Attitude and MSC’s Guest Relations

[AFuncruiser]

Europe travels taught me a good lesson in communication.

In my opinion most Europeans are more polite than many North Americans. Give a MSC guest Relation person attitude and you will get it back in spades..

Be nice and polite and they will bend over backwards for you..

Dennis

Jacksonville, Fl

532 days at sea

47 cruises

12 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon, Alaska

[sidari]

hi Dennis ... We too found out that being polite to customer services usually brings the rewards you want .... :)

[monicajay]

On more than one occasion I have witnessed people arriving at the Guest Service counter screaming their problem without even starting out with normal polite niceties, such as: Hello, how are you today? or Hi, I'm in cabin **** and I'm having a little problem with my _________.

 

You get more bees with honey!

[VASOXFANN]

Same goes for the entire crew. On dinner the first night of our recent cruise, I witnessed a passenger SCREAMING at the headwaiter because he and his wife weren't seated at a table for 2. :eek::mad:

 

If I was the headwaiter, I there's no way in heck I would have accommodated them, unless it was at a table for 2 on a lifeboat headed the other way! :p

[Skipper Tim]

I believe no matter how serious the complaint, there is never a reason not to be polite. Politeness is merely the social etiquette by which problems may be resolved - it does not mean that feelings are not strong. Articulate don't shout!

[moomoocow]

http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/

 

Very interesting article. Worth a read.

[papcx]

I believe no matter how serious the complaint, there is never a reason not to be polite. Politeness is merely the social etiquette by which problems may be resolved - it does not mean that feelings are not strong. Articulate don't shout!

 

Again Tim I find myself agreeing with you.

 

I work in retail and therefore have to interact with the public on a daily basis. The customers who shout, wave their arms about and on occasion become abusive get the bare minimum help and compensation. I walk away from them with little thought.

 

The polite customers who calmly explain the issue and how it is effecting them tend to get the problem sorted quicker, more compensation and I'm happy I can help them.

[JezzaC]

Being polite doesn't always help. I have example from another cruise line Celebrity Cruises. We had an issue with charge about wines which were included in our package. I went two times down to guest relations and explained them calmly what was wrong. I also got confirmation to our voice mail that everything was sorted and fixed.

 

When I checked it - I noticed that corrections hadn't been done as told to us. Then I went again down to the guest relations, raised my voice quite alot and then they finally got a manager out to solve the issue. After that it took half an hour when everything was sorted and fixed.

 

I think that customer has a right to raise voice level if things doesn't get corrected with calm tone and friendful attitude.

 

Another way which seems to work is always to contact right away supervisor or manager.

[AmoMondo]

http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/

 

Very interesting article. Worth a read.

 

Really interesting article moomoocow.

 

I worked fro 27 years in customer facing roles and have to agree with this article whole heartedly. I still remebr in my first year in work a really nasty abusive customer who swore at me and everyone else. I went and got the manager and he took his side, told me he always swears at everyone and left me ro deal with him at the age of 16.

 

When I became a manager I took an entirely different approach. I told my staff to ask anyone being abusive, to stop. That they were willing to help them, but only if they stopped shouting, swearing or whatever. If they were on the phone and they could not find me, they were to terminate the call. If face to face, they were to get me or another manager immediately. I'd give the abusive customer a warning to calm down and I'd gladly listen to their problem. If they continued to abuse my staff, I'd call security and have them removed and give them 4 weeks notice to arrange another account with a competitor before closing it. I never shouted back but stayed calm but assertive. Most calmed down and we'd get the problem solved. Some didn't and I followed through on my warning. Even had a few arrested and charged that went too far.

 

There is never an excuse for being abusive and I don't believe shouting is productive under any circumstances. Politeness does not equal being passive. assertiveness is the key and knowing whether the person younare dealing with is a decision maker or not. No point berating a low level employee over a policy they cannot influence. Just take it up the line.

[moomoocow]

Don't raise your voice, improve your argument

 

Desmond Tutu.

 

Like you say Amo - there is never an excuse to raise your voice to another person. You do that and you've lost the argument.

[VASOXFANN]

I think that customer has a right to raise voice level if things doesn't get corrected with calm tone and friendful attitude.

 

I respectfully disagree. Yelling at someone will do nothing other than upset the other person along with the other passengers in earshot who are just trying to enjoy their vacations.

[happytravellers2]

I respectfully disagree. Yelling at someone will do nothing other than upset the other person along with the other passengers in earshot who are just trying to enjoy their vacations.

