Page 17 - ARUBA TODAY

LOCAL Monday 31 deceMber 2018
A17

Hotel Hustle

Column by: Shanella Pantophlet
Beyond Control

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the course of
my career, it’s that you can’t control everything. As
someone who has tried to account for every vari-
able during a given week, only to have something
else pop up, I’ve quite honestly learned my lesson.
I try to use that mindset whenever I’m traveling, be-
cause things can and do happen through no fault
of anyone.
ever I’m traveling, because things can and do hap-
pen through no fault of anyone.
Empathy is a big part of our job, we are supposed
to place ourselves in the shoes of our guests and
think about how an issue could negatively impact
them. It’s for this reason that once a guest brings an
issue to our attention the first thing we do is apolo-
gize for the inconvenience and then provide ways
of remedying the situation.

Usually this is enough to calm and placate guests and if it’s something out of our control they are understanding of that. On the other hand there
are guests who will be unhappy with the situation and will let you know it by blowing off steam at you and we understand that reaction. However
there are instances where staff members have had to draw a line in the sand. Once of my former teachers would always tell us, you can’t please
everyone and some things you need to just roll off you back. But you may still encounter someone who is unhappy with the answers and solutions
provided, who will attempt to get a raise out of you by verbally abusing you.

We’ve all at some stage had to deal with abusive guests and there comes a time where we have to draw the line and explain to the guest in no
uncertain terms that their tone or manner of speech is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Normally that is enough to snap some people out
of their tirade. Other times this enrages then even more at which point the staff member has to explain to the guest that until they change their
attitude they will not be provided service or if they continue to act out and make threats or personal insults security will be involved.
It’s not an easy position to be in, because we are trying to provide service and be empathetic, but we are not human punching bags. If we have
done everything we can and given as much information as we have at hand and that is not enough for some, it is okay to be upset, but never
reason to be abusive. It’s one of the top reasons there’s such a high turnover in certain positions in hotels, because staff feel like they are seen as
less than human for something that’s not in their power to fix. We know it’s inconvenient, but certain things like cell phone service dropping out,
beach erosion or an island wide blackout are really out of our hands. Screaming and throwing a tantrum at the first person you see in a uniform
will not get the lights back on quicker, restore phone service or make the beach come back. It’s always good to take a step back review the
issue, get the necessary information and react responsibly. q

Aruban born and bred Shanella Pantophlet is passionate about tour-
ism. That is the world she studied and works in, so we might as well call
her a specialist. Luckily for Aruba Today Shanella also loves to write.
And together with the fact that the majority of our readers are tourists,
we found ourselves a perfect combination for a column: Hotel Hustle.