取悅的錯誤補救︱民宿延退承諾的反思︱設定顧客正確的期待 # 民宿經營者必讀：五個技巧打破「延後退房」的內耗 訂立並提供有價的延退規則，提醒客人退房規定後，就將注意力集中在自己身上吧！ >好的服務不是無止境的取悅，而是與顧客進退的舞步 答應客人延後退房後，心裡一直有根刺？這根刺不是來自賺得不夠多，而是一種「好像被佔便宜」的感覺。 我們民宿就遇到了這樣一個狀況：一組常客因為上次給予折扣與延退，這次再度上門，並提出了長達五小時的延後退房要求。儘管是淡季，不影響後續客人和打掃時程，我心裡還是不太舒服、難以說服自己。 這篇文章將分享我從書中學到的五個實用技巧，是我從錯誤中學到的方法。 --- ### 1. 轉換心態：從「無償取悅」到「有價服務」 >所有合乎理性的事情都可以忍受。—— 愛比克泰德 我過去總認為，額外的服務能換來客人的滿意與回頭。但這次經驗讓我發現，無限制地滿足客人，反而會養成他們錯誤的期待。這讓我意識到，服務的本質不應該是無止境的取悅，而是一種「拿捏界線的藝術」。 你可以將延後退房視為一種有價值的「服務升級」，而不是一種無償的犧牲。當你將心態從「這是額外的人情」轉變為「這是一種特殊商品」，內心的不平衡感就會大幅降低。 >萬物皆有價，包含自己的時間與心情 --- ### 2. 斯多葛哲學學：專注於「可控」而非「不可控」 >所有的痛苦來自於，對不可控之物的強求 當客人把房間弄得一團亂，或提出了誇張的要求，我們很容易產生負面情緒。但這些客人的行為，本來就不在我們的控制範圍內。 我告訴自己：專注力從「不可控的」客人行為，轉移到「可控的」自身行為。 可控的： - 我能如何讓住宿規則更完善？ - 我能如何提升服務與住宿的價值？ - 如何善用時間充實自己、而不是陷入自責？ 不可控的： - 客人會不會弄髒房間？ - 客人會不會準時進房、退房？ - 客人會不會對我的服務感到滿意？ 當你專注於你能掌控的部分，你就能將精力用於優化經營策略，而不是浪費在無謂的情緒上。 >「如果你把本質上是奴隸的東西視為自由，把不屬於你的東西視為你的，你將會悲嘆，你的心靈會不安，你會抱怨神和人類。」—— 愛比克泰德 --- ### 3. 建立規則：將「例外」轉化為「制度」 過去，延後退房是看心情給予的「例外」。但這次經驗讓我明白，無規矩、則不成方圓。 為了解決這個問題，我建立了一套明確的「延退服務規則」，並將它視為一項付費特權。 建議作法： - 明確定價：清楚標示「退房時間為上午 11 點，延後退房每小時加收 $X 元。」 - 會員優惠：可以為熟客或 VIP 提供專屬折扣，例如「VIP 會員延退服務享半價優惠」。 - 提前預約：強調「長時間的延退需提前預約」，以確保你能預先安排，避免打亂排程；如果當天有其他客人訂房，更有堅定的拒絕延退的理由。 這麼做的好處是，當客人提出要求時，你不會感到不知所措，而是能自信地回答：「沒問題，我們的延退服務有專屬方案。」這不僅專業，也讓客人知道這項服務的價值。 --- ### 4. 運用話術：將「拒絕」轉化為「提供選項」 直接拒絕客人總是讓人尷尬。更好的方法是運用話術，將拒絕轉化為提供選擇，讓客人感受到你的彈性與專業，讓體驗始終保持在溫暖人性的氛圍中。 當客人提出長時間延退時： - 錯誤話術：「不行，延後五個小時太久了，我打掃來不及。」（直接拒絕，容易產生衝突、誤解和對打掃的不信任） - 建議話術：「很感謝您喜歡我們的民宿，延後退房的費用是每小時 XX 元。長時間的延退是需要提前預約的，但因為您是我們的常客，這次可以給您特別優惠。我們額外提供您三小時的延退時間，並酌收半價費用，您看這樣可以嗎？」 這段話術巧妙地將規則、特例與價值結合，讓客人感受到特殊對待，也保護民宿的利益。 --- ### 5. 最後一步：讓客人建立正確期待 延退服務結束後，別忘了在客人退房時，再次建立正確的期待。 建議作法： - 「謝謝，下次再來喔！下次類似的狀況，記得提早預約，再看看情況幫忙安排喔！」 這句話看似客套，實則再次強調了「延退不是常態」和「需要提前預約」這兩個關鍵訊息。透過不斷的重複，你將能有效引導客人理解正確的服務邊界，避免未來類似的問題再次發生。 下次當你遇到類似的兩難，別再只糾結於情緒。請記住，你的時間和服務都是有價值的。從今天開始，試著將延退服務視為一種「有價特權」，而不是一種「無償犧牲」。 參考資料書藉 [[《Roman Stoicism》]]、[[《The Effortless Experience》]]、[[《So -- You Want to be an Innkeeper》]] # A Must-Read for B&B Owners: 5 Tips to Stop the Inner Struggle Over Late Check-Outs Set clear, paid late check-out policies, remind guests of the rules, then focus your energy back on yourself. > Good service isn't endless appeasement, but a dance of give and take with your guests. Do you feel uneasy after agreeing to a guest's request for a late check-out? That discomfort doesn’t stem from losing money, but from feeling like you're being taken advantage of. Our B&B encountered such a situation: A group of regulars returned and, because we had previously given them a discount and allowed a late check-out, they now asked for a five-hour extension. Even though it was the off-season and wouldn’t affect the next booking or cleaning schedule, I still felt uncomfortable and couldn’t justify it to myself. This article shares five practical tips I learned from books—lessons drawn from my own mistakes. --- ## 1. Shift Your Mindset: From “Free Favor” to “Paid Service” > Anything that is reasonable can be endured. — Epictetus I used to believe that extra service would earn guest satisfaction and loyalty. But this experience showed me that endlessly pleasing guests only creates false expectations. I realized that the essence of service is not endless accommodation, but the art of setting boundaries. You can treat late check-out as a valuable “service upgrade,” not a free sacrifice. When you shift your mindset from “doing a favor” to “offering a premium product,” that sense of unfairness fades. > Everything has a price, including your time and emotional energy. --- ## 2. Learn from Stoicism: Focus on What You Can Control > All pain comes from clinging to what we cannot control. When guests leave a mess or make unreasonable requests, it’s easy to feel upset. But these behaviors are beyond our control. I told myself: shift focus from uncontrollable guest behavior to my