Hotel shops- problem resolution ideas?

August 27, 2018 04:04AM

So I have recently been doing hotel shops and they always have a 'problem resolution' that require maintentance. Obviously, the trick is to have a real problem and not something that will give you away a shopper/auditor or make you seem like a complete idiot. So far my go-to for these shops have been 'burnt out lightbulb' and I have been able to make the bulbs not function by placing them in a pillow case and giving a few hard (but not hard enough to break) whacks on the bed. As a last resort (but not appealing), I figure I could always take the chain off the toilet. Well, this last weekend I stayed at newly built hotel with LED bulbs (hence non-breakable) and toilet that didn't have a chain! I was freaking out about how to come up with a legitimate problem, but luckily my hotel guest was a scientist/engineer/badass and MacGyvered the a coat hanger in the closet to use the metal to drain the remote battery. However, without my guest's awesomeness, I would have probably had a bit of difficulty figuring out a legitimate problem. So my question is for those who do similar shops/audits- what do you do for the problem resolution scenario?

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2018 04:05AM by bunnychild.

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August 27, 2018 06:06AM

I don't do these shops, but a few thoughts...

Don't destroy the bulb. Report the bulb as missing. They bring a new one. You leave the old one in the room when you leave.

Turn the valve on the toilet so that the bowl doesn't fill back up with water.
Take the sliding door off its track, either for the closet or the shower door.
Unplug the television and report that it will not turn on.
Bring a jar of fruit flies, let the loose, and report the room as infested.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2018 06:09AM by Rousseau.

August 27, 2018 11:20AM

I bring a Phillips screwdriver and usually unscrew one side of the toilet seat.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

August 27, 2018 12:31PM

Loosen one of the connections on the back of the TV so that either the screen goes dark or the picture begins to pixilate. Maintenance almost invariably blames housekeeping for jostling things. If you remove a light bulb leave it somewhere not very obvious when you depart, such as the bottom bureau drawer.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

August 27, 2018 04:10PM

Since I'm tech challenged, I've had to call them to come up and show me how the TV remote works. I like to read in my hotel room, and I swear, even the fanciest have switched to 25 watt bulbs. I ask if they have brighter bulbs. I've left my key card in the room. I can't figure out how to make the room cooler (or warmer). My room stinks. The shower curtain is moldy.

I would take a burnt out bulb with me from home. Or you can just loosen the bulb, unscrew it a little so it won't turn on. Far as you know, it's burnt out.

And I don't have any problem looking like an idiot. If I had a problem with that, I'd never do a grocery shop or hardware store again!

I play dumb/frazzled/lost/helpless really, really well.

August 28, 2018 06:18AM

Do not do anything like letting fruit flies out of a jar into your room or saying that your room stinks. They will likely move you to another room.

August 28, 2018 06:31AM

I would not take a burnt out bulb with me from home. I would not know what brand or type of bulb the hotel would use.

August 28, 2018 09:37AM

A jar of fruit flies? I don't even know where to start my questions on that one.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

August 28, 2018 10:40AM

Pretty sure that was meant to be a joke. Everyone knows locusts would get a better reaction.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

August 29, 2018 02:24AM

I say that I need help with safe. They come, realize there is nothing wrong with it and show me how to use it.

August 29, 2018 05:04AM

Some of these sound a lot more like housekeeping and security (locked out) issues than maintentance, the latter of which is a common other scenario needed for hotel shops. Wouldn't a 'missing' lighbulb be really suspicious? And usually a burnt out bulb from home would never be the same type used at the hotel...

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2018 05:11AM by bunnychild.

August 29, 2018 05:09AM

Also, as a shoppper/auditor Im looking for quick and easy to resolve. I dont need maintenance in my room for half an hour to an hour trying to resolve, nor do I want to write that report up. A burnt out light bulb or dead battery is a few minute fix. So what are other quick and easy in less than five minutes to resolve issues along those lines? And no, Im not going to capture and release bugs in the room. Seriously or not seriously.

August 29, 2018 05:21AM

@bunnychild wrote:

So my question is for those who do similar shops/audits- what do you do for the problem resolution scenario?

For Maintenance to come:

As mentioned by another poster, I will loosen the television connection. Yes, they will blame the maids.
Pop the GFI on an outlet.
Pull the drapes slightly off the tracks.
Express concern that you aren't adjusting the HVAC correctly or complain that it does not seem to be getting hotter/colder. They'll come and see that it works fine and show you how to use it.
Bathroom door not closing properly (if you can make this work somehow)
Mini-fridge is not very cold. Might need fixed? Might need adjusting?
If you have a screwdriver, you can loosen a screw on a piece of furniture and complain that it seems wobbly. It needs to be something fairly large or they'll send housekeeping.

August 29, 2018 05:56AM

I use the HVAC trick (doesn't seem to be working), please check it. It works like a charm and I don't have any issues with fussing with their stuff or feeling like too much of a goofball.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2018 05:57AM by BarefootBliss.

August 31, 2018 01:56AM

Move the desk (if I can't see the TV while sitting there) or heavy balcony furniture
Lock door to connected room more securely
Adjust shower head because I'm so short
Set the alarm clock / set clock to correct time / tune the radio
Fresh pen or paper
Replace 3-way bulbs that only work 1-way
Show me how to adjust the desk chair; use the microwave; program the lights or HVAC

August 31, 2018 04:08AM

Reverse the batteries in a remote.
Turn off HVAC and say you can't get it back on.
Loosen TV cable
When in a condo, stop the dishwasher part way and say you need help with opening. Or same with oven.

Of course it helps if you really have a drippy faucet, toilet that runs, or trouble with the TV or remote. I'm almost relieved when I have trouble with the TV or remote. :-)

August 31, 2018 04:16AM

Pen and paper are Housekeeping, not maintenance. You can't use the bashing against the cushion trick on the LED light bulbs that most nice hotels use nowadays. I like the screwing around with the TV coax cable and have used that. One that has not been mentioned that I have used successfully is to remove one side (or tear it) of the flapper in the toilet so that it keeps filling and won't shut off. The fix takes less than 5 minutes. Tell them that your mini-fridge is filled up with pay items on sensors, and they will bring you an empty mini-fridge for your cold things. However, there is usually at least one real issue in every hotel that does not require me to set anything up.

August 31, 2018 04:27AM

Some of those will not trigger them to send maintenance, they'll just send a housekeeper.

@redink wrote:

Move the desk (if I can't see the TV while sitting there) or heavy balcony furniture
Lock door to connected room more securely
Adjust shower head because I'm so short
Set the alarm clock / set clock to correct time / tune the radio
Fresh pen or paper
Replace 3-way bulbs that only work 1-way
Show me how to adjust the desk chair; use the microwave; program the lights or HVAC

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