OK, Hounds. Let’s see you match wits with the crisis counselors.
Watch this four-and-a-half-minute video, an I-team investigation by a TV station in Atlanta, Georgia, that shows the unsanitary way that three local hotels clean dirty drinking glasses and coffee cups.
The team took hidden cameras into guest rooms at three major hotels—Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn and Sheraton Suites—and learned that in all three cases, housekeepers never used soap and hot water to clean the dirty glasses. In fact, the glasses never left the guest rooms.
At the Embassy Suites, for example, a housekeeper put a used glass inside the dirty sink, sprayed a blue liquid on it, and then dried it with a cloth. She held it up to the light to make sure it looked squeeky clean.
In all three cases, when asked to comment, the hotel management never fessed up to any wrongdoing, even though the video shows otherwise and the TV station quoted health officials as saying the cleaning methods were unacceptable. A spokesperson from the Sheraton refused to comment, saying “It’s too controversial an issue.”
If you had been in charge at one of those hotels, and the I-team put you on the hot seat, what would you have said? Would you have commented at all?
Next week, I’ll tell you what the crisis counselors had to say. The Hound whose response most closely matches theirs wins a very cool prize.
The basic tenet of crisis communications is to be seen to be doing something. To that end I would have said something along the lines of:
“We take any such allegations seriously and are conducting a full and thorough review of all of our cleaning practices and policies.”
One has to be careful in any statement not to assume liability before all the facts are out. There are always 2 sides! I think at this point it’s best to be short and sweet. A. Gibbon
I would assure the public that those incidents caught on camera were isolated and not our standard operating procedure – that our hotel has sanitation policies in place which meet and/or exceed hospitality guidelines. And not only will we investigate theses claims but that we will also reinforce our policies and practices with our current and future housekeeping staff to include regular training and random inspections.
HOTEL CHAIN is committed to the comfort, health and well-being of all our guests. CHAIN customers depend on CHAIN to provide a safe, relaxing environment every time they check into one of our rooms. I am deeply troubled at the video I have seen today and I will personally work with our county and state health departments to make sure that our customers recieve the highest level of service and that this situation will not happen again.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Like you, we are disgusted by what we saw. We will meet with the housekeeping staff immediately to determine if this is an isolated incident or if further action is necessary. We want to reassure our valued guests that we earned the #1 ranking in customer satisfaction again this year because we see complaints as an opportunities for improvement.
The only appropriate response would be something like:
“We’re shocked and dismayed by the findings of the Action News team’s investigative report. We have established processes for cleaning our drinking glasses that call for XXX and these processes were clearly not followed. We are cooperating fully with the County Health Department’s investigation and have launched our own as well, the findings of which will be made public within 30 days. We apologize to all who have been affected by this unfortunate incident and promise to remedy the issue immediately. We welcome a follow-up visit by the investigative team to check our progress.”
“We were not aware that some of our housekeeping staff had not been living up to the standards we require of all XX Hotel staff. We have taken extreme measures to ensure that XX Hotel’s high standards of quality are upheld, and have seriously reevaluated the value each and every member of the housekeeping staff brings to the hotel.
“We can assure you that this was an isolated incident, and that we now have quality control practices in place to assure it does not occur again.”
The management staff at Harrison Hotels appreciates having this investigation brought to our attention. We are taking immediate steps to insure that guests at all Harrison Hotel locations, including our newest facility on Miami Beach, receive professional service including sanitized drinking glasses.
I would tell them that each person that was captured on that video is being investigated and will be terminated immediately. That behavior is unacceptable to our company. They have misrepresented our hotel and cleaning staff as a whole. We urge guests to consider that one bad apple can spoil the bunch, but we’ve thrown out those bad apples. Please let us show you how we train our staff. (Invite them to investigate the rest of the hotel and monitor other cleaning staff.) Come behind the scenes with us and learn how the rest of the staff — the people doing it right — get the rooms cleaned properly. You saw the exception to the norm. And you should know that it is unacceptable and will never happen again.
As we have just been made aware of this situation I can assure you we consider this case a very serious matter. We will immediately investigate this case and take the proper corrective action. I can assure you our Hotel holds safety and cleanliness as one of our highest priorities. We will take immediate action.
My first reaction would be shock and surprise. Since we don’t use hidden cameras, we are not aware of how our cleaning staff conduct themselves. We are equally shocked to see how prevelent this is across all hotels in the are, so we are taking the following steps to make sure people knwo there is one hotel in the area with clean washroom:
1. All cleaning staff will be periodically trained in cleaning etiquette. Too often cleaning staff are not offered any training, as they are considered by most hotels to be “unskilled labor”.
2. All new cleaning staff will be required to pass a cleaning etiquette test as a condition of emplyment, and annually thereafter as a condition on continued employment.
3. Random monitoring and possible selective monitoring will be instituted. We will confir with our lawyers and privacy experts, but we will be considering video anjd audio, as well as testing surfaces for cleanliness.
My response would be based on my opinion that ethics and morals, rather than legal or insurance considerations, should drive a response from anyone in a crisis situation like the one outlined in the ‘hotel drinking glasses’ video.
If I were the spokesperson, I would make a very brief but sincere and heartfelt response that covered the following points:
1) my emotional reaction to learning of the situation (disappointment; shocked and appalled; frustrated; optimistic that this situation can be improved immediately)
2) the extreme disconnect between the hotel’s staff training program and performance expectations relative to actual staff performance
3) commitment of the hotel to correct the situation immediately
4) outline of the steps the hotel is about to take or already has taken to correct the situation
5) recognize the value of the video in helping uncover an unacceptable situation
6) asking for continued feedback on hotel staff performance.
