Negotiating a Complaint

I was suffering from jet lag, having just gotten back from Tasmania two days before. I drove to Pennsylvania and was dead tired when I arrived at my motel about 11:30 p.m. But my reservation was confirmed. I checked in and within a few minutes was in bed fast asleep, only to have the phone wake me a few minutes later to tell me that I had an earlier message to call my daughter. At that time of the night, I figured if my daughter needed me because of an emergency she would call back. I was sure she would prefer to not be disturbed by a call at midnight.

Of course being awakened just after falling asleep and being about 12 hours out of phase with the earths rotation, do you think I could go back to sleep? No way -- especially with the train whistles blowing about every 15 minutes just outside my window. And worse than that, my daughter was joining me the next night, and I had already paid for the next night’s rooms with my charge card. How could I find another motel away from the railroad whistles and get my money back? That is what kept playing through my mind over and over -- and it didn’t put me to sleep.

I went through many scenarios of how I was going to be indignant with the manager the next morning and demand my money back. Then by chance I remembered a little card that I had laminated several years ago and stuck in my planner for just such an occasion. Here is what the card said.

FIVE RULES FOR NEGOTIATNG A COMPLAINT

1. Be brief in explaining the problem
2. Have a solution in mind.
3. Don’t negotiate the complaint. Negotiate the solution.
4. Don’t threaten.
5. Try to settle at a low level -- with the person who presented you with the problem.

So the next morning, bleary eyed, I approached the man behind the desk and told him that I had a problem - that the train whistles kept me awake most of the night. I then waited for what seemed like a long time until he responded and said, “Yes unless you are used to them , they seem pretty loud. All the motels between here and town are along the same railroad track and the trains blow their whistles even more as they approach town.” About this time I noticed a sign that said No Refunds mounted on the wall behind the desk.

At this point I thought my goose was cooked. But I persevered, leaving long periods of silence and not in any way showing any emotion. I said something like, “Boy those train whistles are really loud, and my daughter and her partner are coming tonight, and they are going to need their rest. If I found another motel further from the railroad tracks would you refund my money?” He said, “We don’t normally refund money once it is paid with a credit card.” Finally I got him to sort of agree that if I let him know very soon that I found another room he would probably be able to rent the two rooms to other guests.

So with that tentative assurance, I set out on a motel quest a few miles south of the railroad tracks. And as luck would have it, I found one for about the same price - after a little negotiation. I immediately called the first motel desk person and told him I would be back in a few minutes to vacate my room and to get a refund on my credit card.

After arriving back at the first motel, I packed my suitcase and put it in the car. I stopped by the front desk and asked for my refund. And even though there was some hesitation and reluctance to do it, the motel attendant did issue me credit.

So with that success, I would like to commend to you this approach to negotiating a complaint. You might want to make one of these little cards for you yourself, your family, or employees. It can lead to less stress and even a better night’s sleep! I plan to keep mine handy.