After a week-long stay at one of the lodges in Waterford Castle (WC), having experienced numerous issues (maintenances/health and safety/security), I undertook, without fuss or fanfare, to provide private feedback to senior management. I had initially had a discussion with management on site but I felt the issues were downplayed. I included some photographs to facilitate WC management’s examination of the issues. My reason for such efforts was twofold, as I am in a position to direct further business their way, and as I felt WC being a superb venue was really let down by problems that were easily resolved by a few visits from the maintenance team etc. There was no reason why these issues could not have been sorted before our arrival! I didn’t dwell on minor issues and I felt my contribution would enhance management training and development efforts, and possibly help introduce a system of quality control.
I can only say that the response was undignified, snide, sarcastic and the most unprofessional piece of customer engagement I have ever witnessed, and this to a party of guests who had quite substantially supported their business and that of the surrounding business community and who had experienced serious inconvenience on arrival and for some days afterwards. The issues were fobbed off as ‘minor’ and I was consigned to the “1%” category of guests who were put on the naughty step for daring to comment on pretty serious shortcomings, as if in some way it was my fault, rather than my response to an unacceptable level of service delivery. Covid was used as an excuse for not having carried out non-essential maintenance, however, for example, the repairing of a large lower floor window so that it could be closed is neither minor nor could it be regarded as non-essential!
Can I assure the author that despite the suggestion that we did nothing else with our time except take photos of the issues involved, we very much appreciated what WC and its environs had to offer. We spotted herds of deer at sundown and a badger in broad daylight. We experienced the beautiful 7km walk which took us right around the island. We had sumptuous meals in the golf club and top-notch service there from the young staff who were very courteous and engaging. We found housekeeping very professional and helpful in our dealings with them. Dining in the castle was a treat with the same level of professionalism and friendly engaging staff and the kitchen staff went out of their way to facilitate a complex diet. The ferry experience was pleasant where the staff sometimes waited or even reversed to facilitate us, again very professional, friendly and engaging.
So, I would recommend that rather than going on the attack, and disregarding genuine feedback, as the ramblings of a malcontent, it behoves WC senior management to take objective account of the guest’s experience. An email dripping in sarcasm and wide generalisations was disrespectful in the extreme and does little to enhance the reputation of WC. This senior manager’s time might be better spent with staff engagement to ascertain what the root cause of the failings was and If I am permitted some sarcasm of my own, perhaps the author of this masterpiece might develop the same skills in customer service as we experienced from the wonderful staff at WC. I would also recommend that this email might be shared in training as an example of how NOT to respond to feedback.