Jan
I would have said that not washing the glasses properly was wrong and not in compliance with hotel policies and procedures and that immediate steps would be taken to ensure that this mistake wouldn’t happen again in the future.
we’re sorry that guests were given dirty glasses.
It is something that should’ve never happened.
We are taking immediate steps so
this never happens again:
One.
Right now until further notice no glasses will be reused and all rooms will have new glasses.
Two.
Any guests that feel upset because of the dirty glasses can call our General Manager at xxx-xxx-xxxx where at personal apology has been recorded and you can receive information on how to receive a discount on a future visit to our hotel and our $10,000 guarantee that you’ll never see a dirty glass at our hotel again.
Three.
Maids will be re-trained on proper glass cleaning techniques and must pass a practical exam perform they are allowed back into the rooms.
Four.
The General Manager of the Hotel was fined
$10,000 for lack of leadership in this area.
Finally, The hotel thanks the Atlanta tv station for bringing this activity to our attention and because we know the station cares we invite the station to come back to our hotel in two weeks for an update on our progress.
“This is not an acceptable practice nor is it in compliance with our hotel’s standards and training. While the hidden camera footage was painful to watch, it has alerted us to a potentially harmful practice. We are taking immediate steps to better ensure a clean and healthy environment for our guests.”
Ew! I don’t even need to watch the video to get a sick feeling in my stomach about this. Especially since I stayed at a hotel this weekend and got up in the middle of the night, parched, and gulped water from a hotel glass. So, here’s what I would do:
I would immediately issue a statement notifying the public that our hotel is investigating the issue and will not tolerate a break in policy when it comes to our customer’s health and safety and the cleanliness of our rooms. I would also state that all housekeeping staff will attend a mandatory meeting to review the hotel’s policies and regulations relating to housekeeping.
After the investigation and the mandatory classes were completed, I’d issue a press release stating the steps the hotel took to ensure that a breach in housekeeping policy would not happen again.
That’s what I’d do.
We do not endorse the cleaning methods that the housekeeping staff employed. They acted on their own against proper instruction on this matter. In the future all employees will be thorougly trained and tested prior to performing their housekeeping jobs.
All housekeeping employees know the importance of collecting glassware and running it through a proper dishwasher. They took it upon themselves to cut corners. Please be assured that these employees are being dealt with appropriately.
If I were the hotel manager I’d say, “Hey — my dog drinks out of the toilet and he’s fine! What’s the big deal?”
Sorry Joan, couldn’t resist — just kidding!
How about, “would you like some mouthwash sir (and a clean glass to use it?)”
And finally, “What are you worried about? Come here and give me a kiss!”
Our goal is to be first choice of the world’s travelers. We have some of the most stringent housekeeping policies and quality standards in the industry. Our four star rating from the American Automobile Association has stood for over 30 consecutive years. Let me assure you this was an isolated incident and any one whose actions break with hotel policies and standards will be dealt with appropriately and swiftly.
Here’s what I’d say:
Nothing is more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of our guests. There is no excuse for this unacceptable behavior by our housekeeping staff. Their actions are in gross violation of our thorough cleaning and sanitizing procedures. We have already corrected this situation through additional training and/or appropriate disciplinary action for everyone involved, including the supervisory staff. We’re grateful that this situation was brought to our attention, and assure our guests that violations such as these will not happen again. Again, nothing is more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of our guests.
My comment:
Our company is extremely concerned by the I-Team report and has immediately launched a comprehensive investigation of our own. Our guests’ safety, comfort, and confidence have always been of primary importance to us, and we will – as we always have – do all we can to ensure our ongoing outstanding training programs continue to improve and excel, setting standards for the entire lodging industry.
Thank you for bringing this important matter to our attention. It is obvious that we have experienced a serious breach in the normally high standards of hygienic and quality control in our rooms. I can assure you that the actions of the housekeepers revealed in your video are reprehensible and certainly not in line with the clear and rigorous rules they are required to maintain as terms of their employment. Therefore those housekeepers who are guilty of violating these standards will be terminated immediately. Furthermore, as a result of what we have discovered here -again, thanks to the I-Team Newscrew’s assistance- we will be implementing the following practices immediately: stringent hygienic quality control checks in every room, and the re-training of all housekeepers in the standards of excellence that the Sheraton Suites has been recognized for, for the past 13 years in Atlanta. Our customers can depend on us to rectify this situation immediately and can be confident that it will never happen again. Thank you for your understanding.
Good morning everyone. I want to thank you all for being here today to discuss the Fox News I-Team investigation that aired on television yesterday. My name is Julianna Doe, and I’m the spokeswoman for Tout Suites. I also have Brett Smith, the manager of the Atlanta Tout Suites Hotel with me here today to provide information and help answer your questions.
Let me begin by saying that Tout Suites is extremely sorry for any distress that this story caused to our guests. The health,safety and comfort of our guests is our highest priority. We like to think that we have the highest standards of cleanliness and customer service in the hotel business, but once in awhile something happens that makes it clear that there is always room for improvement.
With this is mind, we are immediately instituting the following changes. After I go through the list of changes, Mr. Smith and I will be happy to take your questions.
