The Challenge
Operating a first-in program at a new luxury resort, we found the hotel team had yet to firmly establish their operational footing, with poor follow-through and responsiveness a consistent factor. A local tax increased, but our hotel contract protected the client from this change. Despite our frequent warnings to the hotel staff and General Manager, the resort was set to check guests out with the wrong charges.
The Solution
We remained highly aware of the program details, took cue of signs of trouble, were aggressive in our push for resolution and remained insistent on the matter until we were satisfied.
We headed off every room checkout, corrected the bills and saved our guests an estimated cumulative personal cost of $8,000 without them ever realizing there had been a problem. We applied the same vigor on behalf of the client recovering incorrect room taxes, F&B charges and venue fees.
“Often the least visible actions are the ones that matter the most. We respond best to unplanned circumstances when we are prepared, calm and we communicate.”
The Approach
We pay attention to the details. A meticulously managed budget gives our clients more opportunity to spend where it matters most – on their story. Therefore, every cost is carefully understood before we ever land in our destination.
We remain focused on this throughout and after the program. We review and clarify any questions before operating. We examine receipts, bills, and every folio each night of the program. We conduct a meeting in person with the billing department to address exceptions and expedite the final billing. This frequent, high-touch handling of billing allows us to identify and resolve issues before they can trouble our guests.
Each night during this program, we noticed incorrect amounts were being billed and pleaded for corrections. After the late night events of the farewell evening concluded, the updated folio reports indicated trouble for departure day. We went to the front desk office and demanded the issue be corrected. Time was running out as we entered the early hours of the next day
We determined the staff did not understand how to correct the costs so we took it upon ourselves to get the job done.
We sat on the backroom floor and organized every folio in order of departure time. Racing against each departure, we began a one-by-one manual recalculation of all costs and fees.
Our thorough understanding of each guest’s movements during the program enabled us to work quickly on the charges.
We brought in the general manager to give imperative for hotel staff to manually enter our calculations. As a result not a single guest was incorrectly charged. We are not afraid to take charge when the situation calls.
After the program, when the timing was less urgent, we continued a manual review of every charge and tax. We advocated on behalf of our client, who remained unaware of the issues that occurred, to recover tens of thousands of dollars.