Don't Use the Threat of a Bad Review to Get What You Want

Things go wrong. There are times when you actually deserve a refund or an upgrade or maybe just an apology. As someone who has been on the other side of the check out counter, let me tell you how NOT to get what you deserve.

1. Make sure you are right. You'd be amazed by how many times people get cranky about things that they are wrong about. We have had people swear to us that there was no hot water in their shower, when they had hot water at the sink just two feet away. Plumbing is not that complex people.
2. Don't threaten a bad online review. That tells me immediately that you are a person that cannot be satisfied and I most likely will stop wasting my time trying. I would rather let you post the review and use that as a marketing opportunity to address your concerns to potential customers. I have been known to spend hours writing public responses to negative posts, generating far more positive feedback from potential customers than I could have generated on my own. Remember the old saying, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." That does not mean that anyone in the industry wants bad reviews, just that good business people know how to spin one to their advantage. 
3. Don't raise your voice. Same theory as above. By the time you raise your voice I usually have tried my best offers and you are beyond my help. My goal at that point will be to get you out of my lobby, not satisfy your needs.
4. Don't attack anyone personally, staff or owner. Nobody responds well to that tactic. And in today's litigious atmosphere, you might actually land in court if you personally attack the wrong person.
5. Don't blame the business for things beyond their control. The fact that you got lost and didn't call me for assistance is not a reason for a refund. Take responsibility for your actions and I will do the same.