First, all glassware and stoneware in guest rooms, such as drinking glasses and coffee cups, have already been replaced with disposable, single use plastic and styrofoam cups. The glasses and cups come from the manufacturer in new, sterile condition. They are sealed in a sterile, protective plastic wrappers and will be placed in the guest rooms still sealed in their wrappers. Guests will immediately be able to see that the glass or cup is untouched and unused. If a guest is dissatisfied with the condition of any glass or cup, or anything else in the room for that matter, they can simply call the front desk and we will bring them a replacement immediately.
Secondly, the plastic and styrofoam drinking glasses and coffee cups will be thrown away by the housekeeping staff every day and replaced by new sealed glasses and cups.
Third, all housekeeping employees have already met with their supervisors to review proper housekeeping procedures.
Fourth, while we believe that the event filmed by the I-Team in Atlanta was confined to the housekeeping staff in that particular hotel, nevertheless we are immediately instituting changes in our company-wide employee training programs. New housekeeping employees, regardless of prior housekeeping experience, will be fully trained in proper cleaning procedures prior to being assigned housekeeping duties. Furthermore, new employees will be considered probationary and must pass written and on-the-job exams to demonstrate competency and understanding, otherwise they will be terminated. There will be follow-up testing every three months for the first year, and then at least twice a year for the duration of the employee’s tenure with Tout Suites. Because of this situation, existing employees will be required to retrain during the next three months as well. Tout Suites is committed to providing the most comprehensive employee training program in the industry, and to make sure its employees are given the means to do their jobs well.
Fifth, all housekeeping practices and employee training programs are currently being reviewed by supervisors and outside training consultants to make sure that they are compliant with all health codes where Tout Suites operates. If a housekeeping practice or training program is found deficient, it will be brought into compliance as quickly as possible, with the goal of having all programs reviewed and modified if necessary in the next 6 months. We will be working hand in hand with local health departments to make sure that we are meeting and exceeding the laws that are designed to protect the health of the public.
Sixth, all housekeeping supervisors will be required to shadow their employees on a random, unannounced basis once a quarter. The purpose of these visits will be instructive, not punitive. In addition, we will be instituting continuous mystery housekeeper and mystery guest programs, with ongoing feedback going to the employee, the employee’s supervisor, and the hotel’s manager to form the basis of discussion and improvement.
Seventh, we have met with all employees, supervisors and managers at the hotel mentioned in the I-Team report. Be aware that the employee being filmed was not following proper Tout Suites procedures, and has been put on a leave of absence while we investigate further. In general, employees who do not follow Tout Suites procedures will be either placed on probation, or terminated, depending on the individual situation, and this has always been our policy. This policy applies to supervisors and managers as well.
Finally, let me speak to our past, current and future guests. If you have stayed at the Atlanta Tout Suites within the last thirty days, you can call this number, 1-800-555-1212, and we will offer you a full refund of the amount you paid for your room, including taxes. If you are currently staying at the Atlanta location, you can talk to the customer service personnel at the front desk, and get a refund. In addition, while we are confident that the changes we have made and will continue to make will makes us the cleanest, healthiest hotel in town, we are offering future guests the opportunity to let us prove it to them. Beginning next Monday, guests staying with us in Atlanta during the next thirty days will save 75 percent off the rack rate for their room.
Let me reiterate that this was an isolated situation that has been addressed swiftly and aggressively. We apologize for any discomfort that this has caused our guests and the community at large. Tout Suites wants to assure you that it has initiated positive changes that will provide an even better experience for our guests.
Mr. Smith and I will now take your questions. Joan, I believe that you had your hand up first?
As spokesperson for any of the three hotels, I would first admit to the gross (as in flagrant, not disgusting) inadequacies of the hotel cleaning policy for glassware and similar items. I would then have the hotel chain CEO offer a heartfelt contrition to all hotel guests, especially those in the hotel loyalty program. The CEO would go on to announce the new, rigorous training and spot check cleaning program (with environmentally sensitive cleaning materials) the hotel will be instituting. The CEO would also encourage the public to visit the hotel website to learn details of the progam. (As spokesperson/PR director, I would also have PDFs and video of all announcements regarding the controvery posted in the media room and available for download.) Lastly, the CEO would invite all our regular guests to come back and give us another chance, and take advantage of our 50% rate discount over the next month, offered as a good will gesture. As spokesperson I would encourage the media to call me at any time for details of any of the above mentioned items.
Cheers and make a toast with those clean glasses!
-Carrie
Here is the press release my hotel would send out:
Thanks to I-Team, a disturbing problem within our hotel has been brought to light. Although we make every effort to ensure our rooms pass the white-glove test, we will be revisiting our strict hygiene regimen with maid staff and will be implementing tighter supervision. In addition, glasses will be replaced with plastic cups in sealed wrappers. Guests who would prefer glasses may call room service for complimentary water, coffee and/or tea.
I would fess up. Would say, this is unacceptable and
it must be and will be fixed immediately. Possibly I
might say the offending housekeepers are being fired.
Fully explain the new housekeeping rules for cleanliness. Offer to have journalists accompany
housekeepers on their rounds.
I’ve now seen the footage and am appalled at what I have seen. I want to reassure our valued guests at the Sheraton that we can confirm this housekeeping staff member has been dismissed (effective immediately) and I am assured that no other housekeeping staff member employs this type of cleaning method. To further safeguard against this ever happening again, all of our housekeeping staff are undergoing intensive training on the cleaning method employed by this hotel chain, which will be included in our induction. We are also going to conduct spot checks on our suites on an ongoing basis to test that our housekeeping staff continue to employ the Sheraton housekeeping approach outlined in their training.
