to "exit hop & shop" it is better to find a hotel you're comfortable with, join their frequent guest program, and try to stay at that chain. If you have a problem, you have some pull if you can show you've been loyal in the past, and they have something to lose by not fixing their problem.

[Vicki]

Johns,

I did try to call the GM several times and she would never talk to me or call me back. She had the front desk manager call me (and she was in the background telling her what to say!) That just further added to my frustration. I called her again yesterday with no reply. I have been in contact with the management group so we'll see what happens.

Vicki