 

Totally agree Jessica, and in most cases the person you are dealing with has nothing to do with the issue and it is rediculously unfair to treat them in a rude or aggressive manner.

In the far east and middle east it is seen as unacceptable behaviour to be impolite or shout at service personnel, and the staff will virtually shut down in embarrassment for the customer.

Maybe maturity brings empathy - once you have empathy for the person you are dealing with it is easy to be polite - my approach is always to greet the person I am dealing with, try to appear relaxed, and start by requesting their help - and generally find people try their best to help.

[AmoMondo]

Don't raise your voice, improve your argument

 

Desmond Tutu.

 

Like you say Amo - there is never an excuse to raise your voice to another person. You do that and you've lost the argument.

 

Excellent quote, haven't seen that one before.

[AFuncruiser]

A fun quote..

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

Dennis

Jacksonville, Fl

532 days at sea

47 cruises

12 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon, Alaska

[papcx]

A fun quote..

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

Dennis

Jacksonville, Fl

532 days at sea

47 cruises

12 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon, Alaska

 

How about.

 

Don't argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

 

 

A fun quote, not directed at anybody so everyone stay calm!

[Maya53]

Don't raise your voice, improve your argument

 

Desmond Tutu.

 

Like you say Amo - there is never an excuse to raise your voice to another person. You do that and you've lost the argument.

 

Excellent quote, did not know that one either, and it says it all in a nutshell.

 

My job involves working with people with huge difficulties and frustrations they have to face every day, and makes me humble and glad of my life every single day. Getting worked up about a banana, or indeed any other small discrepancy one might feel, says so much more about the person shouting the odds, than the person they are abusing. This is not to say that problems should not be resolved, just that they should be done so in a civilised and appropriate manner. I personally cannot stand to see people being treated as subservisants there to meet the need of the person, whether they are a guest or a paying customer. The individual in the original post had the right attitude - hey it is only a banana - no big deal. Just my thoughts.

[JezzaC]

We are just on board Magnifica and have to say their Guest relations don't know a thing. We had an issue in ala carte restaurant where personnel hadn't even heard about allegrissimo packages and refused to serve any drinks to us.

 

Then we went back to guest relations to sort things out and they also claimed that allegrissimo doesn't apply in ala carte restaurants. Then we wanted to talk with manager and she claimed the same. Luckily I had printed proof from home. I showed it to them and then they started saying that they have to contact their customer service - since the customer service had given us wrong information...

 

Couple days after it we went back to guest relations and then they had checked it and we were correct - allegrissimo applies also in ala carte restaurants. We didn't even get an apology. And we had to do all the work explaining them about the package.

 

Another good example is that when MSC offered transfer from South Queensferry to train station for going to Edinburgh. German passengers got the information day before English speaking so there weren't many places left at that point - when we got the information.

 

Personnel is neither doing anything extra for the passengers. If some bar is out of something - they send to you away. In comparison to Celebrity - their personnel went to get it for you - but not on MSC.

 

I have been pro MSC before this cruise - but not anymore. This is our second and last cruise on MSC.

[sidari]

Jezza ... shame to hear about your problem with the drink package, i find it hard to understand how staff onboard cannot know about the changes! what next telling you the buffet hours have not been extended?

 

Once again it looks like the Left Hand does not know what the Right Hand is doing ... :rolleyes:

[JezzaC]

Things get even more weird all the time. Today we asked our current account statements and noticed that there are double lines on the statement. We have drink packages so don´t have to worry. Seems that personnel also enjoys of customer´s packages. For example I got one beer on the pool area, I was informed I have also ordered two red bulls - which I hadn't.

 

Comment from guest relations was quite amusing - Well those are zero on the invoice. Sounds great - no one is interested if personnel steals from the company.

 

Also passengers can be a good fun on board. German couple was hitting hard on close door buttons on elevator and one gentleman was stuck from his head between the elevator doors. Next victim was a guy on wheelchair stuck between by the same couple.

[AFuncruiser]

We are just on board Magnifica and have to say their Guest relations don't know a thing.

I have been pro MSC before this cruise - but not anymore. This is our second and last cruise on MSC.

 

So sorry to hear of your problems.. MSC is cheap and they have beautiful ships. Life is full of trade offs. MSC European customs that are strange to North Americans are one trade off I expect..

Dennis

Jacksonville, Fl

 

532 days at sea

47 cruises

12 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon, Alaska