First, it looks like none of these local managers called their corporate HQs for guidance from the PR/Marketing dept. In fact, Holiday Inns HQ is in Atlanta. (And so are the Centers for Disease Control.) Professionals need to jump in here before any more damage is done. There is nothing “controversial” here. These hotels are in violation of the health codes and common sense and the comment made by the manager here is really lame.
The issue here is this: what is the official procedure? These glasses ae deleived wrapped in plastic wrap or topped with a white paper cover. This is supposed to insure a sterile surface. So if the hotels are using them without proper sterilization, they are, in effct, lying to the guest.
In theory, the cups and glasses should be washed in the dishwaher, placed in these wrappings and put on the maids’ cart to be distrbuted.
There us no clever, face saving way out of this. These hotels need to admit they were wrong, institute new procedures or re-emphasize corrent ones. They also have to show that they ae retraining the housekeeping staff and increasing supervision.
Lapses like this happn in hotels worldwde. This is a good opportunity for the hospitality industry to address this issue before there are ourbreaks of didease or infections that have plagued cruise ships.
This would also be an opprtunty for a savvy PR person to invite local media to follow the cleaning process in a large hotel – presuming, of course, that they are up to par! I have had good success with articles on Spring Cleaning tips and interviews with Executive Housekeepers who are responsible for a range of issues including HR, supply purchasing, procedures, etc.
Finally, there is Hotel Housekeeping Week in September. By that time, hotels shoud have leiterally and figuratively cleaned up their act and can publicize activites surrounding this observance.
What I would have said:
This is not the experience we want for our customers. We will vigorously re-train our cleaning staff to assure that the level of cleanliness in each and every one of our rooms is spotless – or better. Staff who cannot comply will be replaced. We invite you to check up on our progress whenever you like – we’ll welcome the chance to demonstrate our commitment to our customers. And we thank you for bringing this to our attention!
I would say that the health and safety of our customers is paramount. Assuming it was true, I would say that our hotel management has done the following:
*Said publicly that it regrets the hygiene problems shown in the video and finds the cleaning practices appalling.
*Hired an industrial hygienist to evaluate sanitation procedures and establish stringent guidelines for properly sanitizing glasses and rooms.
*Replaced all glassware with pre-wrapped disposable cups until new procedures are in place and evaluated.
*Instituted mandatory health and hygiene training for all housekeeping and supervisory staff members.
*Offered free overnight stays for guests who report any health-related problems with their rooms.
“We got caught with our pants down, and we’re sorry. All our folks have completed a training seminar– no exceptions allowed. And we extend this invitation: Videotape us again. You won’t find a thing, except squeaky clean service.”
This is a way for the chain to subtlely distance itself from its staff in the mind of the public. The chain gets caught and the chain takes the heat, but the staff have to “change their ways.”
You can’t ignore a situation like this or play it down–it’s too icky and it’s too dangerous. Best to go for a swift apology and be seen to “act” with decision.
This is a PR crisis AND a potential legal crisis. (potentially dozens or even hundreds of past guests can sue saying they got sick from their stay at the hotel.)
You cannot seperate the two. You need both pr and legal experts working TOGETHER on the situation.
If a pr department were to manage this situation alone, it could very likely compromise the company’s legal interests. That’s because pr people are not attuned to the legal system, but to the court of public opinion. Therefore, if a pr person said in response to a housekeeper washing a guest’s drinking glass in the toilet bowl: “We had no idea this was happening and we’re horrified…” that may effectively communicate to the public that the company is the victim of a helper who was out of line and acting on her own, but it may also open the company up to negligence for not better educating and overseeing their employees. (As a pr person, I don’t know the legal ramifications of a statement like this and would have to check it with the company lawyer.)
On the other hand, most lawyers aren’t trained or don’t care about dealing with public perception. They just want to win thier case in a court of law. From a lawyer’s point of view, the less said in public, the better, because the other side doesn’t have anything in your own words to use against you.
The problem is, most companies don’t seem to understand that their pr interests are equally compromised when they strictly allow their legal team to handle the situation. So when on advice from a lawyer, the company spokesman says, “no comment,” that may protect the company’s legal case, but irreparably damage the company’s reputation and brand.
That’s why as a pr person, you need to educate your company executives and let them know that a pr crises can cost the company just as much in lost consumer confidence and business as it would cost them in lost litigation. Then you need to have those executives back you as you work to establish an open and mutually respectful relationship with the legal team, who in turn needs to understand that you have critically important interests to meet, just as they do.
With that understanding firmly in place, I would submit a statement to the legal department for review something along these lines:
We were surprised and alarmed by what we saw on hidden camera.
We had no idea something like this could happen. The health, safety and comfort of our guests is, and always has been, our top priority. We have extremely high standards of health and safety, which we impress upon all our employees. This is a betrayal of everything our hotel stands for.
Even though we believe this to be an isolated case, we sincerely apologize to all our guests and assure you that we will take every measure to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
We plan a thorough investigation, a review of our educational policies on health issues for new employees, and the establishment of a failsafe system of checks and balances to make sure everyone in our company meets our high standards of health and safety, which surpass the industry standard.
In the meantime, please accept our deepest apologies and our assurances for a clean and healthy stay with us.
Oh my gosh, if this is a procedure being done in my hotel, it will certainly be corrected right away. I was not aware of any problems, but I will personally make sure it never happens again.
