We've all had that situation where we receive that insane request, fussy guest, or ridiculous "need". Part of being in the hospitality industry means being able to accommodate our guests, giving them the experience that not only satisfies and impresses them, but gets your guest to tell their friends, and most importantly, the internet.

However, there comes something asked of you or your staff that is so unbelievable that the first thing you'd like to do is to make fun at it, but no, no you can't. Spending time with your staff to teach them the language of hospitality allows them to be them, to be the story teller for your property, your brand.

I'm always looking for tips and tricks that can lead us in the right direction of being able to deal with that problem guest and there are three reasons when saying no is perfectly acceptable:

1. The request hurts your property's brand or image.
2. What the guest is asking for undermines your property's ability to make money.
3. The guest asks for something that is illegal.

I've stuck to the three step way of being able to say no:

1. Listen to your guest's full request. Cutting them off or beginning to speak before they've full articulated can lead them to become defensive or annoyed. The last thing you'd like to do it make them more annoyed before you have to say no.
2. Explain why their request cannot be accommodated, specifically delivering the news with empathy so the guest understands.
3. Lastly and the most important step: offer an alternative. Your 'no' becomes a problem when you can't actually solve your guests' issue.

There is no script to carrying out those three steps, so training your staff with scenarios helps them understand how to handle each situation. The customer isn't always right, but they make your business run, so prepare to make a 'no' sound like a 'yes!'.

Joe Rembold