This had happened at one of the properties we were auditing in south Vietnam.
When we approached the reception desk the evening prior to settle for payment - as we had an early departure the following day - the employee continued looking at the computer as we stood right in front of him for a good five seconds. (He had seen us walking up but continued to look at the screen). It was only when we said "Hello", that he responded "Yes?" in a lethargic manner
The first thing the employee said was to check if we had taken anything from the mini bar. His demeanour did not make us feel appreciated or welcomed.
The bill included the room charges even though these had already been paid up front during booking. This was checked and corrected on the spot, although there was no apology offered. The employee merely said, "Please check again if it's correct."
It was mostly a silent transaction for rest of the encounter, apart from a "Please sign here."
Service Bank: How much withdrawal of hearts would you give to each of the above? Justify your response.
Reflective thoughts: No matter how positive the stay experience had been, this check-out encounter definitely caused a negative impact on the overall impression. It's not only about "first impression lasts"; but the stay itself and the departure point matters just as much, if not more. How do you work on having each and every team member understand their important contribution towards the guests' entire stay experience, and to conduct themselves with a "Service with Pride" mentality? Are the old ways still effective or it is time to try something different?