The Sheraton’s management made a huge mistake by framing the issue themselves as “too controversial.” Dumb.
They missed a huge opportunity to actually take a crisis and turn it into a demonstration of their responsibility and good will.
They should have made a statement thanking whomever for having brought the issue to their attention, reassuring the public that they are dedicated to preserving the health and well being of their clients, and naming an action they were already in the process of taking to see to it that no one was harmed. For example, they might have done something similar to what the Holiday Inn did, and announced that until the matter was resolved, they would be putting individually wrapped plastic cups in each room.
The key is that they would truly HAVE TO CARE ABOUT IT, and actually make some changes, not just talk about it.
Here is a question for everyone: the guy who blew the whistle and was the first to be interviewed in the story was, according to the reporter, fired form his job at the Embassy Suites, but for an “unrelated” issue. While this was a newsworthy story, was it also an act of revenge? I’m just asking…
I would announce that the hotel company is going to launch an internal investigation and reiterate the fact that the hotel chain takes pride in providing a clean environment for its customers and will do whatever it takes to remedy the situation.
Joan, I’m not a PR professional, but anyone with common sense should know that the right response is something like: “We are very disturbed to learn that, in an isolated case, our high standards of cleanliness were not met. We value our guests’ confidence and will do whatever it takes to make sure this never happens again. We have already begun a program of re-training for all housekeeping employees, are investigating how this lapse occurred, and making changes to fix the problem.” This has to come immediately from the very top, and very publicly, on a high-profile news show. Also, the corporate head of housekeeping should probably resign or be let go to drive the message home.
And yes, I’ll be carrying my own plastic cups from now on!
Being a published writer, I am always game for a writing prompt – can’t help myself. It is what got me started in the first place to begin my writing!
Here goes everything ;
Sir,
“Now you have just viewed these tapes and you represent the clients of the hotel establishments in question. How do you answer these allegations?”
“These are alleged allegations I will remind you all. Thes pictures could easily be dubbed, and why are these employees being filmed without either their knowledge or permission”
There are far too many lawsuits flying about and somewhere someone has to put on the breaks. This was hastily brought up, and maybe before all the evidence has been compiled or even fully investigated.
I would like a postponement on the basis of needing more time to confer with my constituants on this matter, who by the way have thus far up until now, not been allowed to voice their views.
These are the folks in question and on trial so to speak. The hotel only hires these folks in good faith. If there is any wrongdoing, then these employees should be allowed to voice there comments.
We ask for a postponment on that basis, so that we may examine the crucial evidence and view these tapes more in depth. Thank you.
“Firstly, on behalf of X Hotel, I would like to apologise to anyone who has been affected by the situation revealed in these videos. I would like to assure all our guests that your health and wellbeing is our top priority during your stay at our hotel, and we find this situation to be totally unacceptable behaviour for staff of our hotel.
“As I speak, all of our staff at every one of our hotels will be embarking on a training programme in sanitation and customer service to better understand the needs and expectations of our guests.
“If any of our guests have any concerns or queries about the cleanliness of their hotel room and items therein, or any questions at all, our friendly staff will be able to assist you – or you are welcome to contact hotel management on the following number…”
This is unacceptable . We are in the process of correcting this problem right now.
This was an isolated and most unfortunate incident. The employee involved has been terminated. Needless to say we train our staff in the proper procedures but this employee was not following the plan. We will however, for the future, offer both disposable and glass cups.
Firstly, we apologize for what appears to be a serious breach of our housekeeping sanitation policies. We reviewed the footage your iTeam presented with a concerned and a critical eye. Such slipshod housecleaning methods are not an acceptable here at Blahlah Hotels and are definitely not a part of our usual best practices.
Furthermore, we are launching our own internal investigation to purge inappropriate workplace practices. We are also instituting an immediate company-wide update of our already-stringent housekeeping training programs with an added emphasis on sanitation. All employees – not just housekeeping – with be required to participate in this program every six months to continue employment here.
Finally, please know that we at BlahBlah Hotels take the comfort and safety of our guests to be a top priority. We will always strive to improve our service to you and are grateful for this chance to re-emphasize our commitment to excellence and value.
Thank you for your continued support.
I’d thank the station for bringing this to our attention, acknowledge that it was very unfortunate and not an acceptable practice in any way, shape or form. I’d let the media know the offending employees have been disciplined for their irresponsibility, assure people that new policies will be put into place immediately, and outline what those policies will be.
I would say the following.
Although it was hard to discover that this is happening in one of our hotels, we will do everything necessary to ensure that our high standards of safety for our guests are being met at every single hotel. ( And I would keep the public posted on the measures we take).
If I were the spokesperson of these hotels, I would issue a statement along the lines of –
“Embassy Suites takes cleanliness and the health and well-being of our guests very seriously, and the recent allegations do not reflect how Embassy Suites wishes to operate. What was shown on those cameras is absolutely unacceptable, and we will be launching a brand new initiative to help ensure that our guest rooms are the cleanest and most well kept in the entire hospitality industry. This initiative will include new training of housekeeping staff, and new checks and balances so that our guests can be confident that their stay at our hotel is as safe and hygienic as possible.”
We aim to make our hotel a satisfying experience for all of our guests. Although we are disappointed with the service exhibited by some members of our staff, we are not deterred in providing the best quality service for our guests.
The comfort and safety of our guests is our first priority. We will look into this situation and remedy if necessary.
