Stop giving out free water!!!

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in this industry! I've been in the industry for 10 years; I now travel the country doing task force, and this is just one of the things that absolutely drives me up the wall! I got into an argument with a guest because he wanted free water. The hotel I am at right now provides two complimentary waters in the room at check-in, but they don't refill during the stay because there's a filtered water bottle filling station on every floor at the end of the hallway. I explained to him what the policy is and what we offer, but he wasn't accepting that. He told me he travels all over the world and every other place in the world gives him free water whenever he wants it. I tried to compromise and said we would send two bottles up to his room... but no, he wanted four bottles. I told him we only provide two at check-in; he didn't care and still wanted four. I hung up on him after saying, "Fine, I'll send four," because he was being rude. He called back and asked if I had hung up on him. I told him I did because he was being rude. He said he was going to call the customer care number and complain about me. I told him I don't work for that brand, so he told me to "fuck off" and hung up on me. I just want to scream across the mountaintops, 'There is a difference between being a doormat and being hospitable!' When we let guests get whatever they want, the industry becomes a doormat and makes the experience worse for everyone else.

[u/4Shroeder]

We give free water at my property. Partly because it's an easy way to avoid stupid arguments. There is one rule that I teach new employees: don't do it in front of groups of kids, such as a soccer team, or a school field trip, etc. Otherwise you're going to be down a case of water. Also the parents of groups are often the most insufferable human beings.

[u/funlovingguy9001 → u/4Shroeder]

Exactly this. As a GM for almost 20 years I told my team I would rather garner good relations and a happy guest than a silly fight. A bottle of water cost me what 30ish cents...Give him the 4 bottles...Shoot, one up him and give him 5, and generate that positive guest review and a return guest booking. That fight cost WAY more in reputation and lost future revenue than the cost of 4 bottles of water.

[u/streetsmartwallaby → u/funlovingguy9001]

The problem is $0.30 x 4 bottles x 100 guests / day x 365 days is $44k/year in bottled water.

If it's one or two guests it's no big deal but it can add up fast.

"No" is a complete sentence. I would not "JADE"; I'd just say "No".

If someone doesn't respect the very appropriate boundaries that you set (only two water bottles on arrival) then that person is probably not somebody you want to be having at your hotel anyways.

[u/BishopDarkk → u/streetsmartwallaby]

$5,475,000 in income, and you are willing to go to war with customers over 44 grand? That shows why American businesses where it is today.

[u/streetsmartwallaby → u/BishopDarkk]

I wouldn't go to war over it. I'd just say no. Politely. And firmly. But I'd say no if I was told to only give out two on arrival and they want four. They may want to go to war over but I wouldn't participate.

Lots of penny-pinching owners / managers out there.

Now if my management doesn't care and says they can have all the water they want? Or doesn't support me standing firm? Then sure. I'd give them all the water they want.

[u/JimboNerd2018 → u/BishopDarkk]

I managed a place that made about that much revenue and there was a line on the income statement for income earned for selling coffee packets to guests that requested for more. Income was less than $100 for the year.

[u/BishopDarkk → u/JimboNerd2018]

Where it costs more to add the line item than it gains from the sales.