own actions, which I *can* control. **Controllable:** - How can I improve my house rules? - How can I enhance the value of the stay and service? - How can I use my time to grow instead of falling into self-blame? **Uncontrollable:** - Will guests dirty the room? - Will guests check in or out on time? - Will guests be satisfied with my service? When you focus on what you can control, your energy goes into optimizing your business strategy, rather than being wasted on negative emotions. > “If you consider what is essentially enslaved as free, and what is not yours as yours, you will grieve, your soul will be disturbed, and you will complain against both gods and men.” — Epictetus --- ## 3. Set Clear Rules: Turn “Exceptions” Into “Policy” Previously, late check-outs were given based on my mood as an “exception.” This experience made me realize that without rules, there’s chaos. To solve this, I created a clear “Late Check-Out Policy” and treated it as a paid privilege. **Suggested approach:** - **Set clear pricing:** Clearly state, “Check-out time is 11 AM. Late check-out costs $X per hour.” - **Member discounts:** Offer special discounts for VIPs or returning guests, such as “VIP members enjoy 50% off late check-out.” - **Advance reservations:** Emphasize that “extended late check-out must be booked in advance” to ensure proper scheduling and give you a solid reason to deny the request if there’s another booking. The benefit is that when guests make a request, you won’t feel cornered. Instead, you can confidently reply: “No problem, we have a dedicated late check-out plan.” This not only sounds professional but also signals the value of the service. --- ## 4. Use Smart Phrasing: Turn “No” Into “Options” Directly rejecting guests is always awkward. A better way is to use smart phrasing—turn rejection into offering choices—so guests feel your flexibility and professionalism, and the experience remains warm and human. When a guest requests a long late check-out: - **Bad phrasing:** “No, five extra hours is too much. I won’t have time to clean.” (This is a direct rejection that can lead to conflict, misunderstanding, and mistrust in your cleaning process.) - **Suggested phrasing:** “Thank you so much for loving our B&B! The late check-out fee is XX per hour. Long extensions need to be booked in advance, but since you’re a regular guest, we can offer you a special deal. We can give you three extra hours at half price. Would that work for you?” This approach cleverly combines rules, exceptions, and value, allowing the guest to feel special while still protecting your business. --- ## 5. Final Step: Set the Right Expectations After providing a late check-out, don’t forget to set the correct expectations when the guest leaves. **Suggested approach:** - “Thank you, see you next time! If you have a similar request next time, be sure to book in advance so we can help plan accordingly!” This may sound like a casual goodbye, but it reinforces two key messages: “Late check-out is not the norm” and “Advance booking is required.” By repeating this consistently, you help guests understand the boundaries of your service and avoid future misunderstandings. Next time you face a similar dilemma, don’t get caught up in emotions. Remember, your time and service are valuable. Starting today, treat late check-out as a “premium privilege,” not a “free sacrifice.” **Referenced books** *Roman Stoicism* *The Effortless Experience* *So — You Want to be an Innkeeper* # 發表歷程 #文章草稿 | Threads | | | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Facebook | | | Blogspot | | | 方格子 | | | Medium | https://medium.com/dictionary-of-stoic-philosophy/a-must-read-for-b-b-owners-5-tips-to-stop-the-inner-struggle-over-late-check-outs-cf4221ca771c?sk=a80c1b4b1e96965706fe03ea55e2aeae |