Step 1 – research. I would most definitely issue a statement, but I’d do some investigative research of my own first — was this a problem with one employee? An isolated incident? A regular occurrence?
Step 2 – acknowledge. I would then acknowledge publicly the fact that this practice is clearly wrong and inconsistent with the mission of our hotel and that we are doing all we can to address it. I would also state that more information will be forthcoming once the issue is addressed.
Step 3 – collaborate. I would partner with the local health agencies mentioned to confirm what proper protocols should be.
Step 4 – change. Underlying changes in practices and training would have to occur — either switch to plastic, disposable cups (which would be my recommendation) or a formal process for cleaning glasses.
Step 5 – train. All housekeeping staff should be trained on appropriate protocols for cleaning and a plan needs to be in place to train new staff members and temporary help, as this is a position of high turnover. Staff needs to understand the importance of sanitary cleaning procedures.
Step 6 – spot check. I would perhaps conduct my own internal investigation again, using hidden cameras, to ensure that the housekeeping staff is indeed following the new protocols.
Step 7 – communicate. Given that I was pleased with the outcome in step 6, I would issue a new statement about the changes that have been implemented and their success. I might even consider releasing some of the videotaped footage showing proper protocols in place.
Step 8 – reassure. I might also suggest that, if we went with the plastic cup idea, we have something printed on the pastic wrap to the effect of, “Because we are committed to providing a comfortable and healthy environment for our guests, we are providing you with disposable cups that will be replaced daily.” I think some hotels are hesitant to use the plastic because of an “image” issue that they look cheap, but if handled properly, I think most people would prefer the plastic.
As a spokesperson for any of the aforementioned hotels I would say: We are dedicated to providing the highest standards of cleanliness for our customers. We will review our housekeeping protocol immediately and make the necessary changes to uphold our standards.
Joan – in any crisis – first, determine what happened, express appropriate reaction, and FIX THE PROBLEM!!!
The spokesperson from Shereton should be looking for a new job. I like that Holiday Inn now uses plastic glasses and “hopefully” throws them out. As for Embassy with the “no comment” get real!
Here’s my answer:
“We are suprised by the video we’ve just viewed and we believe this to be an isolated incident. Our policy has always been to replace or clean throughly our hotel room glasses once used.
We’re going to reivew these tapes in depth and take appropriate action with our cleaning crews. Anything less than adhearnce to our strict cleaning standards is unacceptable. In addition, we are going to institute additional “spot checks” for our cleaning crew.
Our guests comfort and safety are always our first priority.”
The Sheraton Hotel company wants to thank the Atlanta TV station for shining a light on our housekeepers’ poor cleaning of drinking glasses. We are embarassed by the disclosure and will introduce a rigorous program to monitor housekeeping practices that insure the health of our guests.
“We are dismayed at what W123’s video showed. Our operating standards call for fresh guestroom glasses and coffee cups for every guest. Our training for housekeepers includes that as part of the guestroom checklist.
“We believe that what the videotape showed was an extraordinary exception. Regardless, all of our housekeepers are being retrained in all procedures, and we have implemented a supervisory step that will insure that fresh glassware is provided daily.”
“Unfortunately, our hotel has uncovered what has been a practice that we do not believe in at all. Our guests safety and comfort is our top priority and we plan on looking into the situation and making some serious changes.”
(Or something like that.)
I would say, “We are embarrassed by the housekeeper’s unacceptable method of cleaning. We have taken steps to correct this situation. We are reviewing housekeeping procedures and conducting staff training to ensure public safety standards are met. A better system to monitor housekeeping practices will be established to prevent future unsanitary conditions in our hotel.”
Could the old adage “turn lemons into lemonade” be applied? Talk to the reporters saying that it is your policy to dishwash all dirty glasses and that is obviously not happening. Then, thank them for obtaining this coverage and bringing it to the hotel’s attention so that we could change the current process to ensure it does follow dishwashing policy and procedure. Then, invite the reporter to further enhance their story and help the hotel correct the problem by being involved and filming the change process. For instance, invite them to the initial meeting with staff when this video is shown so they obtain footage of staff reaction to the hidden camera video and the discussion that takes place after. Then, have the media do a second hidden video test after a month or 2 months when the changes were implemented to ensure that they actually were. Working with the media as a partner instead of an enemy will actually help both parties. They get a better, more in-depth story, the hotel improves their process and both receive PR coverage. Plus, the hotel’s credibility is perceived much higher by admitting the problem right away and dealing with it to solve it. This, in turn would reduce potential negative sales effects and perhaps could actually have a positive affect on sales.
What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.
Without actions, save your breath. “It’s too controversial an issue,” to the public means “we don’t care.”
We are looking into this matter. It’s certainly not the kind of thing we stand for.
If these allegations prove to be true, reprisals will be both serious and swift.
Nothing is more important than the comfort, health and safety of our guests.
I would have advised any hotel concerned to put out a statment like this –
“The health and welfare of our guests is our primary concern. We have immediately instituted measures to ensure that deep-cleaned fresh glasses are placed in all guest rooms, every day. We are investigating the incident shown on film, and appreciate the co-operation of the film-makers in helping to expose unacceptable practices by our staff. We are treating this matter with extreme urgency, and assure all of our guests that we will re-emphasise the need for hygiene with our staff, and increase the number of spot checks carried out by supervisors. We assure all guests that poor hygiene standards will not be tolerated in xxxxx hotels, and that our focus remains on providing guests with a comfortable and worry-free stay”.
No prize needed, since I do a bit of this for a living. Great blog, by the way.
Our policy at BIG HOTEL CHAIN has always been to provide guests with immaculate and safe surroundings in all our facilities. We are appalled at the discovery of this serious breach of that policy. We have immediately begun providing guests with sealed, sterile plastic drinking cups, and will continue this practice until we develop procedures for ensuring properly cleaned and sanitized glassware. Guests who prefer glass may request it from room service to be delivered from the kitchen at no charge.
Thank you so much for this item. Aside from the writing exercise, you’ve alerted me to a serious danger I never would have thought of, and helped me appreciate those flimsy, cheesy plastic things. The link to that video is already whizzing its way through cyberspace to all my serious-traveler friends.
If I had been in charge at one of the hotels, I would never have denied any wrongdoing. The videotape and evidence shows otherwise. I also would not have said “no comment” or refused to comment. What I WOULD have done is acknowledge the situation, acknowledge that there were errors in the housekeeper’s action. I would outline the hotel’s current policy for cleaning glasses and housekeeping, and explain ways that the hotel is taking action to remedy the situation (whether that be through appropriate disciplinary action with staff, new procedures/checks & balances in place, etc.) Overall, admit there was a wrong-doing, accept responsibility, show how the situation and future processes will be made better.
“I’m shocked at this revelation of unhealthy cleaning practices by our staff. I will personally see to it that Embassy Suites take immediate action to investigate this situation and halt these practices that are NOT acceptable by our organization. On behalf of Embassy Suites, I sincerely apologize to our valued clients and assure that, from here on, we will provide the quality of service and cleanliness one would expect in our hotel.”
As a rep of one of the hotels, I would be shocked and amazed at this video. I would say that I would investigate further, and set up procedures so something like this cannot happen again. I would see to it that the staff gets thorough retraining and education on the germ theory. I would say that I would not be going to sleep this night until I had started on reversing the conditions that were shown in this video. I would say I have already started on a notice to all staff about this situation and how they can rememdy it. I will not allow a situation such as this to continue.
I would NOT criticize the video, its makers or the persons shown. If asked, I would say any poor actions on their part (that of the housekeepers) were a result of our lack of training and supervision, and that we are restarting staff retraining immediately. I would be grateful to the video makers for bringing this unsafe sitation to my notice.
I would pledge my personal action to remedy this, and promise all guests that their glasses and cups will be clean in the future, or I will personally pay for their stay with us.
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We value the health and well being of our guests and will update our hotel’s housekeeping policies and procedures immediately.
“As manager of _____ hotel, I was troubled by this housekeeping staff member’s practice of improperly ‘cleaning’ the guest rooms’ drinking glasses, not only because it goes against the training that the housekeeping staff members undergo at my hotel, but because it very obviously jeopardizes the health of our guests.
I have personally seen to it that the housekeeping staff member who was caught on tape has been terminated, and that all other housekeeping staff members have been educated about the dangers of improperly cleaning drinking glasses. Our staff has been reminded that all guest room glasses are to be taken to the hotel kitchen and washed in the dishwasher. I am also ensuring that the proper washing and handling procedures are being reinforced to our kitchen staff.
The safety and satisfaction of our guests is my primary concern, and I thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.”
I would suggest that hotel management take a cue from Oprah and how she handled the sexual abuse issue at her girls’ school. They should take immediate action to review the situation and then take appropriate measures to replace the staff responsible for the unacceptable service. Additional measures could be taken to provide sealed sanitary wipes or sprays in the bathrooms so that guests could swipe the faucets and other surfaces that touch the skin. (Perhaps replacing glasses with disposable cups would be more user friendly under the circumstances–of course, that could lead to criticism about not being eco-friendly, but at least it wouldn’t spread disease.) Regardless of the measures taken, the hotel management would be best served by responding to the public rather than “no comment.”
Top hotel managements needs to get with the training supervisors for these housekeeping staffs to review procedural manuals and training procedures. Management should find out if they have in writing that glasses and cups are to be taken out of the room and to the kitchen for sanitary cleaning at a proper temperature. If not, this step needs to be added to the training for housekeepers. Then, regardless of what is “supposed” to have happened they need to admit that obviously the standards to which the hotel hold themselves have not been met in this case and that appropriate steps will be taken to remendy the issue. The steps should be outlined, if possible. Guests should be appologized to. Of course, the hotel’s legal representation will want to apprise the hotel management of any legal ramifications, but this should not prevent the hotel from taking action steps, such as those suggested above.
No surprise, as a 20/20 investigation showed ALL hotels, regardless of price only clean their carpets about twice a year! Walk around in your bare feet?
Perhaps we should pay closer attention to the plastic cups/glasses in hotels that are encased in plastic?? Better yet, I bring my own, when traveling by car, just as I bring my own pillow. At least I know I’m the only one using it.
“Firstly, we apologize for what appears to be a serious breach of our housekeeping sanitation policies. We reviewed the footage your iTeam presented with a concerned and a critical eye. Such slipshod housecleaning methods are not an acceptable here at Blahlah Hotels and are definitely not a part of our usual best practices.
Furthermore, we are launching our own internal investigation to purge inappropriate workplace practices. We are also instituting an immediate company-wide update of our already-stringent housekeeping training programs with an added emphasis on sanitation. All employees – not just housekeeping – with be required to participate in this program every six months to continue employment here.
Finally, please know that we at BlahBlah Hotels take the comfort and safety of our guests to be a top priority. We will always strive to improve our service to you and are grateful for this chance to re-emphasize our commitment to excellence and value.
Thank you for your continued support.”
I would first thank the TV show and crew (at a press
meeting in response to the show) for making hotel management aware of the situation. Then I would assure the press and public that a new mandatory cleaning training for all housekeeping staff had now been instituted and any housekeeping staff violating hotel cleaning procedures and standards would be dismissed immediately.
I certainly would make a statement … maybe something like this:
We’ve hired an outside firm to access our housekeeping teams. Once the assessment is complete, we will design and implement a training program that will assure that our corporate health and cleanliness standards are implemented in each facility. Additionally, we are hiring more supervisory staff to work with our housekeepers to make sure that procedures are followed precisely. We will call a press conference to report our findings and announce our solution. Please know that this is an important issue for us. We will fix this problem, starting right now.
Initial response from the hotel spokesperson should have been, “I am concerned and we will investigate to learn if this is just an isolated incident.”
“Concern” demonstrates interest and empathy without admitting anything.
“Investigate” demonstrates action.
“Just an isolated incident” are the last words in this quote and thus more likely to stick in people’s minds. We want to downplay the issue.
Next Step
Assuming that is a regular practice this is a marketing opportunity for the hotel. And the first one to move wins.
Remove all the glasses from all the rooms and replace them with individually-wrapped disposable cups. Place cards in the rooms that state, “Individually wrapped for your protection.”
Record the removal of glasses and replacement with the new cups on video. Post the video on You Tube. Tell the I team about the change and congratulate them on bringing this overlooked antiquated industry practice to your attention. Invite the media to visit the hotel and see for themselves.
After thought
This also raises the issue of hidden cameras in hotel rooms – another can of worms.
When you get nailed like that, you have to comment – and be cooperative with the media. If I had been in the hotel manager’s place, and taken a call from the reporter, my first comment to her would have been, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” Rather than dodging the issue, which just looks worse, they should have emphasized they take the health and welfare of their guests seriously and will work to immediately fix the problem.
In an official statement to the TV station, the manager should have made these 3 points:
(1) Accept responsibility, but also try to mitigate damage to the company by downplaying the hotel’s responsibility in favor of the individual employees. – Point out that ‘the hotel has official sanitation and safety guidelines in place that specifically require each housekeeper to report all used glasses to the hotel’s industrial dishwasher for sterilization, prior to being reused’ and the ‘housekeeper shown in this video is violating hotel policy and will be terminated immediately.’
(2) Be proactive. Take care of the problem. – Announce to the media that your hotel will ‘launch our own internal investigation of this reported problem to prevent any future malfeasance’ and will ‘immediately discipline any housekeeping staff found to have violated any part of the hotel’s sanitation and safety policies.’ In addition to this, announce further actions to show you will fix the problem, including that you are ‘immediately suspending the use of glassware in the hotel rooms, and will substitute sealed, single-use plastic cups instead’ and ‘hotel management will personally interview each member of our housekeeping staff to thoroughly review the company’s official guidelines on sanitation and safety and require them to sign each page of the corporate policy before being permitted to service guest rooms.’ You could also provide a number for consumers to call if they have further questions for the hotel and handle as many of these calls personally as you can. This wouldn’t be announced publicly, but the manager should also paln to comp or partially comp future hotel stays to guests that call to complain.
(3) Emphasize the hotel’s standing and credibility. – Remind the public that the hotel has been around since whenever, and point out any distinctions that might be relevant to the issue of the hotel’s credibility, responsibility in the community, etc.
Should I have the leeway as a manager of the hotel to put policy in place, this is what I would do and say:
“Since the advent of the videocamera, footage has been captured in every industry in every type of establishment catching employees who act in ways contrary to their training and to the policy of their employers. We are glad that it has come to our attention that we are not immune to such behavior. This footage has prompted us to enact a new procedure at our hotel which will ensure all of our guests a restful stay.
The best way to fight fire is with fire…video with video. We are adding a video camera to the uniform of each member of our cleaning staff. If at any time you question what happened in your room before or during your stay, we will be happy to review the tape with you. We are confident that you will be impressed with the level of service with which your room was serviced.”
I chose this approach because it doesn’t focus on the specific incident which is just one small one that we worry about when going to a hotel. Were the sheets changed? Did they rifle through my suitcase? Was the tub scrubbed? The floor vacuumed? This solution addresses them all and keeps employees on their best behavior at the same time. A bonus would go to employees whose tapes are reviewed and shown to have done a satisfactory job.
Fess up and comment it was all the employees fault.We can’t possibly watch everyone that works here all the time. LOL You know that’s what they will say. :}
I just became sick during a stay at the Embassy Suites in Charlotte, NC. I returned to my room mid-day, and my room was not cleaned, so I decided to continue to work in my room until early evening. The housekeeper came into my room, began to wipe the bathroom down with a “white dirty sponge”, then took the used glasses and coffee cup into the bathroom, which I thought was strange, washed them with the same sponge that was used on the tub, toilet, sink, and placed them back with new covers.
I think the lesson that this road warrior has learned, if the housekeeping carts in the morning has no cup holders on them, then request paper or plastic cups!
Hi
Great video.
This work should be kept going and keep being shown.
Perhaps then hotels would do more to check staff and their cleanliness towards their paying customers.
Keep up the good work.
David